In today's time of eccentric pool designs with curved and wavy edges, sometimes all it takes to make a great poolscape is adding a few modern twists to an otherwise classic rectangular pool.

David Katz, owner of Land of Elite, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., constructs every aspect of pool environments. To build the project featured here, Katz had to first get the project approved by the city because the area was on such a steep slope.

He avows that pools are a great amenity even for the colder climate of the Northeast. "Even if it is too cold to swim in the pool and you don't heat it, which you certainly can, you're still enjoying your pool visually and socially."

Pool Covers
One benefit of having a rectangular pool is that is can be easily covered, keeping in heat, keeping out debris and acting as a safety feature. Pool safety covers (not to get confused with 'Bubble Wrap' style covers) are a viable form of safety and nowadays some are even strong enough that an adult can walk on them.

Pool safety cover manufacturer Tara Liners relays that a pool safety cover can also save money because "When your pool is covered it prevents evaporation (Up to 95% less evaporation), saving water and chemicals (35%-60% less chemicals used)."

Furniture
When choosing furniture for a poolscape, reducing maintenance and repair is crucial. Katz's philosophy when choosing deck furniture for a poolscape is that wood based products can be hard to maintain due to their proximity to water.

In-Pool Water Features
In-pool water features have expanded to include underwater patios, grottos, spas, waterproof furniture, multicolored lighting and more.

Katz incorporated a shallow underwater patio in the pool allowing the clients to cool off without fully submerging themselves. These subaquatic patios are typically installed between 3" and 7" below the water's surface.

Katz relays this information about the thought behind a shallow submerged patio: "The way people use water is very often just relaxing in it, floating in it, or sitting on the edge with their feet in it – but not fully submersed."

The incorporation of a weir, or vanishing edge, can be another useful addition to the poolscape because they essentially skim the pool. The way this works is that when water flows over the weir, debris, like leaves, collect in another basin down below the weir and allows the lower pool to be a sort of catch filter.

Concluding Testimonial
The color scheme of the project featured was chosen to make the environment very naturalistic and warm. Green umbrellas and chairs relate to natural forms and allow the poolscape to not be "over the top." The colors are festive and, at the same time, tie in with the environment surrounding the pool.

Katz declares that having a well designed pool environment is like "going to an island resort everyday in your own backyard. How could anyone pass up on that experience?"

Safety should always be a main priority and this is evident, as some states across the country have banned the installation of diving boards and slides for pools due to their high risk of injuries. Safety fencing and some pool safety covers do their due-diligence when it comes to protecting people from mistakenly falling in.

For instance, some safety fences require a user to wear a bracelet in order to enter, or insert a specific key code to open the gate, which prevents small children from wandering near the pool unattended.

The material chosen for the pool deck is also important because it should not be too slippery when wet. Soapstone or Bluestone can be reliable options. David Katz states that Bluestone is one of the most popular choices for pool areas in the New York/ New Jersey/ Connecticut area due to its softness, heat absorption, availability and pricing.

Due to the increasing angst among insurance companies regarding diving boards, one landscape contractor admits that grottos have become a sort of stand-in as a result. Not only can they provide shade inside, they can also permit kids to climb atop of them and jump off into the pool.