Comfy chairs provide seating next to a beautiful pool. Attached kitchen provides space for preparing for events, or storing chilled beverages.

Westchester Whimsy

Daniel Contelmo Architects

Westchester Whimsy This project was a two phase addition to a simple colonial house in Chappaqua, NY. Challenges for Daniel Contelmo included the hilly site, as well as the fact that the front entry lacked presence and the garage was the primary entry. Phase one added a family room, kitchen and breakfast room to the main level, and renovated a bedroom. New overhangs and brackets draw the eye away from the garage and place the focus on the house. Phase two completed the renovation and added space to the front of the house; this was an opportunity to add character to the bedrooms with a turret, and a vaulted ceiling in the bedroom over the entry. A new car pulloff allows visitors to view the front door rather than the garage. An open-air pool cabana with an outdoor fireplace and kitchen serves as a space for year-round activities. The final product was an exquisitely detailed and tastefully decorated home that integrates colonial and shingle style architecture with whimsical touches that give the house a more animated feel.

Freeform Pool and Spa with Pool House

Boyce Design + Build

This gorgeous multi-level pool and flag stone patio houses a spa and water slide on the terrace level with stacked stone steps leading down to the pool house which features an open air cabana, outdoor fireplace, custom pizza oven, dining area, bathroom and storage room. The lower level includes a custom wood burning fire pit and manicured lawn.

Pool Design Ideas

FS Landscaping Contractors, Inc.

Russell Home

SteveGriggsDesign.com

Modern Pool

Irving Park Remodel

Heritage Technologies, Inc.

Micciche Photography

Waterfront Listed Renovation

Randell Design Group

Compact pool with current, spa and integrated electrically operated cover.

River Road Home

Colonial Homecrafters, Ltd.

pool house with pergola

Modern Pool Retreat

Vernon Wentz

This is a wonderful lap pool that has a taste of modern with the clean lines and cement cabana that also has a flair of the rustic with wood beams and a hill country stone bench. It also has a simple grass lawn that has very large planters as signature statements to once again give it a modern feel. Photography by Vernon Wentz of Ad Imagery

Pergola, Trellis & Cabana

Knapp and Associates, Inc.

Shadow Mountain Residence

Schlumberger Construction

Tanglewood Modern Pool and Cabana

Flavin Architects

Folding glass doors lead from the screen porch to a seating area with a concrete gas fuel fire pit. This overlooks a 40 foot swimming pool and sun terrace. The pool cabana, clad in Freedom Grey metal and cedar provides a respite from the sun and provides privacy to the pool terrace. The outdoor grill area is also clad in Freedom Grey metal with a stone counter. Nat Rea Photography

BRVETR

Chap Construction

Blanchard job

Islandway Luxury Home and Pool

Pinewood Paradise

Alderwood Landscape Architecture and Construction

optimal entertaining. Without a doubt, this is one of those projects that has a bit of everything! In addition to the sun-shelf and lumbar jets in the pool, guests can enjoy a full outdoor shower and locker room connected to the outdoor kitchen. Modeled after the homeowner's favorite vacation spot in Cabo, the cabana-styled covered structure and kitchen with custom tiling offer plenty of bar seating and space for barbecuing year-round. A custom-fabricated water feature offers a soft background noise. The sunken fire pit with a gorgeous view of the valley sits just below the pool. It is surrounded by boulders for plenty of seating options. One dual-purpose retaining wall is a basalt slab staircase leading to our client's garden. Custom-designed for both form and function, this area of raised beds is nestled under glistening lights for a warm welcome. Each piece of this resort, crafted with precision, comes together to create a stunning outdoor paradise! From the paver patio pool deck to the custom fire pit, this landscape will be a restful retreat for our client for years to come!

Portfolio

Royal Fence

Pool house

Cardigan Design & Renovation

David Berton

Clapboard Pool House and Pool, Dunthorpe

Otis Construction Inc.

Black Pool Design Ideas with a Pool House

Swimming pools are heavenly during hot Australian and New Zealand summers and are the perfect way to cool down, relax, entertain friends and even get fit. A pool can also create visual interest, especially when you consider features like coloured pool tiles, lighting and landscaping. If you are short on space, you might still fit a lap pool, plunge pool or swim spa, all of which could be focal points in your small garden. As you plan your pool design, map out your space and determine what size, shape and style works best for you. Browse the photos on Houzz for design ideas for above ground pools, inground pools, as well as pool landscaping and novelty features like pool slides or water features. Then, save your favourite photos to an ideabook, and get in touch with the experts behind your favourite picks.

What type of pool should I install?

The dimensions of your backyard will determine the type of inground pools you can install. Take into account boundary restrictions and pool fencing compliance. Fibreglass versions are cheaper, and quicker to install; whereas concrete constructions are better suited to tricky sites and give you more freedom in design. If you’re on a tight budget or don’t want to commit to an inground pool, above ground pools are a more affordable alternative. If you only have a small backyard, a plunge pool is a great solution, and can easily run along a boundary wall or down the side of a house. This option is also low maintenance, can be heated for use in winter, and can do double duty as a swim spa. A long, narrow space, on the other hand, could fit a lap pool, whereas a water feature could fill an awkward space. If your backyard features a stunning vista, consider an infinity pool to accentuate the view.

What pool fencing options are available?

While the specifics vary from state to state, fencing is required of most pool designs. However, pool fencing doesn’t have to obscure your pool design. Glass fencing is increasingly popular for this reason exactly, and is available framed, frameless, semi-frameless and even in-ground. A cheaper alternative is aluminium or steel fencing, which, again, are available in a variety of styles: flat top, loop-top, double-top and wire-based.

What pool landscaping features should I consider?

To get the most out of your pool, design an area that offers multiple hangouts. Include a nearby barbecue, dining area, seating for lounging and outdoor shower. Having shaded areas will give you more reason to stay poolside longer, too. Timber decking and stone paving are popular choices for pool surrounds, and are also helpful in creating zones. Just imagine a raised timber platform with a daybed – a luxurious, resort-style addition to any pool design. Leafy trees and rocks will create a more natural-looking oasis, and will help provide more privacy for swimmers. Where you want your landscape to be the main focus, keep pool equipment and furnishings to a minimum.