Pool Design Ideas: Small Backyard, Big Baja

Our Pool Design Ideas series was created to help spark ideas of what might be a good fit for you in your backyard. When you’re starting the process of building a pool, there are numerous decisions to make. A great place to get started is with the pool design and design elements.

Whether it’s a freeform or geometric design, with modern, Tuscan, or retro design elements; it’s really about the look that fits your home.

At California Pools & Landscape, we’ve been creating custom pools in the valley of the sun for more than 36 years. We’ve designed over 35,000 pools of all shapes and sizes, to meet the desires of every client.

About This Mesa Masterpiece

These Mesa customers were looking to maximize their smaller backyard environment with a pool and artificial turf area. The homeowners have two boys who were looking forward to playing pool basketball with dad, while mom wanted to enjoy a large Baja shelf with friends. Our design team went to work creating a relaxing backyard environment with a modern and clean design to compliment the look of the home.

This minimalist backyard design features the swimming pool as the focal point from the home with an elegant addition of the 3D stone water feature wall. The Tumbled Frost travertine carries from the backdoor and all the way around the pool with a combination of decking and coping. The large Baja shelf and sheer descent water features give this play pool some special design features and a resort-like flare.

pool design ideas

A Modern Pool Design

This modern pool is the main attraction of the backyard, featuring a Marblestone 6×6 waterline tile. The pool’s Glacier Sea Glass Pebble with double abalone interior gives it a vibrant hue and extra sparkle in the Arizona sunshine. The raised water feature wall runs the length of the pool and is covered in Bianco Ibiza stacked stone. Three 24” sheer descent water features add a relaxing aesthetic, creating an oasis in this desert environment.

Incorporating Design Elements Throughout The Yard

The landscaping of this small backyard adds the final touches to this clean and modern design. Copper Canyon Brown 1” granite rock runs along the side of the yard and the Cal Select artificial turf adds additional areas for activity and a splash of color!

Due to the small side yard, the pool equipment needed to be in a visible area, so our design team incorporated modern black corrugated metal screen panels to hide the equipment behind. The four palms behind the water wall add another natural feel to the backyard and will provide some shade and privacy as they mature.

pool design ideas

Designing Your Own Backyard Oasis

Hopefully, these pool design ideas helped you figure out some design elements that you might enjoy in your backyard design. Selecting pool and backyard elements as well as design features is a fun part of the process. It’s important to consider what will fit into your home’s environment and be enjoyed by you and your family.

The elements in this Mesa backyard are just a few of the many design options available at California Pools & Landscape. We’ve built a page that houses all of the design ideas that could inspire your custom-designed oasis. To see more design ideas visit our Photo Galleries.

Love this pool design idea? If you’re ready to start with your dream backyard design, get started with one of our talented designers.