Ideas for Outdoor Living

Design your dream patio or porch, check out your favorite pools, or steal an idea for dress up your outdoor space.

8 Cool Pools

Oceanside pools aren’t just for posh resorts. Find a style you’d love coming home to―whether it’s a luxurious infinity version or a petite lap pool that opens right up to your family room―and take the plunge.

This narrow lap pool is built right up close to the home's back doors to accomodate the small backyard space.

Photo by Jean Allsopp, Text by Allen B. Bunting

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A Perfect Fit

Why We Love It: These homeowners had to get creative when adding a pool to their small backyard, so they joined it to the house’s foundation. Folding doors in the family room slide back to reveal the water’s edge.

Before You Dive In: Want a pool but don’t think you have the room? Take cues from this scene―the narrow lap pool visually lengthens the backyard, and the hedge wall adds greenery without wasting valuable space. Remember, check property lines and building codes, which often define the pool’s shape, design, and placement.