Looking down on the curved swimming pool & pool house. The pool area is embedded into the sloped and located away from the main house creating an isolated experience tucked into a beautiful landscape. The pool house contains a kitchenette, bathroom, & ensuite apartment with a separate entrance. The swimming pool has an asymmetrical, curved form with an infinity edge forming nearly its entire rim.

Rancho Santa Fe Swim Up Bar

Jesse York, Landscape Designer

This project epitomizes luxury outdoor living, centered around an extraordinary pool that sets a new standard for leisure and elegance. The pool, features a custom-built swim-up bar, allowing guests to indulge in their favorite beverages without ever leaving the water. Surrounded by sumptuous lounging areas and accented with sophisticated lighting, the pool area promises an unparalleled aquatic experience. Adjacent to this aquatic paradise, the outdoor space boasts an entertainer’s dream kitchen and a mesmerizing fire feature, all framed by breathtaking panoramic views that elevate every gathering. Additionally, the estate includes a state-of-the-art all-purpose sports court, offering endless fun with activities like tennis, basketball, and the ever-popular pickleball. Each aspect of this lavish project has been meticulously curated to provide an ultimate haven of relaxation and entertainment.

Hobbit House

Camden Grace LLC

Teak chairs that do double duty as dining chairs but also recline play off the natural elements in this pool set-up straight out of Harry Potter Casting.

Custom Porch Doors

ActivWall

An open porch can be transformed into a space for year-round enjoyment with the addition of ActivWall Horizontal Folding Doors. This custom porch required 47 glass panels and multiple different configurations. Now the porch is completely lit up with natural light, while still being completely sealed in to keep out the heat out in the summer and cold out in the winter. Another unique point of this custom design are the fixed panels that enclose the existing columns and create the openings for the horizontal folding units.

Villa Linda

Ryan Hughes Design

In a protective portico constructed of concrete, stone and wood an outdoor kitchen and dining area sits adjacent to the client's entertainment plaza. The RYAN HUGHES Design Build team created an elegant outdoor design with custom built outdoor rooms and features. All is tied together with a family friendly flow. Brown Jordan bar chairs and Castelle cushioned dining table provide comfort and style for the outdoor kitchen. Photography by Jimi Smith.

Backyard & Barn

Forte Building Group, LLC

True home (safe home) entertainment center - DET2001

Selah Pools & Spas

Complete outdoor entertainment cent, custom built by Selah Pools. You Dream it, We Build it...

Tudor Noir

Colossus Mfg.

Edge of the textured pool leads right up to the sliding doors of pool house, which can be used as a guest house!

The Sanctuary | Fall 2020

Tim Perry Photography

Techo-Bloc Flagstone

Astro Masonry

Modern Hillside Pool with Fire and Water Features

Mike Farley Pool Designer, SWD, ASLA

Beautiful modern pool project in Southlake, TX designed by Mike Farley. It has a large cabana with a outdoor kitchen and fireplace. The hillside was terraced to create different gathering areas. The desire for great water features resulted in the back of the fire feature creating an awesome sound with a water wall and the cabana bench back created a spot for the sheer descents. The lush tropical plantings accented with raised planters and synthetic grass provide privacy with the neighbors and will grow into paradise. Constructed by Claffey Pools and landscape by Joey Designs. Photo by Mike Farley.

North Tustin Backyard Renovation

TRU Landscape Services

Traditional contemporary

Tipton Spires Design|Build

Custom matching pool house and cabana, stone fireplace, outdoor kitchen, lounge area and swim up bar.

River Vale, Bergen County, New Jersey

The Pool Boss

In this dream backyard we showcase The Villa, a classic linear pool with a flare. This pool also features a bench and a spill over hot tub. This backyard is an entertainer's delight, featuring multiple entertainment zones designed by The Pool Boss. The lush greeny creates an Old English garden feel.

Below Ground Pool with Patio and Pool House Project

ALL Renovation & Design LLC

For this project, we were asked to create an outdoor living area around a newly-constructed pool. We worked with the customer on the design, layout, and material selections. We constructed two decks: one with a vinyl pergola, and the other with a roof and screened-in porch. We installed Cambridge pavers around pool and walkways. We built custom seating walls and fire pit. Our team helped with selecting and installing planting beds and plants. Closer to the pool we constructed a custom 16’x28’ pool house with a storage area, powder room, and finished entertaining area and loft area. The interior of finished area was lined with tongue-and-groove pine boards and custom trim. To complete the project, we installed aluminum fencing and designed and installed an outdoor kitchen. In the end, we helped this Berks County homeowner completely transform their backyard into a stunning outdoor living space.

Amazing Roman Geometric Pool & Spa in Parkland

Van Kirk & Sons Pools and Spas

Highlighted in this project was a themed backyard that was inspired by luxury from the gold chairs to the black lagoon finish and it's Roman geometric shape. This project screams Versace! The decking we used was a white marble and the accessory structure was built to mimic the arches of the swimming pool. This accessory structure was topped off with a beautiful chandelier hanging center piece. Also, a crystalized material was added to the plaster to create an extra shimmer!

Esteswood

Chateau Properties, Inc.

Deer Creek Estate

Elite Landscaping Omaha

In the back of this estate just outside of Omaha, Nebraska, Elite Landscaping designed a custom concrete swimming pool with a covered pool house and 360-degree, negative-edge spa. The pool house features an outdoor kitchen and bar area, which rests on posts that adjoin the raised pool wall. The pool house was built as an exact architectural match to the house, from the stucco, to the cedar decking beams, down to the paint color. This covered outdoor entertaining area provides a shady spot in the afternoons, where guests can lounge on four in-pool, swim up bar stools. The rest of the pool remains in full sun. The sunken swim-up bar is adorned with glass tile accents, and the pool wall features natural stone. Oversized, UniLock bluestone pavers comprise the pool deck and patio. The unique negative-edge spa sits above the pool, and was designed so one half of the spa flows into the pool while the other half flows back into the landscaping. The entire poolscape is automated by a Pentair IntelliTouch system that runs off of a smartphone or other device. With the touch of a button, the homeowners can adjust pool and spa temperatures, change water flow speed, program the FX color-changing LED lights, and even test the pool chemistry.

Farmhouse Traditional

Frankel Design Build

Connie Anderson

Away at Home

MH3 Design Group

Kidney-shaped and Custom-shaped 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.