Summer season is in full swing, which means it’s the best time to start thinking about what upgrades your swimming pool environment needs. What you may not realize is that technology in the pool, spa and outdoor living industries have grown rapidly, and there are some great new options that can transform your backyard. So, let’s move beyond your basic backyard design or pool cleaning system and discover the backyard pool trends that will turn your swimming environment into a summertime paradise.
Dark Interior Finishes
One of the trending aesthetic changes that are being made to pools across the country are darker interior finishes. There are a number of design benefits to this. For example, the colors are naturally evocative of a lagoon and pair nicely with other features such as rocks or waterfalls. Notably, these darker finishes can help cut down on your heating costs as well. They also naturally attract and retain heat better than other lighter finishes. To top it all off, it’s harder to detect minor dirt or debris on these surfaces compared to other finishes.
Decorative Tiling
While darker interior finishes are becoming a new style, in general, luxury finishes open up a whole new group of options in terms of aesthetics. There are many different colors and textures you can use to cover up concrete and other base materials. For example, you can use some beautiful tiling work around the edge of the water to make an impression and match your other landscaping or patio changes.
Landscaping
If you’re looking for a low-cost aesthetic improvement to your water area, in fact, there’s nothing quite like plants and flowering bushes. You don’t need to have a full-time landscaper to make this happen, either. If you’re a novice gardener, talk to a professional at a nursery about your goals for your yard area and what types of plants fit that mindset without being overly expensive or high-maintenance. Combine this with some work with rocks and other features, and you have a great natural look for little cost.
Making visual additions to your swimming environment is a great way to enjoy your backyard in the summer, but they only scratch the surface. From helping make your pool more efficient to expand its functionality, here are some of the new features you may want to consider adding.
LED Lighting
As a start, things like an AOP pool sanitation system can help reduce your chemical use, and smart lighting can help reduce your energy use. Lighting has always been a great way to improve the aesthetics of a swimming environment aesthetics and hardscaping designs, but there are more options here than ever before. For example, you’re no longer hard-locked to one set color or brightness for your light options. In addition, you can also operate these with a lot more finesse and customization than just using a switch. Some lighting systems can be operated on a day-to-day basis via a smartphone app. This includes the ability to change the timing, brightness, and color of the lights. Making these changes means that it’s easy than ever to transform your area into a different space for different occasions.
Entertainment and Lounge Areas
There are other features available to help transform how you view and use your pool. For example, install sun shelves at either end or even around the entire span. Combine these with submerged decks for features such as umbrellas, and you can have some extra shade whenever you sunbathe. Another item that’s growing in popularity is swim-up bars. If you build an outdoor kitchen with uprights that serve as part countertop and part ledge, it will become easier for you to transfer from swimming to eating or drinking.
Energy-Efficient Pool Pumps
Adding additional functionality to your area is great, but in some cases, people are looking to save time or energy with their existing pool rather than a better-looking one. Luckily, there are several options available to help make this easier. For example, more and more investment in cleaning and filtration efficiency is something that you can expect to see across the board. Not only can you take care of the environment, but also your bottom line as well. If you’re willing to make some bigger investments upfront to save in the long term, there are more options for you than ever before. For example, invest in a variable-speed pump to get better circulation and avoid wasted energy.
This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of all your options. Features such as a spa disinfection system or AOP pool system can do a lot to improve the atmosphere around your area as well as make it more efficient to clean and maintain. If you’re struggling to find what features to keep, try to picture it in terms of opportunity costs. You may pay X amount upfront, but what are you making up later on?
