Pool Privacy Ideas: Tips for Creating your Private Poolside Oasis.

A day spent lounging by the pool just isn’t as enjoyable when you can feel the prying eyes of the neighbors watching your every move.

Privacy is already an important consideration for many homeowners, but it’s even more of a priority when you’re taking a dip or soaking up some rays. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of ingenious privacy ideas guaranteed to make your pool—whether vinyl, gunite, or fiberglass—the place to be this summer.

As you read through, imagine yourself kicked back with the sun on your face, an ice-cold drink in your hand, and not a worry in the world.

Retaining Walls

Nobody likes the idea of building walls to shut out the neighbors, but sometimes you just don’t have any other choice.

Building a wall around the outer perimeter of your pool can help keep you and your family comfortably out of sight while you’re making use of your pool, particularly if your home is situated uphill from the next house over. 

Furthermore, an elegantly designed and solidly constructed wall could up your home’s resale value considerably.

Fences

Many places have laws requiring that homeowners fence in the area around their pools for safety purposes. Seeing as how you’ve already got to put in a fence, why not be certain that it’s peep-proof? The peace of mind you stand to gain will no doubt justify any extra expense you might incur.

From traditional picket assemblies to corrugated metal panels to intricately patterned wrought iron eye-stoppers, you have no shortage of options. Just make sure your new fence is four feet or taller, as state laws often mandate a minimum height of 48 inches.

Privacy Screens

Privacy screens offer most of the same benefits of dedicated fencing, but with a pair of added advantages: cost-effectiveness and portability.

You can buy as many screens as you think you need, set them up wherever you want, and move them around as you see fit. In some cases, you may be able to get the desired degree of separation using only a single screen.

And since privacy screens come in so many shapes, sizes, and designs, the decorative possibilities are practically endless.

Retractable Awnings

Falling somewhere between fences and privacy screens, retractable awnings combine the complete coverage of the former solution with the affordability and modular nature of the latter.

As their name implies, retractable awnings can be stretched out to allow for private poolside sessions, then rolled back up when you want to open things up a bit. They’re versatile not only in terms of application but also configuration. You can install them at ground level, like a wall or fence, or from an elevated structure or surface, like a traditional awning.

More and more homeowners have begun incorporating flexible privacy solutions like retractable awnings in recent years, and for good reason - they’re an excellent middle-ground measure that’s both highly effective and economically practical.

Canopies & Umbrellas

Canopies aren’t just good for shielding you from the sun. They’re also good for shielding you from view.

In the same way, a few strategically placed umbrellas can be useful for interrupting an onlooker’s gaze from above. Condo owners, this may just be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Canopies, umbrellas, and other pop-up covers are among the cheapest and most non-committal out there, and they give off a fun, beachy vibe to boot. Who doesn’t like the idea of having their own private cabana?

Plants

If you’re a nature lover, you might prefer the verdant beauty of a high shrub or line of trees to the man-made artificiality of a fence or privacy screen.

Time-honored hedge selections like bamboo (depending on your planting zone this one could be considered invasive), arborvitae, boxwood, and privet can all make excellent botanical screens. Even large potted plants like monstera and camellias can cut off visual access to spots that would otherwise be open for all to see.

One neat thing about greenery is that it can be employed in combination with privacy screens, presenting you with far more options for customizing the appearance of your pool deck.

Water Features

Privacy isn’t just a matter of what your neighbors can see. It also extends to what they can hear - and vice-versa.

For this reason, investing in a fountain, spillway, or miniature waterfall can be a wise decision, especially if you happen to live in a community where the homes are relatively close together. These sorts of fixtures help mask intrusive outdoor noise with the relaxing sounds of trickling water.

Since features work by continuously recycling water from an input source, they aren’t too expensive to operate. Most of the cost involved goes toward the initial purchase and installation.