# 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. 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. A design idea for Palm Springs, CA. Southern California, inner-ring suburb, Mid-century modern. Updated 2026-10-06. ## The numbers - Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep) - Water surface: 480 sq ft - Water: about 11,700 gal - Coping: 108 linear ft - Deck: 1,560 sq ft ## The design, spelled out 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. ### 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: 36 × 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. ### Steps: Wide 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 shelf: With an umbrella A sun shelf with an umbrella in the water. Adds shade so the shelf is usable at midday. ### Pool finish: Plaster A smooth cement-based finish. A clean, classic surface that typically needs resurfacing sooner than pebble. ### Finish color: White finish, bright light blue water A white interior. Gives the brightest, lightest blue water. ### Waterline tile: Blue 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. ### Coping: Concrete 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. ### 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 1,560 sq ft here. ### Planting: Desert Gravel, agave, succulents and boulders. Uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool. ### 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: Golden hour Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best. ## Why it suits this house 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. 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. ## Will it fit your yard? 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. ## 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. ## Quick answers **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. ## 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. ## What this will cost: a planning range $45,000 to $135,000 for CA, a range from published prices and not a quote. - 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. 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, white (about 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 tile: Blue glass (about 108 linear ft, 10 in. band). Glass mosaic reads bright in sun and is easy to wipe clean of the waterline scum ring. - Coping: Concrete (about 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. - Deck: Light concrete (about 1,560 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 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. - Planting: Desert. Gravel, agave and succulents: very little water and no lawn, with sharp leaves to keep away from the steps and the barefoot path. ## Keeping it up - 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). ## Questions to ask a builder - What soil and slope engineering does this lot need, and what does your water district say about filling a new pool? - Which leg of the L holds the deep end, and how will the cleaning system reach the corner and the shelf behind it? - How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping? - Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching? - How do you keep the gravel and the planting out of the pool and the filter? Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=mid-century-pool-palm-springs