Architectural Photography - Port Douglas

This is an example of an expansive contemporary rectangular pool in Cairns with tile.

Resort Modern in Frisco Texas Photographer - Jimi Smith
Design ideas for an expansive modern backyard rectangular pool in Dallas.

California Dreaming

Distinguished Pools

waterfall from the second floor Photo Credit: Darren Edwards
Design ideas for an expansive mediterranean side yard custom-shaped infinity pool in San Diego with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Golden Hour Garden

Herlong Architects

This is an example of an expansive beach style backyard kidney-shaped infinity pool in Charleston with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

A Lasting Impression

Mauricio Nava Design, LLC

Inspiration for an expansive mediterranean courtyard custom-shaped natural pool in Houston with a hot tub.

Tonal Harmony - Outdoor Living View 2

Drewett Works

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Legacy

A. Perry Homes

Custom cabana with fireplace, tv, living space, and dining area
Design ideas for an expansive traditional backyard rectangular pool in Chicago with a pool house and natural stone pavers.

Pool Pavilion

Gregory Thomas, Architect, AKBD, CG&S Design-Build

C-shaped pavilion has an outdoor kitchen at the left, a covered fire pit (with a custom copper hood) in the center, and a game area and bathroom on the right. Tapered slate columns match those at the front entry to the home.

Barton Creek Builder Spec Home

Dawn Hearn Interior Design

This wonderful home was a group effort! Home design and initial interior selections by LaRue Architects. Construction by Rivendale Homes. We were hired for additional design finish and fixture selections. The beautiful staging for placing the home on the market is by John-William Interiors. Photography by JPM Real Estate Photography

Tioga Pool

Caprock Hardscape Supply

Expansive tropical backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Austin with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Jackson Hole

Zoske Construction

Karl Neumann Photography
Photo of an expansive country backyard round natural pool in Other with a hot tub and natural stone pavers.

Contemporary Masterpiece

Noel Cross+Architects

Interior Designer Jacques Saint Dizier Landscape Architect Dustin Moore of Strata while with Suzman Cole Design Associates Frank Paul Perez, Red Lily Studios

Pinnacle Peak Modern | Pool

Greey Pickett

Nestled perfectly along a mountainside in the North Scottsdale Estancia Community, with views of Pinnacle Peak, and the Valley below, this landscape design honors the surrounding desert and the contemporary architecture of the home. A meandering driveway ascends the hillside to an auto court area where we placed mature cactus and yucca specimens. In the back, terracing was used to create interest and support from the intense hillside. We brought in mass boulders to retain the slope, while adding to the existing terrain. A succulent garden was placed in the terraced hillside using unique and rare species to enhance the surrounding native desert. A vertical fence of well casing rods was installed to preserve the view, while still securing the property. An infinity edge, glass tile pool is the perfect extension of the contemporary home. Project Details: Landscape Architect: Greey|Pickett Architect: Drewett Works Contractor: Manship Builders Interior Designer: David Michael Miller Associates Photography: Dino Tonn

Evergreen Acres

Carleen Gosney

Caleb Melvin
This is an example of an expansive country backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Seattle with a water feature.

McLean Infinity Pool, Pavilion, & Terraced Patios

Pristine Acres

This modern/transitional design included a 50' infinity pool and spa, a pavilion with a large outdoor kitchen, bathroom, and fireplace, and other great features like terraced travertine patios, a 10' fire pit behind the infinity edge, cable handrails, LED lighting, landscaping, a paver driveway extension, and an in-ground trampoline!

Contemporary Pool

Expansive contemporary backyard custom-shaped infinity pool in Las Vegas.

Villa "Olive"

PECARD ARCHITECTE SAS François PECARD

Inspiration for an expansive tropical backyard rectangular infinity pool in Other with decking.

Tropical Pool

This is an example of an expansive tropical backyard rectangular pool in Miami.

ISABELLA residence

Symmetry Architects

Expansive mediterranean backyard l-shaped lap pool in Dallas.

Resort Modern in Frisco TX

Pool Environments, Inc.

Resort Modern in Frisco Texas Photography by Jimi Smith
Inspiration for an expansive contemporary rectangular pool in Dallas.

Expansive Pool Design Ideas

Swimming pools are heavenly during hot Australian and New Zealand summers and are the perfect way to cool down, relax, entertain friends and even get fit. A pool can also create visual interest, especially when you consider features like coloured pool tiles, lighting and landscaping. If you are short on space, you might still fit a lap pool, plunge pool or swim spa, all of which could be focal points in your small garden. As you plan your pool design, map out your space and determine what size, shape and style works best for you. Browse the photos on Houzz for design ideas for above ground pools, inground pools, as well as pool landscaping and novelty features like pool slides or water features. Then, save your favourite photos to an ideabook, and get in touch with the experts behind your favourite picks.

What type of pool should I install?

The dimensions of your backyard will determine the type of inground pools you can install. Take into account boundary restrictions and pool fencing compliance. Fibreglass versions are cheaper, and quicker to install; whereas concrete constructions are better suited to tricky sites and give you more freedom in design. If you’re on a tight budget or don’t want to commit to an inground pool, above ground pools are a more affordable alternative. If you only have a small backyard, a plunge pool is a great solution, and can easily run along a boundary wall or down the side of a house. This option is also low maintenance, can be heated for use in winter, and can do double duty as a swim spa. A long, narrow space, on the other hand, could fit a lap pool, whereas a water feature could fill an awkward space. If your backyard features a stunning vista, consider an infinity pool to accentuate the view.

What pool fencing options are available?

While the specifics vary from state to state, fencing is required of most pool designs. However, pool fencing doesn’t have to obscure your pool design. Glass fencing is increasingly popular for this reason exactly, and is available framed, frameless, semi-frameless and even in-ground. A cheaper alternative is aluminium or steel fencing, which, again, are available in a variety of styles: flat top, loop-top, double-top and wire-based.

What pool landscaping features should I consider?

To get the most out of your pool, design an area that offers multiple hangouts. Include a nearby barbecue, dining area, seating for lounging and outdoor shower. Having shaded areas will give you more reason to stay poolside longer, too. Timber decking and stone paving are popular choices for pool surrounds, and are also helpful in creating zones. Just imagine a raised timber platform with a daybed – a luxurious, resort-style addition to any pool design. Leafy trees and rocks will create a more natural-looking oasis, and will help provide more privacy for swimmers. Where you want your landscape to be the main focus, keep pool equipment and furnishings to a minimum.