A pool water feature adds the perfect finishing touch to your backyard swimming pool, adding aesthetic appeal, comfort and value. Here we take a look at all the different types of water features for you to consider, and discuss installation procedures, to help you take the next step towards transforming your pool into a beautiful oasis.
The benefits of a pool with water feature
A backyard swimming pool is in itself a wonderful leisure facility to have on your property. However, by including a water feature, you can add even more value.
Firstly, you have to consider the looks of your swimming pool, as it needs to be attractive. A pool water feature adds interest to the design of your pool, and improves its appearance, giving it an extra touch of opulence and style. Whether you choose a water wall feature, waterfall, fountain or one of the many other types of water feature on the market, this detail will make your pool look stunning by day and even more impressive when lit up at night.
Secondly, a water feature makes your pool a more relaxing place to spend time. Relaxation is one of the main benefits of having your own swimming pool, as spending time in the water is well-known to reduce stress and anxiety and lower your blood pressure. These effects can be enhanced if your pool is a calmer and more tranquil environment. A water feature assists this, as it provides the continuous sound of rushing water, and the sight of water cascading into the pool. Both of these elements are extremely relaxing, and help to give you a feeling of calm and tranquillity, giving you the perfect way to relax at the end of a difficult day.
As your pool is a major investment, you want to think it will be used as much as possible by you and those who share your home and life. Water features can assist with this, as the constant sound and sight of running water draws attention to the pool, reminding everyone that it is there and encouraging you to spend more time in the pool. Sometimes the sound of water is all that is needed to make you want to get in the water. This ensures that your pool is used more often, which assists with health, wellbeing, and bonding with family and friends, as you can all create happy memories of the times you have spent together in the pool.
Finally, you also want to think that your pool will add value to your home. Installing a water feature is a great way to ensure this is the case, as it makes your pool design look thoughtful and your pool appear well-cared for, especially if you choose a feature which coordinates well with the design of your pool and the rest of your property. Prospective home buyers will automatically be drawn to this stylish and attractive feature, as well as the cohesive design, so you are likely to achieve a higher price for your property when it comes time to sell.
What are the different types of water feature?
There are a huge variety of water feature design options to choose from. These days, it is possible to create pool water features to suit every taste, so you are really only limited by your imagination. However, there are a number of classic styles which remain perennially popular and never go out of fashion. These include:
1. Deck jets
Deck jets offer a simple but effective water feature design. The jets are installed in the ground around the pool area, and they shoot water upwards, so streams of water arc from the ground back into the pool.
Deck jets offer a relaxing and convenient way to cool down in hot weather without actually getting into the pool. They provide the comforting sound of water shooting into the pool, and add interest to the design of the pool. In addition, if you have small children who are not yet strong swimmers, deck jets offer the perfect way for the kids to get used to the water and learn to have fun with it before they can safely spend time in the pool. They can provide hours of enjoyment for the whole family!
2. Water wall
A wall water feature is one of the most popular water feature designs, as it adds a real touch of glamour and luxury to your pool. There are numerous water feature wall ideas to choose from, as they are usually custom made to your own specification, so you can design the perfect water wall to suit the style of your pool and your home.
A water wall feature is literally a wall built at one side of your pool, usually constructed from steel and concrete or timber. This is often finished off with tiles over the top to increase the attractive looks of the water wall. It contains a water blade which pushes the water out through the wall, creating stunning visual effects and relaxing sounds as the water cascades back down into the pool.
Water walls tend to be more expensive than most other water features, but they are truly beautiful to look at, so they are a good investment.
3. Waterfall
A pool waterfall feature transforms your pool into a true haven of calm and tranquillity, literally creating a waterfall in your backyard. Waterfall features are often created out of rocks and boulders, to create a natural-looking environment. Ferns and other plants can be used to enhance this effect, making you feel as if you are swimming in a rainforest stream as the water cascades down over the rocks and splashes back into your pool.
Waterfall features tend to suit pools which are curved or more irregularly shaped, and landscaping which shelters the pool from view, as this adds to the intimacy and natural appearance of the setting.
4. Fountain
When you think of pool water features, a fountain is the ultimate classic design which your mind probably goes to first. The beauty of fountains is that they can be created in any style and design you choose, whether you want a simple static fountain, a floating design or a more opulent style incorporating a statue.
Fountains are widely available and truly add an individual touch to your pool.
5. Scupper
Scuppers are interesting water features which are easy to customise to suit your own tastes and the style of your pool. They are slots or spouts attached to a wall or pedestal overlooking the pool. These can be designed so the water flows in a number of different ways; for example, as a sheet, a trough or a chute.
Installing scuppers adds to the visual and sound appeal of your pool, creating a calmer and more welcoming environment as well as making it look more attractive.
Introducing the Sunpod – exclusive to Compass Pools
Compass Pools offer a huge number of advantages when it comes to choosing your swimming pool, as these extremely strong, durable fibreglass pools come with an extensive range of options for customisation. One of these is the Sunpod, an exclusive water feature design only available with a Compass pool.
The Sunpod has a simple, classy design featuring water jets which cause the water to bubble gently upwards. It adds visual appeal to your pool, as well as providing an excellent way to cool off and a place for the kids to play in the water.
One of the main advantages of Sunpods is that they are so easy to customise. They can be installed on any side of your pool, wrap around a corner, or create a stylish dividing line between your pool and spa if you have a separate spa section. They can also be tiled to match your pool or contrast with it for added interest.
Find out more about pool water features
If you already own a backyard pool or are looking to purchase one, and you are thinking of including or adding a water feature, Gordon Avenue Pools are happy to help. We can advise you further on the different types of water available, and provide and install the type of water feature you choose, including the Sunpod, as we are a licensed Compass Pools dealership.
If you would like more information on water features, and you live in Geelong, Melbourne’s Western suburbs or a destination along the Great Ocean Road, call our highly experienced team today to discuss your needs. We will be able to put the infrastructure in place so your water feature functions effectively and looks beautiful, transforming your pool into a tranquil haven in your backyard, and adding to its visual appeal so it increases the value of your property.
We are always happy to answer your questions on this or any other topic relating to our fibreglass pools. Please contact us for more details.