For most homeowners, the process of renovating a house is all about fresh paint, new floors, and the occasional surprise behind a wall. But every so often, a renovation turns up something truly extraordinary—something that transforms not just a room, but the entire story of a home. That’s exactly what happened to Henry, a glasswork artist living in Arkansas, and it’s a tale that’s resonated with millions online.
On September 21, 2025, Henry was in the midst of redoing the flooring in a spare room of her family’s Arkansas home. What started as a routine project quickly became anything but. As she pried up the hardwood floorboards, she discovered an entire indoor swimming pool and hot tub hidden beneath. According to Henry’s updates on her TikTok account @funkyglassworks, the revelation was as shocking as it was delightful. The story, as reported in the original article and updated this year, captured the imagination of people everywhere, racking up an astonishing 12 million views on TikTok.
The online community wasted no time chiming in with suggestions for the newly uncovered space. One commenter, @rachel.finds, proposed, “Hear me out... a 70s style conversation pit.” Another, @earthling311, recommended, “If you are turning that into a pond, seriously consider building an aquaponics system to grow your own food.” Some speculated about the origins of the hidden pool. “Maybe it used to be the backyard and then they covered over it and did an extension,” mused @wafflezpls. Others just reveled in the oddity, with @just.ryn joking, “Lol is it one of those 70s two-step living rooms?”
Ultimately, Henry and her family decided to forgo restoring the pool to its former glory. As Henry explained in a TikTok update, “Although lots of you wanted to see this restored back into [a] pool, we decided that being surrounded by these crystal clear lakes and being such outdoorsy people, it wouldn’t make sense for us to have an indoor pool. I hope to fill this room with stained glass, lots and lots of plants, and a small little koi pond for us to enjoy. We’re going to get so much use out of this room, and I literally cannot wait to have a place to escape to.”
Henry’s vision for the space is nothing short of enchanting. She’s already installed running water to create a small waterfall and stream, and she’s added dirt around the ponds to plant a variety of foliage. The plan includes constructing a live wall covered in plants and hanging a hammock for the ultimate relaxation nook. The room—now an atrium—boasts ample windows, excellent drainage, and ventilation to keep moisture and moss in check. “So it’s built for moisture, but we do have a large dehumidifier and have an Aprilaire coming,” Henry noted in response to a commenter’s concerns about humidity.
The renovation is still a work in progress, but that hasn’t stopped admirers from sharing their excitement. “I would never leave this room. This is going to be incredible,” gushed @esotericbalance. Another user, @kiannaspiering, added, “Wow this is going to be an amazing what a wonderful idea!!!!”
While Henry’s story is a dream come true for many, it also serves as a reminder: you never really know what secrets a home might hold. According to a survey by American Home Shield, more than one in four homeowners (27%) have discovered something in their home that should’ve been flagged during inspection. Sometimes, those surprises are delightful; other times, they’re less so. That’s why experts advise thorough inspections before buying a house—just in case the next hidden pool is lurking under your living room floorboards.
Of course, not all pools are hidden. Just a day earlier, on September 20, 2025, a property listing in LeBoeuf Township, Pennsylvania, turned heads for a different reason. The house at 3920 Stone Quarry Road, southeast of Waterford, is nothing if not upfront about its aquatic amenities. Listed for sale at $695,000 by Agresti Real Estate, the sprawling 5,864-square-foot home features a show-stopping 72-by-39-foot indoor saltwater pool area. Built in 1997 and set on 12 acres—three of them wooded—the house boasts five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, one half bathroom, Brazilian hardwood floors, and three fireplaces (two electric, one gas), according to the listing. The pool, however, is the undisputed highlight, as the real estate photos make clear.
Indoor pools, whether discovered by accident or designed as a selling point, have a certain allure. They offer year-round swimming, a touch of luxury, and, in Henry’s case, the chance to reimagine an entire room as an indoor garden oasis. But as the American Home Shield survey reveals, not every surprise is a welcome one. Some homeowners have stumbled upon old wells, forgotten safes, or even entire rooms they didn’t know existed. And in one particularly jaw-dropping case, a Turkish homeowner renovating his basement in the 1960s uncovered a passage that led to the ancient underground city of Derinkuyu—a sprawling, 2,000-year-old metropolis that once sheltered more than 20,000 people beneath the earth.
Derinkuyu, as detailed in the source article, is the world’s largest excavated underground city, lying more than 280 feet beneath the Central Anatolian region of Cappadocia, Turkey. Its tunnels and chambers—eighteen levels in all—once housed dwellings, food storage, cattle stables, schools, wineries, and even a chapel. The city is thought to connect to over 200 smaller underground settlements, and ancient writings from as early as 370 BC mention its existence. The Turkish homeowner’s discovery, like Henry’s, was a reminder that every home has a history—sometimes one that stretches back centuries, or even millennia.
So, whether you’re pulling up floorboards in Arkansas or house-hunting in Pennsylvania, it pays to keep an open mind—and maybe a flashlight handy. Hidden pools, ancient cities, or just a little extra storage space: the next surprise might be right under your feet.
For Henry, what started as a simple renovation has turned into a labor of love and a source of inspiration for millions. As she continues to transform her secret pool into a lush, light-filled atrium, her story stands as a testament to the unexpected joys—and occasional mysteries—of homeownership. And for the rest of us? Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at what lies beneath our own floors.