Whether you’re looking to build a swimming pool or enhance your existing one in Long Island, it's important to include the essentials for comfort. Here are some must-haves to ensure you get the most of your poolside entertainment area!
Pool House
A pool house can be as simple as a thatched overhang housing seating, or as luxurious as a spacious outdoor lounge complete with big-screen TV, fireplace, and a fully stocked bar. However much you’re willing to spend, a pool house provides an excellent comfort area for parents supervising their kids’ swimming, guests looking for some time out from the pool party, or just the perfect place to get out of the sun for a moment.
Outdoor Shower
Having an outdoor shower means being able rinse off pool chemicals that may be problematic for people with sensitive skin, as well as keeping sand and grass outdoors (where it belongs). With nothing more than a simple showerhead mounted to the side of your pool house, you can add an outdoor shower to your summer experience, or go all out with a fully partitioned cedar wood cubicle. With the benefit of adding fresh air to your revitalizing morning wash-down, we wouldn’t blame you if you took all your showers outdoors.
Outdoor Bathroom
Having a bathroom attached to your pool house is a great way to ensure kids don’t run pool water through your home on their way to a potty emergency. An easily accessible restroom provides convenience and safety.
Shaded Area
During hot summer mid-afternoons, having a small portion of your pool in the shade of a tree or covering can provide some respite from the midday sun, allowing you to continue to enjoy your pool without suffering the harmful effects of the sun’s zenith. Especially helpful for pets and very small kids.
Outdoor Lighting
Lighting goes a long way in creating the right ambience and usability past sunset. Save time and energy with permanent features fitted with solar powered LEDs. Consider timers to ensure that they switch off automatically during daylight hours. For a finishing touch, add lanterns around your pool for that extra sparkle to your after dark pool parties.
If you’d like to take your poolside lighting effects to the next level, consider installing underwater lights inside your pool. These come in a range of colors including blue, purple, green and red to add that special touch to the evening atmosphere of your pool area.
Splash Pool or Jacuzzi
A splash pool can be added as a separate entity or by partitioning off a shallow section of your pool (otherwise known as a beach entry). This is ideal for young children first becoming comfortable with water or for simply soaking one’s feet at the end of the day. Splash pools can also be fitted with water jet outlets to create a Jacuzzi-like massage system.
Waterfall
Using your pool’s existing circulation system coupled with a natural rock arrangement, water can be redirected to create a cascading, paradise-island waterfall feature that adds an air of exotic magic to any pool area. Waterfall features have the added benefit of aerating the water, releasing negative ions and assisting in the purification process. The sound of crashing water is also incredibly relaxing, whether you’re in your pool or enjoying a glass of wine in your pool house at the end of the day. Related: Essentials to Creating an Outdoor Spa.