Senoia, Georgia - Image Provided By: J&M Pool Company - Image Shown: Vinyl Liner Pool Electric Aquarius Sun Ledge Custom Vinyl Over Step Spa

Senoia, Georgia - Image Provided By: J&M Pool Company - Image Shown: Vinyl Liner Pool Electric Aquarius Sun Ledge Custom Vinyl Over Step Spa

How To Choose The Best Swimming Pool Color For You

July 5th, 2022 by

How To Choose The Best Swimming Pool Color For You

Fiberglass pools come in an incredible array of sizes, shapes, and configurations. And then there are optional features like spas, tanning ledges, and benches. In fact, you may have so much fun pondering your design decisions that you initially overlook another critical aspect of your new fiberglass pool: the COLOR!

Part of the fun of getting a new pool lies within the customization aspects. The color of your pool is a reflection of your personality and also helps to harmonize the elements of your backyard. We’ll walk you through the various factors involved in helping you to narrow down your choice of pool colors and what to consider when making your decision. Let’s dive in!

Picking Your Fiberglass Swimming Pool Color

Traditionally, pool and spa colors were almost always the standard white surface, resulting in a light blue water color. You really had to go out of your way to do something different. And if you did, people might look at your backyard oasis a little skeptical, as if something was wrong.

Thankfully, things have changed — especially with fiberglass pools. Today you can (and should!) consider a wide range of colors for your pool or spa.

Much like a colorful accent wall can provide your living room with an eye-catching focal point that works with the rest of your decor, the color of your pool itself can provide a “splashy” addition to your backyard aesthetic. When choosing a color for your pool, you’ll want to consider the hue that best fits your design scheme and personal preferences. Ideally, it should play off all of the elements of your pool and its surroundings, including the color of your deck and any landscaping features. Ultimately, the color you choose for your pool is a reflection of your personality and design sensibility.

What Is The Most Popular Pool Color?

From cool blues to warm sand tones, pearlescent to prismatic, there’s a different pool color and style for every home. While most customers opt for a sparkling shade of blue, there’s no limit to what you can achieve with fiberglass pools!

Common Considerations While Picking Pool Color

With so many fiberglass pool colors available, it can be tough to choose. Your choice will depend on what you find most appealing. Some homeowners love bright colors that emulate the look of a crystal blue Caribbean sea, while others prefer more subdued hues that incorporate crystalline flecks that dance under sunlight.

What Color Pool is Easiest To Clean?

Regardless of the pool color you choose, routine pool cleaning and maintenance must be observed to keep your pool free from algae bloom and calcium deposits. Darker colors can often better hide pool debris. However, the downside is that it can make cleaning your pool more difficult.

So long as you intend to commit to regular upkeep of your pool, there is no singular choice of color that makes cleaning your pool easier. That said, if you love pearlescent white hues that reflect light or deeper shades of brilliant Mediterranean blue, either can be fantastic options and one is just as easy to clean as the other.

How Do I Choose the Color of my Pool Water?

When trying to decide what color your pool water should be, consider how it will play off of your surroundings. There is no one best swimming pool color. Because no two backyards – or pool owners – are the same, you can take the same color pool and it may look completely different based on its surroundings.

For instance, a Classic Shale Gray color can look simple, elegant when surrounded by polished black coping to offset the pool against a pale gray concrete patio. The resulting color is a soft robin’s egg blue that stands out – but still remains elegant and understated.

Latham Fiberglass Lake Shore | Granite inground pool
Latham Fiberglass Lake Shore | Granite inground pool

By contrast, that same Classic Shale Gray hue can look bold and modern under recessed lighting and high-contrast pool decor in bright shades of orange. The clean lines of a rectangular-shaped pool serve to enhance the mod mood. The pool water color still remains a soft blue shade, but it’s the surroundings and pops of color that make it such a striking, fresh focal point.

Latham Fiberglass Delray | Granite inground pool
Latham Fiberglass Delray | Granite inground pool

If you’re stumped for pool color ideas, think about whether you want to stand out from the crowd or retain a more uniform look to that of your neighbors. If you have an HOA that limits your choices, you may need to consult with them first, which can help to narrow the field.

However, if you have free rein, take a look at regional trends for some inspiration! In the Northeastern part of the country, a more subdued look is a prevailing trend. Minimalism, simplicity and neutral colors are popular in terms of decor and surroundings. Depending on your preference, you can choose a darker color pool to stand as a sharp contrast, or opt for a softer hue to complement light, bright natural finishes. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, many pool owners crave more of a lagoon-like look. Darker colored pools can give your water the effect of looking deep and alluring, like the night sky or a natural body of water.

What Color Makes a Pool Look Bigger?

Smaller pools can be a great addition to a backyard where you’re short on space, but still want to enjoy a nice cold dip on a hot day. Choosing lighter pool colors can create the illusion of more space and make your pool more of a focal point within your backyard. Pearlescent white shades or lighter grays and blues can really make your pool pop and stand out more!

Does Pool Liner Color Affect Water Temperature?

Yes, different pool colors can impact water temperature. Darker colors can attract more heat, keeping your pool water temperature warmer, drawing the sun to its surface. Lighter colored pools may help to keep your water cooler as they don’t attract as much sunlight. If you like your water warmer and do not have a heated or temperature-controlled pool, darker colors may be a deciding factor when it comes to choosing pool colors.

Fiberglass Swimming Pool Color Ideas

Latham’s Crystite Crystal collection (formerly G3) offers an extra layer of sparkle that allows your pool to really shine. Some pool color ideas include:

  • Crystite Crystal Sapphire Blue –A sparkling cascade of brilliant blues with bursts of diamonds.
  • Crystite Crystal Ocean Blue –A medium-dark, blissful blue that perfectly blends day with night.
  • Crystite Crystal Night Sky –A dark, deep blue that embodies the night sky.
  • Crystite Crystal Shale Gray –A sleek array of silvers melt into an irresistibly entertaining atmosphere.
  • Crystite Crystal Coastal Bronze –Beautiful, warm copper tones mold into an impressive display of brown and bronze.
  • Crystite Crystal Pearl White –A fun, sparkly white that sets a silky, cosmopolitan tone.

Check out the fiberglass pool colors in the video below:

How Do You Pick a Color For Your Pool?

When choosing a color for your pool, consider what color pool looks best with the whole of your backyard design. Think about the mood you are trying to create. Deeper colors can give a more mysterious, grotto-like effect that works beautifully with stone slabs and rock gardens. Similarly, classic medium blue tones can offer a sweet, timeless touch that can be made as quaint or as modern as you like – it never goes out of style!

There are a wide variety of colors of fiberglass pools to choose from. Checking out swatches, lookbooks and even download apps to help you visualize the look of your pool can make your choice much easier! By keeping some of the above factors in mind, you can help to narrow down your choices while balancing them with your own personal tastes and the overall ambiance you want to pool to offer.

Still Contemplating ? What Color Pool Would Look Best? We Can Help!

Now that there’s no longer a “default color” for pools and spas, it’s important that you give your selection some serious thought. Who will be using your pool? Primarily kids? Mostly adults? And how will it be used? For fun and games? As a dramatic backdrop for dinner parties? Whatever mood you’re looking to create, there’s a combination of shape, size, accessories, and color for you!

Need help choosing? Explore more design and color combinations in our Plan Your Pool section.

When you’re ready, contact the local independent Latham builder in your area to start your inground pool project.

 

Editor’s note: Originally posted 12/9/2017. Updated for relevance and clarity. 

Meet Our Expert

Written by

A unique group of talented individuals with years of industry experience, the Latham Editorial Team brings together the best and the brightest in order to deliver diverse perspectives on how to make your backyard the center of your Latham lifestyle.

Join the discussion

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Browse by Category