4 Popular Pool Deck Designs for an Awesome Backyard

Lots of homeowners love a big backyard with a pool. Why? Because few things feel quite as luxurious as a soothing dip on a hot afternoon day. And homes with pools are where friends, families, and neighbors always want to gather for summertime fun.

This means that to make a truly awesome backyard, a lot of thought will need to be put into a pool deck design. The deck is a space that should be practical, first and foremost. That means nonslip surfaces to prevent falls when the deck is wet, and it also means plenty of room for everything homeowners might desire, like lounge chairs, tables, or even space for barbecuing and outdoor kitchens. It also needs to be a comfortable area. What creates comfort? A lot of the decisions should be based on the style of the home involved, the needs of individual homeowners, and even the landscape. Lagoons, for example, work beautifully in a landscape that already trends toward tropical, but modern minimalism best suits contemporary homes with uncluttered backyards. To get some ideas, here are four popular styles that are in demand.

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The Natural Look is a Popular Pool Deck Design

Choose a Stone Like Travertine

Travertine is an interesting material choice for a pool deck, and it’s also one of the most popular materials available because it is extremely versatile. This stone is a type of limestone that comes from mineral spring deposits. For decks, we typically install them as tiles, and it comes in a lot of colors—browns and tans, beige shades, and even rusty reddish hues. This is a durable material that will last a long time, even in an outdoor setting.

More than that, travertine pool decks have a beautiful aesthetic. Tiles give the deck a smooth finish, but each stone has color variation, which adds a lot of visual interest. People love the look of natural stone, and there’s a good reason for that. Around a pool, stone lends the ambiance of riverbeds, rocky shores, and other picturesque areas where bodies of water are rimmed in rock. Overall, it’s a great way to lend an earthy, back-to-nature air to a backyard swimming pool.

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Types of Travertine for Swimming Pool Deck Design

When selecting travertine, there are more than just colors to choose from. The finish is another important consideration. Most commonly, these tiles are available with finishes ranging from high gloss to rougher, natural looking stone. Polished travertine has a high-shine finish while honed comes with more of a satin luster. Brushed finishes have a low-shine matte look. Tumbled travertine has the most texture of all finishes, most closely replicating the wild, natural look.

Earth Tones Offer Flexibility

Among all deck choices, an earth-toned color scheme is the most flexible. These colors include shades of stone and wood, which means browns, beige, sandy hues, and even shades of gray. With an earth-toned design, decks can be made to fit any home’s style and color. For example, craftsman homes in neutral tones will do well with pool decks in these shades.

This is a color scheme that also offers a lot of flexibility in material options. Stone and tile are two prominent options, and where tile selections are concerned, the sky is the limit. Ceramic, glass for details, concrete—all are great options available in these hues. Wood is another good deck choice that can be finished naturally or painted to get the exact shade desired, and there are even synthetic boards available that come in a variety of shades while offering water and weather resistance that wood can’t quite match.

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Create a Tropical Lagoon Pool Deck Design

Lagoons are one of the types of pools homeowners request the most. That’s because these beautiful fixtures offer a blend of luxury, style, and comfort—and they’re flexible in design, too. The only rule when creating a lagoon is to make it as close to tropical styling as possible. In practice, this means the pool itself can be any shape or size, often featuring stone, fanciful plantings, and waterfalls to enhance the effect.

Where pool deck design is concerned, lagoons offer some interesting choices. Travertine, stone pavers, and other types of brick or stone work very well to enhance the overall theme. The deck should also be created with features in mind. Install planters large enough to hold bursts of foliage or even small trees. Consider water features like fountains or waterfalls as a way to merge the deck and the pool itself. Part of the space can even be devoted to a small grotto if so desired.

Pool Deck Design Minimalism is in High Demand

Few designs carry the fresh look of a minimalist pool. These fixtures are made to be sleek and modern, perfectly suited to contemporary homes as well as homes with more simplistic styles. To pull off minimalism, a deck should feature clean lines. While travertine and other simple materials are sometimes used, these decks are often made with smooth concrete. Wood is another popular option, particularly in lighter finishes.

One of the key elements of this kind of pool is the contrasts. With smooth lines and lots of square shapes, sharp differences in color are needed to add visual interest to the backyard. Most often, this means that concrete or other decking materials are kept light. Color can be introduced through the pool itself or through benches, lounge chairs, and planters in dark shades arranged around the deck.

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Have Questions About Upgrading Your Pool Deck Design?

No matter what style works best for your backyard, you’re going to want help from pool deck resurfacing and remodeling experts to make sure the new deck is designed right. At GPS Pools, we have the expertise to not only help with the design but the build process, too. Foundational mistakes such as poorly leveled ground are common problems among DIY decks. Our professional help ensures that labor and material won’t go to waste and your pool deck lasts a long time. Contact us at one of our locations in New Tampa, Land O’Lakes, and Lutz to get started.