You already know that adding a swimming pool to your backyard is going to take it to a whole new level of entertainment. You can imagine yourself not only swimming with friends and family but also relaxing poolside with a great book or dining al fresco on those warm summer nights. Even the idea of enjoying the view of your pool from inside of your home adds an element of excitement. But you may be wondering what you can do to make your pool even more spectacular. After all, you’re not looking for a run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter style pool. You want something unique.

The fact is, there are more options for your pool than ever before. Gone are the days when a pool was built in a standard rectangle with basic features. These days everything from the pool shape to the added features can be custom designed and built to your exact specifications.

All the Features
Oftentimes, it’s the added features that really make a pool spectacular. One way to take your luxury pool to the next  level is to add a sundeck, says Don Panetta of D. Panetta Contracting. A sundeck (which has also gone by names like a “baja deck,” “tanning ledge” or “sun shelf”) is a custom feature that provides an area where you can be “in the pool” without being fully submerged. Some homeowners want this ledge created large enough to fit one or more lounge chairs, others are happy with just a small ledge where they can sit or have young children play while watching older children swim.

 “You might also consider adding a custom-built grotto, which is a private cave area built behind a waterfall,” Panetta adds. “It’s all up to a person’s preference of what they want to add to make their home into a vacation resort.”  

Dominic DiCesare of Blue Haven Pools by Calvitti says that automation is another important  luxury design option. Homeowners want the ease of being able to control their pool features at the push of a button. This includes not only the automated  pool cover but also the fire and water features around the pool. Everything can be turned on or off with ease.

 “Homeowners might consider water features like fountains, jets, cascading waterfalls and more,” says DiCesare. “There are so many features you can add to your pool; Anything you can dream.”  

Lighting is also important,  says Mike McCool, general manager of SwimMor  Pools. Not only the lighting within the pool but also around it. After all, you want your space to be highly functional, even after the sun goes down.

Many homeowners are opting for LED lighting that can be controlled from their smartphone. Everything from color-changing lighting to different lighting set-ups for different zones can  really help take your pool area to the next level, says McCool.

 “Just keep in mind that the more features you add to your pool, the more complex the design becomes—and that takes time,” adds McCool. “We complete 3D digital designs that help our customers see exactly what their pool is going to look like.” 

Vacation Inspiration
The backyard vacation trend—or “staycation”—is as hot a trend as ever, says McCool, adding that there is no doubt that many homeowners  get their inspiration for pool ideas after visiting resorts in places like Mexico or the Caribbean.  

Rich Cording Sr., owner and founder of CLC Landscape Design agrees, adding that his company has designed and built some unique pools which were inspired by vacations.  One pool that CLC recently constructed was meant to look  like it was “floating” with infinity edges around all sides.  

Of course, homeowners might also consider an infinity edge on just one end, too. This special feature (also sometimes referred to as a “vanishing edge” or a “zero edge”) means water flows over the edge, creating a visual effect of water with no boundary. They’re quite popular at high-end resorts. “We’ve also designed and built a pool shaped like a horse’s head and another like a guitar,” Cording says. “You can get really creative with a custom design.  Another feature from a resort that homeowners  like is a swim-up bar with stools where they can share a drink with friends or family.”  

In addition, adding  gas-powered fire torches or urns around the pool can really take it to that resort-like level, DiCesare adds. It creates a sense of ambiance and wow factor that you wouldn’t  get with an ordinary pool.

The Total Package
While the pool will surely be the showpiece of your outdoor design, it’s not just the immediate pool area that matters. Today’s homeowners are looking for the total package. That means they want an outdoor space that has all of the amenities.  

“It’s the complete space,” DiCesare says. “Homeowners don’t just want the pool itself— they want all the surrounding amenities that makes the space even more enjoyable.”  

This includes add-ons like an outdoor kitchen, pool house or pavilion. Homeowners might also want game areas such as a putting green or a spot to play horseshoes or quoits. DiCesare says that today’s  homeowners are looking to get as much use out of their backyards as possible.

Cording agrees, adding: “Homeowners today want it all. They want an outdoor space that is going to keep them outside  all weekend so that they can enjoy time with their friends and family to the fullest. It’s not really about the space itself as it is the memories that are made there.”

RESOURCES
Blue Haven Pools by Calvitti
Four offices in the tri-state region
(800) 219-2141
BlueHaven.com

CLC Landscape Design
Ringwood, N.J.
(973) 839-6026
CLCDesign.com

D. Panetta Contracting, LLC
Randolph, N.J.
(973) 659-9374
DPanettaContracting.com

Swim-Mor Pools & Spas
Mount Ephraim, N.J.
(856) 270-6571
Northfield, N.J.
(609) 755-3046
Millstone Twp., N.J.
(732) 422-5314
SwimMor.com

Select images courtesy of CLC Landscape Design and D. Panetta Contracting, LLC.

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 19, Issue 11 (May 2019). 
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