7 Tips for Designing a Swimming Pool That Looks and Feels Like Nature
Posted on: 29 August 2017
Thinking about hiring a swimming pool builder? Looking for design ideas? Well, if you want a pool that looks natural, there are several concepts to consider. Take a look.
1. Skip the Perfect Shapes
Traditionally, back yard swimming pools are rectangular or sometimes circles or ovals. Skip those shapes, and capture a natural vibe by putting in a pool that is a bit wavy. Variable curves help to make the pool look more natural, like a river winding its way through rocks and hillsides. Swimming pool builders can help you choose a shape perfect for your yard.
2. Opt for a Stone-Like Floor
If you want a natural look, you may want to stay away from crystal blue tiles, colourful liners or rough concrete. Instead, look for natural colours such as tans, light browns and deep reds. Then, whether you go for fibreglass or tile, integrate these colours in a pattern that makes it look like the bottom of your pool is a bed of river rock.
If possible, continue this look up the sides of the pool. Alternatively, go with concrete or fibreglass siding, but just make sure to choose a natural-looking tone that mirrors the other elements around your pool.
3. Integrate a Waterfall
A water feature is a great stylistic addition to any pool, but if you're going for a natural look, you should try a waterfall over a bed of rocks in particular. Putting in a waterfall may even be easier than you think. It just involves some rocks and a pump. Ideally, you should use rocks that are available in that area.
4. Use Plants
In nature, water is always surrounded by plant life, and that can also be critical if you want to have a natural looking pool. There are a range of ways to approach this. For a simple effect, you could go with potted plants around the pool deck. Opt for a mixture of ferns and other plants with large leaves, but consider putting in some miniature fruit trees as well. Nothing feels more natural than grabbing a piece of fruit from a tree after a long swim.
Alternatively, if you're up for maintaining landscaping, consider creating more of a jungle-type vibe. That could include trees lining the sides of the pool and vining plants over a pergola next to the pool.
In some cases, you may want to integrate fake plant life. For example, you can make fake lily pads. They float on top of the pool, absorb the sun's heat and work like a passive heater.
5. Choose a Natural Decking Material
On the sides of your pool, don't go with concrete or even with grass. Neither creates the feeling that you're out in the middle of nowhere next to a sparking pool of water at the end of a long hike. Instead, combine a mixture of wood and stone work.
A pool builder can give you advice on this area, but you may want a multiple level wood deck, rock lined paths or a range of other ideas. If your budget allows, you may want to cover the whole area around the pool in big rocks and make it look as if the pool has been carved out of those rocks.
6. Opt for Salt Water
After going to all that trouble to create a natural looking space, you don't want a pool that smells like chemicals. To prevent that, consider putting in a salt water pool rather than a chlorine pool. These pools still use chlorine, but they don't use as much of it.
7. Set Up Torches
Finally, when it comes to lighting, fire from torches feels more natural that electric lighting. If you do go with regular lighting, keep it mellow. Stay away from harsh overhead lighting and go for a soothing, subtle effect.
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