Gary McDonald
Photo of a large tropical backyard custom-shaped natural pool in San Francisco with a water feature and concrete slab.

Custom Swimming Pools

Hawkins Pools

Custom natural swimming pool with rock coping, attached spa, and sun deck.
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard custom-shaped natural pool in San Francisco with a water feature and decking.

Dominion Double Layer Free Form Pool Spa with Large Waterfall

Fossil Creek Pools

Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Austin with a water feature and decking.

This Amazing Backyard Was Transformed into a Personalized Outdoor Living Environ

Unique Landscapes and Custom Pools

This Mediterranean home needed a truly traditional water feature to enhance the beauty of the arched iron gate. Together these two pieces of craftsmanship become the artwork for the entry to this outdoor living area.

Swimming Pools--Outdoor Living

CST Design Group LLC

Free form pool built into the hillside of this project allowed the spa to be elevated. Adding additional pumps to the spa allowed added water fall effects to the space

Taylor Pool House - Atlanta

Atlanta Building Company

This is an example of a large traditional backyard rectangular natural pool in Atlanta with a pool house and concrete pavers.

Bali Outdoor Living

Land & Water Design

Our client wanted a relaxing, Bali like feel to their backyard, a place where they can entertain their friends. Entrance walkway off driveway, with zen garden and water falls. Pavilion with outdoor kitchen, large fireplace with ample seating, multilevel deck with grill center, pergola, and fieldstone retaining walls.

Free Form Gunite Pool

Fishel Pools

Fishel Pools is the number one custom pool builder in Springfield, Missouri and the surrounding area. Since 1976, Fishel designs have earned numerous design awards for creativity and craftsmanship. Whether it’s a backyard paradise or a large commercial project, every Fishel Pool is custom-designed and built with your specific needs in mind. No cookie-cutter pools. Ever! Over 1,000 unique Fishel designs can be found at residences, country clubs, hospitals, community and neighborhood’s, camps, resort’s, and multi-family residential complexes. Contact Fishel Pools today to find out more and remember “When it has to be the best, it’s a Fishel!” Kaycee Johnson Photography

Pool, Patio and Pergola

Artistic Concrete Surfaces

– custom concrete pool – flagstone coping + sun reef – character boulder water feature – custom water slide – rough cedar pergola – grilling station + limestone bar – old granite “sandstone” stamped decking – natural stone spa with spill over edge photos by Lindsey Denny

Goldie Brown Ranch

Liquid Evolution Pools

This pool has a generous natural granite boulder water feature with local flagstone copping and patio. We used Pentair equipment, Intellitouch control system, paramount PV3 in-floor system, and Pebble Sheen interior finish.

Pool

LWB Design Landscape Architecture

It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with the owners of this custom home while it was still under construction. The early planning allowed LWB to design the topographic features of the site to fit into the amenities that the clients desired such as an organically shaped swimming pool, a spa, planting, etc. The extreme grades in the backyard created an opportunity to place the spa overlooking the pool. The unique grading situation also allowed the pool utilities to be built underneath the lawn in a vented room, hidden from view. Waterfalls in the pool and a water wall help to create a relaxing experience in the homeowner's backyard. This Project was awarded with a coveted Grand Award in Residential Installation $50,001 & Over by the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association.

Willow Creek

Upland Development, Inc.

Jim Fairchild http://www.fairchild-creative.com 801-205-1520

Luxury Pool and Water Feature - Eagles Landing

CAVINESS LANDSCAPE DESIGN, INC.

Landscape & Pool design by Caviness Landscape Design, Inc. Photography by KO Rinearson
Inspiration for a large transitional custom-shaped natural pool in Oklahoma City with natural stone pavers and a hot tub.

STONE GEORGIAN, GREENWICH, CT

Granoff Architects

Design ideas for a large traditional backyard rectangular natural pool in New York with a hot tub and concrete pavers.

Gunite Pool

Legacy Landscape Design, LLC

This was a complete front and back transformation. We took the dirt from the back yard and used it to level the front yard and made both more useable. The main feature was a large gunite swimming pool, with built in diving board. We also built in the client's trampoline as well and left room for their play set and play house. It was a kids paradise! The kool deck was nice and cool in the summer and allowed for barefoot basketball games. We designed and installed a large Cedar screened in porch with fireplace and grill. Just off the porch was a hot tub. We completed it with lush landscaping, irrigation and lighting. Mark Schisler, Legacy Landscapes, Inc.

Modern Tudor

Eaton + Stipp Custom Homes

Beautiful beach walk in pool with large space for family to swim, included with a diving board
Design ideas for a large modern backyard rectangular natural pool in Indianapolis with concrete slab.

Bel Air - Naturalistic 20'x40' Koi Pond with Landscaping & Bridge

Ultimate Water Creations Inc.

20'x40' naturalistic koi pond with a rock waterfall creek underneath bridge, landscaping and lights included
Inspiration for a large tropical backyard kidney-shaped natural pool in Los Angeles with natural stone pavers.

Pool with Grotto - Sugarland, TX

Richard's Total Backyard Solutions

Gorgeous custom pool with giant grotto in the River Stone Community in Sugar Land, TX.
This is an example of a large tropical backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Houston with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Natural freeform pool with Cave and Beach entry

Hearthstone Luxury Pools + Outdoors

Unique, custom freeform pool in Kennesaw, GA with oversized perimeter overflow spa, flagstone beach entry, in-water barstools and "floating" granite table top. Large swimming are and deep diving well. Spectacular hidden entry beneath boulder and carved-stone waterfall into a cave/grotto filled with custom carved stone and benches for relaxing. Back entry into the caves leads to a path, back over the waterfall and to a jumping terrace with boulder wall. King and Queen boulder seats are worked into the wall. Another terrace adds more area for table and chairs and a custom rubble fire pit.

Ponte Vedra Beach - Natural Oasis

Poolside Designs

This is an example of a large tropical backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Jacksonville with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Large Natural 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.