All Things Swimming Pools and Spas by Trilogy Fiberglass Pools

Color Theory - Choosing an Interior Color for your Swimming Pool

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Now that you've decided to get a swimming pool, it's time to choose a color. Let's talk about Color Theory and pool/spa water!

When talking to your pool builder, you might tell him or her, "I want the water in my fiberglass pool to look like the Ocean in Antigua or San Juan", or, "I want my swimming pool water to look like the blue water I saw on my Hawaiian vacation. . ."

We associate our swimming pool color with images of an island paradise or even the vision of the Earth from Space.  We want to help you create a backyard getaway with cool, beautiful water to remind you of your favorite beach vacation, or a peaceful day at some secret hideaway. 

While blue might be your instinctive choice, it is not the only choice.

It's a matter of perspective

You'll probably view your pool the most from two basic vantage points: at a distance (for example, looking out from the kitchen window)

And sitting by the water's edge. 

This is the part where a salesman who doesn't value color theory and aesthetics might say, "the whiter the swimming pool the bluer the water."  This should not be your only consideration.  You should also take into consideration what the pool looks like on close inspection. This is where visual texture comes into play. 

Humans like visual texture. . .We tend to be uncomfortable in spaces with just one color.  Think of living in a solid white box!  The same thing can be said about your new pool.  Do you really want it to be a simple solid color?

Pool customers across the country are saying no.  Today's swimming pools are flush with vivid patterns: on vinyl liners, pebble finishes on concrete, and Trilogy Pool owners have increasingly chosen our unique Solid Surface Pool® and Solid Surface Spa® finishes over traditional solid colors, particularly solid white.

The reason is simple.  First, visual texture creates an inviting and relaxing environment.  Just as important, a pattern tends to mask debris and other material.  Take carpet for example: Solid white carpet seems to be a dirt magnet, while a darker, patterned carpet stays clean. 

Does white really attract more dirt? A swimming pool is no different.  It is this same visual texture that gives a gunite pool its distinctly different look from that of the traditional white fiberglass pool.  This is especially noticeable when the pool is finished with similar tile and brick pavers or a cantilevered deck.  Even white plaster has a mottled finish and it is this subtle difference that has a profound effect on our subconscious view of the surface. 

Selecting a Quality Swimming Pool Finish

Now that you've made it this far, it's time to talk about color selection and see what effect the finishes will have on the swimming pool. 

White Gel Coat

Obviously white cannot be bleached out (it's already white), but it can slightly yellow over time.  If you choose white for your interior finish, this is one good reason to install brick pavers, stone, or cantilever deck and tile.  In this way, all of the white interior will be below the waterline and therefore exposed to identical conditions.  Any slight color shift will typically be even and barely discernible.

A White pool finish is quite easy to repair and pretty robust (whether it's gelcoat in a fiberglass pool or plaster in a concrete or gunite pool). 

White will reflect the most amount of light, which maximizes the scattering and results in the blue water.  How deep blue the color is depends on how deep the water is from your vantage point.  Deep Water = Deep Blue.  Shallow Water = Light Blue.  Glass of water = Transparent.  A white swimming pool will be blue, but not deep blue. And. . .There will be no visual texture other than the debris that may fall to the bottom.

Solid Surface Pools® and Solid Surface Spas® - Brilliant interior swimming pool finish colors

For Fiberglass Pools - Trilogy currently offers 12 Solid Surface Pool color choices.  To get a better idea of what your water color will look like, take a stroll through the Trilogy Pools Water Color Guide.

For Gunite/Concrete Pools, check out the Pebble-Tec Website for a wonderful visual view of Color Theory - Water Colors. (Here's a link to their brochure too! - Pebble-Tec Color Theory Brochure)

For Vinyl Liners, there are some pretty crazy patterns and colors out there! Try to view some liners already installed in a pool. Because the patterns are sometimes profound. . .it might look differently (liner sample vs. installed).  Here's a link to the liner patterns offered by Loop-Loc (they have great safety covers by the way. . .but we'll save that for another blog!)

So there you have it, a detailed look at some of the elements that will ultimately aid in creating the final color of your swimming pool.  There are some excellent reference books available that can give you a much more in depth color analysis, but we hope this article gives you a quick overview for your selection. 

As for Trilogy Fiberglass Pools, We have chosen colors that will be enduring, not trendy, so your swimming pool will look as just as good 20 years from now as it does today.  Regardless of what color you select for your new swimming pool and regardless of what type of pool you choose . . .you are going to have years of enjoyment.  

Have Fun!!!

Your Friends at Team Trilogy