How to plan and design a home swimming pool | House & Garden
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There's nothing we like better than a little , and while it's lovely to head to the countryside for a spot of , there are few things more luxurious than having a swimming pool at home.
If you're thinking of designing your own swimming pool at home, take a look at this expert advice from Jack Harding, director of , and then scroll down for our favourite swimming pool ideas from the archive. And don't forget to check out our for an array of stylish loungers and parasols.
Six tips to help you plan your project
- Even if you don't live in a Conservation Area or a listed house, you will probably need to get planning permission for your swimming pool.
- If you want a pool for the summer, you need to start thinking about it the autumn before and be constructing it by spring. A complicated design takes about 16 to 20 weeks to build.
- A cover is vital in retaining heat in your pool. I would recommend an automatic cover that will work at the push of a button, because manual ones are cumbersome and take two or three people to fit.
- There's a misconception that deeper is better. Flat-bottomed pools usually suit the whole family, but if you do want a diving end, the minimum depth is 2.2 metres.
- Natural stones like limestone dissolve in the pool's chemicals, but porcelain tiles are almost indestructible and can be indiscernible from natural stone.
- Chlorine is aggressive and gives the pool a chemical smell. Other primary disinfection systems, such as ozone, cut down on the use of chlorine. It kills bacteria and chlorine-resistant microorganisms, and also reduces pool chemical costs.
In this naturalistic garden in the Cotswolds, designer Marcus Barnett has incorporated a steel-edged pool next to the dining terrace, designed to bring the sky and the landscape into the heart of the garden through reflections. At one end, a Malus ‘Evereste’ creates an elegant focal point, its multi-stem form allowing views across the garden
A restful palette was a priority for The White Company’s founder Chrissie Rucker in the design of , which is filled with perennials and grasses in shades of white and green. The pool makes up part of a family area with a pool house behind.
When we think of infinity pools, we tend to picture glitzy hotels in exotic locations. But Cornwall can be equally alluring, as this oval-shaped hillside infinity pool by the architect proves. If you have a vista, make the most of it. See the rest of the house, with beautiful interiors by Marion Lichtig, .
At the same house, the eyebrow-shape teak pool house in Cornwall is built into the hillside and has a grass roof to blend in. The small space was origin-ally conceived as a changing and showering area, but is now used as guest accommodation, with a bed and bathroom. See the rest of the house .
This historic , at the heart of the Nyetimber sparkling wine estate in Sussex, has been thoughtfully restored to create a beautiful family home. The decked infinity pool in the garden blends with the lake beyond.
In this pool in Oxfordshire, garden designers Mary Keen and Pip Morrison have used black porcelain tiles to create the illusion of infinite depth and to maximise reflections. It sits in pleasing contrast with the smart Buff Yorkstone paving surround. Installed by Guncast Swimming Pools (see above), the 20-metre-long pool is heated partly by a conventional boiler and partly through an automatically operated slatted pool cover, which allows the sunlight to pass through and warm the water. Rabih Hage was called in to design a luxurious and relaxing pool house, adjacent to the pool. In the renovation of this derelict orangery shed, Rabih created a changing space, showering room and gym area.
Building the pool as close as possible to the planting of the garden, rather than having vast expanses of tile or concrete around it, helps it to feel integrated. The natural stone border of the pool in also makes it seem closer to nature.
Anne-Marie Midy inherited this house in the south of France and has since lovingly restored it to refresh the interiors without losing the charm of the space. Anne-Marie Midy and her husband own the Mexican furniture company . The bright patterned seating outside pool house gives a dash of flourish. See the rest of the house .
In the garden of of Collett-Zarzycki is this elegant pool, lined with black granite to give it an inky colour.
The owners of this had not anticipated taking on such a large project, but their careful renovation enhanced by modern decorative touches has resulted in a smart, yet comfortable, forever home. The refurbished swimming pool is tiled with grey mosaic that catches the sunlight and complements the Belgian blue stone used around the pool. The white furniture was bought in France.
After visiting her friend in France's Tarn region, Anne Halsey bought a there and enlisted the help of the decorator to create a relaxed space perfect for entertaining. The outdoor swimming pool has green sunloungers surrounded by shrubbery and original outbuildings now converted to guest quarters.
This has a classic long swimming pool surrounded by lawn, perfect for helping the pool blend into the landscape.
If you're looking to do some serious lap swimming, this 25-metre-long eco pool near Henley may suit your needs. Designed by , it is ideal for lengths and is naturally filtered - every day the entire volume of the pool passes through the reed bed, which filters the water. No chemicals used here.
Expert advice
, based in south Norfolk, specialises in the design and construction of natural swimming ponds. Director Paul Mercer gives us the lowdown.
Swimming ponds are made up of two zones: one for swimming and one that is the regeneration zone. The regeneration zone must be planted up with a wide range of aquatic species, such as lilies and other oxygenating plants. Water is continually circulated through the regeneration zone by a pump, which helps to keep the pond clean and clear.
On average, projects take two to three months, from the initial site appraisal to the finished pond.
There is always an element of maintenance, best described as aquatic gardening. Unlike with a conventional pool, which needs constant monitoring, you can let nature take the lead. The biggest job of the year is in November, when the plants are cut and removed from the system to stop the build-up of nutrients and silt.
Think about entry method: we like bespoke green-oak ladder steps, which age well and become a feature.
Our swimming ponds start at around £60,000, including planting, and some garden design.
Other specialists:
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A beautiful example of one of Soho House's pools - at the same location there is an outdoor pool sunk into the lake. The wood panelling here keeps with the cabin theme adopted throughout the property.
A rooftop pool overlooking the Istanbul skyline at . Yellow and white striped lounge bed occupies the wooden decking - comfort has always ben at the centre of the Soho House ethos.
The owners of this newbuild turned to trusted interior designer to provide their house with a British sensibility, practical furnishings and interiors that are not 'too beachy'. As well as being situated right on the beach, the property also has a pool and pool house to the side of the main house. Aqua and white stripes complement the blue of the pool tiles, tying the outside space together in a subtle manner.
If you're starting from scratch with a pool house, take note. Designed by Associates, this contemporary wooden pool pavilion sits within the walled garden of a Grade I-listed Restoration-period house. It has taken the place of a derelict and crumbling greenhouse, which was carefully moved to another part of the walled garden. Situated between the pool and the tennis courts, the pool house functions as a beautifully designed link between the two.
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is House & Garden’s Features Editor. She joined the magazine in 2015, with a BA in English Literature from King’s College London and a Masters from the Courtauld Institute of Art. Her interest in interiors was sparked through a Saturday job working in Pentreath & Hall when she ... Features Editor
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