I work as a design consultant for a swimming pool contractor in Florida, and I thought it might be fun to share some of the super cool ideas I have rolling around in my head. I like the pool to look and feel like an extension of ones home. It needs to blend in with its surroundings. You of course need to take your budget into consideration before getting too crazy here.

There are so many options and features you can add to your swimming pool during construction! If you are thinking about having one built in your backyard, I recommend you look around at other peoples pools to get ideas. Check out the magazines, and landscaping books. Many times they feature over-the-top rediculously expensive pools that the average Joe can't afford, but you don't have to build the exact one you see. You can scale things to the appropriate size, and take the economic route with the features that are most important to you.

Things like handrails and swimouts are so common they are usually included in the price. Did you know though that you have options though? Hand rails come in different sizes and colors, swimouts can be built right in to the side of you pool, or you can go with a ladder like exit.

Then there are tile choices. Gunite and concrete pools have a 6" waterline tile edge. This gives a clean straight line under the cantilever edging. With fiberglass this is an option. There are many many choices when it comes to tile! Do you want a mosaic tile or a solid 6" tile? Do you want bone, red, blue, green, or brown? Do you want it to be smooth and shiny, or textured and natural looking?

You can have your swimming pool contractor leave sleeves in the pool deck for a basketball goal, or a volleyball net if your family likes to get together to play games in the pool.

You can always have a slide or diving board intstalled--make sure your pool is deep enough for this first! Slides can be carved into a man made gunite rock wall too. Check out some of the pictures to get ideas!--It really is limitless.

Tile mosaics are a great and affordable way to add a little personal flair to your pool without breaking the bank! These mosaics areinstalled during the construction of your pool, set directly on thegunite shell. When the plasterers come to apply the waterproofing finish, these mosaics become flush with the pools floor and/or walls.

If you have choosen to purchase and install a fiberglass swimming pool, the factory can and will many times set these mosaics right into the form of the shell for you. You just have to decide ahead of time, and ask!

How great would it be to spend the day out on your lanai or porch with the family having fun, playing games, and bar-b-que-ing? Sound awesome doesn't it? You can make it a reality with a great summer kitchen, and this way the cook can be out with the rest of the family enjoying the company, and your indoor kitchen stays mess free!