Spending time in nature is good for the body, mind, and soul. There are many features you can add onto your existing pool, or incorporate into a new, customized design for a pool, to create a nature-inspired ambiance that will make you feel like you stepped out of your house and onto the calming shores of a lake. Here are seven nature-inspired swimming pool design ideas for the Huntington, Long Island, NY, area.
Related: 6 IDEAS FOR WATER FEATURES JOINED TO YOUR SWIMMING POOL IN OLD WESTBURY, NY
Natural Pool Shape
If you are having a new pool designed, or renovating an existing one, you can take a big step toward creating the look and feel of a natural environment with the shape of your pool. Consider avoiding rectangles or any design with straight sides and angular corners. Instead, opt for designs with rounded or curved shapes. Round pools will create the atmosphere of a quaint pond. Pools with organically curved edges can be designed to fit any space, and create the effect of sitting on the dock of a bay.
Zero Entry
Just as you would in nature, you can wade right into your pool with a zero entry walkway. These entrances create a gradual slope from the deck area into your pool, to create the feeling that you’re walking down a beach into the calm surf. Decorate this entryway by lining it with your choice of rocks, tropical plants, or flowers.
Sandy Shores
Incorporate the use of sand into your outdoor landscape, and escape to your backyard tropical paradise. Some pools with a zero entry include sand to transform it into a beach entry. Ask your landscaper about creating a saltwater sand pool, or a beach area near the water. There are plenty of ways to create a buffer between the sand and the rest of your landscaping. A small boardwalk, bridge feature, or natural stone walkway will help to clean off sandy feet on your way to your “beach.”
Waterfall
Nothing says, “Hello nature!” like a waterfall feature. Waterfalls are majestic and impressive, and the constant music of the water splashing into the pool will create a calming feeling for you anytime. Build a waterfall with natural stone, either in a sheer wall to create a curtain of water or in a step-style pattern to let the water tumble down. In addition to the beauty a waterfall will add to your pool, it is also a great way to help filter and aerate your pool water.
Water Plants
Add both beauty and privacy to your pool by surrounding it with a tropical oasis. Plant ornamental grasses and brightly colored flowers around the border of your pool. If your swimming pool is built to look more like a natural body of water, you can incorporate plants such as water hyacinth and water lilies directly into the water.
Natural Stone Accents
The use of natural stone is a great way to add a sense of the great outdoors to any yard. Line your pool with large stones that complement the rest of your landscaping, or create a rockscape as a part of a waterfall feature. Use larger stones or smaller pebbles in your poolside tropical garden.
Accent Lighting
Be sure to ask about the use of accent lighting so that you’ll be able to enjoy your new nature-inspired pool anytime. Swimming or relaxing by the pool at night is tranquil and romantic. Submersible lights will create a soft glow at the base of your waterfall and throughout the pool for an evening swim. Ground lights provide guidance as you walk on the pool deck, and uplighting will feature your favorite elements of the landscape as the night grows darker.
Related: LANDSCAPE DESIGN TIPS FOR KEEPING THE KIDS SAFE AND ENTERTAINED DURING QUARANTINE IN STONY BROOK, NY
