The first thing you need to consider when designing your pool is its intended use. Do you want to swim laps, do physical therapy, exercise, entertain guests, let the kids have some fun, or impress your neighbors? After all, you want to get a pool for a reason or a multitude of reasons to enhance your life.
A pool’s intended use has arguably the greatest impact on the way it should be designed, and therefore, the needs and wants your swimming pool is intended to fulfill should be identified very early in the design process. It is also useful to recognize the pool’s primary functions to help you narrow down your design choices.
The most frequent motive for obtaining a swimming pool is for family fun and leisure. A backyard pool is a great place to cool off during the summer, have fun with the kids and throw some inflatable toys around. If this is your only reason for wanting a pool, then the simplest, least expensive swimming pool designs will suffice. If your budget is large, then you may want to invest in some luxury, but otherwise, an above-ground pool or a shallow in-ground pool would be enough to meet your needs.
Another option for swimmers is the swim spa, which is a small pool, usually no more than about 12 feet in length that can generate a strong current to swim against. One can then swim against the current while remaining in place. Their small size also makes the installation of indoor swim spas a very viable option in many cases. Spending time at your pool can be very relaxing, and the proper amenities will make it even more enjoyable. An addition of a spa or a hot tub to the pool area is a great complement to the swimming pool itself. If you’re going to spend time pool-side sunbathing, be sure to leave the space for it. And if you opt for the above-ground pool variety, the addition of a sizable pool level deck makes great sense.