75 Backyard Pool Ideas and Design Tips You'll Love

If you are looking for backyard pool ideas to upgrade your outdoor space, there are a range of options to consider. Depending on the layout of your outdoor space, there are swimming pools in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles, materials, and price points—from stock tank pools to above-ground pools and in-ground pools that range from smaller plunge pools to larger family-style pools.

You can make your pool area feel integrated with your backyard using everything from landscaping to hardscaping such as decks and patios. And you can beautify a backyard pool with decor such as outdoor furniture, lighting, and extra features to make it inviting and pleasurable to use.

Check out these backyard pool ideas in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and materials to inspire you.

Stock Tank Pool With Deck

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, consider a stock tank pool. These simple, affordable designs can be placed on a raised deck and painted in a custom color that works with your decor, like this orange Palm Springs pool from Dazey Den.

Above-Ground Pool

An above-ground pool is more affordable than an in-ground pool. House of Harvee made this mosaic tile-covered pool with rounded edges feel integrated with the backyard space with built-in steps and a pool deck.

Townhouse Plunge Pool

Add a wall-to-wall plunge pool at the far end of a narrow rectangular backyard lot to maximize space and add luxury, like this modern Mediterranean space from Fantastic Frank. Accent with natural wood steps and drought-resistant landscaping.

Vertical Stripe Pool Tile

Create a sense of movement with bold vertical striped pool tiles that will make a smaller backyard pool seem to go on forever. This idyllic Mediterranean space from Fantastic Frank includes striped pool floats for a coordinated feel.

Courtyard Plunge Pool

Give a small pool a sense of drama by adding a fire feature. Kate Marker Interiors added a plunge pool in the courtyard of this Michigan vacation home that features a fire element that makes a statement—and heats up the pool.

Patterned Tile Pool Wall

Decorate your backyard pool area with a patterned tile feature wall to add visual interest. Kern & Co chose a gray-and-white pattern that softens this modern backyard space.

Hexagonal Pool

Give a small above-ground pool geometric interest by choosing a hexagonal format rather than going for a simple circular design. Ann Living built steps and a pool deck leading up to this backyard pool using the same material for a cohesive look.

All-Weather Plunge Pool

The brave of heart don't need warm weather to enjoy the benefits of a backyard pool. Kendall Wilkinson Design installed a small above-ground plunge pool outside of this large snowy mountain home. Be sure to cover your pool when not in use with a quality pool cover to make it easier to maintain.

Decorative Pool Tiles

Elevate a smaller backyard pool with decorative pool tiles. This elegant backyard pool from Artaic and Soake Pools has Greek key mosaic tile that gives it a timeless feel.

Covered Backyard Pool

Create an indoor-outdoor feel with a covered pool. This pool from Lindye Galloway Studio is accessed through sliding glass doors from the indoors and is open to the small backyard. With a roof and open sides, it includes a pair of privacy curtains on the side that faces a neighboring home.

Kidney-Shaped Pool

A kidney-shaped pool with a rounded and irregular shape will add visual interest and accommodate smaller backyards. Mary Patton Design outlined the shape of this backyard pool with white tile edging to emphasize its curves. Black, white, and red accents energize the pool deck.

Square Plunge Pool

Save space with a small square-shaped corner plunge pool if your backyard is on the smaller side. Fantastic Frank added style to this back courtyard pool patio with decorative teal pool tiles, a modern water feature, and porcelain wood-effect deck tiles in this Mediterranean-style space.

Woven poufs and oversized hurricane lanterns add a boho-style feel.

Lagoon Pool

If you live in a rustic cabin surrounded by nature, opt for a lagoon pool for an organic feel that is integrated with your surroundings. This rustic cabin lagoon pool from Leanne Ford Interiors is edged with the same boulders as the chimney and landscaped with lush plants for a natural feel.

Stock Tank Pool With Deck

Add polish to a budget-friendly stock tank pool with an integrated deck. This wood deck has a cut-out that allows the stock tank pool to fit in seamlessly, with integrated steps for easy access.

Back Patio Plunge Pool

For the ultimate luxury, add a small plunge pool to your covered outdoor patio. This primary bedroom suite from Tiffani Baumgart Interiors has an ocean-front view that gives it the allure of a five-star hotel, but this setup would work in a more modest setting as well.

Converted Garage Pool House

Convert your garage into a pool house to optimize your backyard. K+Co. Living kept the garage-style doors, allowing the pool house to be open to the pool when it's in use. The pool house exterior and interior is decorated in soft shades of blue and white for a coastal feel.

Central Pool Steps

If your backyard space is relatively narrow, maximize the size of your pool by considering where to place the steps. This rectangular pool from Lady Landscape has an extra-wide set of steps that are centered on the long edge closest to the landscaped pool deck to provide easy access to the pool.

Boho-Style Pool Deck

Create a boho-style feel with global decor accents to give your pool deck an escapist feel. Joshua Smith Inc. decorated this brick and stucco pool area with classic lawn chairs, organic landscaping, and a pair of Moroccan lanterns that add style and ambient light after dark.

Kid-Friendly Backyard Pool

Create a kid-friendly pool deck by adding a playhouse and a swing set. Interior designer Maite Granda positioned a lounge chair next to the play area for parents to keep an eye on the kids.

Backyard Lap Pool

Install a long and narrow pool around the edge of your lot to create a place for avid swimmers to get in their laps. This above-ground lap pool is integrated into a stone patio in this backyard space from Jean Liu Design.

Freestanding Pool

Make your small freestanding above-ground pool feel integrated with your backyard by using similar or matching materials on the surrounding deck, such as wood or laminate.

This above-ground pool from Herzen Stimme includes a built-in backrest that matches the decking to create a seating area with simple floor cushions in indoor-outdoor fabric so the whole gang has a place to rest.

Tiny Backyard Pool House

A tiny pool house shed will anchor a backyard pool on a small lot or a sprawling rural property. Crisp Architects painted this diminutive pool house shed green to blend in with the rolling hills, providing storage for supplies and equipment while making the pool area feel cozier.

Backyard Pool With Bar

Create a vacation feel in your backyard with a small pool house bar. This Spanish-style home from The Novogratz includes a stylish pool house bar with a terracotta roof that turns the backyard into an ideal spot for outdoor entertaining.

Painted Stock Tank Pool

Help your stock tank pool to blend in with its surroundings by painting it in the same color as your outdoor space. Dazey Den painted this pool and deck in the same shades of salmon pink and sage green that are found on the exterior of the home in this small backyard.

Plunge Pool With Deck

Pair a small plunge pool with a compact deck to turn a corner of your backyard space into a place to cool off, like this space from Soake Pools. The pool is tiled with gray stone to match the hardscaped backyard, with wood decking to add some contrast and warmth.

Backyard Pool Cabana

Maximize the pool in a small backyard by building a semi-open cabana. This space from Michelle Boudreau Design includes a small outdoor kitchen, peninsula for dining, and a lounge space with an outdoor TV that creates a multifunctional entertaining space in a compact area.

Covered Pool Deck

Make a smaller pool feel more luxurious by creating a mix of open and closed lounge spaces around the pool deck. Interior designer Maite Granda added Islamic arches around the covered patio in this Dubai backyard and hung decorative lanterns to complement the modern furniture spread throughout the space.

Backyard Pool With Waterfall

Give your backyard pool a more luxurious feel with a water feature. Brophy Interiors made the privacy wall in this small backyard into a feature with a waterfall that adds both visual interest and a pleasing sound to make the space even more relaxing.

L-Shaped Pool

Build an L-shaped pool that wraps around the corner of your home to save space in a smaller backyard. This minimalist pool from Fantastic Frank is entered from shallow steps on the side of the home, and leads to a longer lap pool around the corner.

Above-Ground Pool Daybed

Save space by building in a daybed on the end of an above-ground pool. Interior designer Sara Simon of Handsome Salt made an above-ground pool feel more luxurious with a tiled edge, a deep built-in daybed, and landscaping around the edges makes the structure feel more integrated with the backyard.

Boho-Style Pool Seating

Set up a small seating area with a boho-style feel to create a cozy poolside space to relax. JC Design decorated this backyard pool deck with wood and rattan furniture and a tasseled umbrella in light neutral tones.

Indoor-Outdoor Backyard Pool

An indoor pool that opens to the backyard is a great solution for those who live in cooler climates and want to cut down on maintenance. This small pool from Origin Pools feels like part of the outdoor space, with wide retractable doors that open all the way up.

Vintage-Style Seating

Bring a vintage feel to your backyard pool area with rattan furniture. Marie Flanigan Interiors paired a vintage-style rattan daybed with a scalloped umbrella and a small coffee table to add retro elegance to this outdoor space.

Boulder-Lined Backyard Pool

Edge your pool with boulders to create an organic feel, like this backyard space from Lady Landscape. The boulders blend in well with the gray stone tile pool deck, while bright red accents add contrasting color.

Small Backyard Pool Patio

Optimize space on a small backyard pool patio with a pair of stylish chairs and a fire pit to create a seating area. Michelle Boudreau Design chose tall egg-shaped chairs with an open weave, and added throw pillows to turn the steps to the backyard into an extra seating area.

Backyard Pool and Hot Tub

Combine a backyard pool with an adjacent hot tub for added luxury. This private backyard space from A Beautiful Mess includes a covered porch and a fence around the pool to keep it safe for kids.

Pool Deck Seating

Outfit a small corner of your backyard pool deck with a table and chairs. Mary Patton Design added a vintage-style metal patio set that harmonizes with the traditional style of this white painted brick home.

Backyard Watering Hole

Give your backyard pool a sunken watering hole feel by tiling the interior with deep blue and edging it with plaster, like this Southern California space from The Home Consultant. The adjacent pool patio has a hanging chair a dining area beneath the roofline of the midcentury modern home to provide a shady spot.

Stock Tank Pool Umbrella

Define space and add shade to a small stock tank pool deck with a colorful umbrella. Dazey Den chose a cheerful tasseled pink-and-white striped model for a colorful vintage feel.

Organic Pool

Use natural landscaping to make your backyard pool feel integrated with its setting. Desiree Burns Interiors created a stone terrace for this swimming pool that is surrounded by a stacked stone wall and surrounding by lush greenery for an organic feel.

Backyard Pool Dining Table

Enjoy your backyard pool patio in the evenings by setting up an al fresco dining table using things you already have. My 100 Year Old Home created a casual spot for a summer meal on the brick pool deck with a farmhouse table, outdoor floor cushions, and a table set with flowers and blue-and-white china.

Backyard Pool Living Room

Set up a comfortable poolside seating area to make your backyard feel like an outdoor living room. Marie Flanigan Interiors used neutral furniture to create a seating area that can be enjoyed anytime, defining the open space with oversized planters.

Floating Pool Deck

If you have a large yard, give your swimming pool a sense of presence by surrounding it with a pool deck. This pool from Fantastic Frank floats in the backyard for a modern minimalist feel.

Patterned Tile Pool Deck

Give your backyard pool a decorative feel with patterned tile flooring. JC Design chose a neutral black-and-white pattern with an ornate design and complemented it with comfy lounge chairs and rattan furniture for a breezy feel.

Tiered Backyard Pool Deck

Give your above-ground pool a custom feel by building it into a multi-level deck. Ann Living outfitted the top deck with the pool and lounge seating, with a dining table on the next tier down.

Canopied Pool Seating

Create a shady spot on an open pool deck with canopied furniture, like this backyard space from Marie Flanigan Interiors equipped with a covered sofa. Another option is a canopied daybed with a fabric top and curtains around the sides.

Country-Style Backyard Pool

Adapt the style of your backyard pool to its surroundings. Crisp Architects finished this backyard space with a small country-style pool house with a rustic stone fireplace on a covered seating area. Natural wood furniture adds warmth to the concrete pool design and complements the surrounding landscape.

Backyard Pool Privacy Fence

Shelter your backyard pool from neighboring homes with a privacy fence. In this backyard pool area from Fantastic Frank, bamboo panels are used to close the gaps and keep the space feeling sheltered from unwanted views.

Poolside Entertaining

Get more use out of a backyard swimming pool by using it as place to entertain. My 100 Year Old Home made a DIY canopy for an al fresco dining table out of vintage porch posts decorated with greenery from the garden and Edison bulb lights that are complemented with DIY paper lanterns floating on the pool.

Plunge Pool With Fireplace

Pair an above-ground plunge pool with a fireplace to create a luxurious backyard patio. This space from Soake Pools features a rustic pool and fireplace made from the same stone for a cohesive look in this spacious backyard.

Sunken Backyard Pool

Surround your pool with grass for a lush feel. Matthew Carter Interiors set this backyard pool in the shadow of tree cover and used simple lounge chairs on both sides for a minimalist feel that keeps the focus on the beauty of the outdoor space.

Multifunctional Pool Deck

Maximize space on your backyard pool deck by creating zones for lounging and entertaining. Interior designer Maite Granda set up an outdoor living room on a raised platform above the pool deck. An angled wood slat roof covers an adjacent seating area opposite a one-wall outdoor kitchen on the other side.

Townhouse Swimming Pool

Surround a small pool in a townhouse backyard lot with sleek wood decking and decorate it with modern accessories like an adjustable black umbrella and sculptural lighting, like this space from Fantastic Frank.

Small Plunge Pool

A swimming pool doesn't have to be the dominant feature in a large backyard. This outdoor space from Kittery Point Landscaping and Stoneworks and Soake Pools includes a fire pit, twin lounge chair seating areas, and an open-air Asian-style gazebo-style outdoor living room.

Covered Backyard Pool

Protect your backyard pool from the elements with a glass and metal roof structure, like this space from Thomas Guy Interiors that blurs the lines between indoors and out.

Concrete Above-Ground Pool

Modernize your small above-ground pool with a sleek design. This small above-ground courtyard pool from Fantastic Frank is rendered in concrete that matches the flooring and provides contrast with weathered walls in this Mediterranean space for a mix of old and new.

Colorful Pool Area

There's no need to limit your backyard pool decor to neutrals or shades of blue. Dazey Den created a retro feel with shades of white and pink everywhere from the pool tile to the umbrella, textiles, and fencing in this fun outdoor space.

Multi-Level Pool Patio

Create a tiered backyard patio to accommodate separate pool and lounge spaces in a sloping backyard. This Boulder, CO, home has a lower patio with a plunge pool from Soake Pools that is finished with the same stone as the adjoining patio, retaining walls, and facade for a cohesive feel that maximizes the outdoor space.

Backyard Pool Fence

Divide space in a rectangular backyard lot with a pool fence. This Spanish townhouse from Fantastic Frank includes a saltwater plunge pool that is separated from the rest of the patio with a semi-transparent wrought iron fence.

Pool House Decor

Embellish a small backyard pool house with decor touches for a homey feel. Finding Silver Pennies decorated this pool house with a natural wreath on the door, flowers in the window boxes, and a small table and chairs.

Black Pool Furniture

Give your backyard pool a sleek modern feel with black accents. This outdoor space from Gaia Inspired has black decor and furniture like modern planters and a sleek bench that offer contrast with warm wood fencing and give the space a streamlined and contemporary feel.

Backyard Pool Arbor

Use landscaping to give your backyard pool area a sense of timeless elegance. BHDM Design enclosed this backyard pool with rows of hedges and anchored the space with a large white painted arbor planted with natural greenery to create a shaded lounge area.

Poolside Rock Garden

Create a zen feel in your backyard pool area with a rock garden, like this tranquil space from Bartone Interiors. Soften the space with a spare selection of greenery in modern planters.

Covered Poolside Patio

Create a shaded entertaining space next to your backyard pool with a covered patio. O’Hara Interiors created a hybrid living and dining room that is open to the lawn and pool area that is usable in all kinds of weather.

Poolside Fire Pit

Set up a fire pit next to your backyard pool to create a tranquil spot to socialize long after the sun has gone down, like this Palm Springs space from Michelle Boudreau Design.

Backyard Pool Decor

If your backyard pool is located just outside the main house and visible from one or more rooms, add a decorative touch or two to enhance the view. O'Hara Interiors paired a water feature with whimsical oversized swan pool floats in this modern backyard pool area open to the family room on one side.

Comfy Poolside Seating

Make your backyard pool more inviting with comfy outdoor furniture. Jenn Pablo Studio set up a cozy seating area with slipcovered sofas that creates a transition between the indoors and the backyard.

Drought-Resistant Landscaping

Use drought-resistant landscaping around your backyard pool to cut down on water use. Joshua Smith Inc. created an organic feel in this midcentury modern Palm Springs backyard that feels integrated with the natural surroundings and the home.

Backyard Pool Seating

Save space in a small backyard pool area with floating lounge chairs, like this space from Living With Lolo.

Bungalow Backyard Pool

Make your pool the main event in a backyard, and spread lounge spaces around the periphery to create zones for sun, shade, and grilling, like this bungalow backyard from Midcity Design Group.

Small Infinity Pool

Give your backyard a luxurious feel with an infinity edge pool. Thomas Guy Interiors added an infinity edge to this lakeside pool that features submerged lounge chairs to add another upgrade to the modest-sized pool.

Midcentury Modern Pool Wall

Define your pool area from your outdoor patio with a half-wall. Michelle Boudreau Design chose an affordable painted cinder block design that complements the midcentury modern home.

Above-Ground Pool Deck

Make an above-ground pool feel more integrated into a small backyard by building a large deck that creates a transition between the ground level and the pool. This outdoor space from House of Harvee includes a spacious deck with two sets of steps to make the pool easily accessible and to create a streamlined feel.

Backyard Pool Access

Make your backyard pool part of the indoor scenery with glass doors that open up all the way. O'€™Hara Interiors left the two sides of this corner swimming pool free of furniture to maintain views and flow, focusing the lounge space under a covered patio to create a seamless layout.

Coastal Backyard Pool Area

Choose a curvy pool to break up the straight lines of a backyard lot, or to complement the style of your home. This backyard pool from Finding Silver Pennies complements the architecture of this Dutch Colonial home located on the Massachusetts coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the least expensive type of pool to build?

Above-ground pools are less expensive to build than in-ground pools. According to HomeAdvisor, above-ground or freestanding pools cost an average of $3,500 to $15,000 to build. In-ground pools cost between $20,000 and $65,000, and can reach upwards of $100,000 with the addition of features such as fencing, patios, and the like.

What is a good size pool for a backyard?

The right size pool depends on the size of backyard, the kind of pool you want to install, and how much space you want to devote to a pool. According to Angi, above-ground pools typically range from 10 to 24 feet in diameter, while in-ground pools range from 10 x 20 to 20 x 40 feet. Lap pools start at around 6 x 30 and go up to about 10 x 50 feet, and plunge pools average from 6 x 10 to 8 x 20 feet.

Read the original article on The Spruce.