# Mid-century pool with a hot tub in Portland

A small Grecian pool with an attached hot tub and a fire pit, because a Portland pool season is mostly about staying warm. Drawn for a low mid-century modern house with cedar siding, a flat roof, clerestory windows and a brick planter, with a green yard with Douglas fir, rhododendrons, ferns, a Japanese maple and a cedar fence.

A design idea for Portland, OR. Pacific Northwest, inner-ring suburb, Mid-century modern. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 24 × 12 ft (3.5 to 5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 280 sq ft
- Water: about 8,900 gal
- Coping: 68 linear ft
- Deck: 1,170 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 7 ft, slopes over about 8 ft, then runs level at 5 ft for the last 9 ft.

### Shape: Grecian

A rectangle with cut corners (Grecian). It reads more formal than a simple rectangle and adds interest without becoming a curve.

### 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 280 sq ft of water and about 8,900 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.

### 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 68 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 68 linear ft around this pool.

### 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 1,170 sq ft here. A textured surface and good drainage keep this deck safe through a wet week.

### Planting: Lawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. Keep needles and leaves away from the skimmer by planting away from the water's edge.

### Pool fence: Black aluminum

A black aluminum picket fence. A standard, durable barrier that disappears in the planting and meets most barrier codes.

### 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.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: a green yard with Douglas fir, rhododendrons, ferns, a Japanese maple and a cedar fence. An inner-ring suburb lot is mid sized, so the design balances the pool, the deck and the lawn. Established neighborhoods have mature trees, older houses and neighbors close by. A pool that matches the house and keeps privacy with planting or a clean fence tends to feel at home.

The house is a low mid-century modern house with cedar siding, a flat roof, clerestory windows and a brick planter. 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 51 by 30 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 52 by 31 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 8,900 gallons. It is 24 by 12 ft with about 280 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 51 by 30 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 52 by 31 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for OR is $80,000 to $195,000 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

Midnight quartz with charcoal waterline tile suits the cedar siding and flat roof of a low mid-century house. The small Grecian pool takes a square hot tub at the left end, and the fire pit and black aluminum fence make the wet months more usable.

What to watch: A dark finish absorbs heat but shows every leaf and fir needle. Wet months also mean a slick wood-look deck, so ask about texture and drainage before you pick the surface.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$80,000 to $195,000 for OR, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $26,000 to $71,000. 281 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. 68 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
- Deck: $47,000 to $95,000. 1,166 sq ft at $40 to $80 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $18,000. A spa added to a new pool.
- Fire pit: $500 to $3,000. A fire pit, wood or gas.
- Pool fence: $2,500 to $6,000. 164 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 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, pool deck cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-deck); [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); [Fixr, fire pit](https://www.fixr.com/costs/fire-pit); [HomeAdvisor, outdoor kitchen](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/build-an-outdoor-kitchen); [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 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 570 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 68 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: Concrete (about 68 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: Wood-look deck (about 1,170 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.
- Pool fence: Black aluminum (about 165 linear ft around the deck as drawn). Black aluminum pickets are light, strong and the usual choice for a barrier. Near salt air, ask for a marine-rated finish.
- Planting: Lawn and hedges. A lawn and clipped hedges. It softens the yard and brings grass clippings and fertilizer, so it should be kept away from the water.
- 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.
- 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.
- Wood-look deck deck: Wash the composite boards with soap and water, and keep furniture feet from scratching a dark color.
- 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.
- Black aluminum fence: A black aluminum fence needs a wash and a check of its gate latch. Near salt air, rinse it and touch up any chipped finish.
- 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?
- The hot tub spills into about 8,900 gallons of pool: can it be heated on its own so you are not warming the whole pool for a soak?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
- What clearance does the fire pit need from the house and the plants, and does the town allow it?

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