Do you want a swimming pool that’s interesting, unique, and not exactly like every other pool you’ve seen? Pools have come a really long way and it would benefit you to keep up with the latest swimming pool trends if you’re looking for something new and exciting.
A lot of times homeowners end up with boring, lackluster pools because they don’t realize just how much their options have evolved. Unfortunately, there are plenty of pool builders that don’t help. They’d rather build the same cookie-cutter pool that they’ve installed again and again because it’s easier on them.
But that’s doing you a disservice. We understand you want to know all of the swimming pool design options. You deserve to know all of the options. That’s why we’re rounding up the swimming pool trends of 2022.
1. The Traditional Shallow to Deep End is Not Your Only Option
Gone are the days when you’re resigned to having a shallow end on one side and a deep end on the other side of the pool. You can have shallow ends on either side of the pool with a deep end in the middle, if you want! Sometimes people think of these as party pools. But it all depends on how you plan to use your pool.
Swimming pool trends also include an extra-deep end. If you want to be able to dive into your pool, you’re going to want to go at least 8-feet deep.
But some people want a single level, “all-deep” pool. Deeper pools are definitely trending! This type of pool has also been called a “sports pool,” and is a popular option for active homeowners who want to use their pool for recreation and exercise. With a deeper depth you can participate in watersports like volleyball, basketball, and even water aerobics. If you’re someone who wants to participate in lap swimming without worrying about grazing the bottom, a pool like this will be perfect.
The point is, you can think outside of the box. You don’t have to be limited to the traditional pool style that you’ve always known. When you have a custom, gunite pool built, you aren’t limited by a certain shape or design, either.
2. Swim Laps in Place With Swim Jets
Maybe you do want to use your pool for exercise, specifically laps, but you also want to be able to use it for lounging and other purposes, as well. In fact, maybe you want different members of your family to be able to use the pool at the same time, but for different purposes.
Do you need to have a separate lap lane built just for your exercises? You certainly could—after all, the possibilities in pool design are mostly limited by your imagination and budget—but you don’t have to. That’s because you can have swim jets installed that would allow you to swim laps in place while others in the pool use it for recreational swimming or lounging. With swim jets, you can designate one small section of the pool for swimming in place.
2. Chlorine Pools are Being Replaced with Saltwater and New Technology
We often encounter a number of folks who think that chlorine is their only option for a swimming pool. A lot of pool builders in Northern Virginia still focus on chlorinated pools. But most of the pools we design and build are actually saltwater pools, as they are far superior.
Saltwater is a more natural way of keeping the pool clean. That’s because you typically need high levels of chlorine to keep the pool sanitized, but saltwater has fewer toxins and is softer on the skin. In fact, it might even be good for your skin. Saltwater has been proven to have a number of skin-healing minerals, helping to keep skin healthy. As a bonus, you can feel like you’re swimming at the beach.
But we’re also doing ozone pools these days, which is an even newer swimming pool trend. Some people don’t realize that saltwater pools still contain some chlorine (though considerably less than a traditional pool). But for homeowners who have sensitive skin or may even be allergic to chlorine, an ozone pool is the way to go. It uses an ozone generator to sanitize the pool, without any chlorine needed.
3. Take a Seat With a Pool Tanning Ledge
If you’ve ever dragged a beach chair down to the ocean to get your legs wet while lounging, you know how refreshing that can be. That’s why we’re loving that one of the swimming pool trends is tanning ledges (also sometimes called “sun shelves”). This pool idea is a great choice given the way it can enhance your overall pool experience.
A tanning ledge is basically a bump-out within the pool designed for lounging. It can be designed in different shapes and sizes based on your needs.
A smaller bump-out in the deep-end might just be designed as a place to sit while having your legs in the water. If the deep-end of your pool is where you have an infinity edge situated or where you have a really great view, you might want a bench or seat built in there so that you can sit and enjoy it to the fullest. When these bump-outs are designed small to fit no more than 2 people sitting side-by-side, they’re sometimes also called a “cozy cove.”
But most people want a larger shelf-like spot, perhaps big enough to fit a chaise lounger. Some homeowners even like the idea of designing these spaces as large enough for an umbrella and multiple chairs. If you have young children or grandchildren, this ankle-deep water can also be a great place for them to splash and play safely while the bigger kids swim. Mom or dad (or grandma or grandpa) can lounge while keeping their feet cool, too. You might even consider adding some bubblers (bubbling water features) to this shelf area for the look, sound, and enjoyment.
4. Light up the Pool for a Nighttime Swim
Gone are the days that pools came with a single light at one end of the pool. Swimming pool trends include going custom on the pool lighting, too. Homeowners are incorporating LED lighting to enjoy their pools to the fullest, even after the sun goes down. That means you don’t have to limit your swim time or pool experience to the daylight hours. A nighttime swim can bring a whole new level of enjoyment when you have your pool lit properly.
Lighting obviously has a functional purpose. You’ll need to be able to see while you swim. That means lighting up not only the pool but also the areas around the pool so that they can be safely traversed.
But pool lighting can also be an aesthetic enhancement. You can light up the space in a way that it looks beautifully unique in the evening hours. Installing lighting with different colors can set an awesome mood for your backyard.
Maybe you want to take it a step even farther and light up your pool’s water features. You can have jets and fountains that look like they’re shooting color into your pool. It could be like having your own personal light show in your backyard. Imagine dining al fresco by the pool while watching the lights and fountains! It’s a surefire way to make your pool unique.
5. A Different Take on Pool Colors
Of the swimming pool trends of 2022, we are also seeing homeowners thinking outside of the box with their pool colors. When you picture a typical swimming pool, you probably picture tile colors like bright blue and aqua. But now homeowners are feeling less pigeon-held to these types of choices and are even going to dark shades.
Dark shades can sometimes be a better fit for the surroundings. For instance, this Warrenton, VA pool was designed and built with a black plaster that better fit the landscape around it. A pool with turquoise blue waters simply wouldn’t have fit with the countryside scenery. When you choose a darker pool finish, it can look more like a natural lagoon and can give your backyard a really unique feel to it.
This Warrenton, VA pool is also a great example of a pool that illustrates the first trend that we discussed. It is not a traditional pool in the sense that it would go from shallow to deep. Instead, it is 3.5 feet deep on either end and 5.5 feet deep in the center.
But sometimes homeowners are thinking about darker shades for functional purposes, such as the fact that they’ve been known to attract sunlight better, allowing you to heat the pool naturally.
Let These Pool Ideas Spark Your Imagination, Then Keep Dreaming
If these swimming pool design trends could be summed up as simply as possible, it would be to say that you don’t have to be limited to traditional pool design ideas. By choosing a custom, gunite pool you can think outside of the box and create something truly your own.
Even these pool trends listed here are just ideas that will give you a sense of what’s possible. Maybe one of these ideas in this article will spark another idea of your own. Or, perhaps you would like to create a swimming pool that has some sort of combination of more than one of these ideas.
The key is to remember that you aren’t limited to the basic, cookie-cutter pool design any longer. However, the key will be choosing the right pool builders in Northern, VA, which we’ll discuss next.
Choosing Pool Builders in Northern Virginia to Bring Your Ideas to Life
Actually taking these pool design ideas from the conceptual stage to reality will ultimately come down to whom you choose to design and build your pool. As we mentioned early on, there are plenty of pool builders who would prefer you didn’t know about all these exciting options. They’d rather build a cookie-cutter pool that they’re used to building, install it quickly, and move on.
Pool builders who only install pools make their income off of volume and are therefore trying to get as many pools into the ground as quickly as they can. They’re not interested in offering you these custom options or introducing any design ideas that are going to make the process take longer.
But that means that your results may fall short.
Choosing the right pool builder is critical. When it comes to something as important as your swimming pool, which you’ll enjoy for years to come, you want to be sure it’s completed exactly as you desire without any corners cut. You are also looking for a turnkey solution. You don’t want there to be more work to do after the project is supposedly finished.
In order to get that, you know that you must hire a company that looks at the big picture and thinks about how to make your pool space truly complete. That includes a company that can offer some of these cutting-edge ideas to help make your pool truly exceptional.
At Rock Water Farm, we believe that your backyard isn’t just about the pool. It’s about the memories that you will make there—and that’s why you want a complete outdoor living environment that truly has it all. That means not only a pool with all of the possible features that you desire, but also a surrounding pool area that makes your space fully functional (and fully enjoyable).
Making the wise choice amongst pool builders means you can have the pool you’ve been dreaming of, not a cookie-cutter substitution that falls short of your wishes.
Are you ready to talk to an expert who will truly listen about your ideas for your Ashburn, Aldie, or Leesburg, VA home? If so, talk to an expert, choose a solution that rocks, and get ready to see those ideas become a reality.
