Swimming Pool Store

Swimming pool buyers have a wide range of shapes to choose from.  Inground fiberglass pools are prefabricated, which limits the shape selection a little bit, but they come in many choices.  Concrete, or gunite, pools can be created in virtually any shape, which increases buyers choices even more.  The old saying "form follows function" can apply well to choosing a swimming pool shape because the different styles and shapes work well for different purposes.

Rectangular pools, sometimes called rectilinear pools, are good basic swimming pools for people who like to swim laps for health.  They have a classic line that fits well with classic architecture.  Swimming pools began their popularity with the Hollywood film stars of the thirties and forties, and most of these pools were in the rectilinear design.

Oval and round pools were the next to show up on the scene.  Most aboveground pools are in one of these shapes, which are also good for lap swimming.  The curved design of oval and round pools became popular as a new look, an alternative to the more classic lines of the rectangular pools.

The next popular pool shape came on the scene in the late forties, and bears the rather unpleasant name of "kidney-shaped."  This is a curved oval pool that features a slight L-shape.  The kidney shaped pool is nice in that the different ends can easily be distinguished, with one shallow and one deep.  It's freer form of shape has given rise to many more free-form shapes for pools.  Sometimes a kidney shaped pool features a little island or a centrally located fountain.  A kidney shaped spa used in conjunction with a free form pool makes a nice combination for a natural-style swimming area.

Since the advent of the kidney shaped pool, many people have opted for specialty pools, such as the heart-shaped pool owned by the film star Jayne Mansfield, or Liberace's famous piano shaped pool.  Companies that install concrete inground pools can design virtually any shape of pool desired.

Manufacturers of fiberglass pools offer a variety of shapes with different features like colored underwater lights, a fountain, or a connected spa.  The pool shapes feature names that conjure up visions of an island paradise or a luxury home on the Riviera.  The wide variety of shapes makes it likely that a pool buyer can find something that will perfectly accent the architectural style of the home while fitting into virtually any size or shape of yard.