Your swimming pool and the surrounding outdoor entertaining space is a reflection of your own personal taste and style, just like with any other part of your home. A considerable amount of your time goes into the planning of the swimming pool of your dreams. Even before you engage a pool builder, you may have ideas about how the pool area will come together.
When the process of planning begins with your pool builder, make sure that you mention your specific requirements and your overall pool vision. You can also showcase your own personal style in how you decorate the pool area. There are a whole range of areas that you can tweak and style your own way to make your outdoor space feel like home. You might choose to opt for a minimalist mix of furniture and soft furnishings. Or you might decide to go even further with delightful poolside plants and pool accessories. Either way, there are many ways you can add your own personal touch to your pool area. Read on, if you’re looking for ideas and inspiration!
See here for mistakes to avoid when planning your pool purchase!
Natural Inspiration
If your swimming pool is located in the middle of your yard, it may already be surrounded by plants and gardens. If it’s quite close to the door of your home, or even indoors, the feel of the ‘great outdoors’ can be lost quite quickly if there aren’t plants around your pool area. Natural light can also affect the ambience of your pool area. To invoke the sense of being on a tropical vacation in an exotic location, you can use plants like palm trees and bamboo. Not only can these plants give an illusion of being in another country, they will also add a splash of colour to your pool area, and are relatively easy to maintain. Pairing the plants with the right plant pot is also a great way of adding your personal touch to match the rest of your aesthetic.
Creating Shade
Adding an umbrella, or installing a shade cloth are a great idea to ensure your pool has some coverage during the warmer months. The Australian sun is extremely hot, and damaging, even more so during the summer period. Having your pool covered adequately is very important to prevent skin damage and reduce the risk of sunburn. There are lots of colours and designs available, so you can choose a design that will match your theme.
Did you know that sunlight can affect the chlorine in your swimming pool? Learn more here!
Plants
As mentioned, natural inspiration utilising plants can really change the ambience and feel of a pool area. For some swimming pool areas, the landscaping around the pool could be boring or even unfinished. Just by adding plants to the pool area will help create a sanctuary. Plants are an easy way to bring your personal touch to the pool space, as you can select the foliage and flowers that you love. Some plants which look impressive in the poolside area are small ferns,
palms, and succulents. They are classic choices for Australian backyards. For some beautiful colour, you could opt for birds of paradise or cordylines. Of course, you need to avoid plants that shed their leaves regularly, as they’ll end up becoming a mess in your swimming pool.
Furniture
An easy, yet stylish way to add functionality and flair to your pool space is by introducing furniture. This might be as simple as adding a couple of deck chairs by the poolside, or as sophisticated as a long table and plush chairs to seat 12 people for outdoor entertaining. Choosing a theme for your furniture is important, as you will use that theme as the basis for any other decor items you add to the area. Some of the most popular poolside themes include the coastal style, the Hampton’s look, or a classic French Provincial look. Also consider what will blend well with the exterior of your property, when you are choosing your theme.
Soft Furnishings
Throw rugs, cushions and floor rugs, can be a relatively cost-effective way to bring your touch of style to your pool space. Sticking to the theme you’ve decided on, prioritise comfort when purchasing any soft furnishings. No one wants a sequined cushion to sit, or lay on after they jump out of the pool! While sequins are fun, they really aren’t practical for the outdoors! Choose soft furnishings in weather-resistant materials, so you know they’ll withstand being outside.
Lighting
During the night, a pool can be lit up to be a centre point of the back yard. You can have lights within the pool itself, or you can place a statement light beside the pool to add a soft glow to the water. You can have lights within the decking, or even hidden floor lights which line the pool walkway. These are popular ways of creating an inviting pool area for all hours of the day. You can even choose colour lighting, so when guests are around this will create a classy party feel.
Did you know that just by changing a small detail in your pool area can make a big difference? For example you may decide to decorate your outdoor furniture by adding some cheerfully bright scatter cushions. Just by changing your outdoor cushions with a new style can create a whole new look for your entertaining area. However you go about personalising your pool space, you are going to reap the rewards. A functional, yet engaging poolside area means you will spend more time enjoying those areas.
Your outdoor area should be one that you will enjoy for many years to come, so take the time to enjoy what you’re creating, because when you add your own sense of style to those spaces means they’ll always feel like home. As a reminder; when you’re discussing with your pool builder and planning the pool of your dreams, make sure you note how you will influence the area with your personal style! If you have any questions about how we can help you with your dream pool, please reach out to the friendly team at Barrier Reef Pools Perth, and we will be happy to help.
