You know the story by now — the pool building surge that came out of COVID resulted in the exponential growth of homeowners who built pools in their backyard to enjoy during the time of social distancing. Entertainment that typically existed outside of the house now moved to people’s backyards.
But in order to create a space that can truly be called an “entertainer’s paradise,” homeowners have to consider a myriad of factors that can turn their backyard into something extraordinary. Do you add a patio? Some landscaping? Fire features? Sound systems?
As a pool builder, some responsibility falls on you: How do you best advise your clients so you can deliver them the best possible result?
It’s all about understanding the latest trends in outdoor living features, and how to use them strategically to match your client’s dreams.
INSIDE THE POOL
“We always ask our clients how they want to use their pool. Do they picture themselves or their kids diving into this pool? Playing basketball and volleyball? Is it going to be used for exercise as well as a lounging area?”
That’s Mike Panella speaking, CEO of Swimming Pool Services based in Waukesha, Wis. As a pool contractor who prides himself on his team’s ability to make their client’s dreams come true, he’s seen what becomes popular for pool owners when designing the pool itself.
Pool builders know better than anyone that a pool has every opportunity to be a beautiful piece of art. One of the ways to maximize the art potential of a client’s pool is to add seating inside of it. Whether it’s sun shelves in the shallow end or benches in the deep end, Panella says, it’s a perfect way to make the pool a place where guests can relax.
“More and more of our clients want to be in on the action,” he says. “They want to have a place to sit with everyone that isn’t on the steps leading into the shallow end. It’s also a safety thing — it’s much more reassuring to be nearby when there’s kids in the pool.”
Anywhere you go, sun shelves and tanning ledges are becoming more popular; it’s one of the best ways to get a taste of being in the water without needing to be fully submerged. Out west, the emphasis on lounging by the pool is a major draw for pool owners and users, according to Brett Dunn of Mission Pools in Escondido, Calif.
“Many of our clients will just want to lounge,” he explains. “That’s where the in-pool seating comes in. It just depends on what they’re using their pool for.” More on that later.
Any entertaining space needs more than just ample seating, though. You might consider selling your clients on other ambience-builders, including fire bowls, water bowls, or something in between. “People love fire in their spaces,” Panella says, “whether it’s fire bowls next to the pool, or other types of fire features. They’re not new, but they’re certainly in demand right now.”
Another good reminder: what’s new isn’t always going to be what your client is looking for. Sometimes their dream backyard will consist of tried-and-true features that have been around for awhile. There’s a reason certain things never go out of style.
This sleek pergola brings both style and function to the backyard, offering shade and weather-ready shelter — a smart solution for Wisconsin's changing seasons.
OUTSIDE THE POOL
“We want to present all the possibilities,” Panella says. “When we go out and have our backyard consultation, we want to talk about everything they want, in very specific detail, before we figure out what the end product will look like.”
Outside of sun shelves and fire bowls and water features, the real art in creating an entertainer’s paradise comes down to the extra features you add to your client’s space, making it a vacation spot for themselves, family and friends, all just a few steps from their door.
Getting specific, Panella advises, is the best way to understand exactly what your client wants. Do they want patio tables? What kind? What types of chairs with the tables? Is an outdoor kitchen on the horizon? At Swimming Pool Services, they even get a sense for what positioning the sun will be in their client’s yard in order to maximize the shade coverage.
“Pergolas are popular for us right now, and even more so are louvered pergolas. In Wisconsin, being able to essentially close the pergola and create a solid roof, that’s going to be a no-brainer,” Panella says. “Pergolas are largely for aesthetics, so to have it louvered, and therefore, more functional, it makes sense that it’s popular.”
REGIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
As is the case with any sort of trend, geography plays a role, and you have to give consideration to the special qualities, or perhaps limitations, of the area in which you serve your clients.
For Brett Dunn and his team in California with Mission Pools, one of the biggest hindrances comes by way of space. Land is very scarce, he says. It’s less common to be a homeowner with a flat, open lot that lends itself well to putting pools in.
“The dream out here used to be, ‘I want my whole backyard to be this giant pool for all the kids to go and swim,’” he says. “But that dream has come and gone. Nowadays, it’s more of a, ‘What can I fit? What is my footprint? What am I legally allowed to do?’ We make the most of those small footprints.”
While Panella’s region in Wisconsin leans toward maximizing outdoor spaces with as many features as possible to encourage entertainment and socializing, Dunn’s case is much different.
“There’s also a trend in California that has a big wave of people steering away from alcohol to live a much cleaner lifestyle,” he adds. Exercise ties in well with this trend, and Dunn also includes swim jet systems for clients who lack the space for a full-length lap pool but still want the ability to swim in place.
Despite the closer quarters in places like California, you can still use features inside the pool to make all the difference for your clients.
In places like the Midwest, Panella’s major consideration has to do with the weather. Wisconsin winters can be brutal and unforgiving; not every feature is going to bode well in the off-season.
The most prevalent thing that falls under this category, he says, is hot tubs and where to put them in the backyard. For example, spillover hot tubs are a beautiful addition to a backyard and can add a seamless quality to a homeowner’s pool, but in a midwest winter…
“We’ll usually talk about how often they want to use their hot tub throughout the year,” Panella explains. “Is it going to be used only when the pool’s open, or during the winter months as well? For many people, they’ll want to use it during the winter, which means the attached spa may or may not make sense.”
Another issue is how close the hot tub is in relation to the house. In states that get snow, ask your clients: will they want to shovel a path from their house to their hot tub in belowfreezing temperatures? In many cases, the answer will be no. In his experience, Panella says, if a hot tub is going to be used during snowy months, it should be as close to the house as possible.
Whether it’s limited space or a specific climate, use your expertise to guide your clients through the process of creating their dream backyard.
This backyard packs in the fun with a water slide and basketball hoop, while features like the tanning ledge ensure it's just as inviting for relaxation as it is for play.
LOOKING AHEAD
It’s always hard to tell what’s on the horizon; that’s the name of the game in an industry like ours. But for the design and curation of backyard spaces that emphasize socializing and entertaining, Panella is confident in the building sector’s ability to keep flourishing over the next few years.
“You just want to tailor that space to exactly how they’re going to use it,” he reiterates. “You do that, and you’ve got a happy client.”
This article first appeared in the June 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
