Hillside vanishing edge pool in the Oakland Hills

A long rectangle at the edge of the slope, with the Bay and the Golden Gate in the distance and a redwood deck.

Suits: mid-century modern houses on a hillside or slope in Northern California.

Mid-century modern
Luxury tier
Hot tub
Vanishing edge

Start with this design Upload your yard

Hillside vanishing edge pool in the Oakland Hills: a mid-century modern yard in Oakland, CA, with a terraced hillside with Monterey pines, Japanese maples, ferns, a stone retaining wall and a view of San Francisco Bay. — Drawn for a low mid-century modern house of redwood, glass and white stucco cantilevered over a steep wooded slope, with a terraced hillside with Monterey pines, Japanese maples, ferns, a stone retaining wall and a view of San Francisco Bay.

Size: 36 × 18 ft; 3.5 to 6 ft deep
Water surface: 650 sq ft
Water: about 22,900 gal
Coping: 72 linear ft
Deck: 1,800 sq ft
Hot tub: 7 ft square; about 1,100 gal

The design, spelled out

Every choice in this pool, what it is, and why it suits this house and this part of the country.

Depth profile

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 10 ft, slopes over about 12 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 14 ft.

ShapeRectangle: A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house.
Size36 × 18 ft: A pool about 18 ft wide and 36 ft long. Room for lengths and a group, and a yard that can hold the larger deck it needs. That is about 650 sq ft of water and about 22,900 gallons.
StepsWide 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.
Pool edgeVanishing edge: One edge where the water spills over a wall into a hidden catch basin. It makes the water look like it runs into the view, and it needs a slope or a retaining wall, a catch basin and more engineering.
Hot tubRaised, spills over, 7 ft square: A hot tub raised on a wall and spilling over into the pool. The raised wall gives a seat-height edge and a small waterfall, at the price of extra masonry. The tub holds about 1,100 gallons.
Pool finishQuartz: 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.
Finish colorBlue finish, classic deep blue water: A blue interior. Gives a classic, deeper blue water.
Waterline tileGrey stone: Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 72 linear ft around this pool.
CopingConcrete: Smooth, cantilevered poured concrete. A clean, modern edge that sits flush with a concrete or paver deck. It runs about 72 linear ft around this pool.
DeckWood-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 1,800 sq ft here.
PlantingModern: Ornamental grasses, gravel strips and square planters. A tidy, low-maintenance frame that suits clean architecture.
Pool fenceGlass: 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.
FurnitureLoungers, 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.
LightGolden hour: Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

Why it fits the hillside or slope

The yard: a terraced hillside with Monterey pines, Japanese maples, ferns, a stone retaining wall and a view of San Francisco Bay. A hillside pool is built into the slope, so retaining walls and drainage are part of the design. A slope can give a dramatic view and a vanishing edge, and it brings walls, drainage, soil reports and extra engineering. Plan on a longer approval and a more detailed build.

Why it fits the mid-century modern house

The house is a low mid-century modern house of redwood, glass and white stucco cantilevered over a steep wooded slope. A mid-century modern house pairs a low, horizontal pool with natural materials. A long rectangle, a wood-look deck and a glass fence keep sight lines open and honor the house's flat roof and big windows.

Turn this design around in 3D

This is the model behind the numbers above, with this design's own shape, steps, finish and deck. It loads when you scroll to it.

The same choices as the picture, as a model you can turn.

Will this fit your yard?

A planning estimate, built from the model's own dimensions. Your town's setbacks decide the real answer.

Clear area to plan on

54 × 45 ft

About 2,430 sq ft. The pool and tub alone is 36 × 26.5 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 54 by 45 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 56 by 47 ft.

The 4 ft walkway and 5 ft setback are our planning allowances, not code. Towns set their own distances from the water to the lot line and the house, so ask yours before you commit to a layout.

Will it fit your yard?

Width, ftDepth, ft

Enter the clear area, from the house to the back fence and side to side.

Northern California: what the climate asks of this pool

Northern California pools are built around hills, views and a dry summer, so the site decides the design.

Hillside lots set the whole layout. A pool on a slope needs retaining walls, drainage and a geotechnical report before the shape is final.
Summers are dry and warm and winters are mild but wet, so a cover and good drainage both earn their place.
Wildfire areas can limit fire features, planting near the house and structures. Ask the fire authority before you plan a fire bowl or a pergola.
Earthquake country: the shell, the steel and the plumbing connections are built to flex, and your builder should say how.

What this will cost: ask a local builder for a quote

We do not print a price for this design. The public ranges we checked disagree widely, and soil, access, local labor and permit rules move the real number more than any picture can.

What moves the price on this design

Size. This pool has about 650 sq ft of water surface and about 22,900 gallons. More surface means more excavation, steel, finish and equipment.
Deck. About 1,800 sq ft of paving is a large line item on its own. Ask for the deck priced separately so you can compare materials.
The built-in hot tub, its heater, plumbing and raised wall.
The vanishing edge: the wall, the catch basin, a bigger pump and the retaining and drainage work around them.
About 206 linear ft of glass fence around the deck as drawn, set by what your town's barrier code requires.
Slope work: retaining walls, drainage and a geotechnical report.

How to get a number you can trust

Ask two or three local builders to quote the same scope in writing: the pool, the deck, the fence, the electrical, the permits and the landscaping, each on its own line. Then compare the lines, not the totals.

Share this page with them. The size, the choices and the 3D model give a builder a starting point, so the first conversation is about your yard instead of a blank sheet.

Questions to ask a builder about this design

Specific to what is in this pool. Ask them before you sign.

01Does this lot need a geotechnical report, and what do the hillside and fire rules allow here?
02How is the catch basin sized and hidden, and what happens to the water on a windy day?
03Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
04What does the town's barrier code require for the glass height and the gate, and how do you clean it?
05How hot does this composite get in the sun, and what is the warranty on the color?
06What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?