Although your pool area is a space usually associated with summer, many of us still use the pool during the cooler months, especially with pool heating growing in popularity. However, sometimes we don’t think about that when we first design the area, choosing colours, materials and textures that may not suit all seasons.Jason Elboz, director of Space Landscape Designs, says designing your pool area for only summer isn’t ideal.
“You aren’t going to change your landscape design every six months to suit the season,” he says. “So it’s best to think about which styles will suit both winter and summer during the design process.”
Here are some aspects of design you may need to think about to ensure you don’t start second thinking the design of your pool area once the weather has cooled down.
Heat it up
One sure fire way to keep everyone out and about during winter is to work heating solutions into your design. This doesn’t just include heating for the pool.
“Incorporating elements that will be of use during winter months, such as cosy seating areas around a fire pit or other outdoor flame, is a good way of making sure you will get continued use out of your pool area,” says Jason.
Other options for bringing the warmth outdoors include gas and other types of heaters on the deck, and heating and lighting in and around the pool.
Colour me happy
Colour choice for walls, outdoor furnishing and tiling is very important, as it contributes greatly to the mood of the area. Neutral colours are always a good option; these classic colour schemes will not only stand the test of time through winter, they will last you years.
Jason recommends gray-brown colours along with accents of natural stone and woodwork.
“Usually people centre the design of their outdoors and pool area around summer, which is fine if that is the only time you use it,” he says. “However, if you plan on using the areas for entertaining during the cooler months, have a think about your colours, textures, materials and how they fit into this.”
Although normally darker colours are best for winter, don’t be afraid to use a bit of colour to break through the darkness. A rich red or blue teamed with a soft or deep grey will suit both summer and winter.
Quick fixes
That bright feature wall or those sparkly, vivid tiles might have seemed gorgeous during the summer months, but now, during the cooler months, you’re second thinking your decision. Never fear, there are some quick, cheap and easy ways to tone down the look without ripping out your whole backyard.
Maintenance
Just because its winter, doesn’t mean we should get slack with maintaining the pool area! Regularly spending a little bit of time making sure everything is looking good will save you a bigger (and perhaps costly) job later on. Some jobs you can do during this time include:
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