10 Best Pool Design Elements That Are Magical
For most of us, lounging by the pool is heaven. There’s nothing like spending time with friends and family members around a sparkling pool, enjoying good company and sunshine. Unfortunately, the reality of our pools doesn’t match the fantasy about pools that exist in our minds. That’s when it’s time to think about how we can make the design of our pools match the “perfect pool” that exists in our heads. To help everyone accomplish that goal we’ve listed some of the best pool design ideas that can help get everyone excited about their pool area again.
1. An Indoor Pool Cove
One way to blow everyone away, including yourself, with the pool area is to move it indoors. A room built specifically for the pool area can really provide the pool owner and their guests with their own hideaway pool cove. Wood panel walls that are painted white, a brushed cement floor, and unique lantern lights can elevate this indoor pool area to the next level. It also looks like one of those expensive indoor pools enjoyed by celebrities, although it can be installed in a room that’s nothing more than a glorified enclosed porch.
2. An Outdoor Swim Up Pool Bar
Another way to elevate the pool area from merely being a place to swim and the sun is by adding an outdoor swim bar. This can be as simple as one of those portable rattan or wicker poolside bar stations, or it can be a window added to the side of the pool. Either way, it’s a great way to transform the pool area into a real social hub. People can swim, sun, and enjoy adult non-adult beverages and do it all while enjoying one another’s company. And this can be done without a whole lot of expense.
3. Lap Pools Provide Athletic Motivation
Okay, installing a lap pool might not be an inexpensive project, but it can be an exciting one. This is especially true for people who lead athletic lives or for people who want an excuse to get in better shape. Swimming can be an amazing cardiac workout, and a lap pool allows the swimmers to really push themselves physically. Although we’ve found round or square pools to be the best for socializing, we think that rectangular pools are the best for exercise. Besides, a nice long pool can fit into areas that would be too narrow for regularly-shaped pools.
4. Outdoor Kitchens Satisfy Those Poolside Cravings
Anyone who has ever tried to get a morning or afternoon swim in before a meal knows that sometimes the kitchen is just too far away. After you’ve done countless laps back and forth in the pool, you really don’t want to have to go on a long trek to the kitchen to satisfy those cravings. That’s where having a poolside kitchen can really come in handy. However, it doesn’t have to be an elaborate outdoor kitchen that’s decked out with all of the bells and whistles. Sometimes a good old-fashioned snack bar can be a quick and easy solution.
5. The Path To A Perfect Pool
Many times a person’s pool isn’t what’s distracting to the eye. Sometimes it’s the path leading up to the pool. Worn out concrete paths, or having to walk through grass can be a real distraction for people getting into the pool. That’s why sometimes the way to a better pool is by creating a better path. A path can draw a person’s eye to certain areas of the pool and help tie the whole area together.
6. Everyone Could Benefit From A Baja Shelf
Although it might look like adding a Baja shelf to a pool would be an expensive proposition, that isn’t necessarily the case. These shelves can be added to many pools very economically, as long as there aren’t a whole lot of extra features such as bubblers added along with them. And Baja shelves are great for everyone using the pool. They not only give adults an area to sit without having to submerge completely in the water, and they give the children sort of a wading area. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
7. Use Shapes Creatively
We feel that the problem with many pool areas is that they have become too square over the past few decades. There are just too many hard corners and angles. Sure, that is due to “modern design” motifs making their way onto the pool area, but we feel that it just makes everyone’s pool area look the same. That’s why we encourage people to use shapes creatively in their pool area. Not only with the shape of the pool but also the deck chairs and umbrellas as well. Playing with different shapes can create a pool area that’s decidedly unique.
8. Despite Popular Belief, Size Doesn’t Always Matter
When most people are thinking about their pool areas, they are trying to get a pool as big as possible, or at least, as big as their budget would allow. That doesn’t have to be the case, however. A smaller pool is not only less expensive, but it can also fit into smaller areas. And it has the added benefit of making the area feel like a secret cove. Imagine walking out into a space that you wouldn’t ordinarily think contained a pool but found one anyway. The result is pure magic.
9. Take Advantage Of Nature
Using an area’s natural landscape can be a great way to create a pool area that really stands out. And natural elements can have a drastic effect on how the pool area feels. Trees provide shade for sure, but they also provide the area with tranquility that just can’t be matched. The same goes for plants, rocks, and other natural design elements. Using the natural elements that are already at hand can really improve an area dramatically.
10. A Proper Seating Area Is Key
What many people forget about when they’re designing their pool areas is seating, yet it’s one of the most essential parts of the whole pool area. Not only does seating give people a place to sit, but it also can be used to introduce design elements into the pool area. Imagine placing a 1950s-style patio chaise on the pool, or even placing hammocks suspended from posts near the pool area. As you can see, there are an almost endless array of possibilities available when you start thinking of seating as being more than functional. This is especially true for modern pools that all look the same. Simply adding some unique seating can really take them up to the next level.
