37 Pool Deck and Patio Designs

Lounging around the pool is a pastime most of us dream about, but you’ve got to start with a good surface on which to place your lounge chairs. Check out these design ideas for pool decking and patios and start making your dreams a reality.

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Patio and Deck Ideas for Pools

When adding a swimming pool to your landscape, don’t overlook the importance of the surrounding deck or patio — after all, you’ll likely spend just as much time lounging or entertaining poolside as you will swimming. Be sure your pool patio or deck offers plenty of room for lounge chairs, dining tables and other furniture, plus enough space to comfortably walk around those items.

Pool decks and patios can be made of a variety of materials including concrete, pavers, wood, stone, tile and brick. Consider looks, durability, maintenance, safety and cost when choosing a surface for your space. This poolside patio features a mix of concrete (a budget-friendly option that can be textured to make it slip resistant) and wood (a naturally beautiful choice that requires regular staining and sealing). Need more inspiration? Browse our beautiful deck and patio ideas for pools and find the right look for your landscape.

Learn More: Saltwater vs Chlorine Pools: Which One Is Right for You?

Tried + True Terra Cotta

Heat up your white exterior walls with a Mediterranean-inspired terra-cotta tile pool patio. This vibrant space boasts wall-to-wall terra-cotta tilework laid in a contrasting diamond and brick pattern to create a striking symmetrical display. The warm clay finish enhances the bright-white façade and plays well with glazed artisan planters and handpainted tile accents lining the back wall.

Beauty aside, terra cotta has been used since ancient times and has a track record of durability you can trust. That said, invest in high-quality terra-cotta tile and seal it upon application to protect it from the elements.

Learn More: How Much Does It Cost to Install an In-Ground Pool?

From: Studio H Landscape Architecture

Go Brick by Brick

Make this design your muse for creating a stately and traditional pool patio. Weathered brick set in a timeless herringbone pattern frames the swimming pool and the bordering topiary garden on three sides. The white-washed red brick is rich with contrasting tones and offers a striking juxtaposition to the otherwise polished features in the space, like the tailored sun loungers and the creamy marble table.

Brick is a failproof material option for pool patios that dates back in architecture and design for thousands of years. It's easy to install, low-maintenance over time, and comes in several shades, allowing you to customize your pool patio based on your exterior.

Get More Ideas: Brick Paver Patios

From: Carolina Landscape

Play Both Sides

Why stick to one patio design when you can have two instead? Designer Brian Patrick Flynn wields concrete pavers and stacked stones in similar shades to create two distinct spaces for eating and entertaining on this contemporary pool patio. Concrete pavers framed with evergreen turf create a polished checkerboard pattern to anchor the alfresco dining space. The adjoining lounge area shines in its own right; brick-laid stone pavers bring texture and — perhaps most importantly — grip underfoot for slip-free swimming.

Concrete pavers are a popular pool patio material because they are budget-friendly and available in various sizes, colors and finishes. And if damaged, concrete pavers are much easier to match than their natural stone counterparts.

See More of This Backyard: Backyard and Pool From HGTV Dream Home 2020

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Turn Heads With Tile

Give your pool patio a one-of-a-kind look with Spanish or Moroccan-style tiles. Designer Kirsten Holmstedt achieves a high-end resort appeal in this backyard with bright-white pool tiles stamped with a black floral motif. Follow her lead with black-and-white tiles for your outdoor space for a classic appeal or go bold with a punchy color alternative to show off your personality.

There are several tile materials for pool patios, including ceramic, porcelain and natural stone. No matter the material you choose, it's critical that it is approved for outdoor use and has a high PEI rating (3 or above) to ensure longevity under foot traffic.

Learn More: What's the Difference Between Porcelain and Ceramic Tile?

From: Kirsten Holmstedt

Go With the Classics

A brick patio surrounds a white plaster pool in this luxurious midcentury modern desert retreat. You might think brick would be out of place in this posh setting, but brick was more commonly used back in the 1950s, so this patio is in keeping with an authentic style. Fire-engine-red lounge chairs lined with black and white striped cushions add a punch of pizzazz to this backyard getaway.

Learn More: Midcentury Modern Style 101

From: Jamie Herzlinger

Weathered to Perfection

Contrast is a cornerstone in art and design, but sometimes less is more. Skip the bold mix and stain your wood decking with a diffused gray finish to achieve a soft, calming, effortless look with your pool or water feature. Transparent or semi-transparent wooden deck stains are best for showing natural knots and grain and achieving a weathered look over time.

Get the How-To: How to Stain a Wooden Deck

From: Digs Design Company

Swap Grass for Gravel

If you love the contrast and dimension of grass-framed pavers but are looking for a low-maintenance alternative, this is it. The landscape architects at DabneyCollins achieve similar stunning results for this poolside patio with natural bluestone pavers set in light, sandy-colored gravel. The stone pavers provide a smooth walkway for guests; the pebbles offer excellent drainage and keep weeds at bay.

Get More Ideas: Design Ideas With Pea Gravel

From: DabneyCollins

Make a Seamless Transition

Sometimes pool decks and patios appear stark and disjointed from the surrounding natural landscape. Avoid that out-of-place look and create a seamless transition from your stone patio to your lawn with a path of grass-framed pavers a la Seoane Landscape Design.

Get More Ideas: 50 Patio Ideas and Design Tips

From: Seoane Landscape Design

Homegrown Shade

Umbrellas are lovely, but even the prettiest parasols can't compete with the cascading blooms on this poolside pergola. Capture the same beauty and create a shade shelter for your pool patio by installing a steel or wood-framed pergola. Plant sun-loving blooms like star jasmine, climbing roses or wisteria at the base of each column and train the vines over time to create a canopy overhead. It may take a few seasons for the vines to provide full shade, but it will be well worth the wait.

Shop Our Favorites: The Best Pergolas and Gazebos for Every Backyard

From: Zeterre Landscape Architecture

Wrap in Wood

Give your pool deck some contemporary flair by selecting narrow wood planks like this splashy beachfront home. The most popular pool decking woods are teak, cedar, redwood or ipe as they naturally repel water and are less vulnerable to insects. That said, it's important to note that natural wood decking of any species will require annual upkeep to ensure the integrity of the material. This maintenance requires regular sealant application and refinishing.

Learn More: Wood Decking Materials

From: FirstTeam Real Estate

Pea Gravel Piscina

While we can't book plane tickets to Florence for you, we can give you ample inspiration to infuse your backyard with a Tuscan flair. Bring that Old-World elegance to your backyard with a dreamy pea gravel pool patio. We are partial to pea gravel because it is budget-friendly and provides top-notch drainage, making it an accessible option for just about any pool patio design.

Here, sun-kissed pebbles blanket the elegant, tiered patio space and pair seamlessly with the travertine stones that border the pool. Sleek, spherical boxwoods add whimsy and a pop of green to the otherwise monochrome hardscape.

Get More Ideas: Design Ideas With Pea Gravel

From: Paul Hendershot

A Pathway to Ipe

Pull out your notebook and have your trusty #2 pencil at the ready, friend. This contemporary pool deck is a masterclass on mixed materials, and you want to take notes. Durable ipe decking creates two separate areas for entertaining and entering the pool. A path of white-washed concrete stepping slabs connects the deck platforms and mirrors the crisp-white exterior for a cohesive touch. Ipe, or Brazilian walnut, is a sought-after pool decking material because of its superior density, longevity, low heat retention and concrete-level fire rating. The only downside? You pay for what you get; as such, ipe is typically more expensive than other decking materials.

Get More Ideas: Ipe Deck With Pool, Hot Tub, Tropical Plants, Beach View

Go Au Naturale

Who needs Tulum or Bali when you can bring the tropics to your backyard like this enchanting pool design? Landscape architect Craig Reynolds achieves an organic, hidden oasis vibe in this backyard using a slew of natural stone pavers set in mossy grass. The weathered stones maintain their imperfect surfaces and irregular shape, giving the pool a natural, lagoon-like effect.

See More of This Home: Incredible Key West Waterside Retreat With Elevated Style

From: Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

Patio Flair

Night swimming is one of life's many simple pleasures. Night swimming followed by immediately wrapping yourself in a sheet-size towel and cozying up to a roaring outdoor fireplace? Now that's a whole new level. Add flair (or, in this case, flare) to your stone patio or ipe deck with an integrated fire feature. The masterminds at Lloyd Fleischer Landscape Design set the bar in this cypress-lined retreat; a gray-washed ipe deck that's three (well-lit) steps away from a sophisticated white-brick fireplace.

See More of This Home: Outdoor Oasis: Alluring Escape With Fireplace

From: Lloyd Fleischer Landscape Design

Add a Splash of Saltillo

Pro tip: Use your home’s architectural style as your guiding light when selecting the perfect pool patio material. Each architecture style and era have unique materials worth considering during your planning process. This Mediterranean home features a fountain-clad swimming pool surrounded by travertine slabs and lined with warm Saltillo pavers along the border. The pavers’ apricot undertones are seamless with the tiled roof, the stone exterior and terra-cotta planters scattered throughout.

Saltillo tiles are handmade and widely used to lay the groundwork for Spanish-style homes and exteriors. These tiles are tricky to install and have drawbacks like uneven surfaces and chipping. Our advice? Use Saltillo as an accent feature for your pool patio and stick to durable stones like travertine or flagstone for the main space.

Learn More: Mediterranean Style 101

From: Ebby Halliday Realtors and Luxury Portfolio International®

Pave Your Own Way

Pavers are a desirable pool patio material as they come in varied sizes, colors and shapes and are easy to coordinate with your existing exterior design, as seen here. Amber terra-cotta pavers weave around the tailored swimming pool, mirroring the red tones of the adjoining brick Colonial.

Unlike brick or rugged stone slabs, pavers are made with a flat, smooth bottom to lay flush with the ground base. Pavers are long-lasting and forged from various materials, including porcelain, clay, natural stones and concrete — each paver material yielding dynamic results.

As with any patio material, regular maintenance is necessary to ensure longevity. Traditional pavers installed with sand are prone to weed growth over time; by installing with innovative polymer sand to fill paver joints, you can avoid weeds (almost) entirely.

Get More Ideas: 40 Unique Paver Designs for Outdoor Spaces

From: J.R. Kramer

Point the Way

Your pool patio material is important but so are the pattern and application. Lay square pavers or stones at an angle (think: diamond) with one corner pointing towards your backyard oasis. A honed stone pathway lined with manicured hedges does that in this polished backyard. The creamy, blue-gray stones soften the lush landscape and point the way to the aqua pool ahead.

See More of This Home: Gabled Greenwich Mansion With Formal Gardens

From: Houlihan Lawrence and Luxury Portfolio International®

Poured, Painted + Pretty

This pretty-in-pink patio proves poured concrete is anything but boring. A concrete pool patio offers superior smoothness and resists heat during the sweltering summer months for comfort underfoot. Our favorite part? You can customize your concrete patio with stains or paint to create a one-of-a-kind look for your outdoor space. Take cues from this Palm Beach beauty and give your concrete a subtle, rosy touch, or go rogue with the help of our DIY patio stencil tutorial linked below.

Get the How-To: How to Stain & Stencil a Concrete Patio

Enduring Beauty

Beauty and durability come as a package deal with a flagstone patio. The natural stone is striking and offered in various shades, including charcoal, sand, clay and patina green. Better still, flagstone is reliably strong and can last for (literal) centuries without incident. Unlike other materials, flagstone is unyielding and will not swell or shift with changing climates. One drawback worth noting is that flagstone retains heat. This factor is lovely on mild, 65-degree days in March or April, but when the temps rise to the 90s in July and August, that heat retention is far from ideal. Keep toes from toasting by having sandals on hand and keep four-legged family members away on high-temp days so their paws are unharmed.

Learn More: Flagstone Patio Planning Tips

From: Latter and Blum, Inc. Realtors and Luxury Portfolio International®

Mod Mix

Large beige pavers lay in differing directions framed by smooth, slate stones for a poolside patio ripe with modern appeal. The contrasting textures, scale and colors lend this sunbathing area a graphic punch that plays well with the contemporary façade overhead. Take cues from CommonGround Landscape Architecture; set your pavers in opposing directions and surround them with stones to create a cool, of-the-moment look. Bonus points for incorporating some spiky shrubs in there, too.

Get More Ideas: 12 Clever Ways to Landscape with Stone and Mulch

From: CommonGround Landscape Architecture

Wrap in Grass

Avoid a slippery stone patio with a clever grass moat. The grass barrier between the swimming pool and the slab patio collects water and acts as a buffer for splashes and post-swims drips. You can achieve the same beautiful results at home with some grass seed and patience, sod installation or turf to keep things as lush and low maintenance as possible.

Learn More: Grass Guide 411

From: Hidden Creek Landscaping

Stone Border

Marble-patterned pavers grace the surroundings of this posh pool. A border of river rocks delineates where the pavers change direction from straight to diagonal. The river rock is also used as the surface of the swim-up table. The Baja ledge and spout-filled retaining walls are lined with elegant square mosaic tiles which lend a beautiful contrast to the natural round river rocks.

See More of This Backyard: Florida Boating Paradise With Dock, Mini Boardwalk and Luxury Entertaining Spaces

From: Knaak Design Group

Plant Your Privacy Wall

Soften your stone patio with a lush-and-lively floral privacy wall. Follow Wallace Landscape Associates’ lead and plant a slew of voluminous limelight hydrangeas flanked by wispy, lavender butterfly bushes for a balanced display. Azalea, lilac, mock orange and rhododendron are other eye-catching blooms to consider to add year-round beauty to your stone pool patio.

Get More Ideas: 40 Stunning Ways to Landscape Around a Swimming Pool

From: Wallace Landscape Associates

Two for One Special

Deck or patio? Patio or deck? Let this dream pool space by Living Gardens Landscape Design encourage you to leave the rumination behind and do both with a dual deck and patio. The dynamic design is cozy with two defined, well-appointed spaces: a teak sundeck for lounging and a concrete paver patio primed for fireside chats with friends.

Get More Ideas: 30 Cozy Outdoor Fireplace Ideas

From: Living Gardens Landscape Design

Elevate With Slate

Here’s your sign to install an elevated platform patio to enjoy primo views from every direction. Stacked stone steps lead to a slate patio, complete with a pair of crisp-white umbrellas and two outdoor conversation sets. Slate stone is a winning option for pool patios as the natural stone is slow-fading, highly durable and resistant to water damage over time. Note: Slate is a metaphoric stone, forming thin parallel sheets that can be prone to chips in certain forms. Sidestep fractures down the line and ensure the longevity of your patio by exclusively purchasing calibrated slate.

Learn More: Slate Patios

From: Christian Douglas Design

More Is More

If budget is no object, this Moroccan pool patio is the muse for you. Decadent veined marble tiles lay in contrasting brown and black finishes to create a checkerboard pattern that continues into the water with an air of mystery. The result is over-the-top, opulent and enchanting in every way.

Marble is both highly expensive and highly porous, making this material a bit impractical for a family swimming pool. That said, you can achieve striking results at home using resilient natural stones like limestone, slate or travertine laid on the same scale and checkered layout.

See More of This Home: International Homes: Lavish Mansion in Marrakech, Morocco

From: Luxury Portfolio International®

Defined + Refined

This traditional bluestone patio features an elegant conversation area defined by a contrasting brick border. Use similar brick pavers with complementing undertones as patio stone to create barriers between different zones and give your outdoor living space a thoughtful, tailored look.

See More of This Backyard: Secret Downtown Garden With Tailored Elegance

From: DabneyCollins

Less Is More

Small boxwoods anchor the base of the rear porch columns while repeated use of the 2' x 2' thermal bluestone pavers set with lawn joints forms a grid-like pattern. Having grass on all sides of the pool and spa makes the yard feel more expansive, plus it's a great space for gymnastics, croquet or other lawn games.

Get More Ideas: 40 Stunning Ways to Landscape Around a Swimming Pool

From: Barry Block

Pool Patio + Fire Pit Deck

The curvilinear stone patio creates a clear pathway around the pool. But after a dip in the pool, the raised composite deck is the place to lounge by the fire.

See More of This Backyard: Modern, Multi-Level Minnesota Pool Deck

From: Mom's Design Build

Elevated Pool Deck

An extension of the great room and bedroom, this pool deck is elevated 10 feet above ground level and overlooks the South Carolina marsh scenery. The space beneath the deck allows for both a patio and a garage.

See More of This Home: HGTV Dream Home 2013: Deck Pictures

Modern, Private Pool

This backyard pool and patio offer lots of options for chilling out or hanging out. A small platform is submerged a few inches for ultimate lounging. At one end of the pool is an outdoor dining area and kitchen. The terraced landscaping provides greenery, giving the backyard space a lush look and a feeling of comforting enclosure and privacy.

Learn More: How Much Does It Cost to Install an In-Ground Pool?

From: Scenic Landscaping

Earthy Stone Patio

This mountainside oasis layers terra cotta and earthy tones to keep the setting all about nature and the stunning surroundings. Using earth-colored stones for the patio and retaining walls lets the hardscape blend in perfectly with the lush landscaping and gorgeous mountain views.

Get More Ideas: 67 Dreamy Pool Design Ideas

From: Lori Carroll

Take Shelter

This elegant Atlanta pool house offers a shady respite from the hot Southern sun. The pool house features a bathroom, a storage closet and a wet bar. Turf leading up to the pool offers a nice, soft break from the usual hot concrete surround, and artificial turf is more economical and environmentally practical in the long run. The homeowner has three dogs and purchased a special variety of turf that works well with pets.

See More of This Backyard: This Glam Atlanta Garden Channels the Seventies

Shape It How You Want

Form your deck and pool to blend in organically with the landscape. Here, the deck wraps easily around the pool, so you don't even notice the pool's odd shape. This pool may be tiny, but it is packed with features including a jet propulsion system with a water treadmill, a murmuring fountain and color-changing lights for a beautiful nighttime experience.

See More of This Backyard: HGTV Smart Home 2013: Pool Pictures

Sandstone Sets the Tone

A vibrant red fireplace is the focal point of this colorful, contemporary backyard. The red and charcoal stucco fireplace features a cantilevered mantel that is veneered in a gray stacked stone pattern. The sand-colored patio makes a sleek yet neutral backdrop for the colorful furniture and fireplace.