Janet Butler
They live in back and side yards; they are surrounded by travertine, rock, palm trees, subtropical plants, and wood decking. They are raised, sunken, hidden, or infinite. They’re freeform pools, they come in all shapes and sizes — and if they’re truly excellent, they might be in this lineup of 50 outstanding examples from The Master Pools Guild. Not surprisingly, several of the “best of the best” come from Florida — with raised spas, rock-and-greenery cascades, and places where you can take a “dip” at the shoreline without being in salt water! From Costa Rica come pools surrounded by terraced gardens — or pools with brick work and water slides from New York. Again dipping toward the South, you can find pool settings that include brick cooking areas or dignified pillared cabanas in the great state of Georgia, and pools with definite Southwestern flair from Texas.
You can find garden-party settings at pools from Pennsylvania, outdoor basketball hoops at the ready in pools from Illinois, and outdoor murals as part of pool décor in New Mexico. One British Columbia (CA) manufacturer proudly shows a pool with rock garden and foliage landscaping around it; and special waterspouts and waterfalls are a big hit not only in South Carolina, Mississippi, and Florida, but all the way to Dubai — which, it has to be said, takes the prize when it comes to flat-out-gorgeous pool settings! Regardless of where you call home, however, one thing is certain: this “sampler” from The Master Pools Guild will start your imagination humming for some “free form” swimming fun at your place…soon.
