If you want to add something to your home that will increase the fun value of it, a swimming pool should be the top of your list. It will not only keep your kids entertained and increase their open air sports activities, it will also mean you are able to hold summer pool parties and open up the options come barbeque days and nights. However, fitting a swimming pool to be proud of is not as simple as digging a hole in your garden and filling it with water. Here are a few ideas to make your swimming pool something that will impress your guests and make it the place to be.
Make It All Weather
If there is a thunderstorm, you may not feel like going for a swim, but there is no real reason you can’t (you are going to get wet anyway), and it is simple enough to make your pool an all weather area. You could fit a permanent roof to cover your pool, or opt for a retractable roofing structure. The retractable roof is probably the most popular choice, as most of us like a dip in the sunshine, but with the damage that can be caused by the sun; a permanent feature is not a bad idea. Removable wind breakers can also be positioned around the pool to help with any building wind.
Swimming Nights/Lighting
The option to swim in the night is always a good one (and lots of fun), and if you are going to add lighting, you should try to make a feature of it. Underwater lighting can be unbelievably impressive, and is a great way to add colour to the water, while lighting around the poolside to accentuate any features is another possibility. A good idea is to have directional lighting as you will lose the great effect lighting can make if you simply flood it with white light.
Pool for children
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Keep It Safe
Your pool will need to be safe for your guests as well as your family, so make sure you have reach poles and lifesavers in case of emergencies, and have raised seating positions to keep an eye on all of the pool (elevated seating areas also add another dimension to the area around the pool). If you have young children (or expect them to visit regularly), consider a split depth pool, where kids can paddle around in safer conditions. Another must for a safe pool area is non-slip decking or tiles. One slip and you could have a major medical emergency on your hands, so make the area non-slip
Add a Pool Room
Having a pool room built on the side of your pool just oozes class, and gives guests an area to change and relax out of the sun. Pool houses and rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and you will find a massive selection to look at online. A website like GardenSpaces.co.uk will give you some great examples to look at, and will even build a tailored pool room for you. Remember that your pool room will probably be a storage area for furniture and your barbecue too, so make sure it is big enough to cope.
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Somewhere to Eat
You could use your poolroom to eat, but designing an eating area by the pool will give you somewhere to entertain your guests once the swimming has finished, or supply a barbeque for a mid day snack. Make sure that you buy treated furniture for the pool area as it will probably be exposed to a lot of moisture as well as the sun. If you decide to skimp on your poolside furniture, you can be sure that it will look tatty very quickly. Make sure your eating area can double as a chill out area too, and add a few hammocks for relaxing fun.
Maintenance
The final thing that you need to do to make your pool tiptop is to maintain it. Buying the right pumps and filtration systems (and maintaining them) is vital, as your pool will not only start to look and smell terrible without them, it will also become a health risk. You can keep your pool clean by keeping it free of leaves and cleaning the tiles yourself, but when it comes to maintaining the pumps and filters, make sure you bring in a professional.
A pool may not make your home easier to sell, and may not add a lot of value if you do sell, but it will make your life a lot more fun.