Photography by Richard Maack and Michael Woodall This Contemporary zero-edge pool by California Pools & Spas is framed by slate tile decking. Changes in elevation allow room for a sunken fireplace and an entertaining area.

The swimming pool has undergone an image change of late. No longer just a backyard watering hole for cooling off, the pool is becoming the main focus of outdoor environments. For the homeowner wanting the latest design innovations, the pool industry has plenty to offer.
According to the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP), people are looking to incorporate the same amenities in their pools as those they find at upscale resorts. These features might include beach entries, shallow wet decks, swim-up bars, inset spas, mosaic tile murals or water walls. Other statement-makers encompass everything from underwater sound systems and computerized water jets to TV screens that emerge from the water, and lava-rock fire woks.
Pool shapes are seeing a shift back to the classic rectangle from the long-popular lagoon style. Lap pools, negative-edge pools (water flows away from the house), reverse negative-edge pools (water flows toward the house), and zero-edge pools (water flows over all edges) are especially hot right now.
“Today’s swimming pools are more architectural in form and more compatible with the architecture of the home,” remarks landscape architect Michael Rockwell of Azul-Verde Design Group Inc. “We are getting away from boulder features and designing pools with stronger geometry.”
Pool designer Steve Oliver, a Phoenix Home & Garden Master of the Southwest, uses the word “subtle” to describe this trend toward a more timeless design in the landscape, noting that he generally steers clients in the direction of simple lines.
What else is new? Pools are going green—figuratively, that is. With homeowners looking for healthier, more energy-efficient methods to run and maintain their pools, many are upgrading from chlorine to saltwater, according to Mike O’Hara of Aquazona Pools. “Saltwater has eco-friendly benefits, and it is easier on the hair and skin,” he reports. Jim Cich of Paddock Pools, Patios & Spas concurs, stating that saltwater systems reduce chemical usage and also save money.
On the pages that follow, we offer a sampling of pools in the Phoenix area.

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