# Mid-century kidney pool in a Tampa bungalow neighborhood

The original 1950s kidney, kept plain: plaster, a concrete deck that stays cool and a fence around it. Drawn for a low mid-century block house painted soft white with a butterfly roofline and jalousie windows, with a flat lot with a pair of oaks, croton, a hibiscus hedge and a low coral rock wall.

A design idea for Tampa, FL. Gulf Coast, inner-ring suburb, Mid-century modern. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 30 × 15 ft (3.5 to 5.5 ft deep)
- Water surface: 320 sq ft
- Water: about 10,900 gal
- Coping: 78 linear ft
- Deck: 1,370 sq ft

## 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.

### Shape: Kidney

A curved pool with a wide and a narrow end. A classic shape that separates a swimming zone from a play zone in a regular yard.

### 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 320 sq ft of water and about 10,900 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.

### 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: Light grey finish, soft turquoise water

A light grey interior. Gives soft turquoise water that suits most houses.

### Waterline tile: Sea glass

Sea-green glass mosaic at the waterline. A soft, coastal line that warms the water. It runs about 78 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 78 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 1,370 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.

### Pool fence: Black aluminum

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

### Furniture: Loungers, Umbrella

Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Umbrella: A market umbrella. Cheap shade that you can move with the sun.

### 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 flat lot with a pair of oaks, croton, a hibiscus hedge and a low coral rock wall. 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 block house painted soft white with a butterfly roofline and jalousie 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 48 by 33 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 50 by 35 ft.

## Gulf Coast: what the climate asks of this pool

On the Gulf Coast, a pool has to handle humidity, salt air and storm surge risk as well as the heat.

- Humid air keeps decks damp, so a textured, light-colored surface that dries quickly is safer underfoot.
- Low, flat lots can hold standing water after heavy rain. Deck drainage and where the pool overflow goes matter more here than in a dry region.
- Salt air is hard on metals. Stainless and aluminum parts should be marine rated, and fire features need their gas lines sized and protected for wind.
- In a flood zone, the pool, the equipment and the fence may all have extra rules. Check the flood map for the lot before you fall for a layout.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 10,900 gallons. It is 30 by 15 ft with about 320 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 48 by 33 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 50 by 35 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for FL is $30,000 to $90,000 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

Low block houses on a flat lot suit a plain kidney that keeps the original shape and leaves the butterfly roofline alone. Light concrete deck and light grey plaster stay cooler in Gulf sun, and the black aluminum fence guards the pool while the coral rock wall and hibiscus stay in view.

What to watch: Plain plaster is the least forgiving finish. It can stain, etch and roughen over the years, and oak leaves in a hot climate speed that up. Plan on steady brushing and balanced water.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$30,000 to $90,000 for FL, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $29,000 to $81,000. 319 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. 78 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
- Pool fence: $2,500 to $6,000. 170 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/); [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.



## What it is made of

- Interior: Plaster, light grey (about 680 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: Sea glass (about 78 linear ft, 10 in. band). Sea-green glass adds color without matching the water, and it needs the same regular wipe as any glass tile.
- Coping: Concrete (about 78 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 1,370 sq ft). A light, textured concrete topping made to stay cooler underfoot. It wears over the years and can be recoated.
- Pool fence: Black aluminum (about 170 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: Tropical. Palms, big leaves and lush planting. It needs water, wind and cold protection, and it drops leaves in the pool.

## 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 680 sq ft of interior.
- Light concrete deck: A cool-deck topping wears with use. Wash it, patch chips early and plan to recoat it.
- 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.
- 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

- Is the lot in a flood zone, and where does the pool equipment have to sit to meet that rule?
- Can the aluminum fence sit close to the coping and still leave deck for loungers and an umbrella, and does its gate need to close itself?
- Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
- Which palms and plants stay out of the pool's way and tolerate storms?
- What is in the quote and what is left out, such as the deck, fence, electrical, permits and landscaping?

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