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Luxury Home Pools: Private Water Worlds

Luxury Home Pools: Private Water Worlds

Luxury Home Pools: Private Water Worlds

With more homeowners than ever wanting a slice of pool paradise in their own homes, we get the must-know, expert info on luxury home pools.

Luxury home pools came into their own during lockdown, with private health clubs and public baths shut, and the gorgeous summer weather making us all crave a refreshing dip. Oh, how we envied those with lagoonlike luxury in their back gardens – so much so that many more homeowners are seriously weighing up whether the dream can become a reality. Here’s what you need to know…

The key factors are space, budget, maintenance – and being honest about how much you will actually use a pool. If you’re not sure on the latter, an above-ground pool will let you toe-dip into the trend without all the commitment of digging up your landscape for an in-ground pool. They’re also considerably cheaper. On the downside, they’re often smaller and not as aesthetically pleasing, and they have a shorter lifespan.

Then there’s the weather to consider – an indoor pool is the ultimate solution as it is enticing all-year-round so you will use it more. However, they can be hard to retrofit into an existing property. Says Lorenzo Favata, managing director of Lagoon Pools: “An Indoor pool will usually form part of a larger property re-development. Large dedicated extensions or new-build homes are more likely to incorporate indoor pools as there is lots to consider such as the management of air flow and humidity.”

DREAM EN-SUITES – HOW TO CREATE YOUR PRIVATE BATHING HAVEN

There are less such considerations when creating luxury home pools outdoors. Adds Lorenzo: “Outdoor pools make full use of summer sunshine and are great for family and friends to enjoy. Late night dips and pool parties bring a lot of outdoor fun to any garden and can be seamlessly integrated into the outdoor living space.”

Luxury Home Pools
Luxury Home Pools. Image Credit: Indigenous

And if you’re going to be heating your pool, and don’t mind the associated costs, you could actually use it year-round – with the hot steam rising on a cold evening, a winter dip is rather magical. Heating costs depend on how you choose to heat it with options including solar, heat pump, gas/oil or electric, as well as the size of the pool and how well it is covered to retain heat. So, how much space do you need

Advises Lorenzo: “10m x 5m is our most frequent size, but we are also building smaller hydro and spa pools from 3m x 2m to 8m x 4m. In short, most gardens will have space for a pool. But you need to keep it proportionally sympathetic to your home.”

What a pool will cost you varies hugely. An above ground pool can be yours for around £3k, a basic small pool £20k to £30k… then the sky’s your limit. Says Lorenzo: “Our pools are a luxurious addition, finished in glass mosaic with super strong re-enforced shells that will last several decades. A pool of this nature, say 10m x 5m with a fully integrated safety cover, begins at £75k.”

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT WITH THESE FABULOUS LOFT CONVERSION IDEAS

It can take anything between a couple of weeks to a couple of months to install a pool. You also need to factor in the landscaping around the pool and the regular pool maintenance needed when you’re considering costs.

And you’ll need to think about how you’ll ensure safety – either with a cover – which can also act to keep dirt out and heat in, and a fence. You could also consider an infra-red alarm. It is vital that the pool water is cleaned and chemically managed on a regular basis. Advances in technology have transformed how pools are cleaned and heated.

Says Lorenzo: “Using energy efficient filtration pumps and air source heating, we can now create cleaner healthier water with reduced energy costs. There are also fully automated computer systems which manage water quality and self-clean filters such as the Daisy + system by Dryden Aqua. You can now swim in ‘drinkable’ water with minimal traces of chlorine should you wish.”

Luxury Home Pools. Image Credit: Lagoon Pools Ltd.

The Pool House

Don’t forget your pool house – they can really enhance your experience of how you use your pool. Explains Jo van Riemsdijk of Modulr: “Getting your pool pavilion right can turn your poolside into your own personal paradise. Not only should it serve a purpose in terms of offering a changing room and place to shower but you should keep in mind what your idea of a perfect day beside the pool might entail. Does this include being able to quickly and easily get drinks? Somewhere to prepare or cook food? Somewhere to sit and eat out of the glare of the sun? Perhaps your pool forms a large part of your exercise regime – in which case you might want to factor in other exercise equipment.”

Get the surrounds right

You will want your pool to work in harmony with your garden landscape. A stunning lighting scheme will make a beautiful feature out of your pool in the evening. Also consider the environment around the pool. Tiles, stone, timber, artificial grass? You’ll want it to be non-slip, easy to maintain and look good, too. Suggests Joss Thomas, founder & designer at Indigenous: “For the pool surround, both porcelain and natural stone are popular options. Many porcelain tiles are now offered in authentic natural finishes, so you can create a stonelook with an ‘engineered’ tile too. In terms of size, large format tiles are generally the best option, as there will be less joins – this will create a more seamless, uniform appearance and there will be fewer gaps for dirt and weeds to gather, so maintenance will be easier.”