# Barn-style farmhouse pool in the Hudson Valley

A natural stone lap pool and a firepit lounge on a field's edge, with the Catskills as a backdrop. Drawn for a restored white farmhouse with a black metal roof, a modern barn-style addition and a long porch, with open acreage with an old apple tree, tall grass, a stone wall, native perennials and the Catskill hills behind.

A design idea for Rhinebeck, NY. Northeast and New England, ranch or acreage, Modern farmhouse. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 40 × 10 ft (4 to 5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 400 sq ft
- Water: about 13,500 gal
- Coping: 100 linear ft
- Deck: 1,320 sq ft

## The design, spelled out

The floor is 4 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 11 ft, slopes over about 14 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 15 ft.

### Shape: Rectangle

A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house.

### Size: 40 × 10 ft

A long, narrow pool about 10 ft wide and 40 ft long, built for swimming lengths. It gives a straight lane and an even depth for exercise, and it fits a long, thin yard better than a wide pool does. That is about 400 sq ft of water and about 13,500 gallons.

### Steps: Corner steps

Steps tucked into a corner. Keeps the water free for swimming and saves space in a small pool. The steps lead into water 4 ft deep.

### Pool finish: Plaster

A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. A freeze season stresses plaster, so ask how the pool is winterized to protect the finish.

### Finish color: Light grey finish, soft turquoise water

A light grey interior. Gives soft turquoise water that suits most houses.

### Waterline tile: Grey stone

Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 100 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Flagstone

Natural flagstone with irregular edges. Gives a natural, informal look that blends with planting and rock. It runs about 100 linear ft around this pool. Coping takes the worst of freeze and thaw, so it should be rated for it and set in a flexible joint.

### Deck: Wood-look deck

Warm brown composite wood-look boards. Soft on bare feet and warm to look at. Darker boards can run hot in full sun, so check the color. The deck is about 1,320 sq ft here. Where it freezes, the base and the joints matter more than the surface.

### Planting: Keep what's there

The planting already in the yard. Keeps mature trees and shade in place and saves disruption.

### Add to the yard: Fire pit

Fire pit: A round fire pit with seating. Extends the evening. Local burn rules and clearance from the house and plants apply.

### Furniture: Loungers, Outdoor sofa

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Outdoor sofa: An outdoor sofa and lounge chairs. Makes the deck feel like a living room outside.

### Light: Golden hour

Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: open acreage with an old apple tree, tall grass, a stone wall, native perennials and the Catskill hills behind. On acreage there is room to spread out, so the pool can be sized for the whole family and for entertaining. Space lets you place the pool for the best light and keep it away from trees. A well, a septic field and an easement can still limit where it goes, so locate them first.

The house is a restored white farmhouse with a black metal roof, a modern barn-style addition and a long porch. A modern farmhouse asks for clean lines with a warm, relaxed finish. Crisp rectangles, soft grey water and honed stone or pavers sit well beside white siding and dark window frames. Keep the planting simple and the furniture casual.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 58 by 28 ft for the pool, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 60 by 30 ft.

## Northeast and New England: what the climate asks of this pool

A Northeast pool is built for a short season and a long winter, in yards that are often small and tight.

- Winterizing is a yearly job. A safety cover, drained and blown lines and frost protected equipment are part of the plan.
- Freeze and thaw is hard on stone and concrete. Pick paving that is rated for it and ask how the base is drained.
- Space is tight and access can be hard. A crane, a narrow side yard or a rooftop changes what can be built and how it is brought in.
- Historic districts and homeowner associations can review fences and structures. Check before you commit to a look.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 13,500 gallons. It is 40 by 10 ft with about 400 sq ft of water, 4 ft deep at the steps and 5 ft at the deep end. The gallons come from adding up the depth over the real floor, steps and shelf included.

**How big a yard does it need?** Plan on a clear area of about 58 by 28 ft for the pool, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 60 by 30 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for NY is $95,000 to $225,000 all in: the pool, deck, coping, fence and features listed on this page. Permits and engineering are not in it. It is a range built from published prices, not a quote, and real jobs usually land inside it rather than on its edges.

**How long does it take to build?** Plan on about 3 to 6 months from a signed contract to the first swim. Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts.

## Why it works here

Field edges ask for a pool that stays low and long, so a 40 x 10 lap pool of about 13,500 gallons lines up with the porch and keeps the barn-style addition in charge. Light grey plaster, grey stone tile and flagstone coping read as natural, and the wood-look deck and fire pit lounge keep evenings usable.

What to watch: This design shows no fence, and open acreage with a long pool still needs a barrier the town accepts. Hudson Valley winters also mean freeze protection and a heavy cover for a pool this length.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$95,000 to $225,000 for NY, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $37,000 to $104,000. 400 sq ft of water at $90 to $250 a square foot (shell, excavation, plumbing, equipment, plaster). Steps and the sun shelf are part of the shell.
- Coping: $4,000 to $5,500. 100 linear ft at $40 to $55 a foot.
- Deck: $55,000 to $110,000. 1,317 sq ft at $40 to $80 a square foot installed.
- Fire pit: $500 to $3,000. A fire pit, wood or gas.

Sources: [US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state](https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area); [HomeAdvisor, in-ground pool cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/inground-pool); [Fixr, gunite and concrete pool](https://www.fixr.com/costs/inground-gunite-concrete-swimming-pool); [Pool Research, plunge pool cost](https://poolresearch.com/plunge-pool-cost/); [Pool Research, pool coping cost](https://poolresearch.com/coping-cost/); [HomeAdvisor, pool deck cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-deck); [Fixr, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [HomeAdvisor, outdoor kitchen](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-an-outdoor-kitchen)

## How long it takes

3 to 6 months from contract to first swim. Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts.



## What it is made of

- Interior: Plaster, light grey (about 850 sq ft of shell). A smooth cement-based surface. It is the least expensive interior and the one most likely to stain, etch or scale if the water chemistry drifts.
- Waterline tile: Grey stone (about 100 linear ft, 10 in. band). A stone-look porcelain: matte, calm and forgiving of fingerprints and water spots.
- Coping: Flagstone (about 100 linear ft). Natural, irregular stone. It looks like it was always there and needs its joints watched for movement.
- Deck: Wood-look deck (about 1,320 sq ft). Composite boards that look like timber. They stay splinter free but can get hot in direct sun, and a dark color shows scratches and fades first.
- Yard addition: Fire pit. A round fire pit with seating. It needs clear space from the house, the plants and the pool, and a town that allows it.

## Keeping it up

- Plaster in this climate: Plaster is the finish a freeze season stresses most, so close the pool carefully and do not drain it.
- When it is resurfaced: Plaster is usually redone every 5 to 15 years, depending on the water and the builder (HomeAdvisor, pool resurfacing and Shasta Pools, plaster versus pebble). On this pool that is about 850 sq ft of interior.
- Wood-look deck deck: Wash the composite boards with soap and water, and keep furniture feet from scratching a dark color.
- Winter: Close the pool before the first hard freeze: lower the water, blow out the lines, drain or turn off the features and fit a cover. A heater or heat pump is an option for the shoulder seasons.
- Yearly running cost: Owners commonly budget $3,000 to $5,000 a year for chemicals, power, service and repairs (HomeAdvisor, in-ground pool cost, 2026).

## Questions to ask a builder

- How will equipment and materials reach this yard, and what does winterizing involve for this layout?
- Without a fence in the picture, what barrier or alarm will the town require around a 40 foot lap pool, and where would it sit?
- Is this long enough and even enough in depth for real laps, and how do the ends handle the turn?
- What clearance does the fire pit need from the house and the plants, and does the town allow it?
- How hot does this composite get in the sun, and what is the warranty on the color?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=barn-style-pool-hudson-valley