Koi Pond Hot Tub Cover

A vinyl hot tub cover transformed into a trompe l'oeil koi pond — lily pads, rippling water, and golden fish suspended beneath the surface.

Commissioned for a private home in Northern California, this project presented an unusual challenge: to make a functional vinyl hot tub cover disappear entirely, replaced by the illusion of a living pond. The composition draws on the Japanese tradition of koi pond design, with overlapping lily pads, reflective water, and fish of varying depth and size creating a convincing sense of three-dimensional space.

Painted in acrylics on the vinyl surface, the work required careful preparation to ensure adhesion and flexibility. The finished cover reads as a window into water rather than a painted surface.