The pool terraces on luxury properties for sale in the Algarve tend to share a few design decisions, and most of them have little to do with the pool. The water is the easy part. The paving, the shade and the position of the furniture decide whether a terrace gets used every day or admired from a window. If you are planning a pool in a British garden, the same questions apply, only with more clouds.
Pick a surface that stays cool
Dark tiles in full sun can be too hot for bare feet by midday. Light-coloured stone such as limestone or travertine reflects more heat and stays comfortable. Honed and textured finishes tend to feel cooler and grip better than polished ones. Before you commit, ask for a sample, leave it in direct sun for an hour and then stand on it.
Think about slip resistance
Wet feet and smooth stone don’t mix. Ask the supplier for the slip-resistance rating of any surface that will sit around the pool, and choose a textured finish for the edge and the steps. Be careful not to go too coarse, because very rough surfaces are hard on children’s knees and on bare feet. A fine, even texture is usually the best compromise.
Put shade within a few steps of the water
A terrace in full sun gets used in the morning and the evening and left alone in between. Add a pergola, a sail or a mature tree close enough to the water that anyone who gets too hot can move without leaving the pool area. Work out where the sun will be in the late afternoon, since that is when the west side of the terrace becomes unbearable and the east side turns pleasantly cool.
Keep wet and dry apart
Put the dining table away from the water’s edge so that meals aren’t interrupted by splashing and chlorine. Leave a clear path about a metre wide between the pool and the furniture, and give the sun loungers enough room to be dragged into the shade without scraping across the paving. A terrace that is crowded at the water’s edge looks smaller than it is and feels cramped in use.
Plant a metre back
Keep planting away from the edge of the pool. Anything that drops leaves, blossom or pods over the water creates a daily skimming job, so choose evergreen plants with tidy habits such as agave, lavender and ornamental grasses, and keep messy trees well back. Pots on the terrace are easier to move than beds, which helps when a plant outgrows its spot.
Light it low and warm
Underwater LED lights are cheap to run and make the pool look good after dark. Around the terrace, low fittings in a warm white shine on the paving without dazzling anyone sitting down. Avoid bright spotlights pointed at the water, which produce glare and reflect into the eyes of everyone on the terrace.
Plan for winter
In a British garden, a pool is used for a few months of the year. Think about how the terrace looks when the cover is on, and whether the space works as a sitting area in spring and autumn. A well-planned terrace earns its keep even when nobody is swimming.
