Pool and Spa Ideas

A multifaceted deck dresses up an off-the-shelf spa.

-- In narrow urban landscapes, a side yard makes a good spot for a slender deck or spa.

-- Placed with its top level aligned with the deck's floor, an in-deck hot tub becomes less obtrusive.

-- Located right next to the hot tub, an outdoor-resistant rug offers a spot to dry off.

-- Because the spa is sunk into the deck, the railings serve as a privacy screen.

-- Above the nearby couch, a few hooks offer a convenient spot to hang towels.

A slender wall divides public from private.

-- While a spa may require privacy from the neighbors, it can also call for screening from the rest of the house. Here, a stucco wall protects the space from the home's back windows.

-- A wide deck around the hot tub does double duty as an informal bench.

-- An extension of the spa's concrete base provides a transition between spa and grass.

-- The geometry of the spa repeats in the pattern of pavers inset into the grass.

-- If appropriate, choose materials that help to tie the spa area with the rest of the house -- here, the same color and style of brick repeats in the walls around the pool area.

A pool maximizes the view in its secluded site.

-- Good lighting is essential. This pool features a few fixtures sunk into the surrounding concrete pad.

-- A neutral light brown stain for the concrete pad offers a color choice in-step with the natural surroundings.

-- Curves cut out of the pool's concrete pad offer spots for a few shrubs and decorative boulders.

-- An infinity edge orients the view to the forest and lake.

-- When the area around a pool is mostly paved, containers planted with annuals can provide a way to add color and texture.

Beautifully landscaped grounds are the backdrop to an expansive pool.

-- If space allows, a nearby building can be useful to store cleaning tools and other pool-care necessities.

-- The geometry of the pool stands in stark contrast to the lushly planted surroundings.

-- The patterning of the pool's deck is repeated in other hardscape elements, such as the series of mostly rectangular pavers (spaced at regular intervals) that lead from house to pool.

-- Instead of a basic long rectangle shape, this pool subtly widens at the shallow end.

-- Columnar evergreens and towering ornamental grasses shield one end of the pool from view.

A home's sleek style extends to its minimalist pool.

-- Grasses and river rock fill a slim area between pool and house.

-- Instead of a traditional wide deck surrounding the pool, here, nearby paved patio spaces offer spots to sit down and towel off.

-- The home's contemporary style and geometry supply inspiration for the pool's design.

-- In a sleight of pool-design hand, a very shallow section provides a spot for a few people to cool off without getting submerged.

-- Deep blue tile offers a restful accent for the wall and edging surrounding the pool.

A small-scale spa enlarges outdoor living space.

-- A brick patio naturally extends into a design element in this spa. Mortared pavers forming the pool?s edge.

-- Casual seating -- such as the bordering wall here -- provide a spot to perch if they're not using the spa.

-- Rigid borders go by the wayside in this spa, which is cleverly cut into a curved niche in the retaining wall.

-- Stonework in the adjacent fireplace repeats in the spa's backdrop to create continuity in the yard.

-- A few blooms crest over the retaining wall, supplying a pretty spot for spa users to rest their eyes.

A pool/spa combo creates a backyard refuge.

-- Sometimes pools and spas are completely different spaces, but integrating them can be a natural fit.

-- In place of an ordinary fence, a distinctive stone wall offers a back border for the pool.

-- Two fountains -- one in the spa, one in the pool -- create dramatic vertical interest.

-- If budget allows, try using stone pavers to provide an attractive and texturally interesting deck around a pool.

-- Small niches of plants fill a spot in the corner of the pool, softening the stone's edges.

A relaxing view serves as backdrop for this sleek pool.

-- With one length an "infinity" edge, a pool relies on slim stone paving for the three other sides to minimize visual disruption.

-- Grass offers a soft landing pad around the deck.

-- Both chairs and the placement of the pool orient the view to the wide-open countryside.

-- A short metal railing defines the yard's (and the pool's) back border.

-- Bountiful blooms disguise the fence and offer a welcome bit of color.

Spots to escape the sun while enjoying the pool are key in this landscape.

-- A stone border offers a low-key separation between spa and pool.

-- A portable outdoor umbrella provides protection from the sun.

-- Comfy benches and a covered patio furnish spots for poolside rest and relaxation.

-- Two subtly different materials -- one as edging, another as surrounding deck -- add a slight but welcome point of visual interest.

-- A sculpture of large boulders serves as focal point and natural spot for inclusion of a waterfall.

Sophisticated details dress up this combo pool/spa.

-- A series of concrete "pads" jut out in the pool space, offering just variation to the mostly neutral deck.

-- A short retaining wall, which features the same creamy white color of the surrounding stone, separates the pool area from the rest of the yard.

-- Speckled stone provides this spa with its own distinct border.

-- Lighting around a pool and spa is for both safety and ambiance; here, a few fixtures unobtrusively dot the landscape.

-- Here, both the fence and the deep green foliage serve a visual counterpoint to the white stone.