Lehigh Valley summers are long, hot, and made for the water. Today's backyard water features have evolved to deliver the full outdoor retreat experience. If you’re craving a serene, beautiful space where family can gather, unwind, and make memories, a water feature brings the resort experience home. Why worry about the stress and cost of a few days away when you can create the ultimate escape right in your own backyard?
What's New in Pools
The era of the plain rectangular pool plopped in the middle of a flat yard is officially over. Today pools are designed to act as an anchor of a full outdoor living environment, not just a place to occasionally cool off.
On the design side, clean geometric shapes remain popular for their architectural appeal, but so do flowing freeform pools that echo resort or naturalistic aesthetics. Dark-bottom finishes, like charcoal plaster or deep navy tile, have become a signature look, creating that dramatic mirror-like surface that photographs beautifully and feels luxurious in person.
Tanning ledges (sometimes called Baja shelves) are practically standard now. These shallow, sun-soaked platforms provide a place where adults can lounge in a few inches of water while keeping an eye on the whole yard. Pair those with built-in bench seating along the pool walls and you have a feature that works equally as a splash pad or a space for relaxing with a cool drink. Consider adding an adjacent fire feature, it makes a natural contrast to any large water feature. Choose a fire pit, fire table, or built-in fire bowl to add warmth and ambiance to any evening swim.
Technology is transforming the ownership experience. Automated chemistry systems monitor and adjust pH and sanitizer levels continuously, dramatically reducing the weekend-warrior maintenance routines of the past. App-controlled lighting, heating, and water features mean you can have the pool glowing and warm before you even get home. Variable-speed pumps and energy-efficient heating systems have also brought operating costs down significantly, a meaningful consideration for homeowners who want to get the most from their pool.
Saltwater Pools
Saltwater pools have swept the country in popularity and have become the new default for a large portion of new pool builds. There’s good reason for that. Rather than adding chlorine directly, a saltwater system uses a chlorine generator to produce it naturally from dissolved salt. The result is water that feels silkier, is gentler on eyes and skin, and carries a noticeably lower chemical smell. Maintenance is simpler, and while the upfront cost of the salt system is slightly higher, long-term chemical costs are lower. For families with kids (or grandkids) in the water every day of summer, it's often an easy yes.
Natural Pools
The most talked-about trend in pool design right now might be the natural or biofilter pool, sometimes called a swimming pond. Long popular across Europe, these chemical-free pools use a combination of aquatic plants and biological filtration to keep the water clean and clear. A designated "regeneration zone," planted with water lilies, reeds, or other aquatic species, works as a living filter, while the main swimming area stays clean without a drop of chlorine. The result looks like a serene mountain lake tucked into your backyard. They're more complex to design and require more upfront planning, but for the right homeowner, especially those prioritizing an organic, naturalistic aesthetic, they're a showstopper.
Hot Tubs Heat Up the Landscape
Today's spas have become true architectural elements, designed to blend seamlessly into their surroundings or make a bold standalone statement. Premium hot tubs now come clad in teak, cedar, or composite wood panels that read more like outdoor furniture than a backyard appliance. Many are integrated into custom hardscaping, nestled into a raised stone platform, sunken into a deck, or positioned adjacent to a pool with an infinity-edge spill-over that connects the two visually and physically. Wellness technology has elevated the experience further. Chromotherapy lighting, aromatherapy systems, integrated sound, and jets designed around ergonomic body mapping are increasingly standard at mid-to-high price points.
One of the fastest-growing pairings right now is the cold plunge alongside the hot spa. Contrast therapy, long embraced in Scandinavian and athletic cultures, has gone mainstream, and having both hot and cold options creates a full recovery and wellness experience without leaving home. Smart controls and energy-efficient insulation make today's hot tubs practical for year-round use, especially for those who want a daily wellness ritual that carries well beyond summer.
Swim Spas — The Best of Both Worlds
If you haven't heard much about swim spas yet, you will. These hybrid units, essentially an elongated spa with a powerful current system at one end, have seen surging interest over the past few years, and it's easy to see why.
A swim spa gives you the exercise capability of a full lap pool in a fraction of the footprint. Adjustable current systems let swimmers of all skill levels swim in place, while the remaining portion of the unit functions as a traditional hot tub for soaking and relaxation. Many models feature dual-zone temperature control, so the swimming end stays cooler and refreshing while the spa end stays hot. They're also designed for year-round use, insulated and covered like a hot tub, not a seasonal pool.
For empty nesters, a swim spa often hits a sweet spot: the health and fitness component of a pool without the scale, maintenance, and cost of a full installation. For families, it's a versatile unit that kids can play in, parents can exercise in, and grandparents can soak in, sometimes simultaneously. Above-ground models can be installed quickly and moved if you relocate, while in-ground or partially-sunken installations give the aesthetic of a permanent water feature with the flexibility of a prefabricated unit.
A Water Feature Designed for Everyday Living and Entertaining
Rather than a singular install, today’s outdoor spaces are being conceived similarly to indoor living spaces. When you approach your outdoor design as a series of outdoor rooms that flow naturally from one to the next, each can develop its own purpose and personality. A thoughtful design considers every element together rather than each feature in isolation. Here's what that looks like in practice:
Zones and flow. Hardscape materials like pavers, natural stone, and composite decking define distinct areas. A dining space is near the outdoor kitchen, a lounge area by a fire feature, and a shaded retreat is set under a pergola. Your water feature can be placed at the center to anchor it all together.
Placement with intention. The hot tub earns its spot based on privacy, views, and connection to the rest of the space. Water features are positioned to be visible and beautiful from inside the home as well as out.
Lighting is a great connector. Path lighting, landscape uplighting, underwater LED systems, and overhead string lights transform the backyard into a completely different environment after dark.
Safety that doesn't sacrifice style. Gradual entries, shallow ledges, and glass panel fencing keep the space safe for kids and grandkids without closing off the open, airy feel of a well-designed yard.
Materials and planting that tie it together. A consistent palette across pool coping, patio, and your outdoor kitchen will create gorgeous design cohesion. Ornamental grasses, low shrubs, and container plantings soften hardscape and add life around water features.
Trending Water Features Worth Exploring
Water has a way of making any space feel more alive and more inviting. Today's options extend well beyond the pool or spa. A few worth exploring with your designer include:
Koi pond or reflection pond. One of the oldest and most meditative water features, a well-placed pond adds movement, sound, and a sense of calm that no other element quite replicates. Whether stocked with koi or kept as a still reflection pool framed by plantings, it brings a garden to life in a way that feels soothing and restorative.
Soaking pool. Sometimes called a cocktail pool, this small, deep plunge-style pool is perfect for yards where a full pool isn't practical, or as a cool counterpart to a hot spa setup. Intimate and elegant, it delivers the immersive water experience without the expansive footprint.
Rill. A narrow channel of flowing water running through hardscape, the rill is one of the most architectural water features available. Rooted in European and Persian garden design, it brings movement and sound to a patio or garden path in a beautifully understated way.
Water wall or rain curtain. Whether installed outdoors against a fence or garden wall, or brought inside as a dramatic interior feature, a water wall creates an instant focal point. The gentle sound of cascading water adds an ambient quality that transforms the feel of a room or outdoor space entirely.
Indoor pool or plunge pool. For homeowners looking to extend the season well beyond summer, an indoor pool or dedicated plunge pool in a finished lower level is the ultimate investment in year-round living. Increasingly designed with the same care as a primary suite, these spaces combine function with a spa-like aesthetic that makes every day feel like a retreat. Lehigh Valley summers don't last forever, but the memories you make in your own backyard do. The right water feature will not only add beauty to your home, but transform how you live in it. More parties, more relaxing, more changes for memorable conversations, water features invite connection. If you’ve dreamed about a pool, hot tub or spa, take the first step. Talk to a local exterior pro and start imagining what your backyard could become