There’s nothing like relaxing in your own spa at the end of the day, feeling a bit like you’re on vacation, but not having to share space in the spa with strangers. With the sound of the bubbling water, the stress of your busy day melts away, and you feel transported. Blissful.
Adding a luxury spa to your existing pool, or designing your pool area to include a high-style spa, is a wonderful indulgence, adding to the escapism of your backyard pool area, and impressing and indulging your guests. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since those 1970s-style tub-shaped above-ground spas and Jacuzzis, and luxury spas are now built into the design of a lavish swimming pool. They can be stone-wall surrounded, waterfall-backed, lit romantically and relaxingly, warmed to your choice of temperature with jets positioned according to your custom spa design.
Here are the top features for pool spas:
- Waterfalls. Today’s elite pool and spa design companies create completely realistic waterfalls for a relaxing, transporting effect suiting a pool area that’s natural, rustic or tropical in nature. Water falling into the spa creates an indulgent feel, triggering an almost primal relaxation response. If your pool area is more formal and traditional in style, you might opt for a waterwall cascading down into your spa, a quieter effect that looks magnificent, especially when lit from within.
- Vanishing edge. Just like an infinity pool, the water in a vanishing edge spa reaches the top level of the spa, creating an undisturbed view before you, with water falling into the pool below for a waterfall effect. This is one of the top trends in spa design, with many homeowners inspired by infinity pools they have enjoyed while on vacation at luxury resorts.
- Swim spa. This style of spa is one that invites you to keep your workout commitments, getting a bit of exercise as you swim in the center of the spa, with water jets providing resistance for your home swim workout. With a flat bottom and no steps, the swim spa is a top choice for those who wish to incorporate swimming into their workouts, and those who are rehabbing a sports injury or bad back may also use their swim spa as part of their physical therapy home assignments.
- Mobile controls. Using your smart phone or PC, you can use a free app to control the water temperature, jet speed, lights and other elements of your pool spa, even from a distance. If you’re on your way home from work, looking forward to slipping into your spa to soak away the stresses of the day, you can program your spa to be all ready for you when you arrive at home. A high-tech spa is one of the leading trends in luxury pool and spa design.
- Robotic cleaners. You just drop the cleaning robot into your spa, and all the cleaning work is done for you automatically, as it works its way through your spa to remove debris and prohibit the growth of bacteria and algae that would require additional chemicals to prevent or treat.
- Elevated spa. Instead of being level to your pool’s surface, your spa is set at a higher level for an exotic, natural, tiered look. Paired with plantings, a waterfall and mood lighting, this top trend in spa design is a sensational, exotic look, elevating your mood as well as your position.