Mediterranean Pool Designs and Ideas

Mediterranean pool designs go well with lots of decor schemes, and can fit in with either contemporary or conventional styles.
Mediterranean Pool Designs and Ideas

Last update: 24 June, 2019

The Mediterranean style has a richness to it, and blends lots of concepts together. There are all kinds of influences: Turkish, Moroccan, Iberian, and a bit of traditional Italian thrown in too. That diversity of style is what makes a Mediterranean pool such an amazing choice, with endless possibilities. 

Mediterranean pool designs

A Mediterranean design for a pool.

The design of a pool should have a strong link to the essence of a home or its decor scheme. If you want to understand this style, it’s good to start with some knowledge of the essence of a Mediterranean home.

The right type of pool for each home tends to depend on the overall environment, colors, and materials. One of the main characteristics here is the purity of materials. That’s why you’ll often see things like wood, stone, and white limestone in this style.

A Mediterranean style house has external characteristics that play a big part in the design of its pool. Most of these kinds of houses have inclined roofs with terracotta tiles, porches, and arched windows that will make you feel like you’re in ancient Greece.

Their gardens tend to follow along the same lines. They have a sense of simplicity, pure materials, and bright colors. A touch of wicker here or some handmade items there are also common with this style of home.

Once you know about all these details, it’s easy to spot a pool that doesn’t go well with the Mediterranean style. Materials like metal, which are just too industrial, don’t go well with this kind of space. The goal is an environment that feels natural and organic, and that’s the kind of material you want to use.

There are still lots of options even with that in mind. Use a small waterfall, make it feel like an oasis, add wood, give it an Ibizan feel…there are endless ideas for creating a Mediterranean pool outside your home.

Modern ideas for a Mediterranean pool design

Mediterranean pool with a view of the sea.

The idea that you want a sense of purity in the style or architecture might make you think that this can’t work with a modern or contemporary decor scheme. Nothing could be further from the truth. A Mediterranean style pool can hold onto that essence of purity and still be innovative. 

One good example is to use plain structures and white. It’s super minimalist and keeps all the lightness of this decorative trend.

Making a Mediterranean style pool within a modern environment also goes really well with technology. One idea we particularly love is to install internal lights in the structures themselves. 

Seeing a garden or terrace with a pool radiating light looks amazing, and works perfectly with plain, serious houses that have a geometrical design. Using lights in this way will also help you create distinct atmospheres with the play of light on the water and outdoor furniture.

Inspiring pools

A wooden deck for a pool.

If you want to really go for the Mediterranean style, you can try to use lots of wood. Pools that are completely surrounded by this material look really great. Plus, they give you a lot of room to play around with your design and add different levels and shapes.

If you’re able to get exotic plants and palm trees, you can make it look even more amazing. It will create an environment that makes you feel like you’re on the gorgeous Italian, Tunisian, or Baltic coast.

Along that natural line, having a pool with a waterfall effect can also be great. Of course, just make sure it’s within your budget because these kinds of things tend to need a lot of work and money.

The final result is absolutely stunning and works really well if you have a lot of space. However, if you have a smaller yard or garden, it might cut off your line of sight and make the pool area seem even smaller.

Combining your pool design with other Mediterranean elements is not only practical but can also look great. For example, one thing we love is the idea of having a platform over the water that you can put a summerhouse on.

Doing that will give you the chance to have dinners outside that make you feel like you’re on the shores of the Mediterranean, without having to leave your backyard. Adding light colored steps into the pool is practical, and will also add a regal feel to your space. Plus, if your pool is relatively big, you can do both.

Colors and materials for a Mediterranean pool

Colors and materials for a Mediterranean pool.

With all these natural materials involved, it should come as no surprise that the main colors for a Mediterranean pool are white and earth tones. This is also something where you can factor in the area around you: if you’re in a colorful area, you don’t need the color to come from your pool decor.

But you can use some kind of deep or Turkish blue, which go perfectly with white. If you want a bit more color, you could also put in some Moroccan style tiles. Otherwise, if you’re having doubts or feeling uninspired open your window and get some inspiration from the world around you.