# Mid-century courtyard pool in Miami Beach

An L-shaped pool wrapped around a breeze-block wall, with the white and aqua palette Miami Beach built its name on. Drawn for a flat-roofed white mid-century modern home with a breeze-block screen wall and ribbon windows, with a small walled courtyard with coconut palms, split-leaf philodendron and a pink bougainvillea over the wall.

A design idea for Miami Beach, FL. Florida, townhouse courtyard, Mid-century modern. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 24 × 12 ft (3.5 to 5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 215 sq ft
- Water: about 4,900 gal
- Coping: 72 linear ft
- Deck: 1,040 sq ft

## The design, spelled out

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

### Shape: L-shape

Two rectangles joined at a right angle. One arm is for lengths and the other for play, which suits a family with different ages in the water.

### Size: 24 × 12 ft

A pool about 12 ft wide and 24 ft long. Big enough for a few people to cool off and play, small enough for a tight lot. That is about 215 sq ft of water and about 4,900 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.

### Sun shelf: Sun shelf

A shallow ledge a few inches under the water. Kids play and adults lounge on it, and bubblers or a chair fit there.

### 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: White finish, bright light blue water

A white interior. Gives the brightest, lightest blue water.

### Waterline tile: White

White porcelain at the waterline. A clean, bright line that looks crisp against dark water. It runs about 72 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Concrete

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.

### Deck: Light concrete

Light, textured concrete finished to stay cool. A practical choice where the summer sun is strong and kids run barefoot. The deck is about 1,040 sq ft here. Choose a texture that stays safe when wet, because this deck will be damp often.

### Planting: Tropical

Palms, bird of paradise and big-leaf plants. Creates a resort feel and screens the neighbors in a warm, humid climate. Choose planting that tolerates storms and keep it a few feet from the water to limit debris.

### Water features: Bubblers

Bubblers: Small domes of water rising on the sun shelf. A soft sound and a cooling touch on a shelf, with little plumbing.

### Furniture: Loungers

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck.

### Light: Midday sun

Shown in midday sun. Shows the true color of the water and the finish.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: a small walled courtyard with coconut palms, split-leaf philodendron and a pink bougainvillea over the wall. A courtyard or rooftop 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. On a roof the same rule holds, and a structural engineer signs off on the weight of the water.

The house is a flat-roofed white mid-century modern home with a breeze-block screen wall and ribbon windows. 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.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 42 by 30 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 43 by 31 ft.

## Florida: what the climate asks of this pool

A Florida pool is used most of the year, so heat, storms and screens shape the design.

- Many Florida pools sit under a screen enclosure, which keeps out bugs and leaves but changes how much sun and breeze the deck gets. Plan planting and furniture around the cage lines.
- Afternoon storms and hurricane season mean equipment pads, pergolas and loose furniture need to be anchored or easy to stow.
- A high water table is common near the coast. Builders usually fit a hydrostatic relief valve so the shell does not float when the ground is saturated.
- Near salt water, salt air is hard on metal fences, light fittings and some stone. Ask which materials are rated for it.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 4,900 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 215 sq ft of water, 3.5 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 42 by 30 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 43 by 31 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for FL is $20,000 to $80,000 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

An L-shape wraps the corner of a small courtyard, so the pool uses the awkward space and leaves a straight run of deck for loungers. Light concrete deck and coping reflect heat, which helps beside a flat white roof in full Miami sun. White plaster and white tile echo the breeze-block wall.

What to watch: White plaster shows every stain, and white deck beside white water throws a lot of glare at midday. The inside corner of an L can also collect debris if circulation is weak there.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$20,000 to $80,000 for FL, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $20,000 to $54,000. 213 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: $500 to $1,000. 72 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
- Bubblers: $500 to $1,000. Two bubblers. Each bubbler, installed.
- Tight access: $0 to $20,000. Up to $20,000 more when the site is hard to access. Bob Vila puts the average excavation at $3,400, which the base pool price already includes, and says it can reach $20,000 when access is hard. Nothing extra if the machines get in.

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/); [Simplified Pools, water features guide](https://simplifiedpools.com/blog/pool-water-features-fountains-guide/); [Bob Vila, in-ground pool cost](https://www.bobvila.com/articles/inground-pool-cost/)

## 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.

- Tight access slows excavation and delivery. Ask how the crew gets machines and materials in.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Plaster, white (about 440 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: White (about 72 linear ft, 10 in. band). White porcelain shows a waterline ring more than a darker tile, so it wants a regular wipe.
- Coping: Concrete (about 72 linear ft). Cast or poured concrete with a clean, square line. Plain, tough and the easiest to repair, though it can heat up in direct sun.
- Deck: Light concrete (about 1,040 sq ft). A light, textured concrete topping made to stay cooler underfoot. It wears over the years and can be recoated.
- Planting: Tropical. Palms, big leaves and lush planting. It needs water, wind and cold protection, and it drops leaves in the pool.
- Water feature: Bubblers. Small domes of water on the shelf. They are quiet, they run on the pump or a small one of their own, and they take little room.

## Keeping it up

- Plaster in this climate: Plaster can stain and grow algae in warm, wet weather. Brush it and keep the chemistry steady.
- 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 440 sq ft of interior.
- Light concrete deck: A cool-deck topping wears with use. Wash it, patch chips early and plan to recoat it.
- Bubblers: Bubblers are low upkeep. Check the nozzles for scale and keep the shelf free of debris.
- Algae and storms: Warm, damp weather grows algae fast, so keep the sanitizer steady and circulation running. Secure loose furniture before a storm.
- 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

- Which parts of this design need a hurricane tie-down, and does the screen enclosure change the pool layout?
- In an L-shaped pool with a sun shelf and corner steps, where do the returns and skimmers go so the inside corner stays clean?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
- Do the bubblers run on the main pump or their own, and can I shut them off?
- Which palms and plants stay out of the pool's way and tolerate storms?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=mid-century-courtyard-pool-miami-beach