# Modern farmhouse pool with a sun shelf in Naperville A classic rectangle with a sun shelf and a hot tub off the end, on a lawn big enough for the whole block's kids. Drawn for a two-story white modern farmhouse with black windows, a standing-seam metal porch roof and board-and-batten siding, with a green lawn with mature maples, hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, a wood fence and neighbors' trees beyond. A design idea for Naperville, IL. Midwest, classic suburb, Modern farmhouse. Updated 2026-10-04. ## The numbers - Size: 30 × 15 ft (3.5 to 5.5 ft deep) - Water surface: 450 sq ft - Water: about 10,200 gal - Coping: 90 linear ft - Deck: 1,450 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 8 ft, slopes over about 10 ft, then runs level at 5.5 ft for the last 11 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end. ### Shape: Rectangle A rectangle with square corners. It is the simplest to build, covers neatly and fits a modern or formal house. ### 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 450 sq ft of water and about 10,200 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 loungers A sun shelf sized for chairs in the water. Lets you sit in the cool water in the sun with a drink, which is why it works well in a hot climate. ### 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: Pebble An exposed pebble aggregate finish, in the Pebble Tec style. Durable and textured, which hides small marks, but rougher on bare feet. A freeze season stresses plaster, so ask how the pool is winterized to protect the finish. ### Finish color: Light grey finish, soft turquoise water A light grey interior. Gives soft turquoise water that suits most houses. ### Waterline tile: Grey stone Grey stone-look porcelain at the waterline. A quiet, natural band that goes with concrete and wood. It runs about 90 linear ft around this pool. ### Coping: Travertine Ivory travertine with a rounded edge. Stays cooler underfoot than most stone and gives a warm, classic edge. It runs about 90 linear ft around this pool. Coping takes the worst of freeze and thaw, so it should be rated for it and set in a flexible joint. ### Deck: Concrete pavers Grey interlocking concrete pavers. Pavers move with the ground and can be lifted and reset, which helps where the soil freezes or shifts. The deck is about 1,450 sq ft here. Where it freezes, the base and the joints matter more than the surface. ### Planting: Lawn and hedges A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. ### Pool fence: Black aluminum A black aluminum picket fence. A standard, durable barrier that disappears in the planting and meets most barrier codes. ### 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. Features and their lines are drained or turned off for the winter. ### Add to the yard: Pergola Pergola: A pergola over part of the deck. Gives shade and a room feeling. It may need a permit and engineering where it is windy or snowy. ### Furniture: Loungers, Dining table Loungers: A pair of chaise loungers. The first thing people want on a pool deck. Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen. ### 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 green lawn with mature maples, hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, a wood fence and neighbors' trees beyond. A classic suburb yard has room for a real pool, so the design is about how the family uses it. A regular lot and a rear yard give room for a pool, a deck and a lawn. Think about sight lines from the kitchen, where the shade falls and where the kids will play. The house is a two-story white modern farmhouse with black windows, a standing-seam metal porch roof and board-and-batten siding. A modern farmhouse asks for clean lines with a warm, relaxed finish. Crisp rectangles, soft grey water and honed stone or pavers sit well beside white siding and dark window frames. Keep the planting simple and the furniture casual. ## Will it fit your yard? Plan on a clear area of about 57 by 33 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 59 by 35 ft. ## Midwest: what the climate asks of this pool A Midwest pool lives with a hard winter, so the swim season, the cover and the winterizing plan are part of the design. - The pool is usually closed for the winter. A safety cover, drained lines and a plan for the first warm weekend are normal costs of ownership. - Freeze and thaw cycles move decks. Pavers, a good base and joints that can flex last longer than a rigid, thin surface. - A pool heater or a heat pump stretches the season at both ends. Think about it while the equipment pad is being planned. - Back yards are often generous but fenced, so there is room for a deck, a lawn and a pergola without crowding the water. ## What this will cost No price is printed for this design. Ask a local builder for a quote. What moves the price: - Size. This pool has about 450 sq ft of water surface and about 10,200 gallons. More surface means more excavation, steel, finish and equipment. - Deck. About 1,450 sq ft of paving is a large line item on its own. Ask for the deck priced separately so you can compare materials. - The built-in hot tub, its heater, plumbing and equipment pad. - Water features (bubblers), each with its own plumbing and pump capacity. - The yard additions (pergola), which are often permitted and priced separately. ## Questions to ask a builder - What does closing and opening this pool involve each year, and which parts of the deck are rated for freeze and thaw? - Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather? - 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? - Does the pergola need a permit or engineering for wind or snow, and who builds it? - Do the bubblers run on the main pump or their own, and can I shut them off? Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=modern-farmhouse-pool-naperville