Types of Swimming Pools: Design Choices for Northeast Florida Homeowners

When homeowners search for different types of swimming pools, they may be thinking about how a pool is built, what shape it should be, or which features belong in the design. Those are related questions, but they are not the same decision.

Cove & Stone's confirmed pool work focuses on custom concrete design and construction. This guide focuses on the design choices within that scope: how you want to use the pool, the layout you have in mind, whether a spa or other features belong in the plan, and how the pool should connect to the rest of your outdoor space.

Start with how you want to use the pool

Before settling on a shape, consider what you want the pool to make possible. Is it primarily a place to swim, relax, spend time with family, or bring people together outdoors? Your priorities help guide the conversation about size, layout, a spa, and other features.

It can help to separate must-haves from options you would like to explore. That gives the design conversation a useful starting point without assuming every idea needs to be part of the final scope.

Choose a layout that fits the design brief

The pool's layout is one of the central design decisions. Consider how it should sit in relation to the house and the yard, and how you want to move between the pool and nearby outdoor areas. Bring reference images if you have them, and note what you like about each one—such as the overall shape, the placement of a spa, or the relationship between the pool and the deck.

A reference image is a way to communicate a preference, not a final plan for another property. The design still needs to be discussed for your project and site. Explore our pool design process and custom pools and spas.

Decide whether a spa or other features belong in the plan

A spa and water features can be considered as part of a custom pool design. Decide whether you want them included in the initial conversation, and identify which features matter most to you.

These choices affect the project scope, so it is helpful to discuss them alongside the pool layout rather than treating them as details to add after the main design is settled.

Plan the pool with the surrounding space

For many homeowners, the project includes more than the water. You may also want to discuss a pool deck, pavers, natural stone, an outdoor kitchen, or synthetic turf. Cove & Stone offers outdoor-living work, so these areas can be part of the same planning conversation when they fit your project.

Be clear about which elements you want to consider. That helps your team understand the full outdoor-living scope you have in mind and clarify what is included in a proposal. Learn more about outdoor-living work.

Include materials, equipment, engineering, and permitting

Materials and equipment are part of the design conversation. You do not need every selection finalized to begin, but it helps to share preferences and ask which decisions still need to be made.

Engineering and permitting are also project considerations. Requirements and responsibilities depend on the specific design, property, and applicable review. Ask how those items will be addressed and which details still need confirmation. Regulated pool work should be coordinated with the appropriately licensed pool contractor where required.

Questions to bring to a pool-design conversation

• What are the most important ways we want to use the pool?
• Which layout ideas or reference images best communicate the look we want?
• Should a spa or other water features be considered?
• Which deck or outdoor-living areas should be part of the discussion?
• Which materials and equipment have we selected, and which remain open?
• How will engineering and permitting responsibilities be clarified for this project?

Plan a pool design around your home

The right design begins with your goals, the choices you want to explore, and the actual project scope—not a one-size-fits-all list of pool types. Cove & Stone works with homeowners on custom concrete pool design and construction, with related outdoor-living planning where appropriate.