# Courtyard plunge pool behind a Charleston single house A dark plunge in a brick courtyard, with a sheet of water down the garden wall and palmettos at the gate. Drawn for a pastel Charleston single house with a double piazza, black shutters, a slate roof and a gas lantern, with a walled brick courtyard with a palmetto, crape myrtle, camellias, ivy, boxwood and an iron gate. A design idea for Charleston, SC. Southeast, townhouse courtyard, Colonial. Updated 2026-10-04. ## The numbers - Size: 16 × 8 ft (3.5 to 5 ft deep) - Water surface: 130 sq ft - Water: about 4,000 gal - Coping: 48 linear ft - Deck: 630 sq ft ## The design, spelled out The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 4 ft, slopes over about 5 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 6 ft. ### Shape: Rectangle A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house. ### Size: 16 × 8 ft A small pool about 8 ft wide and 16 ft long. A plunge pool is for cooling off, soaking and a small yard, not for swimming laps. That is about 130 sq ft of water and about 4,000 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 3.5 ft deep. ### Pool finish: Plaster A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. Warm, humid water grows algae faster, so a smooth, dense finish is easier to keep clean. ### 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 48 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 48 linear ft around this pool. ### Deck: Concrete pavers Grey interlocking concrete pavers. Pavers move with the ground and can be lifted and reset, which helps where the soil freezes or shifts. The deck is about 630 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often. ### Planting: Keep what's there The planting already in the yard. Keeps mature trees and shade in place and saves disruption. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris. ### 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. ### Furniture: Dining table Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen. ### 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 walled brick courtyard with a palmetto, crape myrtle, camellias, ivy, boxwood and an iron gate. A courtyard pool is a small, walled room, so every inch has to do a job. Walls give privacy and shade, and also limit access and sun. A compact plunge pool with a clean edge and a single feature water element fits better than a bigger pool crowding the seating. The house is a pastel Charleston single house with a double piazza, black shutters, a slate roof and a gas lantern. A colonial house wants symmetry, brick or flagstone and a formal edge. A tidy rectangle, stone coping and a calm palette respect the house's proportions. Clipped hedges and simple furniture keep the formality. ## Will it fit your yard? Plan on a clear area of about 34 by 26 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 33 by 25 ft. ## Southeast: what the climate asks of this pool A Southeast pool is used for a long, humid season, so shade, drainage and old-yard constraints decide the design. - Heat and humidity mean shade, ceiling fans under a pergola and a deck that does not hold water make the yard usable. - Red clay and mature trees are common. Roots, drainage and soil movement all shape the excavation. - Summer thunderstorms are frequent. Plan where the water runs off the deck and keep electrical equipment high and dry. - Historic and coastal neighborhoods can have design review. Ask about fence, structure and lighting rules early. ## What this will cost No price is printed for this design. Ask a local builder for a quote. What moves the price: - Size. This pool has about 130 sq ft of water surface and about 4,000 gallons. More surface means more excavation, steel, finish and equipment. - Deck. About 630 sq ft of paving is a large line item on its own. Ask for the deck priced separately so you can compare materials. - Water features (sheer descents), each with its own plumbing and pump capacity. ## Questions to ask a builder - How will you protect the existing trees and drain the deck in a summer thunderstorm? - Will a pool this small have room for the equipment, and can I swim in it or only soak? - What pump runs the sheer descents, and how loud is it at night? - What base sits under the pavers, and how are they locked in against movement? - What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping? - Who pulls the permit, and how long does approval usually take in this town? Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=courtyard-plunge-pool-charleston