6 Ways to Light Up Your Swimming Pool

The summer season is finally here, and your swimming pool will once again become the center of attention at your home. As a proud pool owner, you want to find ways to make your pool a safe and inviting space throughout the day and night. During the day, you don’t need to do much. After all, what majestic body of water doesn’t catch the eye in an outdoor living area (or even indoors)?

However, when the sun sets, you need to illuminate your pool area to ensure it remains a safe and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space. With that in mind, this article will explore the benefits of lighting up your swimming pool and discuss six effective pool lighting ideas for your pool and its surrounding areas.

Benefits of Illuminating Your Swimming Pool

The primary benefits of lighting up your swimming pool are both aesthetic and practical. Stylish lighting can turn your pool area into a place for gathering with friends and family. You can also use lighting to create a certain ambiance, as lighting affects mood. Soft lighting, for example, makes the environment more relaxing.

Furthermore, by illuminating specific features of your pool, such as waterfalls or landscaping, you can highlight the unique elements of your pool and contribute to its visual appeal.

The secondary benefit of pool lighting is the health and safety aspect. People are less likely to have accidents in the pool or fall from the pool deck into the water if they can see where they are going.

With that in mind, let’s look at six pool lighting ideas that you can implement to enjoy the perfect pool experience this summer.

1. Shine Lights From Above

The most practical way to illuminate your pool and its surrounding area is to direct lights from above.

The most common way to light up your pool is by mounting lights on surrounding structures, such as pergolas or nearby trees. For example, you can install our bronze CAST classic niche light under the roof of a building or another surface. You can also use our CAST Classic Tree Lights in a similar manner.

Directional lights allow you to highlight specific parts of your pool and its surrounding area. You can experiment with the positioning of the pool lights to create the perfect ambiance for your pool environment.

2. Illuminate Your Pool Deck

A pool is rarely a standalone feature. In many homes, the pool is surrounded by a deck, which is the perfect place to gather, relax, and enjoy the day even if you decide not to swim.

There are various ways in which you can illuminate your pool deck. For example, you can use recessed lights on your deck. Consider using dimmers as well, so you can set the atmosphere for the evening.

You can complement the electrical lighting with fire features such as lanterns, tiki torches, or striking fire bowls. The flickering flames add to the ambiance of the pool. At the same time, the flames provide a welcoming warmth to the deck, making it cozy for evening pool parties.

3. Light Up Your Pathway

The location of your pool will influence the type of lighting you use to illuminate the area. You should take advantage of tall objects around the pool for lighting.

For instance, you can tactfully use outdoor lights to illuminate the pathway or area surrounding your pool. Recessed floor lights, such as our Recessed Mini Narrow Spot Light, can be used to illuminate your garden.

You can also install pathway or garden lights placed approximately 6 to 8 feet apart to light up paths or strategically placed within the foliage to illuminate the surrounding area. Refer to the image above to see how it’s done.

4. Accentuate Your Steps

If you have an elevated pool area, consider installing ground lights to illuminate those steps. With this approach, you’ll not only enhance the aesthetics but also ensure the safety of your visitors.

How many times have we stumbled over a step we couldn’t see? Probably more times than we can count.

To prevent these unnecessary accidents around your pool, install small low-voltage lights on the sides or below each step. The lights improve visibility and add to the ambiance.

If you want to add a dramatic effect around your pool, position your step lights to cast a soft glow on the water’s surface. This creates a beautiful reflection that captures people’s attention.

5. Use Underwater Lighting for Your Water Features

You may be fortunate enough to have other water features around your pool, such as a natural pond, fountain, or stream. These water features can become a highlight of the gardens surrounding your pool at night.

Our CAST underwater lights can be placed within your surrounding water features to illuminate the water from below. With these lighting fixtures, you can make the color of your water stand out. However, these lights are not suitable for swimming pools and should only be used in water features surrounding your pool.

6. Illuminate the Surrounding Trees

One of the pool lighting ideas we’ve discussed involves installing lights in trees alongside your pool to illuminate your pool from above. In this case, you’re not installing lights in the trees but creating a Northern feature with top-down lighting.

By illuminating the trees around your pool, you’ll create an inviting atmosphere.

You can use a soft flood light that makes the trees appear larger than they are. It’s a great strategy for creating grandeur. So when your visitors reach the pool, that calmness and serenity that comes with seeing a still body of water will help them relax.

Illuminating trees works best when the outdoor lighting around your pool balances the tree lighting. Create this appearance by placing subtle lighting around your deck and pool. An excellent option would be our new Bluetooth color-changing spotlights. These top-down lights allow you to illuminate your trees and also give you the option to add colorful highlights.

Conclusion

Your swimming pool is an important feature of your home, especially during those hot summer months. Illuminate your pool to give it the attention it deserves. Good lighting will make your pool aesthetically pleasing and ensure the safety of your visitors.

This article has shared six outdoor pool lighting ideas. Shine lights from above to highlight your pool, illuminate your pool deck, light up the pathway leading to the structure, and the nearby steps.

Choose one or two ideas from these pool lighting options, and you won’t be the only one smiling once the lights are installed. Even your visitors will be impressed. The downside (or upside?): expect more self-invitations from friends and family.

Related FAQs

1. Can I install pool lights that change colors?
   Yes, you can install pool lights that change colors. These lights create a beautiful and vibrant lighting effect in your pool. They can enhance the visual appeal of your pool and create a festive atmosphere. It is important to seek professional assistance to properly install color-changing pool lights.

2. How do I keep my pool lighting safe?
   To keep your pool lighting safe, you need to ensure that it is properly waterproofed and weather-resistant. It is also important to keep the lighting cables and wires hidden and out of reach of swimmers. If you experience any issues with your pool lighting, it is advisable to contact a professional pool technician to inspect and repair it.

3. What is the best type of lighting for pools?
   There are several types of lighting that may be suitable for pools. LED lighting is usually the most popular choice due to its energy-saving properties and long lifespan. Some pool owners also prefer halogen lighting for its bright and warm light. It is important to consider the safety and legal requirements of your area when choosing lighting for your pool.

4. Can I automate my pool lighting?
   Yes, you can automate your pool lighting using a light control system. These systems allow you to schedule and control the lighting of your pool using programmable timers. With automated pool lighting, you can conveniently and efficiently illuminate your pool environment.