Dive Into These 10 Custom Pool Designs

Check out these pool ideas for the most luxurious swim of your life

Luxury villa with tropical swimming pool
Photo: Thanyakan Thanapanprasert / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
Luxury villa with tropical swimming pool
Photo: Thanyakan Thanapanprasert / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
Katy Willis
Written by Katy Willis
Contributing Writer
Updated March 10, 2022
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In-ground pools are a real luxury. Sure, they're expensive to build, but they add value to your property and give you a space to chill (or exercise) in comfort and style. We've put together some of our favorite pool designs, ranging from lap and geometric pools to fancy free-form types that have a more organic feel.

1. Free-Form Pool With Rock Waterfall Slide

Freeform pool with rock waterfall slide
Photo: Courtesy of Cypress Custom Pools

The team at Cypress Custom Pools created this lovely free-form pool. The natural boulders used for the water feature add a real rustic flair, and the waterfall slide looks ridiculously fun. Plus, check out the permanent poolside residents, the adorable stone tortoises. If this pool was yours, what would you name them?

2. Timeless Pool With Flagstone Surround and Soaking Pool

Pool with flagstone surround and hot tub
Photo: Courtesy of Cypress Custom Pools

Another entry from Cypress Custom Pools, this geometric design with a mosaic soaking pool has a timeless look that's reminiscent of an ancient Roman bath. The raised wall at the back has intermittent rain curtains, and the raised planters add an extra layer of sophistication.

3. Indoor Lap Pool for Year-Round Fitness

Indoor Lap Pool for Year-Round Fitness
Photo: Courtesy of Kissan Pool

For those more interested in fitness than poolside fun and entertainment, this covered lap pool from Kissan Pool is ideal. Covered to protect you from the elements so you can use the pool year-round, it has a sliding panel so you can open the canopy up to the fresh air during summer.

4. Modern Lap Pool With LED Lights for Fun and Fitness Anytime

Lap pool with LED lights at night
Photo: Courtesy of Kissan Pool

Another lap pool from Kissan Pool, but this time it’s fancier. This is an excellent example of a combination fitness, fun, and entertainment space. The design and the lighting are sleek and modern, the raised wall at the far end limits the view of the house, and the deck, seating, and lighting provide a chillout spot when you want a break from swimming.

5. Raised Wall Geometric Pool With Lighting

Raised wall geometric swimming pool with lighting
Photo: Courtesy of Cypress Custom Pools

This pool from Cypress Custom Pools is a real beauty, day or night, with raised walls and multiple water features. It's definitely big enough for fitness swimming, but it's luxurious enough for entertaining, too. The natural stone surround is easy to care for and textured to reduce the chance of slipping with wet feet.

6. Pool for Small Spaces

Lap swimming pool with decking in a small backyard
Photo: Stock PK / Adobe Stock

This lap pool design is a smart option when space is at a premium but you still want the luxury and convenience of an in-ground pool in your yard. It butts up neatly to the perimeter hedge, is long enough to let you swim laps to stay fit, and big enough overall for the whole family to enjoy. And it only takes up around half of the available space, so you've still got plenty of deck for seating, a barbecue, and entertaining.

7. Free-Form Pool and Entertaining Space

Free form swimming pool with view of the ocean
Photo: EpicStockMedia / Adobe Stock

If you spend a lot of time outdoors and have the available space, this beautiful design is perfect. The free-form pool, with its natural rock surround and soaking pool, almost feels like a natural lake or lagoon and is sympathetic to its surroundings. 

On the right, there's a nice little cabana with a barbecue, so you could easily host a family cookout. Or go the whole hog and transform that little area into an outdoor kitchen. Then, over by the loungers, you have the space to create a cozy outdoor dining space.

8. Hidden Gem

Swimming pool with natural stone tiles
Photo: tashka2000 / Adobe Stock

This pool takes up a lot of the available space, and it feels a little bit like it's hidden away, like a secret garden. The natural stone tiles are costly, but they tie the pool in seamlessly with the rest of the property. The overall design and finish make this feel like it's always been part of the property.

9. Beachfront Infinity Edge Pool

Beachfront infinity edge swimming pool
Photo: Trombax / Adobe Stock

If you've got a beachfront property and want to feel like you're at one with the ocean anytime, then an infinity edge pool could be the answer. The impression of the pool being part of the ocean is further enhanced by the deck, which has a weathered, almost driftwood-like finish.

10. Rooftop Pool

Infinity swimming pool with glass fence
Photo: Radoslav /Adobe Stock

For those who really want to get away from it all in their own private haven, a rooftop pool like this provides the perfect escape. Surrounded by views of nature, with a safety glass surround that includes extra privacy screening, you could easily forget your troubles and relax here, swimming among the treetops.

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Learn more about our contributor
Katy Willis
Written by Katy Willis
Contributing Writer
As a keen sustainability and home reno enthusiast, Katy understands what it takes to make any home or garden project a success. She's shared her expertise with readers of sites like GardenGuides, DIY.com, and her own publication, Real Self-Sufficiency.
As a keen sustainability and home reno enthusiast, Katy understands what it takes to make any home or garden project a success. She's shared her expertise with readers of sites like GardenGuides, DIY.com, and her own publication, Real Self-Sufficiency.
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