The first thing to consider when designing your pool is its intended use. Do you want to swim, do physical therapy, exercise, entertain guests, let the kids have fun or impress your neighbors? After all, you want to get a pool for a reason or a multitude of reasons to make your life better. Arguably, the intended use of a pool has the biggest impact on how it should be designed, and therefore the needs and desires that your pool should meet should be identified very early in the design process. It is also helpful to recognize the main functions of the pool to help you narrow down your design choices. In the following sections, we’ll go over some of the most popular benefits people get from having a swimming pool and how these affect pool design.

Fun and Leisure:

The most common reason for purchasing a pool is family fun and leisure. A backyard pool is a great place to cool off during the summer, have fun with the kids, and throw some inflatable toys around. If this is your only reason for wanting a pool, then the simpler and less expensive pool designs will suffice. If your budget is big, you might want to invest in something fancy, but otherwise, an above ground pool or shallow inground pool would suffice to suit your needs. A pool that is at a constant depth of 4 feet is deep enough for occasional splashing and swimming, but also shallow enough to provide safety for the whole family.

Exercise:

If you want to use your pool for serious exercise, then the dimensions of your pool require more critical consideration. For lap swimming, a pool that is at least 25 feet long and 3.5 feet deep is recommended, with typical lengths ranging from 25 to 40 feet. There are also dedicated lap pools that are relatively very narrow and therefore fit in limited spaces. Water aerobics require a little more depth to avoid hitting the bottom. Typically, a 5- to 6-foot-deep section of the pool is sufficient for this purpose.

Another option for swimmers is the swim spa, which is a small pool, usually no more than 12 feet long that can create a strong current to swim against. So one can swim against the current while staying in place. Their small size also makes installing indoor swim spas a very viable option in many cases.

Parties and guest entertainment:

If pool parties are in your future, you may have a few other design issues to think about. These largely involve the landscaping and design of the area surrounding the pool. You may want to surround the pool with a patio or deck, add a pool house, gazebo, outdoor bar, furniture, etc. Also, you may want the pool itself to be designed for appearance, with elegant form, rather than just functionality. Neatly hiding pool equipment will also make the pool area more attractive.

Relaxation:

Spending time in your pool can be very relaxing, and the right amenities will make it even more enjoyable. Adding a spa or hot tub to the pool area is a great addition to the pool itself. Like swimming pools, these come in in-ground and portable above-ground varieties. An inground spa is usually connected to the pool heating and filtration systems. And if not, a portable spa is a much cheaper option.

If you are going to spend time sunbathing by the pool, be sure to leave the space for it. And if you go for the above-ground pool variety, adding a sizable pool-level cover makes a lot of sense.