Elite Home Images
Expansive country backyard rectangular lap pool in Kansas City with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Ranch Reinvented

RD Architecture, LLC

Photography by Juliana Franco
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury backyard l-shaped lap pool in Houston with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Gallery – Small Concrete Pools

Betz Pools Limited

Perfect for exercise or entertaining, this compact plunge pool tucks neatly behind the house in this urban Toronto yard. Underwater benches flanking the walk-in steps invite lounging, while a sheer descent waterfall adds drama to the raised ledgerock feature wall. Directly below is a powerful Badu Jet for lap swimming. The owners also use it for paddle practice in a kayak. The natural pond-look of the dark grey Armourcoat interior offers a pleasing contrast to the Wiarton flagstone coping and deck. (9 x 18, rectangular)

Small Backyard Transformation

Exscape Designs

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional backyard rectangular lap pool in Cleveland with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Johnson Residence

ROCHE+ROCHE Landscape Architecture

Design ideas for a mediterranean rectangular lap pool in San Francisco with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Sunnybrook

The Garden Design Studio

The Garden Design Studio designed the pool and all of the hardscape and plantings pictured, including the outdoor lighting.
This is an example of a mid-sized modern backyard rectangular infinity pool in Dallas with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Complete Backyard Makeover with Pool Design

Pezzo Bello Interiors

Custom 24' x 40' in ground gunite pool with a large glass tile reef. More unique features include, fire and water pots with large marble lion sculptures. Totally surrounded by variegated limestone decking and limestone tile with glass tile wall. Designed by Pezzo Bello Interiors

Oceanfront Elegance

Ryan Hughes Design

CLASSICAL TRIO Another fire and water feature comes in triplicate for this outdoor room. Three beautiful fire pots with decorative glass made by Grand Effects overflow with cooling waters into the pool. Just another stunning and memorable element of a professional designed outdoor space. Each fire pot is enhanced with its own classical platform that contrasts with the rich metal of the fire pots.

Val Verde

MDZA Landscape Architecture and Planning

Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean backyard rectangular lap pool in Los Angeles with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Crownsville Residence

McHale Landscape Design, Inc.

Outdoor living at it's finest.
Design ideas for an expansive arts and crafts backyard rectangular lap pool in DC Metro with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Modern Pool

Photo of a small modern backyard rectangular pool in Atlanta with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Lively Residence

AquaTerra Outdoors

The homeowner of this traditional home requested a traditional pool and spa with a resort-like style and finishes. AquaTerra was able to create this wonderful outdoor environment with all they could have asked for. While the pool and spa may be simple on the surface, extensive planning went into this environment to incorporate the intricate deck pattern. During site layout and during construction, extreme attention to detail was required to make sure nothing compromised the precise deck layout. The pool is 42'x19' and includes a custom water feature wall, glass waterline tile and a fully tiled lounge with bubblers. The separate spa is fully glass tiled and is designed to be a water feature with custom spillways when not in use. LED lighting is used in both the pool and spa to create dramatic lighting that can be enjoyed at night. The pool/spa deck is made of 2'x2' travertine stones, four to a square, creating a 4'x4' grid that is rotated 45 degrees in relation to the pool. In between all of the stones is synthetic turf that ties into the synthetic turf putting green that is adjacent to the deck. Underneath all of this decking and turf is a concrete sub-deck to support and drain the entire system. Finishes and details that increase the aesthetic appeal for project include: -All glass tile spa and spa basin -Travertine deck -Tiled sun lounge with bubblers -Custom water feature wall -LED lighting -Synthetic turf This traditional pool and all the intricate details make it a perfect environment for the homeowners to live, relax and play! Photography: Daniel Driensky

219 Hurlston

Anthony DeRose and Sons, LLC

Large traditional backyard kidney-shaped natural pool in Richmond with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Freeform projects

Atlanta Outdoor Designs, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional backyard custom-shaped pool in Atlanta with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

LED Lights for Roman/Geometric Pool With Pergola, Laminar Deck Jets and Spa in B

Van Kirk & Sons Pools and Spas

This roman geometric pool with a pergola, lounge area, laminar deck jets, custom LED lights, raised spa and sun shelf with bubblers are all the perfect components that make a great weekend getaway right in your own backyard. The soothing sounds of the water dropping from the pergola to the pool and laminar deck jets allow you the ultimate tranquil setting!

Pool Gallery - Aqua Pool & Spa

Aqua Pools

For HGTV’s “Extreme Pools,” Aqua Pool turned a limestone quarry into a heated pool with a self-cleaning system. Aqua Pool works with clients from design through construction, handling everything from drainage, grading and retaining walls to pool landscaping and fencing. Here is the link the HGTV video http://goo.gl/396Gy.

La Cresta Estate/ Landscape Design Specialists

Element Pools & Spas, Inc

Eric was a partner with Landscape Design Specialists at the time of this project build. Landscape Design Specialists is no longer active in the industry, but Eric has moved on creating Element Construction. We design and build custom outdoor living spaces from small patios to grand and spacious properties like this. This large custom estate was designed by a Daydreams Architects and we built it.

New Arts and Crafts House

Stuart Cohen & Julie Hacker Architects LLC

Tony Soluri Photography
Inspiration for a large arts and crafts backyard rectangular lap pool in Chicago with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Madison Cabin

J Steven Kemp Architect

Design ideas for a mid-sized country backyard rectangular pool in Atlanta with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Stone work

Creekside Pool and Spas

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional backyard pool in Orange County with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Pool Design Ideas with a Water Feature and Natural Stone Pavers

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.