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The perfect outdoor swimming pool can add an incredibly stunning statement to your property, along with some lush vegetation and relaxing furnishings. Have a look below for some truly inspiring pools to give you some inspiration for your own property, from infinity-edge and lap pools to lagoon-style oases, pool houses, and sunken fire pit lounges. Each image also has additional information and sources to help further inspire you.
Tell Us: Which one of these swimming pools most inspires you and why? Let us know in the Comments below!
Tips For Designing an Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Plan the whole backyard, not just the pool: Think about where you will lounge, dine, and gather so the pool, deck, and outdoor living areas work together.
- Add a tanning ledge or Baja shelf: A shallow shelf gives you a spot for in-water lounge chairs and a safe place for kids to splash.
- Choose a deck material that stays cool: Lighter-colored stone and pavers, such as travertine and bluestone, are more comfortable underfoot on hot summer days.
- Consider your pool finish color: Darker finishes create a natural, lagoon-like look, while lighter finishes give the water a bright, tropical blue.
- Layer in lighting and fire features: Pool lights, fire pits, and fire bowls extend your pool time well into the evening.
1. Lap Pool With Bamboo Decking in Atlanta.
An outdoor swimming pool oasis in Atlanta, Georgia features an expansive deck. The pool finish is PebbleSheen in the color Aqua Blue by Pebble Tec, the dimensions are 8′ wide x 50′ long. The deck is Dasso XTR bamboo decking. (via TaC studios, architects)
2. Drew Scott’s Honeymoon House Pool in Los Angeles.
A historic neighborhood of Los Angeles features this fantastic outdoor entertaining space, which was created for Drew Scott of the Property Brothers as his Honeymoon House. Featured on an HGTV miniseries, the project was a complete renovation of a 100-year-old home. (via Breeze Giannasio Interiors)
3. Dark Pebble Finish Pool With a Bluestone Pavilion.
This swimming pool is a Pebbletec finish in one of their darker colors. The pavers are a blue stone in a random ashlar pattern. The pavilion next to the pool is approximately 20’x20′. The ceiling is vaulted and starts at 10′. The columns are at each corner. (via Kemp Hall Studio)
4. Santa Barbara Pool With Mountain Views and Colored Lights.
An outdoor oasis in Santa Barbara, California features colored pool lights that accentuate the pink moment of sunset over mountain views. Outdoor seating is below the pool with an open firepit. (via Tom Meaney Architect)
5. Mediterranean Pool With In-Water Lounge Chairs.
This Mediterranean-style pool in Houston, Texas features multiple seating areas, both in the pool and out of the pool, making it ideal for entertaining and socializing. The color of the chaises is Cloud, with a Taupe pillow. (via Ledge Lounger)
6. Charleston Pool With a Balcony Slide and Swim-Up Bar Stools.
A Charleston, South Carolina home features this unique swimming pool with a covered patio on one side and a below-deck seating area with a fire pit on the other side. A slide goes into the swimming pool, accessed from a second-story balcony. Underwater built-in bar stools are ideal to keep swimmers cool while enjoying food straight off the adjacent grill! (via Swallowtail Architecture)
7. Lagoon Pool With a Rock Waterfall and Beach Entry.
This incredible lagoon swimming pool features a vanishing edge, rock waterfall, slide, beach entry with rock accents, water geysers, and a large travertine patio. The entrance into the pool is called a beach entry. You gradually walk down into the water like you would at the beach! (via Shehan Pools)
8. Midnight Sea Pool With Concrete and Turf Decking.
The concrete deck is poured in place and is a standard horse hair broom finish (artificial grass has been inset between the concrete pads). The coping is a natural gray color and it’s precast, installed by Western precast in Livermore, California. The interior of the pool is Midnight Sea and it’s a Wet Edge product. Abalone shells are added to the mix to contrast the darker finish. Pool dimensions: 20×40. This pool has been featured in several magazines! (via Creative Environments)
9. Bluestone Pool Terrace With a Baja Shelf.
The pool terrace stone is Full Range Pennsylvania Blue Stone, with True Blue Bluestone used as the pool coping. The pool finish is PebbleTec, PebbleSheen in French Grey. This pool runs from 3′-6″ in the shallow end, down to 6′-0″ in the deep end. The pool area is 20′ by 40′. The “Baja deck” is 5′ by 20′ total. It has two 5’×5′ sun shelves on each side of the steps which are 10’×5′. At the time it was built, this pool was in the $120,000 – $140,000 range. (via Elements Landscape)
10. Boston Pool and Spa With a Cozy Cabana.
An outdoor swimming pool and spa in Boston, Massachusetts offers a cozy pool cabana. (via Merrimack Design Architects)
11. Natural-Style Pool Oasis in Dallas.
A natural pool setting creates an oasis in the midst of a busy Dallas, Texas neighborhood. The pool is concrete and the spa is 6 x 8. The large stepper pads and the coping on the pool are both Pennsylvania Bluestone. The stepper pads and the synthetic turf are both set on a bed of decomposed granite. At the time it was built, the price of this pool was roughly 70k, not including the landscaping. (via Pool Environments)
12. Stainless Steel Soaking Spa With an Ipe Deck.
This spa is perfect for soaking on a hot summer day. The Bradford Spa is made with stainless steel and tile inlay. The inside dimensions of this tub are 12-ft by 8-ft and 14-ft 8-in x 9.5-ft outside dimension. An Ipe deck surrounds the soaking tub. (via Frank & Grossman Landscape Contractors)
13. Austin Pool With a Custom Pool House.
An outdoor living paradise in Austin, Texas. The pool dimensions are 16′ x 44′. The pool deck was made of locally-made concrete tile, supplied by Stone Creek Pavers. The square footage for this custom pool house is 4,406. (via CG&S Design-Build)
14. Compact Pool and Pool House in Florida.
On San Marino Island, Florida, this spectacular outdoor oasis features a 7′ x 23′ pool and a pool house. (via Robert Kaner Interior Design)
15. Resort-Style Pool and Spa With a Waterfall.
This interior finish is a wet edge satin matrix pebble. The color is Tahitian Tropical. At the time it was built, this project cost 200k+, which covers what you see in this photo. Pool, spa, waterfall, landscape, BBQ, lighting, electrical, heating, etc. (via Environmental Pools)
16. Free-Form Pool With a Sunken Fire Pit Lounge.
This outdoor paradise features a free-form swimming pool with a center fire pit lounge. The dugout offers a circular built-in lounge area with comfy cushions and a fire pit and fire features around the perimeter. This style of pool is perfect for entertaining, with integrated lighting for nighttime swimming and a water feature for added ambiance. (via Claffey Pools)
17. Backyard Pool With an Outdoor Bar and Fireplace.
This backyard features a pool/spa/waterfall, barbecue, bar, fireplace, and outdoor television. The pool plaster is the Wet Edge Satin pebble finish and the color is called Antigua. The stacked rock on the walls and spa is called Napa Valley Basalt. The concrete deck is a product called Brickform and the color ‘San Diego Buff’ was added and then stamped into the concrete. (via Creative Environments)
18. Resort-Style Pool With an Island and Bridge.
The ultimate backyard oasis features a resort-like pool with a cabana, stone pool deck, spa, bridge, pool island, waterfalls, pool slide, stone walls, and plantings. (via ILT Vignocchi)
19. Oceanfront Pool With a Louvered Pool House.
This expansive swimming pool in Boston, Massachusetts features a louvered poolhouse and overlooks the ocean. The pool is 60′ long and about 24′ wide. The surrounding deck offers plenty of space for lounging on the Barlow Tyrie chaises, Curran Home. (via Ike Kligerman Barkley)
20. 60-Foot Lap Pool Surrounded by Bamboo.
A 60-foot contemporary lap pool is surrounded by woods and ornamental bamboo plantings. Stairs lead to a lower fire pit area and to the pool below. Stainless steel fountains adorn the pool edge. The fire pit has a drain in the bottom which directs the rainwater into a crushed stone dry-well. (via Sudbury Design Group)
21. Small Pool With a Mosaic Water Wall.
The pool bottom is a plaster Durazzo finish in the color Sea Foam. Pool dimensions: 32’x15’ and 5’ at the deepest part. The typical water depth is 6″ in a “Baja lounge”. A striking water fountain was created by building a custom mosaic wall (tile is a blend from Hakatai) with a single, large sheet-flow scupper—40″ long. The deck is Ipe. The floor cushions are David Sutherland Perennial fabric. The furnishings are Crate and Barrel. (via Bonick Landscaping)
22. Mediterranean Estate Pool With a Waterfall and Stage.
A classic Mediterranean-style estate on the Gulf of Mexico in Sarasota, Florida. This luxurious outdoor oasis features a glamorous pool and cabana with a waterfall, lounging area, spa, slide, and even a stage for live entertainment! See the rest of the home tour here: Mediterranean villa with a Moorish flair. (via Sotheby’s Realty)
23. Oceanfront Infinity Pool in Kauai, Hawaii.
In Kauai, Hawaii, is this LEED Platinum Home, offering the epitome of outdoor relaxation. A negative edge pool with an oceanfront view has an ensconced spa and firepit, along with an adjacent grand lanai for pool-side dining. (via Sotheby’s International Realty)
24. Infinity-Edge Lap Pool on Long Island.
A fabulous vacation getaway home in Long Island, New York features this infinity-edge lap pool that runs the length of the patio. The sleek patio floor is polished terrazzo. The exterior facade of the home is clad in black-stained cedar. (via Christoff : Finio. Architecture)
25. Natural Canyon Pool in Tucson, Arizona.
This beautiful natural canyon pool in Tucson, Arizona, will make you feel like you are swimming in a spa-like desert oasis. (via @thejoshuatreehouse)
26. Wooded Island Retreat Pool in Maine.
This Casco Bay Island retreat off the coast of Maine offers this peaceful swimming pool surrounded by woods, perfect for the avid swimmer. (via Whitten Architects)
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