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We're ready to float the day away.
Summer, we miss your balmy nights, ice cream delights, and endless light. But most of all, we miss lounging by the pool. So we rounded up 45 striking swimming pool designs to help inspire the summer days ahead. From a Tuscan-style retreat to a rustic farmhouse swimming pool, an indoor lap pool, and adjacent outdoor bars, these design-savvy pools will make you want to dive right in and float the day away. So take a mental vacation and jot down some style notes from these striking swimming pool design ideas.
With a Baja shelf in the pool, a nearby semi-covered dining area, and an indoor-outdoor home bar, this backyard designed by Ken Fulk is the perfect place to unwind or entertain outside.
If you're only planning on using your pool for exercising, stick to a rectangular shape. Long and linear is the name of the game and this shape works well in the backyard too because you'll have more pool cover options with the classic shape.
Designed by Aamir Khandwala, this swimming pool is optimized for summer relaxation at its finest. The extended Baja shelf accommodates loungers and built-in side tables for all your in-pool bar needs.
A large awning window and exterior counter extension connect the poolhouse kitchen to the swimming deck. Los Angeles-based design firm Studio Lifestyle creates visual cohesion with modern matte exterior stains and finishes paired with sleek concrete flooring.
Designer Madeline Stuart gave the backyard of this Southern California home by architects Wallace Neff and John Byers plenty of personality, from the eclectic tiles lining the pool to the blooming bougainvillea and playful umbrella. It's cheerful and unique without being overly eccentric.
Designer Jenn Feldman tells us it was difficult to fit a pool into this backyard given regional restrictions about property lines. So she made it work by planting ficus trees to tighten up greenery (other plants would be too deeply rooted to work with the desired pool depth) and opted for smaller floor cushions instead of loungers. She also installed a swimming jet so the occupant could still do "laps" and also comfortably hang out on the low pool bar with a refreshment in tow.
Design a pathway that visually draws the eye to the pool and also provides a clear way for people to approach it. Here, Janice Parker Design opted for an offset stacked bond pattern.
Here, Studio Robert McKinley used different materials to distinguish the separate hangout spots and to optimize their distinct functional purposes. The concrete flooring under the fire pit sitting area is durable, low-maintenance, and affordable while the lawn functions as a nice segue to the pool, where wood decking, though pricier, make pool maintenance much easier.
Baja shelves are the perfect pool addition for lounging in the shallow end without having to fully submerge in the water. They're basically just a super-sized version of a top step, where you can dip in and out or relax on loungers.
You don't have to add a full-blown outdoor kitchen or even any built-in elements to create a special pool-adjacent backyard bar. Here, Caroline Rafferty decked out a small bar prep zone conveniently located right by the cabana.
Ike Kligerman Barkley designed this circular pool to play off the wave-like shingles of the pool house's show-stopping roof. The combination feels whimsical yet sophisticated and creates a softness in the landscape design that you don't get from rectangular swimming pools. The yellow-and-white awning over the indoor-outdoor bar enhance that fairytale whimsy even further.
Whether you opt for a minimalist fence like landscape architect Edmund Hollander did here or go for something a little more classic, such as a stone wall, fencing in your pool area will provide extra privacy and safety.
Why have only one infinity pool when you can have several levels of infinity pools stacked together? The raised design can also be a good way to separate a Jacuzzi and swimming pool. Even better if it's overlooking a cool landscape feature, like the life-sized chess board in this backyard designed by Ken Fulk.
Whether you're starting a project from the ground up or you're renovating your existing swimming pool, make sure the design is consistent with the style of your home's architecture so that everything flows and works together. On this property designed by Nicole Hollis Studio, the modern, dark pool tiles and clean lines reflect the open-air structure beyond.
The patio in this backyard designed by Peti Lau cozies right up to the pool. With a built-in fireplace, you can stay warm after a cool swim. Beyond the lounge area, there's an outdoor bar and grill area.
An all-white sitting area off to the side is a sleek background for a pool party. A raffia roof hanging over the deck makes it feel nice and private.
Turn your pool into Tuscan retreat with burnt orange umbrellas, cypress trees, and terra cotta tiles and planters. Instead of a full roof over the patio, add a pergola to create a nice geometric look while also letting the sun dapple through. And then go pour yourself a glass of red wine.
This in-ground swimming pool is sleek and clean in its design. The standout feature is the built-in island, which breaks up the simple shape and offers a surface to rest your drink or layout in the sunshine. Perfect for pool bar design!
This uniquely designed pool is the perfect place for a quick dip and is also a prime blueprint for swim-up pool bar design. If your outdoor area is built into a hill and your pool needs to be below the deck, consider this your blueprint. Round pools are a great way to deviate from the standard rectangular look and we love how the patio above reflects the circular motif.
With a light stone tile border and gravel walkway, this pool seamlessly blends into its surrounding environment. Even the shutters on the château in the distance pick up on the light blue water. To create a pool area that feels straight out of the French countryside, take notes from this lovely swimming pool.
Barn doors open onto the patio from the pool house at the pool of our farmhouse-filled dreams. We love the how the pool leads our eyes straight to into the charming space. Now if only we actually owned a farmhouse.
Hello, indoor pool of our dreams. With white painted wood panelling on the walls, a brushed cement floor, stone accents, and lantern installations as lighting and artwork, this basement swimming pool space is bursting with style. The kidney bean shape is also a nod to architect Thomas Church's midcentury masterpiece.
You don't need a lot of landscaping to make your pool look impressive. A few Italian cypresses can transform a plain pool area into a relaxing retreat.
If you have a smaller space but are set on building a show-stopping pool, you can still pack a lot of punch with colorful tiles. The green hues in this in-ground swimming pool mimic the courtyard's lush greenery, while the floor cushions provide a spot to lounge.
Gas lanterns on the double porch add a Bahamian vibe to this pool. We love how the pastel blue hue of the house is picked up in the bolster cushions on the lounge chairs. Now we're dreaming of the Caribbean!
This indoor to outdoor swimming pool is about as unique as it gets. Architecturally striking, this pool also offers up some practical perks. Now you can swim from indoors or outdoors depending on your mood or the season. the glass wall helps ease the transition.
Instead of a traditional rectangular swimming pool, build yours around the landscaping design.If you want space for palm trees and other lush plants or even just an adjacent fire pit, take that into consideration when settling on a design. The shift in shape also signifies the start of deeper water, so it's a great way to keep kids in the shallow end.
The minimalist deck and sleek infinity pool design set the scene and allow our eyes to focus on the gorgeous, expansive vineyard view ahead. Opt for this kind of design if you're drawn to the visual illusion of a never-ending edge.
Make a splash with a bold tiles in your pool, then balance things out with a clean-lined, classic rectangular pool design. If red isn't your color of choice, try something unexpected but softer, such as Millennial pink.
If you have a lot of foliage or tree cover in your backyard, build your pool and hot tub around it to create some natural shade. It looks thoroughly enchanting.
Get creative with your poolside umbrellas. Instead of the classic route, opt for a vertical round sunshades like these. And no matter where you live, you can make your yard feel like paradise with sky-piercing palm tress. Keep the coconut cocktails coming.
To create easy water access without having to walk on the grass, add an arrangement of stone pavers. They're functional, and they have a nice grid-like aesthetic.
A sleek, modern swimming pool will age with the house as your kids grow up. But while they're still young, build a water slide and play house structure. It's the ultimate backdrop for making summer memories.
Al fresco dining and drinking, upgraded. The stepping stones make it easy to access when you're not swimming. If you entertain a lot, this unique design is sure to impress guests.
Chose a darker stone tile in your pool area for a moodier environment. Opt for daybeds and cabanas instead of basic lounge chairs to make it feel like a swanky pool club.
Build a custom spa into your pool for the best of both worlds (read: temperatures.) Integrate it into the pool, or take a cue from this raised spa and place it beside the swimming pool so you can relax while the kids splash away.
Match your guesthouse to your pool with a cool-hued exterior. It adds a pop of color to your yard, and the pastels feel tranquil, as a poolside setting should.
This beach house has a serious wow factor — the living room opens to the pool. If that isn't enough, coral stepping stones at one end let you walk on water.
This ranch house has an underwater bench that runs the length of the 45-foot pool. It's ideal for dogs to get in and out, or for people to lounge.
Clipped boxwood and a tall privet hedge dress up a pool. Blue lounges with striped pillows complete the classic look.
Add boxwood parterres and you'll feel like you're living in a palace. Versailles's got nothing on your backyard when it looks like this.
We may not be able to have an infinity-edge pool overlooking the ocean, but we can probably handle recreating this living wall. Added perk: It's the perfect photo backdrop for summer parties.
A gazebo is the perfect addition to an upscale yet quaint backyard. The easy way to update your pool area? Upholstery. Yellow cushions make a pool feel even more summery, and you can swap them out for darker colors in the fall/winter.
A vacation is as close as your backyard. Gauzy curtains give the pool area a breezy, tropical feel and add privacy.
If your pool area is next to your garage or another less than beautiful area, construct an elevated deck. Rise above those functional spaces for a retreat that feels anything but ordinary.