Summer is made even better with a backyard pool. If you’re thinking of installing a pool but don’t know which style is best for you, here is some design inspiration from a gunite pool builder in East Hampton, NY.
Free-Form Shapes
Round, kidney, teardrop, or even guitar-shaped pools express your personality, bring interest to the landscape, reflect architectural details or geographic features, and work with the landscape to integrate your pool into the environment.
Au Naturel
Surround the pool with irregularly placed large boulders and a waterfall, to make you feel like you’re at a secluded mountain hot spring.
Infinity Views
Take advantage of views from your pool area. Raised lounging areas allow you to enjoy the view, and infinity pools perched on a hillside make the views feel even more expansive. Stack a series of infinity pools on different levels (a pool on one level, a hot tub on another) for a luxurious feel.
A Touch of the Exotic
Re-create your favorite Mediterranean or Balinese poolscape at home! For a Mediterranean look, go with the clean lines of a rectangular pool and add cypress trees, oversized planters, pale limestone pavers, and a vine-covered pergola. For a Balinese or tropical look, opt for a lagoon-style pool, lush and bright plantings, colorful umbrellas or a raffia-roofed pergola, hanging lanterns, and weather-beating teak lounge furniture.
Related: LET A GUNITE POOL BUILDER TURN YOUR BACKYARD INTO A TROPICAL PARADISE IN WESTHAMPTON, NY
Your Own Private Island
Built-in islands are an instant hit with the kids. They give swimmers a place to rest or warm up while still being “offshore” in the pool. If you have the space, your island can also be home to a cabana, a sun deck, and even a swim-up sunken bar.
A Splash of Color
Even a diminutive pool can make a big statement when you use colorful tile. Aegean blue, tranquil green, or tile mosaic pool liners as well as colorful tile accents on the pool deck make for a unique expression of your personality.
Related: GUNITE POOL BUILDER’S TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION PROCESS ON LONG ISLAND, NY
Fire and Water
On the days when the water feels warmer than the air, nothing beats warming up next to an outdoor fireplace or fire pit.
Water on Water
A cascading waterfall or fountain that spills into the pool adds interest and serenity.
Chill in the Shade
Blazing hot summer afternoons by the pool are made even better if there’s an escape from the sun. Permanent shade structures like gazebos are perfectly suited for poolside use, and nestling a pool in proximity to mature trees makes for natural shade and a gorgeous lakefront feel.
Sleek and Modern
A sleek, modern pool will transition perfectly from your own private kid-friendly water world to a setting for sophisticated poolside parties. Clean, straight lines, large-format pavers, and subtle colors unify the area and deliver an upscale look.
Hot and Cold
Having a hot tub adjacent to the pool gives the option of a hot soak or a brisk swim. Integrate the hot tub into the pool shape, or raise the hot tub above the pool to create a multilevel spa experience.
Underwater Levels
Many pools go from shallow to deep, but you can change things up and bring in interest by adding an underwater bench to take advantage of views and to provide easier access for kids. A series of stepping stones rather than conventional steps make entering and exiting the pool interesting. A multi-level pool surround (partly submerged, partly above ground) makes you feel like you’re walking on water!
A Living Wall
Surround your pool area with a living wall for privacy. Hedges help make the pool area feel secluded while still enabling cooling breezes to find their way to you.
Lighten Up
Create nighttime drama with underwater lighting as well as festive low-voltage outdoor lighting that makes every evening dip feel like a vacation.