Whether it is the extravagant feel of soaking in absolute privacy or the convenience of not having to fight for the perfect lounge chair, there is something undeniably luxurious about having a private pool steps from your bedroom.
The private plunge pool has graduated from a luxury perk at exclusive resorts to the focal point of many top properties including new construction in high-rise apartments and luxury homes. Plunge pools can be built over a garage, on a rooftop, in a basement, under a cantilevered roof or indoors. They are the perfect companion to the infinity edge pool design offering the mesmerizing effect of water meeting the horizon.
In new home construction and remodels, the plunge pool is a sought-after feature that enhances the indoor-outdoor lifestyle. It is often a critical component of large-scale renovations. integrating with entertainment spaces and visible from as much of the interior of the house as possible.
Master pool designer Aqua Blue Pools in Charleston, South Carolina concurs. “Plunge pools are very popular in the coastal communities of SC and GA for a variety of reasons. One reason being that most backyards are not spacious enough to accommodate larger pools. Bigger pools don’t mean they’re more beautiful. In fact, often the opposite is true. We’ve found homeowners like to account for leaving enough space in their backyard to add other outdoor living options. Smaller pools, like the plunge pools, can also leave room in the budget to upgrade their pool and hardscape materials, maybe include a water feature in the design. Add a swim against the current system in your pool and some therapy jets, and your plunge pool becomes a fitness and therapy pool—functional and uniquely designed to add a new level of luxury and convenience to your every day.”
But plunge pools aren’t just for single-family residential homes. Today developers are creating apartment buildings with the ultimate in exclusivity: a private plunge pool for each apartment. This trend is emerging around the globe in places such as Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and scheduled to be completed in New York in 2017 at the Soori High Line. In Kuala Lupur, the slogan for the One KL block of apartments is “94 Apartments, 95 Swimming Pools” – each unit has a private infinity edge plunge pool and then there is a communal pool for socializing among residents.
Plunge pools are the perfect fit for tight inner-city sites with high land values, as the plunge pool can increase the desirability of a property. While it may not be essential to the buyer, it does set the property apart and increases its value.
Add to those considerations the advent of today’s technology and the impact on all swimming pool designs this is making. Gone are the chores of pool cleaning as automated in-floor cleaning systems are growing in popularity. These systems work 24/7 and 365 days a week automatically keeping the pool pristinely clean and ready for enjoyment. Mobile controls allow lights, jets, music, and the total swimming pool environment to be controlled or changed with the flick of your thumb. With the seamless design of pool and home, entertaining takes on a whole new meaning when poolside and in-pool lighting can be changed with a swipe to compliment an entertainer’s color scheme or set the tone for a gathering from the upbeat tempo of a graduation celebration to the quiet and relaxed tone of a romantic evening for two.
Plunge pool design can also incorporate a physical fitness component even if it may appear that space for swimming laps is not available. A master pool designer has the resources for incorporating pumps seamlessly into the hydraulics design with variable speed controls that allow the homeowner the ability to create an individualized exercise program. Jets and laminar flow pump technology drive the swimming lane producing current powerful enough for any tri-athlete or Master Swimmer. These custom swim-in-place features can be built into new or existing residential pools of all shapes and sizes. There is also the option of adding stationary exercise equipment to a plunge pool. Increasing numbers of exercisers, seeking everything from a sanctuary from sweat, to joint relief, to a vigorous, whole body workout, can be found spinning their stationary wheels under water. It is possible to burn 600 calories in 45 minutes on a stationary bike submerged waist deep in the pool. The water protects your body and the work out is easy on the joints—a winning combination.
There is no denying the ambient beauty and tranquility of a body of water, and innovative and stylish home design that taps into that resource, serves to enhance a home’s aesthetics, functionality, and adds a unique level of luxury. Advances in engineering, technology, and design have forever changed the plunge pool’s place and purpose and today’s consumer is more that ready to take the plunge.
DETAILS:
Find your plunge pool designer.
Or, click on a photo below to view stunning plunge pool designs from:
A & G Concrete Pools: http://www.angpools.com
Aqua Blue Pools: http://www.aquabluepools.net
Gib-San Pools: http://www.gibsanpools.com
Watermania: http://www.watermania.com.gt
