22 Above-Ground Pools Ideas for a Stylish Outdoor Space in 2025

Choose a border that allows for good drainage, like gravel. Cate Singleton, Tilly’s director of design, says, “Layering pots with seasonal color into a gravel base around the pool can not only provide pops of color and texture, but the gravel also allows for good drainage.” The added landscaping also softens the edges of the pool.

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For a family that loves to entertain, sometimes a patio space isn’t enough—for the same home as above, the team at Tilly Designs added a deck that extended from the patio to incorporate the pool into the entertaining space. “The wooden deck constructed around the above-ground pool adds warmth in addition to extending the usable patio space,” Singleton says. “The extension of the deck past the covered patio creates an additional sunning area, great for loungers.”

Related: 31 Pool Deck Design Ideas for the Ultimate Lounge Area

Decorate your above-ground pool with small tiles to give it a sort of mosaic look that sparkles in the sun, like Prideaux Designs did with this shallow pool.

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Though you can’t dive into an above-ground pool, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to get a running start on your cannonball. Adding a deck around your pool creates the perfect hangout spot or launching point for adults and kids, plus it makes the landscaping appear more intentional.

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Plant fragrant flowers around the perimeter of your above-ground pool for some added whimsy and beauty. Just make sure you don’t accidentally spill chlorinated water into the beds.

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Make every aspect of the landscaping around your above-ground pool monochromatic, and it’ll feel like you’re in Greece. In this case, Krystal from House of Harvee went with white stone pavers, white tile, white wood on her deck, and a white privacy fence, making the small backyard feel large in style.

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For a mix of greenery around your above-ground pool, plant a mix of native shrubs, grasses, and flowers to create a colorful border. It will help hide the outside of your pool if you’re not a huge fan of the exposed look and make your yard prettier in the process.

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If you don’t have space (or budget) for chaises, you should still add in some kind of seating and a little side table. Something simple and light that you can easily take inside when the weather turns sour, like these minimalist black chairs, is an ideal option that won’t take up much space in your garage or under your porch.

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There’s nothing wrong with a simple grass lawn, and if your kids are a bit rambunctious in the water, keep the landscaping fairly plain so as not to ruin anything with sudden splashes of chlorinated water. This Intex swimming pool is large enough for some safe horseplay, so a plain yard might be the best bet.

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Stone pavers are a favorite among landscape designers, and placing them alongside your pool like Prideaux Designs did here makes a pool area feel almost resort-like. Lush grass would look lovely, but the pavers elevate the yard to the next level.

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At this Potomac River property, Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture chose to set the above-ground pool alongside the house so that the surface of the water visually aligned with the river from the pool deck and lower level. Access to the pool is now extremely accessible, and the homeowners don’t have to worry about muddy feet traipsing back up the hill to the house.

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For an above-ground pool with a deck built up to it, cover whatever material sticks out from the surface in the same wood that makes up the deck. The team at McMillan Builders gave this pool area a warmer, more cohesive vibe by covering the pool up in the matching wood.

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Don’t let a slanted yard stop you from putting in an above-ground pool. Work with the slant and have your landscape designer dig out part of the yard to make a flat space to work with rather than trying to flatten out the entire area.

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Getting grass on wet feet is not a pleasant feeling at all, so put a brick walkway around your pool. That way, no matter where you get out, your feet won’t be dirty when you go back inside. This above-ground pool has a stone pathway leading up to it and a thin border of gravel right next to the pool wall to help with drainage.

Related: 25 Walkway Ideas to Elevate Your Home and Yard

If a simple border isn’t enough, take grass out of the equation entirely and set up an above-ground pool in a paved portion of your yard. No grass equals no mud, and this Soake Pool fits right in with its matching stone edge.

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