Imagine stepping outside on a warm Sacramento afternoon and feeling like you’ve arrived at your own private resort. The pool is sparkling in the sunlight. Comfortable lounge chairs surround a shallow tanning ledge. The kids are swimming while burgers cook on the outdoor grill. A shaded patio provides a cool place to relax, and later that evening, the pool lights will come on as everyone gathers around the fire pit. You don't have to leave home to escape—you've created the des

Picture a warm summer Saturday at home. The grill is going, music is playing, and the patio table is covered with burgers, watermelon, cold drinks, and everyone's favorite sides. The kids are in the pool challenging each other to cannonballs while their friends play a game in the shallow end. A few adults are relaxing with their feet in the water, grandparents are talking beneath the shade, and no one is in a hurry to leave. As afternoon turns into evening, the pool lights co

Building a swimming pool is an opportunity to completely transform the way your family uses its backyard. But before choosing water features, decking, lighting, or landscaping, there’s one fundamental decision to make: What shape should your pool be? The answer isn't as simple as choosing the design you like best. Your home's architecture, backyard dimensions, available space, intended pool activities, landscaping, and outdoor living plans should all influence the final desig