Expert Advice for Beautiful Pool Designs

With temperatures rising and sunny days growing longer by the minute, thoughts move away from the hustle and bustle of work and school to playing and relaxing poolside. A break from the every day doesn’t require packing up the kids and navigating crowds. A haven of bliss can be found in your own backyard with a little vision and the right people to help make it happen. We spoke with Landscape Architect Marc Nissim, founder of Harmony Design Group in Westfield, to get his expert advice for creating beautiful and functional pool designs at home.
Harmony Design Group crafts timeless designs that effortlessly blend into your landscape and lifestyle. Finding the best pool is more than choosing square, rectangle or circle. Nissim notes that when contemplating prospective styles pool owners should consider their entire backyard. How will the pool integrate into their existing landscape, the style of their home’s exterior and additional outdoor spaces to make for a cohesive project?
Here Nissim shares his tips to help you create your own poolside paradise:

Timeless Elegance

Have an older home with established landscaping? Consider a timeless, elegant look. In this design, care was taken to select materials that would contribute to an older, more aged feel. The dry-laid walls are installed with Pennsylvania Fieldstone, a look which requires no concrete and is locked together like a jigsaw puzzle by the batter of the wall and the materials installed behind the wall. The pool patio is set in blue/grey Sandstone. These products create a modern ambiance with a classic feel for an elegant installation that stands the test of time. The design of the 20 by 40 foot pool itself, complete with waterfall view, is ideal for both owners looking for a great place to work out and an irresistible spot for children at play. Additions such as the spa area keep the space functional through the cooler months.

Elegant Resort

Looking for paradise without the plane ride? Step out of your back door and into an elegant space inspired by resort life. Relaxation and entertainment are the key ideas behind this secluded retreat. The landscape is divided into three circles for the pool, spa and firepit with the plantings following the same circular design to fully embrace the feeling of an oasis. The 28-foot circular pool features deck jets with illuminated water spouts that inspire pure relaxation. The surrounding patio is constructed of natural stone custom made in a hexagon shape. The spa has an all glass interior and the fire feature has an imported stone surround. The overall look and feel of this design is tailored, elegant and manicured.

Classic Design

Bring the feel of the Hamptons to the heart of New Jersey with a clean, classic design. The 20 by 40 foot rectangular swimming pool with a Hydrazzo French Grey interior is set on an axis with the home’s two rear balconies. The pool is an ideal spot for exercise and play alike. One of the key safety features, which also contributes toward easy maintenance, is the retractable cover that rides on rails under the stone rim of the pool banding. This keeps children out of harm’s way while preventing debris and leaves from falling into the pool. The cohesion between the look of the home and the outdoor living space is achieved by veneering the walls with the same granite stone as the house.

Contemporary Design meets Natural Beauty

Contrasting themes can be complementary. If you’ve cultivated a contemporary feel to your home but your natural landscape has a more natural feel, your outdoor living space can be the bridge between the two aesthetics. Nissim achieves this cohesion by placing a natural-shaped swimming pool with a waterfall adjacent to the yard’s wooded area. Natural Stone steps arc over the waterfall to the spa area to complete the look. While the pool, spa and natural pond areas look as if they were spawned from nature itself, the contemporary design of the home is carried into the outdoor space by the contemporary angles of the walkway. Beautiful and functional, this space is ideal for both kids at play and parents looking to relax.

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Additional Images (in order) Courtesy:
Harmony Design Group