Can a pool be placed in the wrong location? - Absolutely!
So, how do you determine the best location? - The following will answer that for you.
The most common error
Asking "Where is the best location for my pool?" is an important question. However, before this can be answered confidently, many other questions need to be answered first.
- What size pool do you want?
- What shape pool?
- With or without a spa?
- With an inground pool cover?
- How much space do you want inside the pool zone, ie for kids, lounge chairs, etc?
- And then there are all the other questions regarding what you want outside the pool zone, which need to be accommodated.
So the most common error is: not asking the right questions that will lead to the best pool location.
Where should you start your pool design?
When you design a garden, it is a little like having jigsaw pieces you need to move around. The first thing you need is all the pieces.
In garden design terms, this means formulating a list of all you want. This starts with a 'fundamentals list' such as: a shed, basketball court, pool, dining area, lawn for kids, veggie garden, etc. Then you articulate the list. For example, you want a dining space. So, what would be the maximum number of people you may need to accommodate? You may also consider questions like, "Does the dining area need a pergola covering it to handle rain?"
When you sit down with one of our landscape designers, they ask lots of questions. Your answers generate even more questions to further define what the ideal scene is for you. During the design process, the designer will suggest concepts, some you will like and some you may not. The key point here to understand is that a design evolves.
It is natural for many people to just want to focus on the pool. But, as you will be starting to see, this narrow view leads to missed opportunities and regrets.
Your pool requirements are unique to you
Stating that a pool should be located with easy access from the house may seem obvious. But is that true of every pool? No!
Parents often state, "I want to be able to see the kids in the pool if I am in the kitchen and be able to get to them fast if I need to." But we also have retired couples with no young children around who don't have this requirement and are open to the pool being pushed back away from the house.
With this project in Rosebud, as it was a holiday home that is also an Airbnb, the location had to accommodate groups of people who could use the space all year round.
The design brief included an undercover pergola with an adjacent spill-over space, while the pool itself needed to comfortably accommodate multiple families. This seamless layout ensured the garden could be enjoyed fully and with ease.
For this Ivanhoe project, the clients specified that the pool would be used primarily during the warmer months, making an expansive deck adjacent to the back door a more practical and desirable feature.
Positioning the pool in the upper corner as a dedicated destination created an ideal layout, allowing the remainder of the garden to be enjoyed without obstruction.
Balancing aesthetic and pragmatic considerations
If you consider only the pragmatic aspects of deciding where the pool will be located, you may well miss out on creating something you admire aesthetically. Of course, the reverse also applies. Being a slave to fashion while living with discomfort isn't the best approach either.
I assume you have heard of writer's block? It can apply the same way when you are considering all the variables of designing the garden with a pool. It gets confusing. The best solution to uncluttering the mind, is talking with another who understands. You will find that when you talk with a designer, the flow of ideas is more effortless and productive.
Research and, in particular, the gathering of images you like as inspiration for your garden, works best. Tools like Pinterest are a great way to gather such images.
Below is an image of a project in Essendon. This one was hilarious. The client was about to sign a landscaping contract with us a few days before Christmas for a design we had been working on for months. As it was so close to the break-up, she suggested we catch up and sign in the New Year.
So January came around and I caught up with her and she said, "I realised over the break while spending time with my daughter and grandchildren, that if I had a pool in my design, I'd see my grandchildren more often." So we then had to redesign the whole garden to 'add a pool'.
The key consideration for this family was fostering shared experiences. By designing a generous lawn within the pool area, both grass and water became accessible for all family members to enjoy together. The undercover area was positioned adjacent to the pool for convenience, and a beach entry was incorporated to provide a safe and playful space for young children.
Achieving the ideal balance between aesthetics and functionality delivered precisely the outcome our clients envisioned and admired.
Combining all the elements
Location can only be selected when you have all the elements to consider.
In the below design, the spa, pergola (for shade), pond as a feature, and aesthetically placed paving steps to the garden, all have to be considered before the pool location can be chosen.
Every project is different; this is why designers are so sought after.
Below you will see another example of a project we created in Ashburton.
As the deck at the house was already high, we chose the pool location to flow from this and added a feature wall to provide privacy from next door.
So location, of course, also includes the height of the pool. When you consider the location of your pool, imagine how you will see and be seen by neighbours.
Easements & BUildings: the angle of repose
If you haven't heard of the term 'Angle of repose,' look at the diagram below.
Houses, garages, easements and other structures all fall under the rules concerning Angle of Repose.
Crudely, if you draw a line at 45 degrees from the base of the footings, you generally can't build in that zone unless you obtain specific engineering to allow it.
So, answering the best location question, there are pragmatic considerations that restrict what will be allowed.
Your project will require specific research to ascertain what can be allowed.
Research is the key
I hope you found this article informative.
We are always happy to answer any questions you have, so please reach out to us.
Additional reading on pools, spas & landscaping in Melbourne & Mornington Peninsula...
Which is better for Melbourne - a fibreglass or concrete pool
All you need to know about installing a pool cover roller
What is the right style of pool coping for your pool?
The most common mistakes to avoid when engaging a designer or landscaper
