There are 10.4 million residential swimming pools in the United States. It’s no wonder considering that it swimming is the 4th most popular sport in the country.
If you have been looking at pool design ideas for your own backyard, read on. We’ll share 10 tips to ensure your backyard pool becomes an oasis you can enjoy for years to come.
1. Consider Lifestyle
Before you begin to plan your backyard designs and look for pool ideas, you should first consider your lifestyle.
If you want to enjoy a pool but don’t have much time for maintenance, consider the latest tech. Nowadays, you can get pools that are self-vacuuming, can balance their own chemical levels and can be heated up from an app on your smartphone.
It’s getting easier to manage a backyard pool with every advance in technology.
Another thing you need to consider is how much time an effort you want to put into backyard landscaping. If you prefer to let the rain take care of the plants instead of watering, look for perennials that are low maintenance and hardy.
Or, consider paying for backyard landscaping services to ensure your grass and plants always look their best. That way you can have an appealing yard that begs you to enjoy the outdoor space you’ve created. Just factor the cost into your budget to avoid surprising expenses.
You might also want to consider rock features and other elements that are aesthetically pleasing and require no maintenance.
2. Imagine Using Your Pool
Once you know your lifestyle limitations, take it one step further by imagining using your pool. Do you picture a bunch of friends playing water volleyball while you grill some burgers?
Or do you picture sliding under the water in the evening with just the gentle lights in the garden?
Have a clear vision for your backyard oasis before you begin planning. That way you will not be tempted to stray off course when you see all the glossy pictures in a magazine.
Stay true to what you want your pool to be to ensure that your backyard design complements who you are.
3. Set a Budget for Your Pool Design
It’s easy to get carried away with your backyard designs. Before you start looking into pool house designs and so on set a budget.
Your budget will help you and your pool designer set realistic expectations on the scope of the project. This figure will also help guide you towards certain materials and features.
4. Privacy
An oasis is by definition a place you can retreat to for relaxation. In order for your backyard to give you that sense of bliss, it needs to be private.
Visual and auditory privacy should be high on your landscaping must-have list. You might have great neighbors today that are quiet and stay indoors, but that might not always be the case.
Plan for the future by choosing privacy features that will make your backyard feel like a secluded, secret retreat.
Strategically place your pool, walls, fences, and trellises so that you can enjoy your pool and backyard no matter what is going on next door.
5. Ambiance
Visual appeal is important but that is not the only contributing factor to breathtaking backyard designs. Don’t forget to incorporate auditory features into your backyard designs.
You might choose a water feature such as a trickling waterfall into the pool or pond. The soothing sounds of moving water will help you relax, unwind and enjoy the moment.
If you love nothing more than floating on a donut-shaped pool toy while singing your favorite song, don’t neglect to incorporate a decent sound system into your pool house or exterior wall speakers.
Don’t forget to think about the temperature of your neighborhood. If you live in a hot area, find ways to add shade to prevent overexposure. Read these 4 ways to add shade to your yard.
6. Choose the Right Pool Size
You might have your heart set on an Olympic-sized pool. But the truth is that it’s not up to you. The space of your backyard determines the size pool you can have.
The proportion of pool and yard space is paramount. Too large and nothing you can do will make the yard feel spacious. If you have a small space, a lap pool could be overpowering.
Too small and your space may look cheap and not suit your needs. Always think about the future when you are deciding on your backyard designs. Your kids may be small and happy to stay in the shallow end today, but what about in 10 years?
If you already have a pool that isn’t right for your space, there is a solution. Click here to learn more about remodeling your existing pool.
7. Select the Form with Care
It’s fun to look at pool galleries when planning your own backyard pool. But remember, just because it works in the picture doesn’t mean it’s right for your home.
You should try to match your pool to the architecture of your house. Consider if your house is modern or traditional. Also if the home has curves or is symmetrical.
The form of the pool should complement the form of the house for the best visual appeal.
Next, consider the materials you will be using. Pools can be made out of concrete or fiberglass. While fiberglass pools tend to be less expensive, there are some limitations to working with this material.
8. Safety
Safety and pools go hand in hand. Homeowners much consider safety when choosing to install a pool in their yard.
Rather than installing an ugly barrier as an after-thought to make your pool compliant, keep safety in mind from the start. Then you are better able to create appealing features that ensure safety yet look like they are there for style.
Make sure you are well versed in your area’s compliance rules to avoid stress later in the building process.
9. Choose to be Bold
Many yards have pools. But having one doesn’t necessarily make a yard an oasis.
Dare to take risks in your backyard designs in order to add visually appealing elements that surprise and delight.
Stepping stones on one end of the pool will be sure to add a wow-factor to your yard. Mosiac tiles leading to the pool are functional and beautiful. You can go as bold as you like with patterns and colors.
10. Plan for the Future
Remember, your backyard oasis doesn’t need to happen all at once. It’s reasonable to plan the pool and landscaping for now and leave other elements such as a gazebo, wood-burning oven, and cabana for down the road.
Leave some room for growth. You might find that your lifestyle changes later on and your backyard should have some room to adapt.
Final Thoughts on Pool Design
Thanks for reading these 10 tips on pool design for your backyard oasis. Remember that your backyard is an extension of your home and should reflect your style, preferences, and personality just as much as the interior of your house does.
Still need a push to get you started? Check out these 10 unique benefits of owning a pool.
