Designing your pool area: ideas and advice

Our Pool layout photo gallery:

Whether you want to enjoy the sunset, protect your favourite tree or create a relaxing space away from the entertaining area, we have countless ideas to inspire you and help you choose your ideal swimming pool.

Inspiration: enhance your pool with decorative fittings.

Our swimming pool kits allow you to assemble the pool yourself, thus saving on the cost of labour. Your remaining budget can then be spent on the layout and the decoration of the surrounding area..

• Waterair’s ‘Stone’ coping: both attractive and practical, this reconstituted natural stone coping is used to cap the edge of the pool for a neat finish. The off-white hue complements any type of paving and can be used to add contrast or create a uniform surface.
  Key feature: the textured, grippy surface prevents slips and ensures pool-side safety.
• Lighting: to make the most of warm summer evenings, consider installing lights on the terrace and in your swimming pool. LED projectors in the pool let you adjust the colour of the light to create your desired mood. Our steps come with Escalight, an LED spotlight system which illuminates each tread for a magical ambience.
• Showers: an essential feature for any pool area. Showers help you keep your pool clean by removing excess sun cream and other impurities before you take a dip. Ours are powered by solar energy, making them eco-friendly as well. The timeless yet modern designs will integrate seamlessly into any garden space.
• – Pool covers and closures: covering your swimming pool has multiple advantages; it protects it from dirt and impurities for easy cleaning and it is also a useful safety feature. A cover or enclosure can also be used to decorate your pool area. Choose your favourite design and pick the colour that works with your garden.

Décor inspiration: the Solae Waterair® solar cover

This multifunctional cover protects, warms and secures your swimming pool. Its elegant design will work well in any garden space. The translucent panels make it possible to see the pool even when the cover is on. At night, you can enjoy the magic of an illuminated pool whilst still benefitting from all the advantages of a cover.

Designing the perfect pool area

Here are three criteria to consider when designing your pool garden space:

• Activities:
  organise the space based on how you intend to use it:
  Make sure to include a calm, relaxing space where you can read your book in peace or take a little siesta by the water’s edge.
  It’s also important to have a lively dining area where you can entertain family and friends at pool parties.
• Wind and weather:
  To avoid shivering every time you step into the pool, think about the climate and wind conditions where you live. This will help you to choose the right spot for your swimming pool and to select the surrounding vegetation as well.
  We recommend opting for deciduous or evergreen plants such as pine trees, bay laurels and linden trees. This helps to prevent leaves falling in the water and makes it easier to keep the pool clean.
• Privacy:
  It’s always preferable not to be overlooked by neighbours, especially when you’re in your swimming costume. You can choose the position of each individual component in your pool area to create a private space.

As well as listening to your requirements when creating your layout plan, your Waterair Swimming Pools adviser will also take terrain features into account to help you design your perfect pool area.

The poolside: landscaping the area around your pool

There are various options for the poolside area, depending largely on your preference for a particular material. Here’s a brief overview of current trends!

Poolside decking

Wood is one of the most commonly used materials in the design of the poolside area. Wood decking has a natural look that is very popular.

• Natural wood: robust and easy to work with, natural wood blends in well with your garden. There are many types of natural wood, including exotic or European.
• Composite or synthetic wood: An alternative to natural wood that gives the same finish. Easy to clean and hard-wearing, it will fit well into your poolside landscape.

Decking is fairly simply to install as it can be easily cut to fit and laid on adjustable pads, So you won’t need to lay a concrete foundation.

Stone pool surrounds

A wide variety of stone surfaces, to suit all styles, can be used for the poolside area.

• Natural stone: distinguished by its unique characteristics and very natural look. Extremely hard-wearing, it offers a wealth of possibilities (granite, limestone, etc.)
• Tiling: easy to maintain, outdoor tiles are available in a variety of sizes and textures, to suit all tastes and desires.

The current trend is for large pool tiles: 40 x 40cm or 50 x 50cm. Be careful, however, not to choose tiles that are too dark in colour or they may become too hot when exposed to direct sunlight.

Make sure, too, that the pool surround extends at least 50cm on each side of your pool. This will make it easier to install a cover or enclosure at a later date.

Think, as well, about where you’re going to place your sun-loungers: they will be much more stable around the poolside than on the grass, and you’ll have only a step to take between sunbathing and swimming.