The swimming pool market has become very diverse when it comes to shapes, sizes and styles. They can come in surprisingly creative designs which often depend on the specific purpose of the pool.
You shouldn’t worry about novelty is not a thing you should be worried about; choosing the right type of pool for your backyard should be the focus of your worries. The climate of the region, the type of soil beneath your house, the size of the lot – these are the factors that should dictate the shape of your pool and this should not be taken lightly.
After all, it is not a spontaneous decision – the pool is meant to last and these are some shapes and styles of swimming pools that you can take into consideration.
Your regular rectangles
Geometric pools are the most prominent type out there. Considering a traditional rectangular pool for your backyard is probably the best place to start. They have taken the world by storm, starting in Southern California during the 1930s and it is easy to see why they have remained popular to this day.
The appeal lies in the multi-purpose nature of this pool. First of all, they are mostly built with concrete and tiles – which makes them long-lasting, and they can serve both as light-lap pools and recreational areas for children. They are both practical and minimalistic, which means they can easily blend in with your yard and your household.
Oval shapes
Of course, if sharp edges do not mesh well with the organic feel of your surrounding garden, you can always opt for the curved lines. Some people decide to have the best of both worlds and basically build in rectangular pools masquerading as elliptical ones.
Kidney-shaped pools are a good option if you want to mimic the look of the pond and have a little patch of water you can dip into. This shape used to be much more popular during the middle of the twentieth century. It has, like many pool trends, found its origin in 1948 California, when it was designed by Thomas Church, the renowned architect. Due to the significance of the architect, this pool ended up plastered across magazines.
Even though this shape fell into obscurity over the recent decades, it is not half as forgotten or unused as a figure-8 pool. This type of oval pool, shaped like a number 8, isn’t common in modern backyards anymore and it can be an interesting idiosyncratic design statement if you are into all things obscure.
Pools for small yards
We live in the overpopulated world and most people don’t have enough room in their small backyards for regular-sized pools (if they have backyards at all). This is where mini-pools come into play – they can be designed and made with a specific purpose in mind.
Plunge swimming pool designs might look outlandish, but they serve a specific summer-dip purpose. These increasingly popular fibreglass pools can transform an ordinary garden space into an appealing and welcoming oasis for relaxation and rejuvenation after a hard day’s work.
To infinity and back
Infinity pools are usually equated with luxury, but there is no reason you should not consider this option if you live on the slope of the hill. This particular type is also known as “vanishing-edge” pool and the dramatic effect it achieves is mesmerizing.
It is actually a pool that achieves an interesting optical illusion – an observer who approaches might be fooled into thinking that the water from the pool flows over the edge and down the slope. However, this is actually a matter of design-ingenuity – there is a weir wall and water flows over it, essentially between two walls, and it is recycled back into the pool.
Overflow illusion
Overflow pools appear quite similar to infinity counterparts, but there is a different trick employed here. Perimeter overflow pools rely on optical illusion which utilizes water’s reflective quality – essentially, water mimics mirrors.
Water overflows on all sides into a trough, and therefore functions like a vanishing edge. Because of this, this pool can look like a flat surface from afar, and only a gust of wind that creates waves and ripples can betray its true nature. As far as material goes, perimeter overflow pools can be made of concrete, fiberglass and vinyl, so it is a very versatile design.
Freeform style
Freeform pools are the best choice for those of you who do not like to be confined by anyone’s standards. The secret of these pools is in their name – their contours are freeform, they do not obey any geometrical or ovoid standard and their appearance, size and style mostly depend on you.
This type of pool is therefore ideal for most properties. Many families opt for this design because it gives them a chance to use a variety of exotic materials – type of tiles or stones that can easily mesh with the rest of the household.
Additionally, you can “work around” certain sensitive areas in the backyard – mostly trees – to create a shape that mimics a hidden oasis, a tranquil lake or an exotic lagoon. Freeform pools can be an especially vibrant contrast to rigorously (and geometrically) shaped backyards.
Other geometrical pools
Of course, rectangular pools are not the only geometric shape that can be found in the rich and outlandish poolscape. And we are not talking about those boring octagonal dippers.
In fact, geometrical pools are a good choice for many modern houses that rely on straight lines and sharp edges. They can be a composite of many geometrical shapes, including triangles, squares, hexagons, etc. With the proper pool designer on your hands, your geometrical pool can be a bona fide work of art.
Stick to the “classics”
Before pool became a regular backyard accessory, it was a luxury of kings and emperors. During the time of Ancient Greece and Roman Empire, only lavish royal mansions had enough space for pools. The classical rectangular designs come with certain details that are typical of those times – Greek pools have cut corners and Roman pools have rounded ends and stylized corners. These styles can only work if you own a big household and they are mostly reserved for indoors.
Since the pool market is big enough to come with a plethora of optional designs, you can use a number of styles for inspiration and choose what is best for your property. Of course, you need to take the material into consideration and make a tough choice between the land-locked pool dug into your backyard or a portable fiberglass pool. This depends on the surrounding land, but there is a solution for everything.
