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AI concept image of Mid-century L-shaped pool with a view in Palm Springs: a pool with a sun shelf.Save

Palm Springs, CA · Inner-ring suburb

Mid-century L-shaped pool with a view in Palm Springs

A white-plaster L with a breeze-block wall and a bright cool deck, the San Jacinto peaks above it all.

One photo of your yard is all it needs.

Suits: mid-century modern houses on a inner-ring suburb in Southern California.

Drawn for a flat-roofed mid-century modern house with a butterfly roofline, breeze-block screen wall and a bright orange door, with a gravel garden with barrel cactus, agave, a few fan palms and a distant snow-dusted San Jacinto ridge.

Planning cost, CA
$45,000 to $135,000
A range from published prices, not a quote
Build time
3 to 6 months
Contract to first swim
Size
36 × 18 ft
3.5 to 6 ft deep
Water
about 11,700 gal
Water surface
480 sq ft

Quick answers about this design

Worked out from this design's own model, so they differ from page to page.

How much water does this pool hold?
About 11,700 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 480 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 6 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 54 by 36 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 56 by 38 ft.
What does this design cost?
A planning range for CA is $45,000 to $135,000 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.

Chapter 1 of 4

The design

What is in this pool, and how it turns in 3D.

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. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

3.5 ft6 ftwater line36 ft long

Design notes

Written with AI tools from this design's own measurements and sources, not by a pool builder. How we write

Why it works here

Clean angles suit a butterfly roofline and a breeze-block wall, so an L in white plaster fits better than a curve. Light concrete deck and coping keep glare in check, and the shelf with an umbrella gives shade right beside the wide steps, so the shallow end stays usable at midday.

What to watch

The L has a corner that is awkward to swim around, and white plaster in desert sun glares and gathers scale. Lap swimming is limited to the long leg, so check the shape matches how you swim.

How it reads

White plaster and blue glass tile give the L a bright, clear turquoise against the breeze-block screen and the orange door. Concrete coping and a light concrete deck keep the geometry clean. The corner of the L is where the water looks deepest. At golden hour the ridge turns pink and the white finish picks up that glow, while the umbrella on the shelf throws a clean circle of shade.

Through the year

Summers are very hot and winters are mild and sunny, so this is a pool for the cooler half of the year and for evenings in summer. Wind brings dust and sand across the gravel. Close the umbrella before the wind rises, and hose the deck and shelf in the morning before the sun heats it.

Every choice, row by row (13)
ShapeL-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.

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 480 sq ft of water and about 11,700 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.

Sun shelfWith an umbrella

A sun shelf with an umbrella in the water. Adds shade so the shelf is usable at midday.

Pool finishPlaster

A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble.

Finish colorWhite finish, bright light blue water

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

Waterline tileBlue glass

Blue glass mosaic at the waterline. Adds sparkle and a clear blue edge to the water. It runs about 108 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 108 linear ft around this pool.

DeckLight 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 1,560 sq ft here.

PlantingDesert

Gravel, agave, succulents and boulders. Uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool.

Pool fenceBlack aluminum

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

FurnitureLoungers, 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.
LightGolden hour

Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

Coping
108 linear ft
Deck
1,560 sq ft

Why it fits the inner-ring suburb

The yard: a gravel garden with barrel cactus, agave, a few fan palms and a distant snow-dusted San Jacinto ridge. 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.

Why it fits the mid-century modern house

The house is a flat-roofed mid-century modern house with a butterfly roofline, breeze-block screen wall and a bright orange door. 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.

AI concept image of Mid-century L-shaped pool with a view in Palm Springs: a pool with a sun shelf.

Turn it, zoom in, switch the dimension lines on.

In your yard

How would this swimming pool look on your home?

See this exact design as a photorealistic video, filmed in your own yard, from one photo.

You pick the film, add one photo, and see the picture before you decide anything.

A sample yard photo

A frame from an example film

A sample yard photo on the left, and on the right a frame from an example AI film of a pool in a backyard.

Chapter 2 of 4

Will it work for you

Your yard, your climate, and what the pool asks of you after the build.

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 × 36 ft

About 1,944 sq ft. The pool alone is 36 × 18 ft.

Plan on a clear area of about 54 by 36 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 56 by 38 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?

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

Southern California: what the climate asks of this pool

Southern California pools are an outdoor room, so the design is about the view, the shade and the way the yard flows.

  • The season is long and the winters are mild, so lighting, fire and seating matter as much as the water.
  • Lots are often small or sloped. Retaining walls, raised spas and vanishing edges show up a lot, and each one brings engineering and a permit.
  • Water rules and drought restrictions can affect filling, covers and water features. Ask what your water district allows.
  • Near the coast, marine air is hard on metal and fades finishes. Pick fittings and fences made for it.

Keeping it up

What this pool asks of its owner, by finish, climate, deck and feature.

  • Plaster in this climate

    Plaster is a fair choice for a mild, dry climate when the water chemistry is kept in range.

  • 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 830 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.

  • Dry season

    A long dry season means steady evaporation and dust. Top up on a schedule and keep the filter clean.

  • 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).

Chapter 3 of 4

Cost and timeline

A sourced range to plan with, and how long it takes.

What this design costs: a planning range

Built line by line from this design's own measurements and published prices. It is a range to plan with, not a quote.

Planning range, CA

$45,000 to $135,000

Everything on this page, built: the pool, the deck, the coping, the fence and the features. It is a range, not a quote. Every line is at its lowest published price for the low end and its highest for the high end, so a real job lands inside it rather than on an edge.

The deck is not in this range. No guide we use prices cool-deck separately; Fixr prices the coating at about $200. Ask your builder.

Prices are scaled for CA by a damped regional factor of 1.05 (the state's cost of living is 110.7 against 100 for the US, and we use half the gap). Land clearing, landscaping beyond what is listed, a pool house's interior and financing are not in it.

Where the range comes from

The pool
$45,000 to $126,000
479 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 $1,500
108 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
Pool fence
$3,000 to $7,000
188 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.
How we built this range, and the sources

We measure this design in the 3D model (water area, shell area, coping, deck, tub, what stands on the deck), multiply each quantity by a published price range per unit, add the lines and scale them for the state. The prices are from the pages below, collected in October 2026. Where two sources disagree the range spans both, and the line says so.

The method is written out, with every rate, at docs/POOL-IDEAS-COST-MODEL.md in our repository, and one file holds the rates, so a change of price changes every page at once.

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. To see how the published prices are built up and where they disagree, read inground pool cost, line by line.

How long it takes to build

From a signed contract to the first swim, before the yard additions.

Contract to first swim

3 to 6 months

Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts. Weather, inspections and the builder's schedule move every date.

Nothing in this design adds a stage beyond the usual order: excavate, steel and plumbing, shell, tile and coping, deck, finish, fill.

What it is made of

The materials list for this design, with its own quantities from the model.

The materials list (6 lines)
InteriorPlaster, whiteabout 830 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 tileBlue glassabout 108 linear ft, 10 in. band
Glass mosaic reads bright in sun and is easy to wipe clean of the waterline scum ring.
CopingConcreteabout 108 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.
DeckLight concreteabout 1,560 sq ft
A light, textured concrete topping made to stay cooler underfoot. It wears over the years and can be recoated.
Pool fenceBlack aluminumabout 190 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.
PlantingDesert
Gravel, agave and succulents: very little water and no lawn, with sharp leaves to keep away from the steps and the barefoot path.

Chapter 4 of 4

Talk to a builder

What to ask before you sign, and how to bring this design to them.

Questions to ask a builder about this design

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

  1. 01What soil and slope engineering does this lot need, and what does your water district say about filling a new pool?
  2. 02Which leg of the L holds the deep end, and how will the cleaning system reach the corner and the shelf behind it?
  3. 03How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
  4. 04Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?
  5. 05How do you keep the gravel and the planting out of the pool and the filter?

Make it yours

Start with this design and add a photo of your own yard. The free visualizer places the pool on it, with your choices ready to change.

See this pool in your yard, freeUpload your yard

More like this

Region:Southern CaliforniaSetting:Inner-ring suburbHouse style:Mid-century modernFeature:Pool with a sun shelfAll pool ideas

This is a design idea for a sample yard, and every picture is an AI concept image, not a built pool. Sizes, gallons and areas are estimates from the same maths as the 3D model, and the price and time ranges are planning figures from published sources, to help you talk to a builder.

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