8 Custom Pool Features Worth Considering for Your Central Texas Backyard

When you're designing a custom pool, the number of available features can get overwhelming quickly.

Tanning ledges. Spas. Bubblers. Waterfalls. Fire features. Automation. Lighting.

Which ones are actually worth adding?

The answer depends on your family, property, and how you plan to use the pool. A feature is valuable when it makes the pool more functional or improves the overall design—not simply because it's popular.

Here are eight features worth discussing with your pool designer.

1. Tanning Ledges

Tanning ledges continue to be one of the most popular features in modern custom pools.

And they're practical.

A shallow ledge gives you a place to relax in the water without fully swimming. Depending on the design, it can accommodate submerged loungers, an umbrella, or additional shallow-water space.

The important part is getting the proportions right.

A tanning ledge takes up usable pool space, so its size should reflect how often your family will actually use it.

2. An Integrated Spa

For Central Texas homeowners who want to use their backyard beyond summer, an integrated spa is worth considering.

A spa can be designed at pool level or raised to create an architectural feature.

Raised spas can also incorporate spillovers that connect visually and functionally with the swimming pool.

Placement matters, too. Consider the distance from the house, privacy, surrounding seating, and the view you'll have while using it.

3. Pool Automation

Some of the best pool upgrades aren't the ones guests immediately notice.

Modern pool automation can make managing certain pool functions much more convenient.

Depending on the equipment and system, homeowners may be able to control features such as pumps, heating, lighting, water features, and spa settings from a centralized control or compatible device.

Talk to your builder about which automation features make sense for your equipment and how you plan to use the pool.

4. Thoughtful Pool Lighting

Lighting shouldn't be an afterthought.

A pool may look completely different at night than it does during the day, and good lighting makes the outdoor space more usable after sunset.

Think beyond simply illuminating the water.

Steps, pathways, landscaping, outdoor kitchens, seating areas, and architectural features can all be incorporated into an overall lighting plan.

The goal should be comfortable, intentional lighting—not making your backyard look like a stadium.

5. Water Features

Water features can add movement, sound, and architectural interest to a pool.

Popular options include:

• Sheer descents

• Bubblers

• Spa spillovers

• Waterfalls

• Fountains

• Deck jets

But more isn't always better.

One well-positioned water feature that complements the architecture of the home can have more impact than several features competing for attention.

6. Built-In Shade

If you're designing a custom pool in Austin, Texas, think about August while you're still in the design phase.

Where will you go when you want to get out of the sun?

Shade can come from covered outdoor living areas, pergolas, umbrellas, landscaping, or existing mature trees.

The important thing is planning for it.

A pool can be beautiful and still be uncomfortable if every seating area receives direct afternoon sun.

7. An Outdoor Kitchen Near the Pool

An outdoor kitchen can make sense for homeowners who entertain regularly or spend a lot of time outside.

Placement is important.

You want the kitchen connected to the pool and entertaining space without interfering with traffic around the water.

Consider how people will move between the house, pool, dining area, and kitchen before determining the layout.

8. A Design That Takes Advantage of the Property

This may not sound like a "feature," but it can be one of the most valuable parts of a custom pool.

If your Bee Cave, Lakeway, Dripping Springs, or Hill Country property has a great view, significant elevation, mature trees, or natural rock, consider how those elements could become part of the design.

For the right property, that might mean a negative edge.

For another, it could mean positioning the spa toward a view or designing around an existing oak.

Custom design should take advantage of what makes the property unique.

Which Pool Features Are Worth the Money?

Start with the features you'll actually use.

If your family loves entertaining, prioritize gathering spaces and outdoor cooking.

If relaxation is the goal, an integrated spa, shade, and comfortable lounging areas may be more valuable.

If you want a clean, architectural backyard, you may want fewer features with greater emphasis on materials, proportions, and landscaping.

You don't need every available upgrade to build a luxury pool.

You need the right features for your backyard.

Custom Pool Design in Austin & Central Texas

With more than 35 years of experience, Johnson Custom Pools designs and builds custom swimming pools and outdoor living spaces throughout Austin, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Dripping Springs, and Central Texas.

Our goal isn't to fit as many features as possible into your backyard. It's to help you determine which design, materials, and features make sense for your home and how you want to use the space.

Planning a custom pool? Contact Johnson Custom Pools to schedule a design consultation and start creating a backyard built around you.