tips for decorating around a pool

I’ve officially gone rogue, and since I’m currently designing an outside space for a sweet client, I wanted to share a favorite topic today: tips for decorating around a pool! Not only have we now put together quite a few spaces for some amazing clients, but we’ve lived with a pool space for over 5 years, ourselves. Now is the time to start planning your outdoor spaces! So we thought we’d cover this topic today: Tips for decorating around a pool!

1. Tips for Decorating Around a Pool : Anticipate Your Needs

And plan accordingly. Outdoor spaces {and fun spaces like the pool house above} are some of our very favorite spaces to design. From being able to have a little more leeway with the space, to being inventive with colors and exciting things… they’re just fun for a ton of reasons. So the first place to start, is anticipating your needs around the space. Start to plan accordingly.

We learned very quickly in our back yard, that we needed a porch of some sort. Once we finished off the pool room addition of our home, we were in the sun all the time with nowhere to sit. Thus a cabana was born. So it helped to sit down, and map it out.

Let the spaces grow with you, and your family as you use it each season.

That means being willing to be flexible with your spaces, too.

2. Tips for Decorating Around a Pool : Divide your Spaces into Zones

Once you think through your needs for the space: {Will you be entertaining here? Do you have teens and hope your house is always the one being used-and you know what’s going on? Do you have grandchildren?} Move forward and divide the dedicated spaces into zones.

For instance, two major zones for us, would be dining, and lounging. We have a sun spot for teens, {soon to grow} a lounging spot for adults who don’t wish to be in the sun {more on that below} and a dining spot for all things food. Our hosting pool nights have always revolved around some sort of food option, and now that our home is growing and our kids are too, we will only continue with more of those needs above. {For what it’s worth, we’re just thrilled to finally have an easily-accessible toilet area off the pool this year.} So being flexible and working with the spaces are important, too.

But when planning your spaces, think of them as zones, and it should help you manage accordingly.

3. Tips for Decorating Around a Pool : Create an Escape from the Sun

If you own a pool, you’ll quickly learn that with heat and humans, it’s great to have an option to escape from the sun. Heat exhaustion can occur when you’re swimming, too. So we’ve found, especially with kids, it’s good to keep an eye on all things shady options. This can range from simple umbrellas, to full fledged builds. But keeping those options open helps keep the space flexible, and in use.

Check out this porch redo with the blue house, here.

So many fun options in the shade, around the pool!

4. Tips for Decorating Around a Pool : Room for Storage

Room for storage around a pool, is just as important as the aesthetics and entertaining aspect. It can be a simple outdoor box for kids to store toys and floats, to a full fledged room or shed for chemicals, and more. With great pools comes great responsibility… or something.

But while a lot of people complain about the work, they’re not that hard to maintain as long as you stay on it. {See more of our take on restoring and maintaining a pool here! –Yes, we have been on a pool kick lately.}

See our own diy pool supply storage, here!

But storage is a great thing to consider when it comes to everything about the pool.

5. Tips for Decorating Around a Pool : Don’t Shy Away from Fun Options

If you’re usually a rule follower, this is a great chance to have a little fun with awesome finds for decor around your pool. From fun floats to add a ton of flare to blue ceilings and awesome patterns {Even the tile can be amazing, as shown in the pool house above} decorating around the pool is a great chance to have fun with it all.

Don’t shy away from color and other fun selections.

Let your personality shine through and have a blast creating with the unexpected!

Because where else is a better application for striped ceilings, scalloped tile and peach fridges? Such great opportunities to use awesome, one of a kind pieces like fabric, bright colors and more!