Poolscapes - Water
- sw9455
- Oct 25, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
What is a Poolscape? A poolscape is a highly stylized landscape that integrates a swimming pool and its surrounding areas - in essence, everything that supports the use and enjoyment of the pool. Poolscapes typically include patios with lounge areas (rooms) and walkways (hallways), along with planting and custom landscape lighting. Landscape Design Consulting specializes in poolscape design on environmentally challenging sites in regulated areas.
Types of Pools: Landscape Design Consulting specializes in the design of luxury in-ground gunite pools. Gunite pools offer the highest quality with the lowest maintenance and overall cost through time. Lap pools are narrower and elongated to accommodate swimming, while plunge pools are compact and designed for cooling off or light recreation. Spools refer to larger spas or smaller plunge pools. Pools built into hillsides can feature vanishing (infinity) edges with catch pools located on a lower patio terrace. With gunite construction, there is virtually no limit to the customization of pool shapes, sizes, and layouts.
Zoning Requirements: in most jurisdictions across Fairfield County, CT and Westchester County, NY, swimming pools are governed as structures and must adhere to many of the same limitations and requirements as buildings. Most jurisdictions have additional pool regulations - such as barrier fencing, screening, and drainage requirements - that must be incorporated into the design. All pools require a building permit, multiple inspections, an as built survey, and certificate of occupancy.
The state of Connecticut is in the process of walking back the barrier fence waiver once offered for pools with automatic covers. Landscape Design Consulting recommends barrier fences for all swimming pools, regardless of location and zoning requirements.
Pool Shells: Gunite shells form the structural backbone for luxury in-ground pools. Gunite is a mixture of cement, sand, and water applied pneumatically over a steel rebar framework, creating a monolithic structure of exceptional strength and durability. This method allows complete design flexibility - freeform or geometric shapes, integrated spas, benches, and steps. When properly engineered and cured, gunite shells can last for decades, making them the preferred choice for high-end custom pools in climates like New England.
Pool Coping: Pool coping appears to be part of the pool patio but, in fact, is part of the pool and analogous to a cap on top of a retaining wall - coping is what a person would sit on to dangle their legs in the water, and can be thought of as a frame around the entire swimming pool. Pool coping should be at least 2" thick and varies in width from 12" to 36". Coping can - and should - match perimeter patio banding and wall caps. Landscape Design Consulting recommends that coping - as well as other materials - be locally sourced and native.
Perimeter Tile Band: A frost-proof perimeter tile band located just below the coping primarily protects the pool shell from freeze-thaw damage at the waterline. By providing a durable, non-porous surface at this critical transition, it reduces the risk of finish spalling or cracking where water repeatedly collects and freezes. It also creates a clean, visually defined edge between the pool finish and the coping, enhancing both function and aesthetics.
Pool Finish: A swimming pool finish is a thin coating that waterproofs the gunite shell. It must be applied in warmer, dry weather and completed in a single day - with the exception of tile - and immediately upon completion, the pool must be filled so the finish can cure properly. Luxury in-ground gunite pools can be finished with plaster, quartz, pebble, or tile. While the type of finish determines the texture and visual movement of the surface, the finish color influences how the water appears. Darker finishes create deeper, more reflective water tones and are especially effective for infinity-edge pools or settings that seek a natural, integrated aesthetic.
Plaster was the primary pool finish from the 1940s through the 1980s. Made of cement and finely crushed marble, it provides a smooth, classic surface. Plaster is less expensive than quartz, pebble, or tile finishes, but it is also less durable and may show wear or discoloration over time. Plaster finishes on outdoor pools in New England typically last from 5-10 years.
Quartz pool finishes combine cement with natural quartz aggregates, creating a more consistent and durable surface than traditional plaster. Quartz finishes resist staining, etching, and chemical wear better than plaster, while offering a wide range of colors and subtle visual texture. They are a popular choice for luxury pools seeking both longevity and a refined aesthetic. Quartz finishes on outdoor pools in New England typically last from 10-15 years.
Pebble pool finishes are made from small, polished stones embedded in cement, creating a textured, natural-looking surface. They are more durable and resistant to staining and chemical wear than plaster or quartz, and the exposed aggregate adds visual depth and sparkle to the water. Pebble finishes are popular in luxury pools for their organic aesthetic and long-lasting performance. Pebble finishes on outdoor pools in New England typically last from 15-25 years.
Tile pool finishes use ceramic, porcelain, or glass tiles to create a smooth, durable, and highly customizable surface. Tile is the most long-lasting finish, resistant to staining, chemical wear, and freeze–thaw conditions, making it ideal for cooler climates. It allows for intricate patterns, accent borders, and deep-water colors, offering a luxury aesthetic with exceptional longevity. Tile finishes on outdoor pools in New England typically last from 25-35 + years.
Pool Equipment: Pool equipment includes filters, heaters, pumps, water sanitizing systems, and the piping that connects them, as well as the main drains, skimmers, and returns in the pool. Modern pool equipment also incorporates safety features such as automatic covers, dual main drains, and SVRS (Safety Vacuum Release Systems), which prevent entrapment - situations where a person could otherwise be held in place by suction at the main drain. Swimming pools today are equipped with programmable, app-controlled computers that enhance an owner's ability to customize pool environments in accordance with their needs.
Pool Utilities: Luxury in-ground gunite pools require licensed plumbers for the installation of propane tanks, gas heaters, and the connecting fuel lines. When it comes to heating, gas is the preferred energy source as electric heaters are more expensive to operate. Pools equipped with auto-fill devises must include backflow preventers to protect public water sources. Licensed electricians are responsible for bonding the pool and all associated equipment to guard against electrical shorts and lightning, as well as wiring all components and completing the necessary work at the circuit panel.
Pool Maintenance: Regular pool maintenance is essential for keeping water clean, clear, and safe. Proper chemical balance, filtration, and cleaning prevent algae growth, staining, and equipment damage, while extending the life of the pool finish and mechanical systems. In climates like New England, consistent maintenance also helps protect against freeze-thaw damage and chemical fluctuations, ensuring the pool remains functional and beautiful. Maintenance includes opening a pool in the spring, weekly visits to make adjustments to equipment and chemicals, and winterization at the end of the pool season.
Pool Lights: Advances in LED technology have transformed underwater pool lighting, offering virtually limitless options. Modern lights are smaller than their predecessors and provide a wide range of programmable, app-controlled colors and dimming capabilities, allowing pool owners to create customized atmospheres for nighttime use and enjoyment of their swimming pools.
Pool Patios: Patios and walkways around a pool are analogous to rooms and hallways in a house that add character and dimension to a space. Continuous patios extending uniformly around a pool are more synonymous with commercial applications and should be avoided in high-end residential settings because they reflect too much heat. Patio areas should be framed with plantings that mitigate heat, absorb water, break up the horizontal monotony of the space, and provide separation from lawn maintenance equipment and chemicals. Poolscape patios should be well-lit to facilitate nighttime use, and often feature drainage systems to collect and convey water away from the area. There is a misconception that lighter-colored patio materials are not as hot under the feet as darker-colored materials - anyone that has tried walking on a white-sand beach on a hot day will say otherwise.
