Custom Pool Design Ideas for a Unique Backyard Oasis

For residential property owners, the best backyards are unique personal oases designed to be a calming refuge from your everyday life. And during the hot summer months, there is no better way to relax than by letting your worries float away while cooling off in a swimming pool. But in order to get the greatest benefit from this backyard addition, you cannot just install any old above- or in-ground pool. The best pools will blend into or become a focal point of your backyard oasis, conforming to both the needs of your yard and your own preferences.

How can you design such a pool? With the help of an expert outdoor living area design company like Blue Lizard Services. For over 20 years, our team has crafted, repaired and installed equipment for custom pools across Louisiana. Now, it is our goal to do the same for you in order to create your own ideal backyard paradise.

Trending Backyard Swimming Pool Themes

A custom swimming pool is an investment, but when you put in the time to create the perfect design for your yard, it is well worth the cost. However, before you can start the process of crafting your pool, you need to determine the shape of your space. Historic or traditional homes, for example, may be best suited to a lush backyard paradise, full of tropical plants or vibrant gardens. Modern homes pair well with sleek and minimalistic designs, with elements such as rock gardens, neutral colors, native or drought-tolerant plants, and geometric shapes. And for a pool which blends into its surroundings, a natural oasis may be the perfect choice. Elements such as rock waterfalls, native plants and organic pool shapes transport you from your residence to a verdant garden retreat. Additionally, property owners looking for a rustic feel may be more drawn to texture and darker colors in their design elements, such as brick, draping plants, and brass or wrought iron furniture and accessories.

Remember: There is no one right way to design your backyard. Choosing a theme which suits your preferences and your property is more important than simply following what everyone else does. Make sure you will enjoy your new outdoor space, or you may find yourself rarely taking advantage of the oasis you worked so hard to create.

Popular Swimming Pool Styles

Once you have chosen a theme for your backyard, it’s time to consider the design of your pool. Some contemporary trends to think about include:

Infinity pools. Perfect for property owners looking for a modern or resort feel, these “vanishing edge” pools are so named because from inside or nearby the pool, the water appears to flow into the horizon. This blend with the surrounding scenery makes them particularly attractive in backyards which overlook beaches or other natural landscapes.
Organic pool shapes. With rounded edges, natural materials and attached water features, these pools are often intended to appear more like a spring or lagoon than a traditional pool.
Plunge pools. Perfect for small backyards or property owners who prefer to lounge than swim laps, plunge pools are the ideal place to sit back, relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Modern pool design. Sleek, geometric shapes and neutral colors turn an everyday pool into a sophisticated backyard addition that is beautiful in its simplicity.
Multifunctional pools. As the name suggests, these pools are meant for more than simply swimming. They may also include relaxing and therapeutic components such as seating areas, tanning ledges, swim-up pool bars, jets and temperature controls.

Choosing the Best Tiling for Your Pool

Pool tiling comes in a variety of colors, with light blue and turquoise remaining some of the most enduringly popular options. However, in recent years, more natural blues, dark tones such as deep blue and grey, and mixed colors or mosaic designs have become more sought-after by some property owners. Additionally, the tiling you choose can affect not only the appearance of your pool, but also the temperature of the water. While darker tiles can absorb heat, helping to warm the water, lighter tiles reflect sunlight and may keep your pool cooler. Lighter tiles may also make your pool appear clearer and brighter—though this comes with a downside, as debris buildup will be more obvious.

Enhance Your Backyard Pool with Equipment Upgrades and Unique Add-Ons

No matter the shape or theme of your pool, there is a wide range of features and add-ons to choose from in order to personalize your space, such as:

Equipment upgrades

Color-changing LED pool lighting
Smart pool technology, which allows you to control any Wi-Fi enabled pool equipment from your phone
Variable speed pumps. This piece of pool equipment may consume less energy, last longer and make less noise than single-speed pumps
Automatic pool covers, which keep debris out of your pool as well as prevent evaporation and heat loss

Eco-friendly design

Saltwater pools, which contain a lesser amount of chloramines—chemical compounds which may irritate your skin and eyes—than a chlorinated pool
Solar heating, which typically uses a solar collector to capture heat and warm pool water as it is pushed through your pool system by the pump
Eco-conscious materials, such as recycled or reclaimed glass and stone

Add-ons

Water features such as poolside waterfalls and cascades
Fire and water bowls. These mixed-element bowls serve as both a light source and a water feature, and many are specifically designed to be placed around your swimming pool.
Tanning ledges, which allow you to work on your tan while remaining close enough to the pool to put your feet in the water

Creating a Personalized Oasis in a Small Backyard

If you don’t have much room in your backyard, designing your perfect oasis may seem out of reach. However, your personal paradise doesn’t need to be expansive to be enjoyable. Instead, it’s all about being strategic in your design choices. Compact plunge pools; long, thin lap pools; and outdoor spas provide the relaxing backyard addition you’re looking for without taking up too much room. Space-saving outdoor furniture pieces can neatly stack on top of each other, transform into other furniture or provide hidden storage solutions. This allows you to have everything you need to host gatherings outside without worrying about clutter. And vertical landscaping allows you to grow plants on walls, fences, trellises and other upright structures, giving you the greenery you’re looking for even if you don’t have room to plant it at ground level.

Bring Your Dream Outdoor Living Space to Life with Blue Lizard Services

When creating the backyard of your dreams, you deserve better than a one-size-fits-all swimming pool. Custom pool designs allow you to include everything you want while also considering the constraints of your yard size and budget. From landscaping to materials to pool shapes, everything can be customized to suit the theme of your space.

At Blue Lizard Services, it is our goal to bring your design dreams to life. And with over 20 years of experience crafting luxurious outdoor living spaces for clients across Louisiana, we have the skills to do just that. From custom pool designs and concrete pump services to renovations and equipment upgrades, we are a one-stop-shop for all your pool-related needs. So if you are ready to get to work on designing your custom pool, give us a call or send us a message today.