Tips for Creating a Tropical Look for Your Swimming Pool

There’s nothing like a tropical oasis on a warm summer day. Yet even with San Diego being close to several beaches that can surround you with a more tropical-style environment, there’s something to be said for the convenience and privacy offered by a backyard pool. Fortunately, you can have the best of both worlds by giving your backyard pool a tropical makeover. We offer some tips below that can reward you with an even more relaxing and inviting pool area.

Adjust Your Poolside Landscape

An easy and affordable way to make your pool look tropical is with some landscaping adjustments. The good thing about owning a pool in the San Diego area is that tropical plants can thrive during the typical pool season here. The list of tropical-style plants that could be placed around your pool includes:

• Various cacti species
• Sago palm trees
• Mandevilla vine—blooms all summer long
• Tradewinds premium hibiscus
• Elephant ear bulbs
• Croton—a foliage plant with bright leaves
• Tropical palms
• Bromeliads—provide bright tropical colors for many months

Make Your Poolside Furniture More Tropical

Carved and built-in wooden pieces offer a more organic and natural look around your pool that can enhance the tropical theme you’re going for. Wicker also works well for a tropical look. Rattan modular units are especially popular these days, and they can also fit into your tropical theme if you go with vibrant colors.

Consider “Tropical” Water Features

Your San Diego pool itself can become more tropical if you explore your options with various water features. The ones that tend to fit in with a tropical theme include:

• Waterfalls or fountains
• Rain curtains managed with specially placed tanks
• Decorative water walls
• Sheer descent waterfalls that form arcs
• Bubblers that shoot water streams up at varying heights
• Deck jets that shoot narrow arching streams into your pool

A misting system can be used as well to create a cooling tropical mist curtain around your pool. Another option is to add faux rocks around some of your in-pool water features to create a more natural tropical look.

Place Tropical Floats Inside Your Pool

A fun way to make your pool look more tropical is with pool floats or inflatables that fit into the tropical theme. Possibilities include bright tropical-colored inflatable flamingos, palm tree or parrot inflatables, and floating giant palm leaves that can also be used to relax and sip tropical beverages on.

Set Up a Poolside Bar

Speaking of tropical beverages, consider setting up a temporary poolside bar with a portable serving station. Fully embrace the tropical theme with decorations like Hawaiian grass that can be wrapped around the bar. Complete the theme by serving “adult” and/or kid-friendly tropical drinks pool users and guests can enjoy when not swimming.

Use Floating Pool Lights

Waterproof LED lights can be safely placed in your pool to augment your tropical look. You can do this with flower-shaped lights or ones that either change colors or display hues that fall into the tropical color range.

Change Your Pool Liner Color

If your existing pool liner is at a point where replacement can be justified, consider opting for a liner color that’s more tropical. For instance, sea-green and varying hues of blue and green can give your pool a more tropical appearance once it’s filled up.

If you’re considering adding a pool to your home and you want to work with a premier swimming pool builder, San Diego Pools should be your first choice. The expert team from San Diego Pools specializes in every aspect of residential pool and spa construction, from slides and waterfalls to in-ground spas. Call us today at 888-707-7786 for a complimentary consultation.