SWIMMING IN STYLE
The latest in pool design and technology
Adding a pool to your backyard is a major lifestyle upgrade – think family staycations, easy summer entertaining and an all-new way to exercise at home. Today’s pools take their cues from nature, with softly rounded shapes and designs that integrate seamlessly with their landscaping. They’re kinder to the environment, too, with filtration systems that not only use less chemicals but allow you to create a luxurious day-spa experience of your own.
“Circular pools are very popular at the moment,” says Melbourne landscape architect Ben Scott of Ben Scott Garden Design. “They create a soft shape within the garden and break up the linear lines of the surrounding building and hard landscaping. Raised pools, where the pool wall complies as a pool fence, are also gaining traction as they eliminate the need for a traditional pool fence.”
Where a pool fence is required, glass is no longer the automatic go-to option. “We’re seeing an emerging trend for steel pole fencing, which is nothing like what we’re used to around pools – it can be curved, shaped and coloured,” says
Remonda Rose, the managing director at Blue Haven Pools. Ben concurs, adding: “We are designing the steel as thin as possible to allow maximum opening through the fence, often down to 12-millimetre steel rods.”
When it comes to colour, it’s all about pools that look like natural extensions of the backyard, says Ben. “People are also choosing pool colours that are more sympathetic to the surrounding paving tones, creating more natural water colours that blend into the landscape.”
Fancy a cocktail with your swim? A champagne or tanning ledge is another sought-after feature, says Remonda. “This is a shallow ledge area within the pool that’s perfect when you don’t want to get your hair wet or as a supervision area when the kids are splashing about,” she says. “It can even come complete with pool furniture designed to be semi-immersed in water.” As with every other part of our homes, connectivity is making pool upkeep easier than ever. “You can now control everything from the pool lighting and heating, the pumps, the automated cleaning and the waterfalls from your mobile phone.”
But perhaps the biggest changes are happening inside the pool as we look for new ways to boost our wellbeing and more environmentally friendly ways to keep the pool clean. Mineral or magnesium pools are one solution. These have added minerals in the water – the star of the show being magnesium, a naturally occurring compound that offers a range of health benefits. “This healing blend of minerals relaxes the nervous system and means no more itchy skin or red eyes,” says Eddie Lloyd, co-founder of Theralux. “Pool owners find the water softer, silkier, and a much more hydrating swimming experience.” This option also keeps your pool naturally cleaner; Theralux’s Complete Mineral Pool System can reduce chlorine usage by up to 80 per cent.
Magnesium pools are fast growing in popularity. “We have seen mineral-pool transitions more than double over the past year and expect this number to grow,” says Nic Brill, chief operating officer at Poolwerx. Any pool can be converted to a mineral pool. “You don’t need to empty it or buy new equipment. Installation is affordable and fairly straightforward, and maintenance costs won’t differ much from a salt or chlorine pool,” he says. Converting to a mineral pool ranges from between $200 and about $2000, depending on the conversion pack you choose, says Eddie.
“UV sanitation is another hot trend,” points out Nic.
“It uses ultraviolet rays to destroy organic matter in your pool and kill germs, so you can reduce the use of chemicals by up to 80 per cent and lower your running costs at the same time.”
For a totally chemical-free option, you might also want to consider a natural swimming pool. Natural pool filtration was originally carried out by plants, gravel and micro-organisms, but systems such as the Biotop Living Pool system used by Natural Swimming Pools Australia mimic the function with a mechanical filter. “It mirrors what happens in nature, where good bacteria control the algae in your pool, so no chlorine or chemicals are required to achieve crystal clear water,” says Wayne Zwar, the owner of Natural Swimming Pools Australia. It works best on newly built concrete pools, with the filtration system costing about $35,000 to install.
If this is the year you take the plunge with a new pool, be sure to allow plenty of time to plan and build it, advises Blue Haven’s Remonda. “Some builders are booked out months in advance, and don’t forget that council planning and approvals can add another six months to the timeline. Construction can then take up to three months, plus there’s landscaping time.”