One of the biggest growing trends in personal pool design in recent years has been the addition of swim up bars. Not only do they lend a resort feel to the outdoor space, they are beautifully functional and allow the pool area to take on multiple purposes and become the focal point of outdoor entertaining and relaxation.
Here are the top 3 considerations for including a swim up bar in your pool design:
1. Function
The swim up bar allows for the best of both worlds: the ability to eat, drink, and socialize while remaining in the water. As such, the placement of the bar needs to be adjacent to the outdoor kitchen or food preparation area. Consider carefully how you and your family and friends will be utilizing the space to maximize functionality through careful placement of the bar and a well thought out plan for the layout and utility of the outdoor food preparation/serving area.
2. Aesthetics
The bar is another area where you can add flair and expression to your pool. Think about what you want the seating to look like: round or square? Tiled? A more rugged brick type finish? Does the seat blend in or contrast with the base of the stool? What color do you want the materials to be? Should they be entirely submerged or partially exposed? What about the bar? Should it be the same material as the stools or contrast? Granite? Tile? What colors would you like to incorporate?
3. Comfort
When planning your pool and bar area, keep in mind that the placement of the stools must allow for those sitting to remain partially submerged in the water, but the height of the stool also needs to leave adequate leg room around the bar. At the same time, the bar needs to be wide enough to accommodate glasses, plates, napkins, etc. These same conditions should also hold for the "dry" side of the bar if you plan on having seating available on that side as well.
Here are the top 3 considerations for including a swim up bar in your pool design:
1. Function
The swim up bar allows for the best of both worlds: the ability to eat, drink, and socialize while remaining in the water. As such, the placement of the bar needs to be adjacent to the outdoor kitchen or food preparation area. Consider carefully how you and your family and friends will be utilizing the space to maximize functionality through careful placement of the bar and a well thought out plan for the layout and utility of the outdoor food preparation/serving area.
2. Aesthetics
The bar is another area where you can add flair and expression to your pool. Think about what you want the seating to look like: round or square? Tiled? A more rugged brick type finish? Does the seat blend in or contrast with the base of the stool? What color do you want the materials to be? Should they be entirely submerged or partially exposed? What about the bar? Should it be the same material as the stools or contrast? Granite? Tile? What colors would you like to incorporate?
3. Comfort
When planning your pool and bar area, keep in mind that the placement of the stools must allow for those sitting to remain partially submerged in the water, but the height of the stool also needs to leave adequate leg room around the bar. At the same time, the bar needs to be wide enough to accommodate glasses, plates, napkins, etc. These same conditions should also hold for the "dry" side of the bar if you plan on having seating available on that side as well.