Outdoor shower with operable doors to yard and spa

Lee Grider
Mid-sized contemporary courtyard rectangular natural pool in Atlanta with a hot tub and concrete slab.

Bullfrog Spas Gallery

Bull Frog Spas and Stoves

Mid-sized contemporary backyard round aboveground pool in Other with a hot tub and concrete slab.

Pebble Tec World Greatest Pool Winner

Aquaknot Pools, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular natural pool in Boston with a hot tub and stamped concrete.

Vanishing Edge I New Fairfield, CT

Total Pool + Patio, LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular infinity pool in New York with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

"Eichelberger" Project

Vickers Pools of the Southeast, Inc.

Mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular pool in Birmingham with a water feature and brick pavers.

Orlando Pool Lighting

Elegant Custom Images

Mid-sized contemporary backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Orlando with a pool house and natural stone pavers.

Zilker Modern

Foursquare Builders

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular lap pool in Austin with concrete pavers.

Near Outdoor Audio 70V

ADC Audio Visual Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular aboveground pool in Los Angeles with a hot tub.

Sheer Enjoyment

Royal Stone Landscaping & Design Ltd.

Mid-sized contemporary backyard l-shaped lap pool in Toronto with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

West Side Beauty

Supreme Pools

Mid-sized contemporary backyard custom-shaped lap pool in Phoenix with a water feature and tile.

Stonewall Pools Completed Pools

Stonewall

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular lap pool in Houston with a hot tub and concrete slab.

Haus R

kuon + reinhardt gmbh freie architekten

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary indoor rectangular pool in Stuttgart with tile.

Desert Mountain Gambel Area

User

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard custom-shaped infinity pool in Phoenix with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Niwot Hill Natural Swimming Pool

Outdoor Craftsmen

Scott Deemer
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard custom-shaped natural pool in Denver with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Gagne Residence

RENZO ZECCHETTO ARCHITECTS

Perched on a hillside cul-de-sac lot in Brentwood CA, the Gagne Residence enjoys an unusually private street condition and views toward the ocean, city, and surrounding tree lined hills. To maximize dwelling and garden area on the mostly sloped site, the house is broken into two general volumes, one volume responding to the level and orientation of the street, the other, wrapping and descending along the hill’s contour, acting as retainer while providing a third dwelling level and preserving ample area for a garden. Photo credit: Eric Staudenmaier

Concrete Pool and Spa - Markham

Solda Pools Ltd.

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular lap pool in Toronto with a hot tub and concrete pavers.

Roman/Geometric Pool with Spa & Water Features Including Sun Shelf in Boynton Be

Van Kirk & Sons Pools and Spas

For those that lean towards a more classic, upscale pool design, Van Kirk & Sons offers our Roman or Geometric style pools. The overarching elegance and practicality of this timeless style makes it the perfect choice for a customer looking for a pool that is more symmetrical in form.

Flavin Architects LLC

Boston Design Guide

Beautiful shot of this pool house at night. Architecture by Flavin Architects LLC
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular natural pool in Boston with a pool house.

Waterfront Dream

Heather Garrett Design

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what's become known as the "party dock"… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer's platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall - and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down....smores, anyone? John Bessler

Ewing Aquatech Pools

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard rectangular lap pool in New Orleans with a hot tub and concrete pavers.

Mid-sized Contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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.