# Violet night pool with fire bowls in Las Vegas

A Grecian pool with a raised hot tub and violet lights, built for a summer where nobody swims before sunset. Drawn for a two-story stucco contemporary new-build in warm gray with a flat roofline and a large covered patio, with a gravel yard with yucca, Mexican fan palms and agave behind a tall block wall, the lit Las Vegas strip glowing far off.

A design idea for Las Vegas, NV. Arizona, Nevada and the desert Southwest, new-build subdivision, Contemporary. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 630 sq ft
- Water: about 15,600 gal
- Coping: 101 linear ft
- Deck: 1,840 sq ft
- Hot tub: 7 ft round (about 850 gal)

## 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: Grecian

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

### 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 630 sq ft of water and about 15,600 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: Raised, spills over, 7 ft round

A hot tub raised on a wall and spilling over into the pool. The raised wall gives a seat-height edge and a small waterfall, at the price of extra masonry. The tub holds about 850 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. In strong sun, a lighter finish fades less and hides scale from hard 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 101 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 101 linear ft around this pool. A light coping stays cooler on bare feet in summer.

### 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 1,840 sq ft here. Here the deck is the hottest thing in the yard, so surface color matters as much as material.

### Planting: Desert

Gravel, agave, succulents and boulders. Uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool. A low-water planting plan keeps leaves out of the water and the bill down.

### 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: Sheer descents, Fire bowls

Sheer descents: Sheets of water pouring from a wall into the pool. A calm, modern sound that masks street noise. It needs a pump sized for the flow. Fire bowls: Fire bowls on pedestals at the edge. Adds drama at night. They run on gas, so wind and the gas line need a plan. Moving water raises evaporation, so keep features modest and run them on a timer.

### 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.

### Light: Night, lights on, violet lights

Shown at night with the pool lit from within. Lighting is part of the build, with underwater fixtures, deck lights and a controller you can set from your phone. Violet color-changing pool lights. A party glow that you can switch to other colors.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: a gravel yard with yucca, Mexican fan palms and agave behind a tall block wall, the lit Las Vegas strip glowing far off. A new-build lot starts as bare ground, so grading, drainage and the house's own plan shape the pool. Subdivision lots are often tight and graded for drainage. Check the homeowner association rules, the utility easements and the setbacks before the layout is final.

The house is a two-story stucco contemporary new-build in warm gray with a flat roofline and a large covered patio. A contemporary house asks for hard edges, quiet colors and one confident feature. Rectangles, large-format porcelain or concrete, and a single water feature keep the yard calm and let the architecture lead.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 54 by 45 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 56 by 47 ft.

## Arizona, Nevada and the desert Southwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the desert Southwest, a pool is a cooling tool, so shade, water loss and finish fade shape the design.

- Sun and dry air evaporate water quickly. Expect to top up often, and ask about a cover or a smaller surface if water cost matters to you.
- Strong sun fades dark finishes and tile faster, and hard water leaves scale on tile at the waterline. Lighter finishes hide it better.
- Decks can get hot enough to burn bare feet. Choose light, cool-to-touch surfaces and add shade near the steps.
- Desert planting uses little water and keeps leaves out of the pool. Gravel yards still need a clear drainage plan for monsoon storms.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 15,600 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 630 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 45 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 56 by 47 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for NV is $75,000 to $230,000 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

Nobody swims in a Las Vegas afternoon, so this design is built for after dark. Midnight quartz and charcoal tile make the water look deep under violet light, the raised tub on the far side spills into the pool as the focal point, and the tall block wall holds the glow inside the yard.

What to watch: A dark midnight finish hides the bottom, so dirt and debris go unseen until they build up. Fire bowls and the fire pit also need clear space from the loungers, the sofa and the covered patio.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$75,000 to $230,000 for NV, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $57,000 to $158,000. 631 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. 101 linear ft at $6 to $12 a foot.
- Deck: $5,500 to $13,000. 1,837 sq ft at $3 to $7 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $18,000. A spa added to a new pool.
- Raised tub wall: $2,000 to $8,000. The raised wall, where there is none.
- Sheer descents: $1,500 to $4,000. Two descents. Each, installed.
- Wall for the water: $2,000 to $8,000. The wall that sheer descents and scuppers pour from, where none exists.
- Fire bowls: $500 to $3,000. 2 bowls. Each, from the gas fire pit price band. No source prices pool-side fire bowls.
- Fire pit: $500 to $3,000. A fire pit, wood or gas.
- Pool fence: $3,000 to $7,000. 205 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.
- Pool lights: $500 to $5,000. 3 underwater lights. Each underwater light, installed: $200 in HomeAdvisor's in-ground cost page, up to $1,700 in its resurfacing page.

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); [Simplified Pools, water features guide](https://simplifiedpools.com/blog/pool-water-features-fountains-guide/); [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); [HomeAdvisor, pool resurfacing](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-resurfacing)

## 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 970 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 101 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 101 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: Concrete pavers (about 1,840 sq ft). Interlocking concrete pavers. Easy to repair one piece at a time, and the joints need topping up with sand now and then to keep weeds out.
- Pool fence: Black aluminum (about 205 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.
- Water feature: Fire bowls. Gas flames on pedestals at the edge of the pool. They need a gas line, a shut-off and a pedestal set clear of splash and foot traffic.
- Water feature: Sheer descents. Thin sheets of water that pour from a wall. They run on the pool pump and can be loud or quiet, so ask to hear one.
- 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: Raised, spills over, round (about 850 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.
- Lighting: Violet pool lights (3 underwater lights). Underwater lights, deck lights and a controller. Colors can be changed later with the same fixtures.

## Keeping it up

- Quartz in this climate: Quartz is smoother than pebble and easier to brush, but hard water still scales it. Test calcium often through the summer.
- Concrete pavers deck: Sweep sand into the paver joints each year and pull weeds early, before they lift the pavers.
- Sheer descents: Sheer descents grow a film of algae on the wall. Wipe it down and run them on a timer rather than all day.
- Fire bowls: Have the gas lines and the burners checked once a year, and cover or switch off the bowls in a storm.
- 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.
- Lighting: Underwater lights are sealed fixtures. Have the seals and the transformer checked before a lamp fails, not after.
- Sun and water loss: Heat and dry air take water out of the pool quickly. A cover, a pool shade and a smaller surface all cut the top-ups.
- 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

- How will you keep the deck and the water line cool and scale-free in full summer sun?
- Can the fire bowls and the sheer descents run on one control, and how far will the flames sit from the raised tub's spill?
- 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?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=neon-night-pool-las-vegas