Are you thinking of having a pool built or is it time for a pool renovation? Mr Pool Man got you covered. Here are some ideas that you can take to your local pool contractor to bring your pool to the next level!

If you’re a big fan of pool entertaining and you don’t mind a bit of cleaning after your pool sessions then having a built-in bar table and bar might be the way to go! No more problems with drinks and snacks spilling due to people jumping into the pool! Of course, you’ll have less swim space, but the trade-off will be more lounging space where you can sit back, relax, and chill with friends and family in the water!

P.S. you don't have to build your bar IN the pool, you can have it built on the edge (as shown in the picture above) to save space!

One of the most popular swimming pool water features that we can see around Australian home pools is a cascade waterfall. Cascade waterfalls can be easily attached to many wall-mounting applications, making it an easy upgrade for many homeowners! Cascade waterfalls look nice and they provide that therapeutic flowing water noise that is for some reason, really relaxing especially when you’re out lounging around the poolside. Another thing that we love about cascade waterfalls, and don’t tell anyone, is just swimming underneath the waterfall and allowing the cool water to splash on our head.

And if you get something like the Davey Cascade Waterfall, it has a built-in LED light that adds an extra visual dimension for your waterfall! This makes for an amazing view at night and makes for a really interesting visual addition to any pool!

If budget is not a concern, then you can take your waterfall to the next level and have a natural rock waterfall installed. It’s basically a giant pile of rocks with a spring flowing out on top of it. The cascading sound of water on multiple levels is definitely more soothing than a single cascade waterfall. Visually, it’s also going to be a lot more impressive, although if you want to add lighting then it’s going to be an added expense as natural rock waterfalls are a 100% custom job.

The only thing that we don’t like about natural rock waterfalls is that they take up a lot of space! But if space isn’t an issue then you really can’t go wrong with having a natural rock waterfall installed poolside.

A beach entry is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of having steps as an entry or exit, one end (or more!) of the pool gradually slopes down from a zero level into the water. Not only does this look amazing, but this is a gentler entry and exit for those with trouble navigating steps, like older folks or really young kids. If you’re looking to add both form and function to your pool then a beach entry is a great way to go about doing it.

Thinking of building one? Click here to know the questions you need to ask your builder.

Taking the idea of a beach entry or zero entry to the next level, a tanning shelf is basically a flat area in your pool where you can lounge and get a tan while getting cooled down by the pool water at the same time. A tanning shelf usually has a depth of anywhere from 3 to 5 inches but the final depth will usually be up to you. A good depth is one where you can lie down without water getting into your ears. A tanning shelf isn’t just for tanning though, it can also be used by small kids and toddlers to splash around safely as well!

A good idea is a combination of a beach entry and a tanning shelf so you’ll have a maximum shallow area while providing easy entry and exit to the pool.

If you have an attached spa, then a spa stream might be an attractive addition for your pool. Instead of the spa’s overflow spilling directly over into your pool, you can create an artificial stream or river that goes around your poolside before spilling back into your pool. This adds an excellent visual element and makes your pool area look bigger. The artificial stream can also be a fun place for kids to splash around in and play with small toys (like boats) without the danger of them falling into the pool.

Think of it as a the gutter around your swimming pool, but instead of just having a utilitarian design and as a canal, spruce it up to make it look like a stream!

If you’re planning on having a tanning ledge or a beach entry installed in your pool then you should also consider having some gushers installed. Gushers are basically small geyser-like fountains that make for great visual elements and have a great audible quality to it as well. Kids love playing in them as well!! Gushers can be installed anywhere in your pool as long as the depth isn’t deeper than six inches so a tanning ledge or a beach entry would be a great place to install these.

If you don’t have a tanning ledge or a beach entry then splash pads may be the way to go. Remember those commercial splash pads where kids can go running around, cooling off in the blazing Australian sun? Well, you can have one of these installed poolside so your kids (and you of course) can have fun with little or no supervision! For the spillover, you can even have a small spa stream integrated so that the water flows back into your pool and not into your yard!

If renovating the pool itself is out of the picture then maybe you can opt for an out-of-the-pool renovation. Adding a permanent gazebo goes a long way in making your pool experience much more pleasurable. Having a structure where you can lounge before and after swimming is a game changer! You can even have a bar or a grill installed for maximum entertaining!

While not a visual pool feature, upgrading your pool equipment will make you go “wow” in other factors, especially when it comes to your utility bills on a monthly basis!

Swapping out your standard pool pump may sound like an incremental upgrade at best, but once the savings start rolling in then you’ll definitely go wow! And as an added bonus, you can easily save up for future renovations and other pool features as well! Want to know exactly how much you can save with an ECO-friendly variable speed pump? We compare the costs when we take a look at standard pool pumps vs variable speed pumps by the numbers.

Well, what’s a beautiful pool if you can’t use it due to the water being too cold right? When compared with standard gas or electric pool heaters, an energy efficient pool heat pump from Madimack will warm up your pool for literally cents on the dollar, allowing you to enjoy a warm pool the whole year round! For more benefits of energy efficient pool pumps check out this more detailed post here.

If you’re still chlorinating your pool the traditional way (chlorine pucks or manual dosing with chlorine) think of all the time you’ll save with a salt water chlorinator doing the job for you! Not only will it save you time, but it will save you money by dosing the pool properly, no wasted chlorine! Another thing to consider is that having a salt water chlorination system will reduce the probability of having a green pool from algae because it is constantly being sanitised as long as the pump is running! Want to make the switch? We have an in-depth guide on how to convert your existing pool to a salt water pool here.

Whether your pool feature upgrade will be external or internal, just make sure that any upgrade you do will be an actual upgrade and will make your pool ownership much more pleasurable! And as an added food for thought, if you're planning on doing incremental updates to your pool, when you're getting energy efficient pool equipment, you're getting much more than what you're paying for! And that's not something that you can say about a lot of things.

For the best pool upgrades, consider investing in an ECO-Friendly pool!