The bar has keg-orators, snow cone machines, fridges, sinks, and ice makers, and of course flat screen TV for the football games Photography by Paul Ladd

New Pool House

Gaskill Architecture

Transitional Pool With Swim Up Bar

Mike Farley Pool Designer, SWD, ASLA

Transitional Infinity Pool with swim up bar and sunken kitchen designed by Mike Farley has a large tanning ledge with Ledge Loungers to relax on, This project has a large fire bar below for entertaining & a large cabana next to the raised spa. Interrior finish is Wet Edge. FarleyPoolDesigns.com

Crescent Estate

L. Lumpkins Architect, Inc.

rear yard with pool and cabana

Run of the Knolls

Tracy Lynn Studio

Ryan Garvin

Modern Farmhouse

Old Hillsboro Building Company

Bluffview Infinity Edge and Lap Pool

Pool Environments, Inc.

Infinity Edge pool & spa, lap pool, ipe deck with firepit, cabana

Pool Pavilion

Gregory Thomas, Architect, AKBD, CG&S Design-Build

Pavilion at night. I designed this outdoor living project when at CG&S, and it was beautifully built by their team. Photo: Paul Finkel 2012

Spanish Pool

Art a la Carte Designs

Outdoor pool, spa and entertainment area featuring large firepits, ample seating for entertainment, outdoor fireplace and seating, pool house and outdoor dining.

Arcadia Spanish Colonial | Pool & Pool House

Greey Pickett

The landscape of this home honors the formality of Spanish Colonial / Santa Barbara Style early homes in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix. By re-grading the lot and allowing for terraced opportunities, we featured a variety of hardscape stone, brick, and decorative tiles that reinforce the eclectic Spanish Colonial feel. Cantera and La Negra volcanic stone, brick, natural field stone, and handcrafted Spanish decorative tiles are used to establish interest throughout the property. A front courtyard patio includes a hand painted tile fountain and sitting area near the outdoor fire place. This patio features formal Boxwood hedges, Hibiscus, and a rose garden set in pea gravel. The living room of the home opens to an outdoor living area which is raised three feet above the pool. This allowed for opportunity to feature handcrafted Spanish tiles and raised planters. The side courtyard, with stepping stones and Dichondra grass, surrounds a focal Crape Myrtle tree. One focal point of the back patio is a 24-foot hand-hammered wrought iron trellis, anchored with a stone wall water feature. We added a pizza oven and barbecue, bistro lights, and hanging flower baskets to complete the intimate outdoor dining space. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Higgins Architects Landscape Contractor: Premier Environments Photography: Scott Sandler

Sunset Residence

Hoke Ley

Blake Worthington, Rebecca Duke

Tioga Pool

Caprock Hardscape Supply

Modern Pool

The 20 acre Resort in High Meadow Ranch

Marquise Pools

Another angle of the grotto, again light colored polymer stone panels, complements of Dixon Dawson of Modern Method Gunite company, best in the Nation. Photography by Paul Ladd

Saratoga Extreme Backyard Make over

Creative Environments

This picture was taken by Master photographer, Alex Johnson. The yard design was done by Peter Koenig Designs in Alamo, the Hardscape and Soft scape were build and designed by Michael Tebb Landscape in Alamo and the Swimming Pool construction was done by Creative Environments in Alamo. What a great team effort by all that helped to create this wonder outdoor living space for our clients.

Hillcrest Remodel To Sell

Cindi Carter

Stephanie Wiley Photography

Courtyard Hacienda

chas architects

Mediterranean Negative Edge Pool & Outdoor Entertainment Area

Selective Designs by Shane LeBlanc

Shane Leblanc

HGTV's "Cool Pools-Scuba Pool" Swim Through Grottos, Lazy River & Waterfalls

CAVINESS LANDSCAPE DESIGN, INC.

Featured on HGTV's "Cool Pools", the "Scuba Pool" was inspired by the homeowner's love for scuba diving, so we created stone tunnels and a deep diving area as well as lazy rivers and two grottos connected by a native Oklahoma boulder waterfall. A large beach entry gives young ones plenty of play space as well. These homeowners can entertain large groups easily with this multi-function outdoor space. Design and Construction by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. photos by KO Rinearson

Expansive Backyard Pool Design Ideas

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.