Swimming pools serve a myriad of purposes in a well-designed landscape, from creating an exciting atmosphere for children during hot summer days, to lending a subtle touch of romance and elegance to after-dark gatherings once the kids are in bed. As a natural gathering point on your Toronto or Mississauga, ON property, your pool area should look its best and be as functional as possible.
While a wooden pool deck looks fantastic as a feature on its own, it can be greatly enhanced using complementary natural stone and concrete elements – not only in terms of your pool area’s aesthetic appeal, but also its monetary value. Unilock wallstones and pavers are fantastic products to tackle this task – they look amazing, are cost-effective, and are extremely strong.
Refreshing Retaining Wall Designs
If your pool is edged on either side by sloping terrain, your landscape design will probably be better off for including a poolside retaining wall. These not only help keep rich topsoil from being washed into your crystal clear pool, but flatten out sloped land that would otherwise have been unusable. This space can then be used for poolside patios with a view of the pool but that are safely out of the splash zone.
Unilock offers a refreshing range of products for the construction of durable poolside retaining walls. Do you want to add a futuristic feel to your wooden pool deck? Lineo Dimensional Stone is a sophisticated choice with a sleek and modern design suited to contemporary design schemes. Available in smooth horizontal plank-like blocks in varying sizes, Lineo Dimensional Stone is effective in the creation of retaining walls that will stand the test of time. Granite Blend and Midnight Charcoal offer the opportunity for a stunning contrast with your wooden structures, while the warm Sandstone and Sierra are great for matching the red/brown tones in your deck instead.
For homeowners after a landscape with a more rustic or traditional bent, Rivercrest Wall might be more appropriate. Its authentic flagstone appearance elicits a historical feel that will have you feeling like you’re swimming in a traditional countryside estate. The combination of natural stone textures and lumber is a timeless one that never fails to add charm and class to a landscape.
Related Read: Best Retaining Wall Options for Rustic and Traditional Landscapes
Safe and Comfortable Poolside Pavers
Poolside pavers need to offer a surface texture comfortable to bare feet, while still remaining non-slip and safe.
Europaver lends a structured look to paved areas, suited to both formal pool areas and casual landscape designs after a neutral base. This large-format paver has a well defined aesthetic with three different sizes perfect for visually interesting laying patterns to complement the long lines of a wooden pool deck. Most importantly, Europaver has a fine grain texture comfortable to the touch yet slip resistant.
If you’re after a natural and unstructured look for your paving, however, consider Richcliff. A realistic alternative to real bluestone, this concrete paver has the random texture of natural stone slabs while also being safe, strong and durable. Opt for a Pebble Taupe/Dawn Mist blend to complement the brown tones of your wooden deck while still retaining the stunning blues characteristic of this paver.
The title image features a pool patio paved with Europaver in Coffee Creek.
