This masterful design successfully blurs the line between indoor…
This masterful design successfully blurs the line between indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing the pool and patio to play center stage while working together with both public and private indoor areas thanks to direct access points from the kitchen and master bedroom. The home was named the 2012 Watermark Awards Project of the Year. Project: Appleton Living, Venice, Calif.; Builder: CORE Construction, Los Angeles; Architect: MINARC, Santa Monica, Calif.
Art Gray
Art Gray
Marcus Gleysteen
To make this New England home’s pool accessible all year long,…
To make this New England home’s pool accessible all year long, architect Marcus Gleysteen outfitted it with an adaptable pool house that cleverly makes the most of every season thanks to folding glass walls and an operable glass roof. The pool itself is dressed up with glass mosaic tiles that form an abstract mural across the floor. Project: Brookline Pool House, Brookline, Mass.; Builder: Wellen Construction, Marlborough, Mass.; Architect: Marcus Gleysteen, Cambridge, Mass.
Marcus Gleysteen
Marcus Gleysteen
Marcus Gleysteen
Chuck Heiney Photography
This house, situated on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, has an i…
This house, situated on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, has an indoor pool with a soaring, two-story vaulted ceiling and an outdoor pool that feels like a continuation of the lake. Project: Carlton Shores, Lakeside, Mich.; Builder: Mike Schaap Builders, Holland, Mich.; Architect: Visbeen Associates, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Chuck Heiney Photography
Chuck Heiney Photography
Chuck Heiney Photography
Paul Bardagjy
This Austin ranch got a hip, mid-century makeover without adding…
This Austin ranch got a hip, mid-century makeover without adding any extra square footage to the plan, thanks in part to a new patio pool shaded by a generous overhang. Materials used inside the home extend into the outdoor space, helping to forge an interior/exterior connection. Project: Chimney Corners, Austin, Texas; Builder: Melde Specialty Construction, Horseshoe Bay, Texas; Architect: Webber + Studio, Austin
Paul Bardagjy
Paul Bardagjy
Paul Bardagjy
Paul Bardagjy
Bill Timmerman
At this mountainside home, a terraced pool looks out onto panora…
At this mountainside home, a terraced pool looks out onto panoramic views of Phoenix. Project: Copper Sky, Phoenix; Builder: Linthicum Corp., Phoenix; Architect Swaback Partners, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bill Timmerman
Bill Timmerman
Bill Timmerman
Steve Thompson
This home’s heavy timber design is balanced by the lightness o…
This home’s heavy timber design is balanced by the lightness of its glassy pool, which makes the most of the site’s extensive views. Project: Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Builder: The Phil Nichols Co., Scottsdale; Architect: Urban Design Associates, Pittsburgh
Steve Thompson
Steve Thompson
Jim Bartsch
On a 40-foot-by-135-foot infill lot in a dense neighborhood on t…
On a 40-foot-by-135-foot infill lot in a dense neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles, this home embraces the linear nature of its site. So does the pool—long and skinny, it’s perfect for doing laps. Project: Goodman House, Venice, Calif.; Builder: Oliver Construction Co., Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Architect: Abramson Teiger Architects, Culver City, Calif.; Landscape architect: Eva Sobesky, Venice
Jim Bartsch
Jim Bartsch
Kip Dawkins
After an earlier iteration of this backyard’s design left its …
After an earlier iteration of this backyard’s design left its patio bare, the owners wanted an addition that would stay in step with the original home while making the space more functional. A pool was added to enliven the space in summer months, and an accompanying timber-frame porch addition offers refuge from both sun and the elements year round. Project: Hardy Porch/Pool Addition, Richmond, Va.; Builder: Tuckahoe Creek Construction, Manakin-Sabot, Va.; Architect: Cox & Associates, Richmond
Kip Dawkins
Kip Dawkins
Kip Dawkins
Brian Vanden Brink
This low-slung home in Martha’s Vineyard acts as a vantage poi…
This low-slung home in Martha’s Vineyard acts as a vantage point for viewing the lagoon on one side and the property’s pool on the other. A natural palette of New England fieldstone, Western red cedar, and bronze and mahogany windows keep the focus on the natural landscape. Project: Lagoon Pond, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; Builder: Rosebeck Builders Corp., Edgartown, Mass.; Architect: Hutker Architects, Vineyard Haven, Mass.
Brian Vanden Brink
Brian Vanden Brink
Brian Vanden Brink
Brian Vanden Brink
Brian Vanden Brink
Neil Landino
Inspired by the pavilions of India, this partly covered pavilion…
Inspired by the pavilions of India, this partly covered pavilion allows light to filter through its open pergola beams and offers an elevated vantage point to view the accompanying pool. Project: O’Brien Pool Pavilion, Greenwich, Conn.; Builder: H&Y Construction, Brookfield, Conn.; Architect: Saniee Architects, Greenwich
Neil Landino
Neil Landino
Greg Wilson
Providing a warm winter retreat for a Midwestern family, this ho…
Providing a warm winter retreat for a Midwestern family, this home boasts views of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Intercoastal Waterway to the east. A pool leads up to the front elevation and sets the tone for the surrounding water views. Project: Private Residence, Osprey, Fla.; Builder: Michael K. Walker, Sarasota, Fla.; Architect: TOTeMS Architecture, Sarasota
Greg Wilson
Greg Wilson
Anice Hoachlander
A dry-stacked stone wall draws a thin line between this pool and…
A dry-stacked stone wall draws a thin line between this pool and its accompanying house. The wall also houses the piping by which the pool is fed, and the sound of rushing water from a built-in fountain helps preserve privacy on this tight lot. Project: Pool + House, McLean, Va.; Builder: Gruver and Cooley, Leesburg, Va.; Architect: Randall Mars Architects, McLean; Landscape architect: Surrounds Landscape Architecture, Herndon, Va.
Anice Hoachlander
Anice Hoachlander
Anice Hoachlander
Anice Hoachlander
Anice Hoachlander
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
When a new pool house/guest residence was commissioned for this …
When a new pool house/guest residence was commissioned for this property, the existing pool and stone wall provided the design’s starting point. The wall now provides the dividing line between the structure’s open-air public spaces and its conditioned private areas. Project: Rappahannock Bend Summer House, King George, Va.; Builder: Bonitt Builders, Alexandria, Va.; Architect: McInturff Architects, Bethesda, Md.
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
Julia Heine/McInturff Architects
Industry experts agree that a home with a thoughtfully designed outdoor space will appeal more to prospective buyers than one without. It’s easy to see why: A place to linger outdoors helps make each lovely day last as long as possible, increases a home’s livable square footage, and gives an impression of greater spaciousness. In many cases, a nicely finished outdoor space includes a pool, whether for swimming, soaking, or just staring into. Though opinions vary on exactly how much value a pool adds to a home—much depends on the geographic location—what’s clear is that in many parts of the country, houses with pools will indeed fetch higher prices than those without. What’s also clear is that sitting by sparkling water on a hot day is a great way to relax. So, whether you’re contemplating including a pool in a project and are in need of ideas, or maybe just need to look at some cool blue water, here’s a roundup of cool pools. It’s just in time for the dog days of August, so dive on in.
Senior editors Amy Albert and Claire Easley contributed to this article.
Amy Albert is editor of Custom Home and a senior editor at Builder. She covers all aspects of design. Previously, she
was kitchen design editor at Bon Appetit;
before that, she was senior editor at Fine
Cooking, where she shot, edited, and wrote stories on kitchen design. Amy
studied art history with an emphasis on architecture and urban design at the
University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Los Angeles. Write her at aalbert@hanleywood.com, follow her on Twitter @CustomHomeMag and @amyatbuilder, or join her on Custom Home's Facebook page.
