Creekside Colonial Backyard Plan with Endless Pools

Eight years ago when we built our house I had a dream. The dream was to put in a small pool. In fact I was so certain of this dream that I had a pool guy come out and give us a bid the first month we moved in. At the time it felt like a pipe dream but as most dreams have a tendency to do it stuck. I even remember telling my husband that what I really wanted was a swim spa. Something we could use year round. I even had the perfect little often unused area of my yard where I knew it would fit perfectly. Fast forward eight years and we are ready to make this dream a reality! It started a year ago when we started touring showrooms and talking to different spa dealers. Right away I was impressed with Endless Pools™. I loved the options that they offered and after doing some research and asking around I felt confident they would be a great partner for this project. We decided to collaborate on this project and I have to tell you the team at Endless Pools has been absolutely delightful to work with. Their website is really user friendly and it has been very easy to have all of my questions answered. They even had a product that checked all of our boxes. The E2000 is perfect for our family. This swim spa uses Hydrodrive™ current technology and has luxurious jetted massage seats. The best part is because it’s dual temperature we can keep it at 85-degree in the front, then unwind at 104 degrees inside the spa area at the back.

I’ll be sharing lots more about the spa itself and all the amazing benefits but for now let’s jump into the design plan. Let’s take a look at some of the inspiration for this space.

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6.

Admittedly most of the plunge pool inspiration that I loved were for actual pools not spas that looked more like hot tubs. So the search was on to find in-ground hot tubs or spa installations that had that English Country/Colonial look I wanted. To be honest I had a hard time finding what I wanted. Most of the spas were above ground or in-ground surrounded by decking. This installation is great and can look really good but I felt the decking surround was a bit modern for my taste. After Pinterest failed me the only way for me to really visual what I wanted was to have it drawn up myself.

This was one of the iterations of the backyard design. I decided to do an in-ground installation with a mixture of turf and 36 x 36″ pavers. With this combination, we can retain some natural grass for the kids to play on while avoiding the hassle of having grass right up to the spa. The pavers will provide a great spot for our pool loungers. I’ve seen this done with pools but not spas, so I’m excited to bring this vision to life! However, as plans often do once a project gets underway, these plans are subject to change based on how the construction process unfolds and the support we can build around the in-ground swim spa. We might need to adjust or change out the pavers, but we won’t be sure until we get further into the project.

Now, let’s discuss our choice between a swim spa and a traditional pool. Both were viable options that we considered thoroughly. Given our small backyard, we could have accommodated a conventional pool, but we wanted to maximize our available space. Installing a large pool would have left no room for other essential elements in our yard plan, such as a dining area, a playset, a spacious grassy area for play, and a trampoline.

The swim spa offers the perfect solution, allowing us to cool off and swim in the summer while still utilizing the rest of our yard for other activities.

As I previously mentioned the E2000 stood out to us because it combines a pool and hot tub in one unit. Utah experiences both scorching summers and frigid winters, so the year-round usability of the swim spa was highly appealing. With summer days that can be extremely hot and evenings that can turn chilly, we knew we needed something with dual temperature options. The E2000 meets all our needs, providing flexibility and comfort throughout the year.

Another feature we are excited about incorporating is the underwater treadmill. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that running has taken a toll on my joints, making traditional treadmill or road running more challenging. After exploring various water aerobic exercises on the Endless Pools website, I discovered numerous low-impact workouts that are highly effective. This inspired us to choose an underwater treadmill to help alleviate my knee and hip pain. I’m really excited about this aspect of the pool!

Now let’s chat about the design! This is what we are starting with. It really is a blank canvas.

Our plan involves transforming most of the side yard by introducing new hardscaping and a spa. We’ll incorporate natural textures and materials, blending them with English cottage vibes to create a dreamy and charming oasis for our family. Our design wishlist includes a stone chimney and fireplace, an outdoor dining area, a small greenhouse, and an outdoor pizza oven.

Although our yard is relatively spacious for our neighborhood, it feels like we’re trying to fit in quite a bit. I believe that with a smart design, we can make the most of a small area and create a functional and beautiful space.

Stay tuned as we provide weekly updates on this project as it moves along!

*In compliance with FTC guidelines, please be aware that we are working in collaboration with Endless Pools. All opinions expressed in relation to this product are my own.