When you think of your dream home, you’re bound to come up with plenty of ideas. What the bedrooms would be like, the kitchen and dining rooms, entertaining areas… But we’re sure that whatever your taste, having a pool in the garden is an absolute must, especially here in southern Portugal. Whether you love to dive in and vigorously swim lengths, have a leisurely float on your back or just dip your toes in from the edge, having a swimming pool is the perfect addition to your dream home.
In fact, pools are so much more than a place to cool off – they’re part of the house design, built into the architecture and landscape to meet each client’s needs. They’re not an addition or afterthought. Everything from their shape to their depth is carefully considered, ensuring they work harmoniously with their surroundings to create a sustainable splash pad that looks good and is suitable for a home’s residents.
So, how do we make our pools sustainable? For one, by ensuring they’re no bigger than they need to be. Heard of the tiny house movement? Tiny pools follow the same logic, ensuring you’re not adding metres for the sake of it, giving you exactly what you need and no more. This goes for depth too. Anything over 1.80m? It’s a lot of water for little benefit, something we make sure we explain to every client. Next: cutting down on chemicals and additives. From saltwater to natural regeneration pools, we have a few tricks up our sleeves to make our pools friendlier on the environment and clients’ skin.
So, slather on the sunscreen and grab your swim things; we’re going for a dip in CORE’s top six pools.
Splash into the semi-circle at Casa Azul
Forget rectangular pools and take a dip in Casa Azul’s shimmering semi-circular marvel. Wide, sweeping steps lead you down to the poolside, where you can step into the innovative up-splashing pool shower before diving in. This is a hydrogenic pool, which means it uses environmentally friendly hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine to keep the water crystal clear… And don’t worry about getting the water in your mouth – this saltwater pool has water so clean, it’s drinkable (and you’ll barely taste the salt)! Although perhaps you prefer a different kind of beverage to sit by the poolside while enjoying the views of the gentle hills surrounding this beautiful property.
Time to Relax at Villa DA
Take your pick of places to chill out and cool off from the hot days here at Villa DA. Swimming and splashing, dipping, and diving are, of course, the great thing about having a pool, but when you finish, you want somewhere relaxing to dry off. Fancy a swing in the hammock? No problem. It sits right by the pool on a raised platform (keeping the wood dry ensures it lasts longer). Not ready to grab your towel? Then paddle over to the sunken chairs where you can immerse yourself in the water, all while lying back and relaxing. Bliss.
Sunset by the Pool at Casa BJ
Even the simplest-looking pools are a joy to see and take a refreshing dip in on a hot day. This sustainable pool runs the length of the house and blends seamlessly into the surroundings. It’s the perfect place to sit and enjoy a refreshing breakfast or bask in the dwindling daylight with a post-dinner drink while watching the sun go down.
Twice the Fun at Casa RH
Why have one pool when you can have two? Villa RH has done just that and installed a pool per floor. The top floor, with its large entertaining area and terrace, adds to the fun with a reflection pool where guests can take a dip while enjoying the views. Or, if you prefer, head down to the ground floor to the large pool on the terrace and dive in to enjoy a refreshing swim.
Swimming with a view at Villa GK
People talk about a room with a view, but how about a pool with a view? Right outside the house-length windows, set atop the sloping garden, is this shimmering pool. Whether cooling off in the pool or lounging beside it, if you take a look down the sloping hills, you’ll see bountiful greenery and the occasional house before your eyes rest of the horizon where the sky meets the sea.
Water feature Wonder at Villa NK
Last, but certainly not least, Villa NK features a distinctive water feature that leads on from the entrance hall. The same width as the hall, it connects the inside of the house with the pool beyond and a glint of the sea in the distance. Then there’s the pool itself – a saltwater infinity pool with a counter-current system that allows the client to keep up his passion for long-distance swimming without requiring miles of pool to swim in. 10 metres long and 1.8 metres deep, it keeps to tiny pool principles and ticks all ours and the client’s boxes!
So, there you have it, pools of all shapes and sizes to suit everyone’s taste. CORE’s sustainable pools certainly add the splash factor to our properties for a quick dip to invigorate your morning or a leisurely paddle to cool down in the afternoon.
