Who doesn’t like changing things up every now and then? Perhaps a new wall color in the living room. Maybe a different couch. A re-do of the kitchen. Tossing that carpet and installing wood floors.
Just as we would update our home, we can do the same with our pool area, without the need to take out a second mortgage. There are many easy and affordable upgrades that will transform your pool and the surrounding landscape. Here are five ideas that will help you create the backyard entertainment center around your pool that will bring years of summer pleasure.
- Light My Fire
A fire pit or fireplace will create warmth, ambiance, and intimacy, and make you feel as though you’re lounging at a private resort. A fire element will enhance an evening dinner or late-night socializing by the pool. Add comfortable seating around the fire pit or fireplace and let the conversation and relaxation begin.
- Light Up Your Night
Dramatic lighting will bring your pool to life at night, transforming a relaxing daytime retreat into a fanciful illuminated nightscape. Incandescent lights provide a soft yellow glow, while colorful fiber-optic lighting can be used to create any sort of atmosphere you desire. Good pool lighting can set off the color of the water, enhancing safety, while good deck area lighting makes the outdoor space and any patio spaces much more enjoyable when the sun goes down. Energy-efficient LEDS can change color from basic white to red, blue, green and magenta, creating a light show.
- Learn to Cope
Like a picture frame for your pool, coping is the edging material around the perimeter that sits between the pool structure and the deck. So, why not give the area an entirely new vibe by installing decorative coping that doesn’t merely serve as a structural necessity as a cap for the edge of the pool, but can also be stamped or stained to provide flair and fun. You could replace a loose, cracked, and crumbling border with concrete, bull-nose brick, or safety-grip brick. You can also choose from a variety of natural stones, like flagstone, travertine, quartzite, or even marble. While you’re at it, you could also replace the area surrounding the interior perimeter with gleaming new ceramic tile, which will immediately freshen your pool’s appearance. Tile styles include a kaleidoscope of colors, patterns and sizes.
- Get Comfortable
A backyard pool is the ultimate gathering place for friends and family during the summer. But maybe that poolside furniture has become weathered, frayed and uninviting. New chaise lounges, a hammock, Adirondack chairs and perhaps even an outdoor sofa or sectional will make everyone more comfortable and relaxed. Want to really entice people to hang around? Install a built-in swim-up table with surround seating and an umbrella. The party might never end. Start simple by adding chairs and a table, which will give you a place to relax and add some aesthetic appeal to your pool deck area. Consider choosing furniture that complements the color of the deck. Or you might just go for the brightest shade of pool-water blue that you can find.
- Go Big
Oversized ceramic planters, perhaps placed at each corner of the surround, bring color and variety to the area and provide a luxurious and opulent appearance. Exotic plants will truly transform the space. Mix them with local vegetation and you’ve got an eclectic look.
None of these five suggestions will break the bank. So, start planning now to turn that tired, outdated pool area into something fresh and fanciful that will start your summer off right.