Designing Swimming Pools
A pool can be a wonderful addition to any garden. More of our clients than ever are exploring their feasibility during the concept stages of their landscape design project, and restrictions during the pandemic have no doubt contributed when shared or public pools have been much more of a challenge. In the summer months, what can beat lying by the pool in your own beautifully designed garden?
If you are thinking of taking the plunge, so to speak, our Landscape Design team offer a few tips on what to consider in terms of styling, aesthetics and materials.
Consider the design of the surrounding garden space and how the style and colour of the pool interacts and sits within it. Below, this fresh water pool – linked to a smaller pond – opts for contemporary, angular lines that mirror the architectural aesthetic of the glazed garden gym annexe and spa behind, whilst meadow planting softens the overall feel and makes a strong connection to nature.
Creating a pathway that connects to the pool can help to visually guide the eye when looking out over the garden. In the project below, we designed up-lit steps that elegantly bridge the gap between the family house and pool at the foot of the tiered lawns.
If you have them, capitalise on the views. This project draws on on the long-reaching horizon over the countryside beyond, offering a ‘never ending’ edge of focus and creating an atmosphere of timeless serenity.
Outdoor pools provide a great space for socialising and spending time with family and friends, well into summer evenings. Blending pools alongside other entertaining spaces such as patios, garden rooms and pergolas create wonderful spaces, with lighting design playing an important role in creating atmosphere. Below, the reclaimed oak-framed pavilion sits poolside with a rustic dining table and wood-burning stove, the lights reflecting on the pool’s surface.
Fencing around the pool space provides additional privacy and ensures safety for families with younger children. This could take the shape of a solid wall, minimalist fencing, or glass panels like the ones we designed for the rural country cottage, below. The frameless glazing allows the homeowners to enjoy uninterrupted views of the countryside, while providing a safe barrier between the drop into the fields beyond.
With a larger garden, consider the blend of materials you choose to create the atmosphere you’re looking for whilst also ensuring the design is consistent with the style of your home’s architecture so that everything flows and works together.
Below, we’re excited to be starting the design journey on the gardens of a country house in Northamptonshire. The new pool will be set in stone-flags near the entertaining zone, with surrounding banks of wildflowers and herbaceous borders that will link to the avenues of mature trees and lawns.
What’s Next?
We provide Architectural, Interiors & Landscape Design services throughout London, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and the Cotswolds.
If you need a garden design to extend your outdoor living space, or if you have finished the hard landscaping and need to transform the area with planting, we can work with you to create an outdoor space that seamlessly links with your property, sits well within the landscape and will be truly unique to you.
Contact us for an initial chat about your project and we can discuss the various options or read more about our Landscape Design Services.
A popular place to start for projects involving all three disciplines – Architecture, Interior and Landscape Design – is our Feasibility Service that helps explore the initial design language and budget options. Find out more in The HG Way.