In St. Petersburg and across Pinellas County, backyard pools are evolving from “rectangles of water” into luxurious water retreats with unique custom designs and features. For 2026, the biggest trends in luxury pool building are blending smarter equipment, compact-luxury layouts, resort-style LED lighting, and materials that hold up to sun and salt — without high maintenance.
Below is a design-first roundup from our WinWay Pools’ experts (along with reputable design sources linked below) to help you plan a pool that looks current now and ages beautifully with your Florida landscape.
Plunge Into Compact Water Luxury
Even if you don’t have an enormous sprawling yard, there’s no reason to limit your luxury pool experience. Thanks to innovative pool designs like plunge pools with tight, well-programmed footprints, you can still have your own backyard water oasis. Think well-programmed footprints paired with a clear swim lane, a tanning ledge, and a conversation bench, so every square foot earns its keep.
Today, many of our WinWay Pools’ clients are opting for custom pools that deliver outdoor living luxury, even in smaller urban spaces in St. Petersburg. We can also incorporate vertical elements like privacy walls, planter boxes, or cascading water features to make your yard space feel expansive.
Relax Into Uniquely Designed Spas and Wellness Zones
Integrated spas are a great way to stretch your outdoor Florida season and soothe the senses after a busy day. Like plunge pools, custom spa designs can make the most out of a small yard footprint. According to Architectural Digest, custom pool-and-spa designs are now being integrated in urban areas across the country, including coastal Florida communities.
Imagine escaping into a soothing soak after work. Spa jets and warm waters deliver therapeutic benefits, easing muscles and providing a serene escape. Your custom pool builder can build a spa at varying depths with strategic placement of jets to target muscles in the back and calf muscles.
Light the Night With Resort-Style LEDs and Scene Control
With creative layered lighting, you can enjoy your custom pool well into the evening hours, with in-pool LEDs for step and ledge markers to improve safety and low-glare landscape accents to create a resort-like feel. With an assortment of colors and lighting modes to choose from, LEDs create a magical nighttime atmosphere while offering more energy savings compared to traditional halogen lights.
Pool design idea: Aim lighting fixtures along the long axis of the water and graze any water features to add depth and sparkle.
Use Energy-Smart Equipment for Easy Maintenance
Custom pool builders are now incorporating variable-speed pumps (VSPs) that are quieter, last longer, and can cut energy use dramatically, especially if they’re ENERGY STAR® rated. Modern “smart” pool pumps can run at different speeds and can be programmed to match your pool system’s operation.
Automated pool cleaning systems, such as UV sanitizers, are also a game-changer for easy pool maintenance. Harnessing the power of UV rays, these innovative systems effectively sanitize your water, significantly reducing the need for chemicals and offering a gentler swim for sensitive skin. There are also automated vacuuming systems that can effortlessly navigate your pool, meticulously cleaning every nook and cranny. Together, these cleaning systems can help ensure optimal chlorine levels and water balance, maintaining a pristine-clean pool with minimal effort on your part.
Dive Into the Softer Benefits of a Saltwater Pool
Backyard pools with saltwater generators are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to traditional chlorine pools, for their health benefits and for avoiding that “strong smell” associated with more traditional chlorinated pools.
However, it’s important to note that saltwater pools are not chlorine-free. Saltwater systems use a natural process to create chlorine, called electrolysis, where a saltwater generator converts the salt added to your water into chlorine. Compared to traditional chlorinated pools, saltwater systems provide benefits such as:
- Salt is safer to handle than chlorine. Improper storage or use of chlorine can be hazardous, posing risks of poisoning, corrosion, and fire.
- Saltwater pool maintenance costs less. Salt costs less than chlorine, saving more money over time.
- Saltwater pools are easier to maintain. A saltwater system automatically monitors and releases a slow, steady flow of chlorine to keep the chlorine levels consistent.
- Saltwater is better for your health. Saltwater doesn’t irritate the eyes like traditional chlorinated pools and even soothes and exfoliates the skin.
Choose Innovative Materials That Beat Sun & Salt
For custom pool patios and decks, large-format porcelain pavers are having a moment thanks to slip-resistant textures, very low water absorption, and easy cleaning, making them a popular choice for coastal climates.
Glass tile has gained popularity in recent years and continues to be a top choice by custom pool builders for designing durable and luxurious pool interiors. Iridescent glass tile and modern porcelain mosaics bring a luxe sheen that reads beautifully in Florida sun and evening light.
Experience Sound and Motion With Water Features
Water curtains, known as rain descents, make a striking addition to any pool, while masking neighborhood noise. Cascading waterfalls and pool “bubblers” bring visual depth and tranquility, elevating your outdoor space to a new level of sophistication. Lighting these water features adds nighttime drama while keeping the surface calm enough for conversation.
Pool pro tip: WinWay Pools can “tune” the flow of your water feature, so it’s soothing (not splashy) and can place valves where you can adjust for parties versus quiet evenings.
Enjoy All-Weather Living With Pool Screens, Enclosures
More St. Pete area homeowners are investing in screened lanais and pool enclosures that protect against bugs and debris while preserving big-sky coastal views. New indoor-outdoor design coverage emphasizes large openings and seamless transitions; screened rooms are a practical way to extend your pool enjoyment year-round. Glass pool enclosures can also protect against inclement weather while providing panoramic views, wind control, and all-season comfort — without losing that outdoor feel.
Ready to Design Your 2026 Pool?
Whether you’re dreaming of a compact plunge with a built-in spa or a family-friendly pool with LED scenes and low-maintenance materials, WinWay Pools specializes in luxury, space-savvy designs for coastal Florida. From start to finish, we can tailor your pool’s shell, features, lighting, and equipment for St. Pete’s sun, salt, and lifestyle — and we can coordinate seamlessly with our sister company, WinWay Homes, if you’re building a new home.
Explore our Gallery to get inspired and visit our Services to learn how our professional designers work closely with each client to create an oasis in their backyard. Then contact us, so we can bring your pool’s vision to life.
