The planning stages for designing a new pool in your backyard can be quite exciting!
There are so many elements to consider when adding a pool to your existing landscape. It’s important to consult a professional to gauge the possibilities that your backyard will allow for a pool.
From there, the sky’s the limit!
Pools can be a great focal point for your backyard. They can be the centerpiece for your summer parties or a mainstay in your children’s happy memories. Dream away when you’re imagining the possibilities for your pool design.
Let’s discuss the basics of pool shapes and layouts to get you started!
Some Preliminary Questions to Consider
Before we dive into different pool designs, let’s look at some topics to consider to create a foundation for your ideas.
Brainstorm with these questions to help guide you in deciding the perfect pool layout for your home:
- Who will be using the pool?—children? athletic swimmers? sunbathers?
- How much space do you want to allocate to your pool design?
- Where in your yard do you wish to put the pool?
- What activities do you envision using your pool for?—parties? backyard hangouts? kids’ play area?
- How deep do you want it? any shallow areas?
- Any additional accents you wish to include—fountains? waterfalls? stonework?
- How do you wish to integrate with the architecture of your home?
- Any practical accessories to include?—firepits? hot tubs? watersports gear? patio? outdoor kitchen?
These questions will help focus in on the details you wish to discuss with your pool contractor. But the main meat of today’s question is: which of the pool shapes is best for your home?
Let’s take a look!
7 Great Swimming Pool Shapes
There are a variety of pool layouts that have been elegantly incorporated into the landscape and architecture of homes like yours.
Here are the top 7 pool designs to consider while you brainstorm on your new, backyard pool!
1. The Rectangle Pool
The earliest of pool designs, the rectangle layout is a tried-and-true classic.
Ideal for those seeking a simple layout that allows kids to play and athletes to swim laps, the rectangle covers it all. And it blends in well with most home architecture designs and landscape layouts.
Don’t feel restricted to the hardened rules of the rectangular shape, though. Plenty of designs have seen great success with some modifications; for example, consider rounding off one of the edges with a rounded hot tub for contrast.
2. The Kidney Layout
A design popularized in the 1960s and 70s, the kidney-bean shape is another that stands the test of time.
Similar to the rectangle shape, the kidney layout is a favorite of children and adults alike. It’s rounded edges and curvy shape give it a much more casual, relaxed feel than the rectangle design.
Keep it funky with this cool bean!
3. The L Shape
The L shape design is great for those with children.
It allows you to sequester the kids off into a shallow area next to the entry stairs. From there, the adults can still enjoy their leisurely floating or watersports games in the deeper, longer end of the pool.
The adjacent space to the pool can be utilized to great effect. Consider adding in an outdoor kitchen or firepit area, or take the water activities to another level with a slide!
4. The Figure-8
The figure-8 design is a more modern update to the kidney bean layout.
This pool features a smaller, circular section atop a larger circle of water. It’s great for those that wish to separate a shallow end for children from a deeper end for adults.
And for those seeking to swim a few laps, there’s still plenty of lengths!
Like the kidney bean, the figure-8 is ideal as a basis. Feel free to add modifications to enhance the design and make it unique to your backyard!
5. Geometric Layouts
We’ve already covered the most basic geometric pool shape: the rectangle.
There are plenty of other shapes to consider, like the oval, octagon, square, or heart. Or something completely unique, utilizing clean lines and curves of a custom geometric layout.
Geometric shapes offer a modern aesthetic, complementary to contemporary architectures and landscapes. They fit in well with homes that already showcase sharp angles and crisp edges.
6. Grecian & Roman Pool Shapes
The Roman and Grecian pool designs are a great complement to classical architecture and formal landscape settings. They can give quite the grandiose allusion of an ol’ time Hollywood picture. Go big or go bigger!
Both are rectangular in shape but differ in the style they imbue with accents and elegance. Grecian styles are elongated sides with the corners removed, either cut at an angle to form an octagon or modified with inward-facing arches. Roman styles, instead, remove the ends of the pools completely and opt for wide, rounded arches.
These styles offer classic appeal to any home. And you can’t go wrong with some decorative columns!
7. Freeform Designs
If you wish to fully realize a whole landscape, the freeform design is the way to go.
Here, you’ll be considering every element, either existing or that you wish to create. Pay particular attention to the landscape features and architecture that you wish to incorporate.
You could go with a design that’s modern and pristine, or something more natural-seeming.
There can be any sort of possibility with custom pools, so consider your budget and go from there. To really make a statement, consider teaming up with private contractors so they can offer all their expertise to make the best backyard pool for you!
Time to Plan!
We hope these ideas for different pool shapes bring you inspiration for your design. As you can tell, there’s a lot to consider when adding a pool to your home.
When you’re ready, consult a professional to bring your pool dreams to life in your backyard!
