What’s Making a Big Splash in Home Pools Right Now?

The pleasure of having a swimming pool in your own backyard is multi-layered. You have a fun and healthy activity, a place for social gatherings, and a serene focal point of beauty in your surroundings. Pool designers are busy making this asset even more beautiful and practical with exciting new ideas and products.

Black is Big

The trend in interior design for monochrome color schemes—think lots of neutral white, gray and black—has spilled over into swimming pools. Pool builders are pouring gunite in shades of gunmetal and ebony. Black tiled pools are also in demand. The resulting look is one of a deep and glimmering mystery.  

Backyard Beach

For several years, the natural look has been popular in certain swimming pool settings and this trend continues. Using rock elements and vegetation found in the home’s own region, pools emerge out of what appears to be the surrounding terrain. A new wrinkle to the natural pool design trend is the zero, or beach entry, approach. The pool deck slopes gently into the water making this a very popular design for families with small children.

Think Small

Now, in almost every large city, it’s common that in-fill housing and redeveloped urban neighborhoods often means smaller lot sizes and yards. Pool designers are quick to point out that small pools can provide just as much recreational pleasure and beauty as their larger cousins. Small pools may take the form of a simple spa, water feature, or a mini-lap pool.

Mirror Pools

While negative-edge pools are still very popular throughout the U.S., currently, one of the hottest options is the perimeter-overflow pool. This design uses a hidden slot on all four sides of the pool to act as a catch basin for overflow. The resulting appearance is one of shimmering glass that lends itself well to hyper-contemporary pool designs.

Goodbye Deep End

Homeowners are jettisoning the deep end and opting for a pool that is all one-level in depth, around 4 or 5 feet. The thinking is that this is safer as it keeps the swimmer on the same footing throughout the pool. Plus, it makes more of the pool available for sports such as volleyball. At the same time pool designers are eliminating the deep end, they are also adding tanning ledges—shallow zones where a pool chair can be set up.

The most dramatic pool accessory homeowners are seeking out is the fire feature, which can create a dazzling setting for night swimming. Fire pits, fire waterfalls and torches are among the elements designers are incorporating into their cutting-edge swimming pools.

Of course, it wouldn’t be 2018 without a smart approach to pool technology. A number of manufacturers offer pool owners a complete package of wireless tools that monitor and administer filtration, sanitation, and cleaning, as well as pool lighting, sound systems, and fire pits.

 

photos courtesy of: google.com, architectureartdesigns.com, sarplaninac.info, decoist.com, houzz.com, jubileepools.com