These Spectacular Swimming Pool Designs Will Make Your Back Yard Feel like a Resort
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Diving into a beautiful pool not only refreshes the body but also calms the mind. Just a view of tranquil water, whether through a window or from the garden or patio, can soothe the soul. Before you take the plunge and install a pool, check out these tips from a wealth adviser about whether this investment will add or detract value from your home. Or perhaps you are ready to update an existing pool area in your back yard.
From minimalist modern designs to more formal, elaborate styles, the key to creating a sophisticated swimming pool is to complement the landscape rather than compete with it. One of the best ways to nestle a pool into the landscape is to carefully choose plant materials surrounding it. Planning a pool in full sun? Consider drought-tolerant plants. For a cooler watering hole, look for plants that thrive in the shade.
Embellish your pool with a stylish garden ornament (see the bronze elephant fountain at a Houston estate) or a splash of color. The pool area of a Vero Beach, Florida, home showcases a bold, bright mural on a courtyard wall. Naturally designer Jeffry Weisman lined the pool of his Mexico home with brilliant lapis blue Talavera tiles.
Next think through how to furnish your pool deck and poolhouse. It’s important to select outdoor furniture that’s comfortable, durable, and suitable to the style of your pool design. And don’t forget chic beach towels. Let these swimming pool designs inspire a luxurious escape in your backyard.
Indoor-Outdoor Flow
Guests could get a bit too comfortable staying in this Los Angeles home’s stand-alone poolhouse. Folding glass doors maximize connection with the garden, practically bringing the pool right into the guest quarters’ living room. The iron poolside chaises are by Formations. Folding doors, Riviera Bronze
White-Hot Scheme
“The tailored, edited style lets people know they’re in Palm Beach without visually distracting from the scenery,” says designer Billy Ceglia, who envisioned a crisp, all-white loggia where Corinthian columns frame views of the pool and Lake Worth Lagoon. Oversize wrought-iron lanterns (Currey & Company) and lacquered bamboo-patterned armchairs (Brown Jordan) give way to matching chaises, custom Perennials-covered ottomans, and powder-coated tole agave plants on the pool terrace.
Seaside Lounging
“In the Bahamas it’s plan B to be inside,” notes architect Maria de la Guardia. Among the outdoor amenities of the Palladian-style estate she and interior designer Amanda Lindroth created are a pool and temple-inspired pool pavilion on the beach side of the property. Teak furniture, The Wicker Works. Sofa and chair cushion fabric, Link. Throw pillow fabric, Christopher Farr Cloth
Work of Art
The courtyard—with its rectangular pool—is on display in nearly every room of this Dallas home. Landscape architect Mary Ellen Cowan devised a luxurious yet understated space for entertaining and cooling off from the Texas sun. Dining table, Knoll
Family Fun
Wherever linens designer and shop owner Julia Amory’s young family calls home—summers in the Hamptons, the school year in Palm Beach—they have a pool to enjoy. Here, Amory tends to potted scaevolas outside the poolhouse of their Southampton cottage. While Limelight hydrangeas bloom outside, an antique sofa inside blossoms with hollyhocks (fabric, Lee Jofa).
Mediterranean Reverie
An original Bel Air estate, the home of designer Renvy Graves Pittman was one of the few built in the Mediterranean Revival style in 1929. Its elevated pool terrace is perfectly cast with a stone table and wrought-iron chairs (both by Michael Taylor) shaded by an olive tree. Cushion fabric, Perennials
Stunningly Simple
The existing pool area of this more than 200-year-old Greek Revival landmark on the East Coast was “absolutely stunning,” says interior designer Caroline Rafferty. So she and her team did nothing to it besides bringing in their clients’ collection of McKinnon and Harris furniture and setting it up in a simple layout to “allow the sightlines to sing. We loved that the furniture brought in another happy shade of blue.”
Soothing Surroundings
For San Francisco design luminaries Suzanne Tucker and Timothy Marks, their cozy Montecito cottage has long been an idyllic weekend retreat from city life. The lush landscape reminded Tucker of what the region—where she grew up—resembled before many of its fruit groves were sold and subdivided for development. The “secret garden” contains this lap pool and lounging area, complete with kumquat trees in terra-cotta planters. Pool chaises, Murray’s Iron Works. Cushion fabric, Sunbrella. Umbrella, Santa Barbara Designs
Restrained Palette
The color (Coach Green, Fine Paints of Europe) of this poolhouse in Bridgehampton, New York, blends in more than it stands out, echoing the green of the hedges. Architect Andrew B. Cogar and garden designer Charlie Marder employed dark gray tumbled Kota stone pavers and pool coping to help integrate the square pool into the landscape. “It’s understated, which is what makes the area so welcoming,” Cogar says.
Hollywood Élan
Inspired by film producer Robert Evans’s home, the round pool brings a touch of Hollywood panache to Grey Gardens. Designer Mark D. Sikes designed custom chaise longues with Munder-Skiles.
Abstract Thought
Architect Hope Dana reconfigured the pool area of this Vero Beach, Florida, home into an inviting courtyard and a stage for artist Michelle Grabner’s 10-by-70-foot glazed ceramic and lava stone tile mural. The art collector homeowner wanted something to “animate the space, and the color contrast here is bold.” Chairs, Dedon
Perfect Lunch Spot
Lunch is served in the poolside gazebo at hotelier Kit Kemp’s Barbadian retreat. Classic white wicker chairs (Vincent Sheppard) encircle a table draped in a quilted aqua bedspread (Kit Kemp Collection for Annie Selke).
Double Duty
Landscape designer Álvaro Sampedro added a new pool to the garden of an ancient Spanish estate. Crowned with a sculptural fountain, the pool doubles as a soothing sound feature in a lush oasis dotted with Italian cypress and linden trees.
Out of Sight
A pool framed by simple wood plank decking is tucked away along the side of artist Thomas Boog’s country house in France’s Loire valley. Chaises, Tectona
Gathering Place
The family room of this Athens, Georgia, home boasts a stunning set of floor-to-ceiling glass and iron doors that open the entire room up to the generous backyard space and pool deck. “The house was built to accommodate being outside and around the pool with friends,” says designer Lanier Gupton.
Everyday Celebrations
The outdoor cabana of this Sea Island, Georgia, beach house designed by Ellen Kavanaugh ensures any day at the pool feels like a celebratory affair. Custom cabinet hardware, Patterson’s of Palm Beach. Faucet, Brizo
Sunken Treasure
You would think the hoteliers of Reschio Estate, an 11th-century castle turned hotel in Umbria, would live on some distant hill rather than a 10-minute stroll from the castle. The couple’s five children had always wanted a pool, so their house overlooks the sunken pool set just outside the castle walls in a clearing of strappy umbrella pines.
Refreshing Talavera
At the home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, he shares with husband and business partner Andrew Fisher, designer Jeffry Weisman lined the pool with brilliant deep lapis blue Talavera tiles.
Poolside Edible Garden
At this Ross, California, home, landscape architect Erica Timbrell refinished an existing pool and chose gray limestone pavers as decking to extend into the living spaces, including where a dining terrace is framed by a pair of L-shaped garden beds. Strawberries, mint, and Shishito peppers grow in wattle-enclosed beds alongside Incrediball hydrangeas, Agastache, and Hidcote lavender.
Old-World Elegance
In the pool garden of this Santa Monica, California, home, mature kumquat trees bookend a fireside sitting room designed by landscape architect Scott Shrader. The pool loungers are from RH.
Sunny and Sleek
At this Dallas home the design team of designer Meredith McBrearty, architect Ryan Street, and landscape architect Bill Bauer channeled the original house's midcentury roots with a sleek pool that features a dark blue-green bottom and coping flush with the water. A pair of vintage Willy Guhl Loop chairs sits pretty at one end.
Poolside Prep
Like a Slim Aarons photo, the pool at this Naples, Florida, home designed by Summer Thornton is steeped in glamour, from the large white planters and flush coping to the teak pool loungers (Sutherland) and patterned umbrellas (Sunbeam Jackie).
A European Air
At this home in West Hollywood, California, landscape architect Anna Hoffman designed a pool and outdoor living space that channel the vibe of a European estate. The pool decking is French limestone, and the poolside living room is shaded by an alderwood pergola.
Verdant Surroundings
At this Bronxville, New York, home designed by Carrier and Company, the pool is tucked into a lush corner of the backyard. A trio of lilac standards flourishes in a tidy poolside bed of Franklin’s Gem hedges. Chaise longues, Country Casual Teak
Ranch Revival
Iconic vintage furniture and cheerful pops of red enliven the pool terrace of this California wine country home designed by Ken Fulk. Tubular 1940s rockers by Walter Lamb are from the estate of screen legend Shirley Temple. Chaises, RH. Cushion fabric, Sunbrella
Woodland Watering Hole
The irregular shape of this pool surrounded by stone coping fits the woodland style of this Connecticut garden designed by homeowners Bill Reynolds and Robb Nestor. Beech and hemlock trees cast shade over the pool and pool terrace.
Cabana Classic
At this Connecticut home a verdant lawn surrounds the pool to cooling effects. An outdoor fireplace and teak dining table (Summit) turn the poolhouse, designed by David Netto, into the de facto summer dining room. Lounge and Adirondack chairs, Loll Designs
Old Florida Glamour
At this Naples, Florida, home designed by Celerie Kemble, a knife-edge pool sits flush with a coral stone deck that overlooks Gordon Pass. Beneath a canopy of coconut palms, an emerald privacy screen of areca, traveler’s, fishtail, and cat palms flourishes. Chaise longues, Mimi by Celerie Kemble. Umbrella, Santa Barbara Designs
Artistic Touch
Beyond the dining terrace and pool at this Hamptons retreat designed by Alex Papachristidis, a cast bronze and gilt garden sculpture rises over clipped bayberry hedges. Table and chairs, The Antique and Artisan Gallery
Home Turf
Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury knows a thing or two about home field advantage. Case in point: his backyard in Paradise Valley, Arizona, which features a pool terrace comprising a clean grid pattern of turf and hardscape that echoes the home’s geometric architecture. Beyond the pool the outdoor pavilion includes a pool bath and a gourmet kitchen equipped with a grill.
Cottage Charm
At this Connecticut waterfront home designed by Cathy Kincaid, the pool and stone terrace create an ideal spot for breakfast, afternoon tea, or even cocktails, thanks to a cedar pool pavilion inspired by the owners’ antique birdhouse.
Made in the Shade
Under a canopy of pine trees, a rectangular pool enjoys respite from the sun at this Newport Beach, California, home designed by Peter Dunham. The chaise cushion fabric is from Peter Dunham Textiles, and the pink pillow fabric is Fermoie.
Splendor in the Grass
At this former Christmas tree farm in Millbrook, New York, landscape architect Janice Parker surrounded the pool with a grassy deck to play up its rural setting. "Setting the pool in grass helps avoid the 'suburbanization' of a landscape," says Parker. Potted topiaries at the corners finish the look with elegance.
Eternal Sunshine
Landscape design firm Hoerr Schaudt encircled this Montecito, California, swimming pool with drought-tolerant plants like lavender and agave that not only thrive in full sun but also look right at home in the arid coastal setting.
Low Profile
This Long Island, New York, garden, designed by Hollander Design Landscape Architects, features a rimless pool that fits right into the flat farmland landscape. For texture and privacy surrounding the pool, Hollander installed Annabelle hydrangeas, a manicured hedge, and an allée of crape myrtles.
Lined with Lanterns
At Jenna Bush Hager's Long Island cottage, an enchanting backyard pool is all set for weekend company, thanks to large wicker lanterns from Amanda Lindroth, a vintage iron patio set finished with cushions from Perennials, and block-printed table linens also from Amanda Lindroth.
In the Round
At this Houston estate designed by Curtis & Windham Architects with Windfohr Design, a round pool was inspired by the Rodin Museum in Paris. A bronze elephant fountain (Dan Ostermiller) and Canary Island date palms emphasize a feeling of exoticism and whimsy.
Nice Curves
A photograph of a fountain edge at the Taj Mahal inspired the sinuous curves of the garden, designed by Mario Nievera of Nievera Williams Landscape Architecture, surrounding this rectangular pool at the 2020 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach.
Temple on the Hill
This pool in New York's Hudson valley is finished at one end with a poolhouse modeled after a temple and terraced into the hill "like a secret folly," says architect Cynthia Filkoff. The chaise longues and umbrellas are from RH.
Pattern Play
The swimming pool at this historic Palm Beach home designed by Susan Zises Green features a geometric pattern made of light and dark tiles that echoes the exterior's alternating bands of brick and coral stone.
Lap of Luxury
A terraced lawn sets this simple, sophisticated rectangular swimming pool apart from the Bahamas estate designed by Miles Redd. A screen of palms at each end of the pool provides privacy.
Lawn Games
At his West Palm Beach home, designer Lars Bolander ran the lawn right up to the swimming pool coping for a more natural effect, amplified by the reflection of coconut palms in the water.
Advanced Geometry
At this Southern California home designed by Mark D. Sikes, geometric details, such as the pool deck's grid pattern made of pavers and ground cover, lend modern energy to this backyard pool. Chaise longues covered in a cheerful Mariaflora striped outdoor fabric plus a wave-patterned tile border provide a playful contrast to the formal Spanish Mediterranean architecture.
Lush Life
A mix of coconut palms, sago palms, bougainvillea, ground cover, and pavers surrounds this Palm Beach estate swimming pool in a celebration of its natural surroundings. A pair of slender steps at the sides of the pool, as opposed to steps that run across the entirety of the end of the pool, allows for more swimming space.
Hedge Fun
A manicured hedge ensconces the swimming pool portion of this 65-acre farm in Provence, restored by landscape architect Dominique Lafourcade, architect Alexandre Lafourcade, and interior designer Susan Bednar Long. Slender cyprés de Florence soften the surroundings of the new swimming pool and help it fit into the context of the nearby 200-year-old farmhouse.
Infinity and Beyond
This Hamptons home designed by architect Steven Harris and landscape architect David Kelly features a dark-bottomed infinity pool surrounded by a pond, which extends the soothing watery vista.
Classic Details
A Greek key mosaic-tile border, symmetrical landscaping, and a new pool pavilion set off by fluted columns reinforce the timeless style of this 1934 Regency-style home in Atlanta, originally designed by architect Philip Trammell Shutze and restored by architect Yong Pak, landscape design firm Land Plus, and interior designer Melanie Turner. The home exterior is painted Superwhite by Sherwin-Williams; the shutters are Farrow & Ball's Pitch Black.
Courtyard Cool
The interior courtyard at this Palm Beach estate designed by David Kleinberg is a sheltered oasis of manicured greenery; a shaded, bougainvillea-covered veranda; and a small pool that provides respite on warm days. The chaise longues are by Brown Jordan.
Stylish Tile
At her Los Angeles home designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, longtime Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo embraced Moroccan-inspired design details, such as the patterned tile that lines her backyard pool. The tablecloth is from Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design; the Moroccan lanterns are from Berbere.
Standing Guard
At this 1926 Mediterranean Revival home in Florida designed by Lou Marotta, a pair of antique French carved stone figures depicting Greek philosophers overlooks the swimming pool. The teak lounge chairs feature cushions in a Sunbrella fabric; the lanterns are from RH.
Roman Holiday
For his home in Montecito, California, designer John Saladino was inspired by Roman and Greek nymphae (natural grottoes are said to be homes of nymphs) in designing his hedge-framed pool and patio.
Pool with a View
On a promontory overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, this rectangular pool is sited to maximize views of the Aeolian Islands, thanks to two stone terraces. A pergola at one end of the upper terrace provides shade. The pool lounge chairs are covered in a Dedar fabric.
Decked Out
At this Malibu, California, retreat, landscape architect Scott Shrader used reclaimed scaffolding for a rustic-chic decking material surrounding the swimming pool. The large Agave americana supplies lush contrast. The seating, table, and lanterns are by Janus et Cie.
Serene Symmetry
At this Palm Beach home, landscape designers Andres Paradelo of Paradelo Burgess Design Studio and Jobe Lopez of Lopez Group, Inc. lined the swimming pool's brick deck with olive trees, reinforcing "the strong axial view from the loggia," says Paradelo. "We really wanted to create a sense of serenity." Designer Amy Meier added chaise longues from Sutherland covered in a light blue fabric from Perennials.
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