# Contemporary pool with a cabana in a Bellevue new build

A rectangle with a sun shelf, a cabana for the rainy days and a glass fence in front of the city view. Drawn for a new three-story contemporary house with dark cedar siding, a flat roof and floor-to-ceiling glass, with a landscaped yard with evergreen trees, ornamental grasses, a stone path and distant lit city towers.

A design idea for Bellevue, WA. Pacific Northwest, new-build subdivision, Contemporary. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 30 × 15 ft (3.5 to 5.5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 450 sq ft
- Water: about 10,200 gal
- Coping: 90 linear ft
- Deck: 1,450 sq ft
- Hot tub: 7 ft square (about 1,100 gal)

## The design, spelled out

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 8 ft, slopes over about 10 ft, then runs level at 5.5 ft for the last 11 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

### Shape: Rectangle

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

### Size: 30 × 15 ft

A pool about 15 ft wide and 30 ft long. A common family size with room for play and a short swim. That is about 450 sq ft of water and about 10,200 gallons.

### Steps: Wide steps

Wide steps across one end. Easy for kids and older swimmers, and a place to sit in the shallow water. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

### Sun shelf: With an umbrella

A sun shelf with an umbrella in the water. Adds shade so the shelf is usable at midday.

### Hot tub: Spills into the pool, 7 ft square

A hot tub built into the pool and level with the deck, spilling into it. It shares the pool's water and equipment, so one heater and one set of chemistry cover both. The tub holds about 1,100 gallons.

### Pool finish: Quartz

Plaster with quartz aggregate, smooth with a bit of sparkle. Usually holds color and resists staining better than plain plaster, and stays gentle on feet. Cool, wet weather means more leaves and less sun, so a darker finish helps warm the water.

### Finish color: Midnight finish, dark, mirror-like water

A midnight interior. Gives dark, mirror-like water that reflects the sky and the house.

### Waterline tile: Charcoal

Charcoal glass at the waterline. A bold, modern line that deepens the water color. It runs about 90 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Porcelain

Large-format grey porcelain with a square edge. Crisp and low maintenance, ideal beside a modern house. Check it is rated for exterior use where it freezes. It runs about 90 linear ft around this pool.

### Deck: Porcelain tile

Large-format light grey porcelain tile. A modern, low maintenance deck that resists stains and fading. The deck is about 1,450 sq ft here. A textured surface and good drainage keep this deck safe through a wet week.

### Planting: Modern

Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. A tidy, low-maintenance frame that suits clean architecture. Keep needles and leaves away from the skimmer by planting away from the water's edge.

### Pool fence: Glass

A frameless glass pool fence. It keeps the view open. Your town's barrier code sets the height, the gate and the latch, so ask before you design around it.

### Water features: Sheer descents

Sheer descents: Sheets of water pouring from a wall into the pool. A calm, modern sound that masks street noise. It needs a pump sized for the flow.

### Add to the yard: Cabana

Cabana: A small, open-sided cabana beside the pool. A shady place to change, nap or stash towels. It needs a footing and often a permit.

### 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: a landscaped yard with evergreen trees, ornamental grasses, a stone path and distant lit city towers. A new-build lot starts as bare ground, so grading, drainage and the house's own plan shape the pool. Subdivision lots are often tight and graded for drainage. Check the homeowner association rules, the utility easements and the setbacks before the layout is final.

The house is a new three-story contemporary house with dark cedar siding, a flat roof and floor-to-ceiling glass. A contemporary house asks for hard edges, quiet colors and one confident feature. Rectangles, large-format porcelain or concrete, and a single water feature keep the yard calm and let the architecture lead.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 57 by 33 ft for the pool, the tub, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 59 by 35 ft.

## Pacific Northwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the Pacific Northwest, a pool is for the dry months and the warm tub in the wet ones, so heat and a cover are the design.

- Rain and cool nights mean a heater, a solar cover or a heat pump is part of the plan, not an upgrade for later.
- Shade from tall evergreens is a trade-off: it keeps the deck cool and fills the pool with needles, so keep the water away from the drip line when you can.
- Wet weather is hard on slick surfaces. A textured deck and a covered area for the hot tub or seating extend the season.
- Small city lots are common, so a compact pool with a narrow deck and a fire feature can fit better than a classic rectangle.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 10,200 gallons. It is 30 by 15 ft with about 450 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 5.5 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 57 by 33 ft for the pool, the tub, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 59 by 35 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for WA is $75,000 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

Floor-to-ceiling glass faces this yard, so the glass pool fence keeps the view of the distant city towers clear. Porcelain coping and deck match the dark cedar siding, the sun shelf with an umbrella gives shade, and the cabana covers the rainy days on the 30 x 15 pool.

What to watch: Sheer descents and a hot tub spilling into the pool look good but add moving parts and noise, and glass fence panels show every water spot. In a wet climate, expect regular wiping.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$75,000 to $225,000 for WA, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $42,000 to $116,000. 450 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: $2,000 to $3,500. 90 linear ft at $20 to $40 a foot.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $19,000. A spa added to a new pool.
- Sheer descents: $1,500 to $4,000. Two descents. Each, installed.
- Wall for the water: $2,000 to $8,500. The wall that sheer descents and scuppers pour from, where none exists.
- Cabana: $8,000 to $31,000. Priced at $150 to $600 a square foot for a custom pool house, over this cabana's footprint.
- Pool fence: $18,000 to $41,000. 187 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $95 to $210 a foot installed.

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, hot tub cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/install-a-hot-tub); [Shasta Pools, Arizona costs](https://shastapools.com/blog/breaking-down-the-cost-of-an-arizona-pool); [Simplified Pools, water features guide](https://simplifiedpools.com/blog/pool-water-features-fountains-guide/); [Block Renovation, building a pool house](https://www.blockrenovation.com/guides/building-a-pool-house-costs-design-tips); [Fixr, pool fence](https://www.fixr.com/costs/swimming-pool-fence)

## 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.

- The yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.
- The hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Quartz, midnight (about 720 sq ft of shell). Plaster with quartz grains mixed in. Smoother than pebble and tougher than plaster, with a little sparkle under the water.
- Waterline tile: Charcoal (about 90 linear ft, 10 in. band). Charcoal glass makes the water read dark and mirror-like, and it shows mineral spots until they are wiped off.
- Coping: Porcelain (about 90 linear ft). Large, flat porcelain slabs with a square edge. Very modern, and the joints and the edge profile need a careful installer.
- Deck: Porcelain tile (about 1,450 sq ft). Large porcelain tile. Very clean and modern. Check its slip rating for a wet area and keep the joints sealed.
- Pool fence: Glass (about 185 linear ft around the deck as drawn). Frameless glass keeps the view open and needs wiping to stay clear. Its height, gate and hardware have to meet your town's barrier rules.
- Planting: Modern. Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. Tidy and low water, with the beds kept away from the skimmer.
- Water feature: Sheer descents. Thin sheets of water that pour from a wall. They run on the pool pump and can be loud or quiet, so ask to hear one.
- Yard addition: Cabana. A small open-sided shelter beside the pool: shade, a changing spot and somewhere to keep towels.
- Hot tub: Spills into the pool, square (about 1,100 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

## Keeping it up

- Quartz in this climate: Quartz stays smooth under leaves and rain. Brush it after a storm so debris does not stain it.
- Porcelain tile deck: Wash the porcelain with a neutral cleaner and keep the joints sealed. Check the slip rating if it will be wet most days.
- Sheer descents: Sheer descents grow a film of algae on the wall. Wipe it down and run them on a timer rather than all day.
- The hot tub: A hot tub is a second body of water with its own chemistry. Keep it covered between uses and drain and clean it on the maker's schedule.
- Glass fence: Glass fence panels show water spots. Wipe them down and rinse the hardware.
- Leaves and rain: Wet weather brings leaves, needles and slick surfaces. Put a cover on for the wet months, keep the skimmer baskets clear and brush the steps.
- 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

- What heating and cover system do you recommend here, and how will water drain off the deck in a wet week?
- Where does the cabana sit compared with the hot tub and the sheer descents, and how will spray be kept off it?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
- What does the town's barrier code require for the glass height and the gate, and how do you clean it?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=contemporary-new-build-pool-bellevue