Of all the decisions to be made when building or renovating a pool, choosing the right pool colour probably ranks up there at the top of the list of hardest things to decide. Worry not, we’ve reached out to a number of pool colour experts and have gathered all of the information you’ll ever need to make the decision making process much easier.

If you already have a pool but don’t necessarily have the time or the resources to do a massive renovation, worry not, we’ve prepared a section down below on how to add vibrancy to your current pool colour without breaking the bank!

What you want as the overall feel of your pool area will influence your pool colour decision heavily. Are you looking for a hidden lagoon with sparkly crystal waters? Do you want a Tuscan feel with shimmering emerald waters? Or do you want an ultra-modern contemporary space that’s fit to be on the cover different modern living magazines? We can’t answer that for your because each pool is uniquely personal, but we can help you visualize what the water will look like.

As a quick guide to which colour goes with which "theme" you might have in mind, here's a quick rundown of some of the more popular pool colours.

• Bright Blue / Sapphire Blue - This is your "standard" pool color which basically goes with any theme or no theme at all.
• Light Blue / Crystal Blue - For those looking for a clear or Caribbean look to their pool then this is the pool colour for you.
• Light Tan / White Dye - The lightest pool colour and great for those who want a more "Tropical" theme to their pool areas.
• Medium Blue to Darker Colors - For more "modern" applications where sleek lines and clean solid designs are wanted
• Green / Tan - Green pool water isn't that bad as long as it is crystal clear, in fact, this is the color of many Tuscan-inspired pool setups

If you have (or plan to) have a light-coloured pool, then here are some ideas for pool surrounds:

• Dark wooden decking – Dark wood and a bright crystal pool, what else needs to be said?
• Dark Granite – The heaviness of the granite will be offset by the lightness of your pool’s water colour, just like with everything in life, balance is the key.
• Earth toned stone and dark green foliage – Can anyone say hidden pool lagoon and oasis?

If you have a darker shade in mind for your pool, then your pool surrounds should be light to provide contrast to your pool, we want to avoid that feeling of weight.

• Natural Sandstone – This is what we usually see in many commercial pool settings, medium to dark blue pool water that’s framed by light coloured natural sandstone, a classic look.
• Beige toned tile – Again, we want to counteract the heaviness the water and what better colour to use than something neutral and light like beige?
• White Coloured Stone and Fixtures – One word, Santorini. Imagine shimmering dark blue waters surrounded by pristine white. Of course, it’ll take more effort to maintain white, but if you have the time and patience to do so then the payout will be massive.

We mentioned in our introduction that barring a massive renovation project, there will be ways to improve the vibrancy of your pool colour and here are some options that you can do with your existing pool that can greatly improve the visual appearance of your pool.

The quickest way to add vibrancy to your existing pool would be to add a water feature. These can be added after the fact with a little bit of plumbing and some masonry work but the effects are amazing. While water features like fountains or waterfalls won’t actually change your pool colour, it will affect the vibrancy of the water, making your pool colour much more refreshing.

The movement created by a pool water feature will turn your pool surface into a giant prism. Throwing light all around your pool instead of simply reflecting it straight back up. The movement of the water will also create depth and a lot of variation in your pool making it more “alive” than a still pool. And did we mention that even without adding vibrancy and movement to the pool, they’re a lot of fun to look at?

SEE ALSO: Swimming Pool Features that will make you go “wow”

Granted these only work at night, but adding some lighting to your pool is an excellent way to spruce up your pool water colour without going through a massive renovation project. And if you’re thinking of building a pool then they’re even better when installed at the start, saving you on the renovation costs of adding LED lights after the fact.

With the advent of multi-coloured LED pool lights, you can instantly change the colour of your pool at night with a press of a button! This works well for those who enjoy holding themed parties around their pools. No matter what the theme is, your pool colour can match it thanks to colour changing LED lights.  

What? Pool Maintenance again?! Well, believe it or not, your pool maintenance has a lot to do with how vibrant your pool colour is. Remember how your pool looked when it was brand new? All shiny and shimmering? With some TLC and some elbow grease, you can bring back your pool colour’s vibrancy so that it’ll be like new again.

One big factor that affects the vibrancy of your pool colour is your filtration system. Particles in your pool that aren’t filtered properly will diffuse and absorb the light entering your you pool, giving it that dull and unappealing colour. To make sure that your pool water is properly filtered, don’t forget to give your sand filters a good backwash every few weeks and your filter cartridge a thorough cleaning as well.

Crystal clear green water is lovely to look at, it’s like being in one of those Tuscan villas with sparkling emerald beaches at your doorstep. Murky green water due to algae is another thing, you don’t know whether it’s safe to bathe in or if the swamp thing is going to pop out at any moment to grab you. To prevent this, make sure that you pool chemistry is always up to scratch and make sure to use some phosphate remover and algaecide to prevent algae from taking a hold of your pool.

Another reason why your pool colour may seem to be dull and lost its vibrance is because your pool surface has accumulated dirt or has some growth on it. Instead of reflecting light back up, showing you the clarity of your pool, this will absorb the light and give your pool water that dead and dull appearance. Include manually vacuuming your pool into your pool cleaning regimen to make sure that you pool colour remains vibrant all year round! If manually vacuuming your pool sounds like too much work, then consider getting an automatic pool cleaner or a robotic pool cleaner to make the task much easier.

Choosing the right pool water colour is one thing, maintaining it is another. Remember that no matter what pool colour you choose, it’s part of your responsibility as a pool owner to maintain it and make sure that it stays that colour all year-round. Before splurging off on a renovation project for your pool, try first to bring it back to life again. You never know, maybe your pool just needs a little attention to bring it back to its former glory.

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