What Luxury Homeowners Are Actually Asking for in Pool Design in 2026

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Luxury pool design is becoming less about adding more features and more about making every element of the backyard feel considered.

For Melbourne pool designer and builder Laguna, one of the clearest shifts across recent projects has been towards softer forms, more integrated landscaping and pools that work as places to relax as much as they do to swim.

Two features in particular are standing out in 2026: rolled interior edges and bench seating, and compact raised plunge pools that make clever use of a smaller backyard or tight spaces.

Pool interiors are getting softer

Sharp lines and square-edged steps have long been commonplace in contemporary pools, but Laguna is seeing homeowners increasingly opt for a softer approach.

Around 75% of Laguna’s recent pool builds now incorporate rolled bench seats, steps and spas.

Instead of a hard 90-degree edge, these details use a rounded profile that creates a softer appearance within the pool. Rounded edges can make steps and seating more comfortable to move around and sit on, while creating a more inviting and friendly profile for families with children.

It is a relatively subtle design choice, but one that reflects a broader change in what homeowners expect from high-end pool design. Details that were once treated primarily as functional are increasingly being considered as part of the overall aesthetic.

The result is an interior that feels more sculpted and resolved, particularly when curves are carried through other elements of the pool and surrounding landscape.

Image: Rounded steps and pool seating. Credit: Laguna

The rise of the raised plunge pool

Laguna is also seeing growing interest in a very different type of pool: the compact, raised plunge pool.

Often measuring around 3.5 metres by 2 metres, these pools offer an alternative for homeowners who want water to form a central part of their outdoor space without necessarily building a conventional full-sized swimming pool.

Laguna has delivered around five raised plunge pool projects over the past year and is seeing the style emerge more broadly across residential pool design.

“There’s a clear shift toward raised pools with rolled interior edges,” says Laguna. “They provide a comfortable, functional area for both swimming and lounging, pairing them with the right heat pump or gas heater makes maintaining water temperature effortless.”

Their appeal isn’t simply about fitting a pool into a smaller footprint. Raising the water above the surrounding ground can turn the pool itself into an architectural feature, creating another level within the landscape and changing the way the backyard is experienced.

Done well, it shouldn’t feel like a pool has simply been placed on top of the garden. The landscaping, levels and materials all need to work together so that the raised structure still feels connected to its surroundings.

Image: Raised plunge pools. Credit: Laguna

Rethinking the pool fence

One of the most noticeable visual benefits of a carefully designed raised pool is what happens around it.

Where a compliant raised structure can form part of the required safety barrier, it can reduce the need for conventional fencing immediately around the water. That can help preserve views across the backyard and maintain a stronger visual relationship between the pool, garden and home.

“By serving as the safety barrier, the raised structure removes the need for standard fencing, keeping the entire backyard feeling open and spacious,” Laguna says.

The effect can be particularly striking when viewed from inside the house. Instead of looking through a fence towards the water, the pool can become part of the outlook itself.

Image: Raised pools that meet safety barrier requirements. Credit: Laguna

Luxury is becoming more personal

These trends also point to a wider change in what constitutes a luxury pool.

Size alone is becoming a less useful measure. A compact plunge pool designed around the architecture of a home can have as much impact as a grand swimming pool, while small details such as rolled seating can materially change how the water feels and functions.

The common thread is considered design, understanding how the owners will use the water, how the pool will be viewed from the home, where people will sit and gather, and how it will connect with the surrounding landscape.

As Laguna Director Glenn Maxton has previously put it, “Luxury is deeply personal – it’s not about how much space or money you have, but about how your home supports the way you want to live.”

For luxury homeowners in 2026, the pool is increasingly being treated in exactly the same way as the home itself, not as an isolated feature, but as another carefully designed space for everyday living.

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