Details That Take a Pool From Standard to Standout
Choosing the pool itself is only the beginning. The shape, size and colour create the foundation, but it's often the details added around and within the pool that completely transform the finished result. From the materials surrounding the water to lighting, landscaping and carefully selected features, these choices can turn a beautiful pool into a space that feels completely considered.
At GV Unique Pools & Landscaping, we encourage our clients to think beyond simply “Which pool do I want?” and consider a bigger question:
How do you want the entire space to look, feel and function when it's finished?
Start With a Pool That Suits the Space
Before adding any extras, getting the fundamentals right matters.
The pool should work with the proportions of your backyard, the architecture of your home and the way you intend to use the space. A large family pool might be perfect for one property, while a more compact design can make a much bigger impact in another.
Positioning is equally important. The relationship between the pool, home, alfresco, lawn and landscaping can determine whether the finished backyard feels connected or like a collection of separate areas.
Once those foundations are right, you can start thinking about the details that will make the project your own.
Create a Feature With a Sun Pod
A sun pod can completely change the look and functionality of a pool area.
Positioned alongside the pool, featuring water jets, it creates a shallow area where you can relax, cool off and enjoy the water without necessarily getting straight into the main pool. Visually, it can also become a beautiful architectural feature, particularly when incorporated into the overall landscaping and surrounds. Custom sun pods are our specialty and a popular feature option that we offer.
Make a Statement With a Custom Water Feature
A water feature can take a pool from beautiful to something truly unique. At GV Unique Pools & Landscaping, we can create custom water features designed specifically for your pool and outdoor space, allowing the feature to complement the style, proportions and materials used throughout the rest of the project. We can also incorporate fibreglass spill-overs, creating a beautiful connection between different pool features while adding movement and the sound of flowing water to the space.
Whether you’re after something subtle and integrated or a feature designed to become a focal point of the backyard, we can work with you to create something that feels considered as part of the overall design. It’s another reason we encourage clients to think about these details early - when features are planned alongside the pool, surrounds and landscaping, they can become a seamless part of the finished project rather than something added afterwards.
Add Spa Jets for Something Extra
For those wanting to add another element of relaxation, spa jets can be incorporated into suitable areas of the pool design. It's a relatively small detail that can make a big difference to how you use the pool, creating somewhere to sit back and unwind rather than having the entire space dedicated purely to swimming. Features like this are worth discussing during the planning stage so they can be properly considered within the overall design.
Don't Underestimate Pool Lighting
Your pool doesn't stop being part of the backyard when the sun goes down...
Lighting can completely change the atmosphere of an outdoor space at night, turning the pool into a feature that's just as beautiful to look at from inside the house as it is to swim in. Pool lighting can create anything from a subtle evening glow to a much more dramatic effect, while thoughtful lighting throughout the surrounding landscaping can bring the entire area together. If you regularly entertain in the evening, it's definitely something worth considering.
The Surrounds Can Change the Entire Look
Two identical pools can look completely different depending on what surrounds them.
Concrete, exposed aggregate, paving, natural stone and different coping choices can each create a completely different style... The right material isn't simply about choosing whatever is currently popular. It should complement the colours and materials already present in your home while also working practically within a pool environment.
This is where looking at samples together - pool colour, coping, concrete, paving and other finishes can help create a much more cohesive result.
Make the Pool Colour Part of the Design
Pool colour has an enormous influence on the overall appearance of the backyard.
Some colours produce brighter, more vibrant water, while others create deeper or more natural looking tones. The surrounding materials, landscaping, sunlight and even the wider environment around the property can affect how that colour appears.
Rather than choosing your pool colour separately, think about how it will interact with everything else you're planning. The best results often come when the pool colour, surrounds, home and landscaping all complement one another.
Landscaping Is What Brings It Together
You can have a beautiful pool, but landscaping is often what makes the finished backyard feel complete. Plants soften hard surfaces and fencing, while lawn, garden beds, pathways and carefully planned outdoor areas help connect the pool with the rest of the property. Landscaping can also provide privacy, create different zones throughout the backyard and make the pool feel much more established within its surroundings... and it doesn't necessarily need to be elaborate - a simple, thoughtfully designed landscape is far more effective than trying to fill every available space.
Think About the View From Inside
One detail that's easy to overlook is what your new pool will look like from inside your home. For many properties, the pool becomes a major part of the outlook from the kitchen, living room or alfresco. Consider where your eye naturally travels when you look outside. A carefully positioned pool, feature planting, beautiful surrounds or a statement element at the far end of the pool can create a view that you'll enjoy year-round, not just while you're swimming.
Keep the Practical Details in Mind
Creating a standout backyard isn't about adding every feature available.
In fact, some of the best designed spaces are relatively simple. The key is choosing features that actually suit your lifestyle and property. Think about how much maintenance you're comfortable with, whether you have children or pets, how often you entertain, how much lawn you'd like to retain and how you want to move between the house, pool and other outdoor areas. A feature is only worthwhile if it adds something to the way you'll actually use the space.
See It Before We Build It
When you're combining a pool with landscaping, different materials and additional features, it can become difficult to picture how everything will look together.
That's where our 3D design service can make a huge difference. Our in-house 3D designer can create a custom representation of your proposed outdoor space, allowing you to visualise the pool, positioning, landscaping and surrounding areas before construction begins. It gives you an opportunity to experiment with ideas and see the bigger picture rather than trying to imagine each element individually.
It's the Details That Make It Yours
There's no single formula for creating the perfect pool area.
For one family, it might mean a large pool surrounded by lawn with plenty of room for the kids. For another, it could be a sophisticated entertaining space with a sun pod, beautiful paving, established landscaping and carefully considered lighting.
That's what makes every project different. At GV Unique Pools & Landscaping, our team can help you consider the entire space... from the pool itself through to landscaping, surrounds and those extra features that make the finished backyard feel like your own.
Because sometimes it's not about adding more. It's about choosing the right details!
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