Colonial Pool Ideas

About this collection

Colonial Pool Ideas, explained.

Colonial pools follow the house's symmetry: a central axis, matching beds and hedges, a bluestone or brick terrace, white or black timber fencing and a restrained plant list of boxwood, hydrangea, holly and shade trees. Georgian, Federal and New England farmhouse variations all share the same discipline.

Look at proportion and repetition in each pool design — pairs of planters, evenly spaced trees, a path aligned with the door. Save the compositions that feel orderly without stiffness.

Colonial pools are symmetrical rectangles set on the house's axis, framed by boxwood and brick or bluestone terraces. Look for a matching pair of planters or trees at the far end, white or black fencing that meets code without shouting, a shingled or clapboard pool house, and lawn running up to the terrace. The palette stays to white, green and grey.

What to look for as you browse

• The coping — how the deck meets the water sets the whole tone
• Where the spa sits and how it spills into the pool
• Night lighting: which features glow and which stay dark