Ideas

17+ Simple Nice Pool Ideas for Your Home

Transforming a basic backyard into a nice pool oasis doesn't require a massive renovation budget. These simple landscaping and styling tweaks will completely change the way your swimming area feels.

1. Add Terracotta Planters

Large terracotta planters filled with green plants on a pool deck — Warm up concrete with oversized planters.

Frame your pool deck with oversized terracotta planters to instantly warm up the concrete. Fill them with hardy, low-maintenance greenery.

Majesty palms
Snake plants
Trailing ivy

2. String Heavy-Duty Bistro Lights

Bistro lights strung across a backyard swimming pool at twilight — Hang bistro lights for an intimate evening vibe.

String heavy-duty bistro lights back and forth above the water.

It creates a ceiling effect that makes the whole area feel intimate at night. I always use shatterproof bulbs for safety around the bare feet.

Just make sure your anchor poles are secured deep into the ground.

3. Upgrade to Wood Sunbeds

Wooden sunbeds with white cushions next to a blue pool — Swap plastic loungers for acacia wood sunbeds.

I finally swapped out my cracked plastic loungers for acacia wood sunbeds last summer. The rich grain of the wood completely changes the vibe of the concrete patio.

Why it works: Wood tones break up the stark white of the pool deck and add instant resort-style warmth.

4. Install a Travertine Border

Tumbled travertine tile border along the edge of a swimming pool — Elevate the pool edge with tumbled travertine.

Standard concrete pool coping often looks unfinished.

Adding a border of tumbled travertine tiles right at the water's edge completely elevates the entire footprint. It gives the eye a natural resting place between the bright blue water and the standard patio.

5. Build Cedar Privacy Screens

Wooden cedar privacy screen hiding pool pump equipment — Hide pool equipment with a cedar screen.

I love building simple cedar privacy screens to block off the pool pump equipment. It takes a single weekend and completely hides the noisy mechanics. You just need some basic lumber and a good exterior stain to match your existing fence. The wood naturally resists rot even with all the splashing.

6. Layer Tropical Textures

Lush tropical plants layered around a backyard swimming pool — Soften the hardscape with layered tropical plants.

A lush tropical retreat relies heavily on layered textures around the water. You can build out the perimeter using a mix of different foliage heights to soften the hardscape.

Just keep the messy shedders far away from the skimmer baskets.

Banana trees
Bird of paradise
Creeping jenny

7. Use a Scalloped Umbrella

White scalloped edge patio umbrella shading two pool loungers — Add timeless elegance with a scalloped umbrella.

An 8-foot patio umbrella provides exactly enough shade for two side-by-side loungers. Choosing a classic scalloped edge umbrella in a solid neutral canvas gives the setup a timeless, expensive feel.

Make sure to grab a heavy cast-iron base so it doesn't tip in the wind.

Why it works: The scalloped detailing softens the harsh straight lines of typical pool architecture.

8. Set Up a Teak Storage Bench

Teak storage bench sitting on a concrete pool deck — Hide pool clutter inside a teak bench.

Most pool decks lack designated drop zones for wet towels and sunscreen. Setting up a weather-resistant teak storage bench gives you a place to sit while hiding all the daily clutter.

9. Create a Nearby Fire Pit

Small fire pit area glowing next to a backyard swimming pool — Build a fire pit near the deep end.

My favorite weekend project was building a small fire pit area just a few feet away from the deep end. The contrast between the glowing fire and the cool blue water makes evening swims incredible.

10. Tuck Pathway Lights in Landscaping

Soft solar pathway lights glowing in pool landscaping at night — Illuminate the plants with low pathway lights.

The secret to a cozy evening atmosphere is layered, low-level ground lighting.

Solar-powered pathway lights tucked into the landscaping cast a soft glow on the plants without blinding anyone in the water.

They also define the walkways clearly for safe night swimming.

11. Stock a Towel Basket

Woven basket filled with rolled striped towels and sunscreen — Create a luxury feel with a towel basket.

I always keep a dedicated basket of fresh rolled towels right by the steps.

It makes guests feel like they are at a luxury hotel instead of a suburban backyard. You can stock it with a mix of essentials.

Plush cabana striped towels
Reef-safe sunscreen
Bug spray

12. Swap the Waterline Tile

Sleek charcoal porcelain waterline tile on a modern swimming pool — Modernize the pool with dark waterline tile.

A modern minimalist aesthetic relies on clean borders and monochromatic tones.

Swapping out a busy mosaic waterline tile for a sleek charcoal porcelain tile completely modernizes an older pool. The dark band makes the water color pop while hiding the inevitable sunscreen buildup.

13. Build an Outdoor Shower Station

Simple DIY outdoor shower station with a wooden pallet base — Keep dirt out with an outdoor shower.

Build a dedicated outdoor shower station to keep grass and dirt out of your filter system. You only need a simple wooden pallet base and a hose hookup to make it functional. Paint the backing board black so the sun naturally heats the pipes during the day. Finish the station with a few practical hooks for your gear. This cuts down on your pool cleaning time dramatically.

Wet swimsuits
Goggles
Skimmer nets

14. Add a River Rock Drainage Border

Smooth river rock drainage border between a concrete pool deck and a green lawn — Prevent mud with a river rock border.

The transition space between the lawn and the pool deck gets muddy fast. Digging a shallow trench and filling it with river rock creates a clean, functional drainage border. It catches the splash-out water before it turns your grass into a swamp. Plus, the smooth stones look incredibly natural against the concrete.

15. Plant a Natural Windbreak

Dense row of ornamental grasses acting as a windbreak near a pool — Reduce water loss with a natural windbreak.

A standard pool loses up to a quarter inch of water a day to evaporation.

Creating natural windbreaks helps reduce this loss significantly while adding privacy.

Plant a dense row of greenery along the windiest side of the yard.

Clumping bamboo
Tall ornamental grasses
Evergreen shrubs

16. Hang Outdoor Canvas Art

Outdoor canvas art hanging on a wooden fence next to a pool — Break up bare fences with outdoor art.

Bare fences right next to a pool make the space feel boxed in. Hanging a series of outdoor-rated canvas art pieces or metal trellises breaks up the endless wood planks. Allowing climbing vines to take over the trellises blends the boundary line into the landscaping. The yard instantly feels twice as deep.

17. Invest in In-Pool Loungers

White resin in-pool loungers sitting on a shallow sun shelf — Relax on the sun shelf with in-pool loungers.

I spent years fighting with flimsy foam floats before finally investing in proper in-pool loungers. They sit perfectly on the sun shelf and never blow away during a storm. The heavy resin material stays cool to the touch even in the afternoon sun. It completely changed how I use the shallow end of the water. Now I can read a book while staying half-submerged.

18. Build a Floating Wood Deck

Extend your seating with a floating deck.

Adding three feet of decking on just one side gives you enough room for a proper seating area.

You don't have to pour more concrete to extend the usable space. Building a low-profile floating wood deck right next to the existing patio creates a perfect zone for furniture.

Outdoor sofas
Side tables
Potted succulents