Think about proportion and scale when selecting a pool or spa water feature, making sure that a fountain or fixture is not too monumental for the size of your pool and yard. If it’s an existing pool, is the shape geometric or freeform? Rocks, real or faux, look best with curvilinear, naturalistic-shaped pools, while more simple architectural features enhance a modern or rectangular shape. Unless it is a very basic water feature, hire a pool builder, electrician, plumber, or pool technician to install a fountain or waterfall.
Types of Water Features
Learn the different kinds of water features before shopping and consult a professional to make sure it’s logistically possible to install certain types; some just may not work with your pool, while others may create a water world beyond your imagination. The main types of features include:
Fountain: A wide range of styles are available, from spillovers to floating. Waterfall: Often built with rocks or boulders (real and faux) as part of naturalistic pool design, waterfalls are one of the most popular water features when paired with swimming pools. Water wall: Just like it sounds, a waterfall spills out from a horizontal spout placed on a tiled or decorative wall near the pool. Rain curtain: A narrow and often wide sheet or curtain of water is usually mounted on a wall, pergola roof, or overhang, that falls into the pool. Scupper: Similar to a sconce, a scupper is a slot or spout that is attached to a wall or pedestal. Water flow styles include chute, trough, and sheet. Sheer descent: Appearing like a thin sheet of glass, this type of waterfall drops or forms an arc as it flows away from the pool wall. The opening of a sheer descent can range from half a foot to several feet wide. It is usually mounted flush with a top surface. Sconce: A decorative element attached to pool walls out of which pour narrow streams of water. Sconces can be shapes, architectural pieces, urns, vessels, or characters, like animals. Bubblers: Aka gushers, are small jets in the floor of a shallow surface of the pool that shoot streams of water that gurgle and bubble up; heights of the streams can be adjusted. Spillover spa: An integrated custom-designed spa that is raised above the pool, serving as a sort of utilitarian water feature as it spills or trickles into the swimming pool. Deck jets: Often called a laminar or pencil jet, this type of water feature is installed into pool decking and shoots a narrow, arching stream of water into the pool. For additional fun and drama, deck jets can be illuminated with color-changing LED lights. Mist: Fog and misting systems are designed to create a curtain of mist and can reduce temperatures by as much as 30 degrees. Statuary: Similar to a sconce in that a statue is usually figural–animal, fish, bird, or person. Water usually bubbles out or shoots a stream.
Distinguished Pools designed a rectangular pool with a horseshoe-shaped spa positioned at the top and center of the design, which is only flooded when the pool is running. Golden Sienna mosaic travertine tile echoes the home’s era. Three custom-fabricated copper waterfalls create a smooth sheet of water, providing a tranquil environment. Austin Water Designs created a masterpiece: a lagoon-style pool with an integrated spa features a stone tanning ledge with LED colored bubblers, a sound system, a slide that starts at the top of a waterfall and curves downward, and several jump-off perches–all spilling swimmers into a safe depth. The spa waterfall is heated to ensure there are no temperature extremes. Some 50 tons of river boulders from Oklahoma were used for the waterfall, spa, and fire features, while sand-hued aggregate replicated a beach entry. Hand-made glass tile was used in the pool, spa, and catch basin. Color-changing LED bubbler fountains were integrated into the beach entry to make the environment even more exciting when the sun goes down.
