If you live in Australia and have extra space in your backyard, creating a pool in your yard is a luxury not to be missed. On scorching summer days, there’s nothing quite like being able to dive into a pool of cool, crystal clear water. But what if you could increase the joy your pool brings you even more?
Upgrading your pool with a water feature is an excellent way to add that extra splash of interest and intrigue to your outdoor space. Popular for a variety of types of pools, water features come in all different shapes and sizes. From fountains to water walls and everything in between, adding a water feature gets you more bang for your buck when it comes to increasing the pleasure you and your family get from utilising your pool.
Here, are our top four reasons why you should add a water feature to your pool design. Let’s dive in.
1. Water features make your pool more attractive
Aside from the functionality of having a pool, one of the biggest reasons why homeowners build a pool in the first place is for the aesthetic value a pool adds to your property. Pools are stunning additions to backyard spaces all over Australia, so it only makes sense to further accentuate and build on that investment.
Water features add an extra layer of opulence to your pool and make your yard feel truly luxurious. They serve as impressive marks of style during the day, and even more so when strategically lit up at night. Especially with the addition of well designed LED lighting, your pool can be a radiant focal point for you and your friends and family members to enjoy for decades. You can even automate your lights and water features to create intricate sequences when you’re entertaining if you so choose.
2. Water features add extra fun and relaxation to your pool
What’s more relaxing than hearing the sound of a cascading waterfall while you lounge on your own personal beach? Water features increase the tranquillity of your pool environment.
Depending on the types and placement of your water features, they also have the potential to serve as fun and stimulating play spaces. If your family loves to take family swims or play water games, adding a fountain, waterfall, or water wall is a great way to add interest.
3. Water features increase the value of your pool
A pool is a serious investment. Shouldn’t you make sure to use it as much as you can? Water features serve as reminders to take a break and enjoy your backyard. When your family hears the sound of water rushing and notices the ripples on the surface, they’ll hardly be able to resist jumping in. This ensures that your pool gets used frequently and creates lots of wonderful opportunities for bonding with family, friends, and neighbours by the pool.
4. Water features increase your property value
Installing a water feature is a surefire way to boost the value of your home. It highlights the thoughtfulness of your pool design, suggests that your home and yard are well cared for, and helps your property stand out from the crowd. If you ever intend to sell (or even rent) your home, highlighting your property with one or more water features is a great way to stand out from the crowd and pique buyers’ interests.
Water feature ideas
There are an endless number of water features types and design styles to choose from. If you can dream it, there’s a pool company out there who can build it. Feel free to browse our site for countless ideas about how you can use water features to accent your pool space and create your dream pool aesthetic. For now, here are some ideas regarding a few of the most timeless, popular water features to spark your creativity.
- Waterfalls
Pool waterfall features are classic symbols of tranquillity that can be created in an array of styles to achieve specific looks. A sleek waterfall that drops straight down adds a contemporary, sophisticated flare, while waterfalls created with boulders and lush landscaping provide a more earthy, natural atmosphere for your back yard. You can even use carefully placed landscaping to obscure your pool from view and create an extremely intimate, romantic oasis in your own back yard.
- Water Walls
Similar to a waterfall, water wall features are a classically stylish option. Glamorous and modern, wall water features do tend to incur more expense than other water feature designs. In order to create a water wall, you have to first build a wall at the side of your pool. Builders typically use wood or steel for the bulk of the wall, then finish the top portion with tile for aesthetic reasons. A water blade streams water against the wall, creating the illusion of an actual wall made of water at your pool’s perimeter. You can set your water wall at different angles and heights to achieve different design looks, and you can even automate lights to create stunning light designs. These are just some of the potential water feature wall ideas you might like to explore.
- Deck Jets
Deck jets are a simple and classic water feature that allow you to create interest without also creating much fuss. Jets are installed in the ground around the pool area, where they send streams of water upward like a geyser. The water arcs back towards the ground, resulting in a beautiful and interesting constant water arch effect. As a bonus, your kids will love treating the deck jets like sprinklers and splashing around in the deck jets between swims.
- Fountains
The word “fountain” can mean a lot of different things. Ranging from small stone fixtures to massive, sweeping structures to rival The Bellagio in Las Vegas, the beauty of a fountain is that it can be anything you want it to be. While most fountains are static pieces, you can also work with your pool builder to create floating designs that lend a romantic, bohemian vibe to your pool.
- Sunpods
Sunpods are a visually interesting point of convergence between two bodies of water—most often, a pool and a spa. They are small areas that take advantage of the natural beauty of light bouncing off of rippling water. Sunpods can be created from a variety of materials in almost any colour and can easily be paired with small jets or fountains to create an area of undeniable beauty.
More information about pool water features
Ready to start planning your water feature installation? Whether or not you already own a pool, the best way to get started is to find a reputable pool builder in your area. Australia is home to dozens of companies who specialise in designing luxury residential pools and their accompanying water features. Even if you aren’t 100% certain whether you’re ready for your water feature just yet, simply calling your local professionals and gaining an understanding of what your project would entail is a great next step.
Water features often require the installation of special infrastructure and plumbing in order to function correctly. For this reason, it’s easiest to create a pool with a water feature from the very start of your installation. However, it is possible for water features to be added to existing pools. Working with a team of professionals will ensure that your water feature is installed without damaging your existing pool. Never attempt to DIY a water feature project, as you risk destroying your pool and potentially creating dangerous circumstances for anyone using your pool.
Does your pool have a water feature? Do you have a dream water feature project? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
