I didn't grow up with a pool and, despite years of pleading from my small, rashie-clad children, it was never to be. They have learnt to become good friends with the neighbours. (Garden and landscape designer William Dangar tells me that by the time the kids reach 13 or 14, they're over pools, so I'm nearly out of the woods on that one.)
But there is no doubt that whether it is well-used or just for eye candy, a body of water in your personal domain is the height of luxury.
"The best pools are ones that don't dominate the space," says Dangar. "I try to convince clients that the pool needs to be proportionate to the garden and dwelling."
Isay Weinfeld, the flamboyant Brazilian architect who designed the São Paulo house and pool pictured above, would concur. The pool is flush with the grass, while the timber platform has the effect of floating in the water. The drama comes from the contrast to the high, swaying palms and the ocean that crashes at the edge of the property.
Dangar has worked alongside architects such as William Smart, Luigi Rosselli and Alec Tzannes on comparably beautiful Sydney sites. His rules are simple. "Once the right proportion is agreed, I work with material choices that are timeless and weather well, and floorcleaning systems that don't require an ugly pool-cleaning serpent patrolling the water," he says. In addition, he avoids water-line tiles that contrast with the internal lining of the pool, preferring the seamless look of a continuous surface.
Mindful that we couldn't have a pool of this design in Australia due to its lack of fencing, Dangar has developed strategies around pool security, including using planting to cleverly mask fences. (Grasses work well, he notes, because they don't provide any climbing footholds.) Glass fences are falling out of favour, Dangar says, because they tend to cause intense reflection and get covered in water stains. By contrast, a well-detailed metal fence can look great while not being visually dominating.
As a landscape gardener, he is aware that creating shade from trees surrounding a pool has to be balanced with the shedding of foliage. A mature frangipani is a sound choice, as the leaves are huge and easy to remove from the water. "Other big-leaf trees we use around pools are Tuckeroo [Cupaniopsis anacardioides, a native evergreen] and also the coast banksia [Banksia integrifolia]," he says. "I also love a good olive tree."
STYLING TIP: "I like oversize pool furniture where possible," says designer William Dangar. "Timber furniture looks great on a stone surface. We often use mesh-based furniture that is super-comfortable and can handle wet swimmers."