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Now that you’ve thought through the shapes and materials available for building your dream pool, let’s talk features. This is the fun stuff that takes a standard pool to amazing, in any yard.
If you’re looking for a simple, elegant, and clean feeling landscaping option to boost a simple pool area to something truly sophisticated, try planting two to five Italian Cypress trees along the perimeter of the pool apron. Try giving a few feet between the apron and the trees for a comfortable, attractive pool.
If you’re looking for a simple, elegant, and clean feeling landscaping option to boost a simple pool area to something truly sophisticated, try planting two to five Italian Cypress trees along the perimeter of the pool apron. Try giving a few feet between the apron and the trees for a comfortable, attractive pool.
If you want a beautiful alternative to fencing, try creating a living wall. You can construct one reasonably easily out of some beautiful hedges, trees, and similar plants, to give yourself an inviting, green, and natural edging for your pool, yard, and home. Plus, living walls make an awesome backdrop for photos.
Idea #4: Continued Architectural Design
For a stunning pool and yard, you can have your builder create a continuing design pool and yard. There are a number of examples of this, including the concept of lap pool that spills into an adjacent catch-gutter. The run spills into a balance tank at the opposite end of the pool, which appears, from the right vantage point, to be a separate water feature. Using a mural on the support walls, everything is tied together in a unique, stunning visual that encompasses the whole yard in a beautiful, intriguing design.
Idea #5: Living Room to Pool Opening
For the true wow factor, have your living room open out into the pool, using unique stepping stones that literally take you out from your home into walking on water.
Idea #6: Upholstery for an Easy-Update
For a simple, easy, and fairly inexpensive update for your pool, find some exciting, bright, and beautiful new upholstery items, like pillows and chaise cushions, for your pool house. For summery colors, go with yellows and oranges. In winter, shoot for reds, greens, and blues for a combination of warm and cool, bright accents that draw attention.
If you don’t already have some airy, gauzy curtains for your pool house, now’s the time. This inexpensive update will change your pool house from a ho-hum place to dump the towels to a tropical paradise in minutes.
For a bigger upgrade, add an outdoor wet-bar, rattan chaise lounges, and a few key tropical décor items.
For an easy, water access without walking on your pristine lawns, try adding some mosaic tiles as a walking path between the house and the pool apron. They’re functional and beautiful, and really add an impressive “pop” to the yard without a lot of expense. You can either add muted tones for a more classical feel or go with bright, energizing colors for a more Bohemian look.
Idea #9: Modern Stylings
For a modern backyard, check out the design from Murray Legge Architecture of Austin, for some stunning ideas. The pool house has a roof with grasses, locally native wildflowers, and sedges. Limestone on steel for pool decking and mosaic glass tiles complete the pool interior, while stools inside the pool create a comfortable, luxurious feel.
Idea #10: Waterpark Wonderland
For those who have the space and finances, and love a good waterpark, you can create a fun, but elegant waterpark like environment in your backyard. Stones, waterfalls, islands, multiple levels of pools, colorful landscaping, artistic elements, and, of course, incredibly comfortable lounge chairs and a bright umbrella work together to create this experience. You can add in additional elements like fountains and built-in sprinklers that will add to the “park” experience at home.
The Most Beautiful Pool Ideas
Your backyard is limitless, even with a very small space to work with. There are literally millions of options that you can pull together for small, distinct, and stunning features that will create the most beautiful yard you’ve ever seen. Look through our pool ideas, and check the links for visuals.
For more ideas with some visual aids, check out the designs featured on Decoist and Architecture Art Designs for small pool ideas.
