by Dana Sleger//
On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we have the luxury of basking in a sub-tropical climate year round, which means it’s a perfect setup to take advantage of a fabulous backyard pool designed for your needs.
When it comes to design, there are a number of trends being embraced, but it’s not just about the shape. It’s more about how the ambiance of your available space can be enhanced with an overall package that combines shape, type of pool, size, unique water features, deck design, material used, and more.
Cash Walker, owner of Gulf Gunite Pools in Long Beach, and Jimmy Holston, owner of Premier Pools and Spas in Gulfport, recently shared some of the most popular trends.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Gunite pools are built with concrete and therefore allows for freeform design. One popular trend highly requested by Walker’s clients is specialized features that capture the sight and sound of water to showcase the aesthetics of the swimming pool. For example, Walker and his team have built natural rock formations for a natural waterfall look as well as installed deck jets where a pencil-sized stream shoots off into the pool. Another neat design feature includes building elevated walls where the pool wall continues on up higher than the level of the pool itself and is accented with sheer descent waterfalls.
SANITATION
Holston builds custom gunite pools as well as installs one-piece fiberglass pools, and one of the biggest trends he sees is related to water sanitization treatment systems.
“The saltwater systems have always been popular, but the trend is going toward ozone and UV instead of salt,” Holston says. “Salt can be corrosive to materials around the pool and a lot of people are realizing that, especially when doing higher end finishes like travertine or granite around the pool.”
GEOMETRIC SHAPES
When it comes to shape, Holston’s customers are moving in the direction of geometric rectangular shape pools — a classic and clean look embracing contemporary straight lines.
TANNING LEDGES
Concerning the construction of the pool, Holston gets a lot of requests for tanning ledges and sun shelves, which are typically one step down into the water and can be anywhere from 8 to 10 inches deep in an area large enough to seat a lounger or chair that also doubles as a great area for kids to play safely.
DECKING
Holston also says decking is important to consider when building a pool, especially since coastal weather allows for year-round outdoor entertainment. Trends lean toward brick and also travertine pavers due to the variety of colors, textures and patterns available.
“Years ago it was about putting a pool in and just pouring some concrete around it, but it looked like a driveway around the pool with unfinished concrete,” Holston says. “Now people are more concerned about what the deck looks like because they are starting to view their pools as more of an outdoor entertainment area than just a swimming pool.”