Lapping It Up
From pool parties in the day to a stunning water feature at night, make your pool the centre of attention this summer! Here you’ll find the latest trends, some beautiful poolside accessories and top tips for hosting the perfect pool party.
ON TREND
Pools today aren’t what they used to be – they’re so much better! As designs become more innovative and new materials and technology are introduced, it’s hard to keep up! Here, Peter Moore, President of Swimming Pool & Spa Association of NSW, explains the latest developments in backyard pools.
GLASS
Glass work, such as wet edges and windows or portholes looking onto the pool, are increasingly popular. Peter says it provides a real ‘wow factor’ and ensures the pool is an integral part of the house. It’s vital that such glass work is designed and installed by specialists such as qualifi ed structure engineers.
SPECIALITY FINISHES
Glass tile, quartz-type and glass bead finishes are all replacing the classic white plaster finish. Glass tile is increasingly popular especially in the high-end pool market as they can be used to create custom designs and come in a rainbow of colours – some with interesting swirls, bubbles and shading. Quartz-type finishes are concrete based and incorporate coloured pebbles and additives. They are highly versatile and very much on trend. “We are doing a lot of fully tiled pools, which was rare several years ago. There are now more options with a massive range of finishes”, says Peter.
STYLES
Naturalistic pools have all but disappeared, says Peter. Because of the larger stone materials builders are using, the basic shape is now rectangular with add-ons. Pools today are more straight lined or with very regular curves, which are usually pre-formed.
EXTRAS
Look out for LED lighting for your pool. The benefits include longer life and the selection is quite extensive. Water tanks continue to be popular as water conservation is still at the top of the list for most people. We also love outdoor showers built in beside the pool – if you live close to a beach just rinse off to stop sand and dirt going into the pool and house.
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