# Spanish colonial estate pool in Montecito

A Grecian pool framed by olive trees and a loggia, with a cabana and sheer water down a stone wall. Drawn for a Spanish colonial revival estate with a white stucco wall, red tile roof, arched loggia and wrought iron details, with terraced grounds with old olive trees, lavender, cypress, a stone fountain and the Santa Ynez Mountains behind.

A design idea for Montecito, CA. Southern California, large estate, Spanish and Mediterranean. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 40 × 20 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 780 sq ft
- Water: about 28,300 gal
- Coping: 113 linear ft
- Deck: 1,950 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 11 ft, slopes over about 14 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 15 ft.

### Shape: Grecian

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

### Size: 40 × 20 ft

A pool about 20 ft wide and 40 ft long. A big pool for swimming and entertaining, which needs a generous lot and a strong filtration plan. That is about 780 sq ft of water and about 28,300 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.

### Hot tub: Separate tub, 7 ft round

A hot tub on the deck, apart from the pool. It has its own water and heater, so you can run it alone on a cold night without heating the pool. The tub holds about 850 gallons.

### Pool finish: All tile

A fully tiled interior in small mosaic tile. The most durable and the most striking, and it asks the most from the budget.

### Finish color: Blue finish, classic deep blue water

A blue interior. Gives a classic, deeper blue water.

### Coping: Flagstone

Natural flagstone with irregular edges. Gives a natural, informal look that blends with planting and rock. It runs about 113 linear ft around this pool.

### Deck: Travertine pavers

Ivory travertine pavers. Light and cool underfoot, and a natural fit with Mediterranean and French styles. The deck is about 1,950 sq ft here.

### Planting: Keep what's there

The planting already in the yard. Keeps mature trees and shade in place and saves disruption.

### Water features: Sheer descents

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.

### Add to the yard: Pergola, Cabana

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. Cabana: A small, open-sided cabana beside the pool. A shady place to change, nap or stash towels. It needs a footing and often a permit.

### 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: terraced grounds with old olive trees, lavender, cypress, a stone fountain and the Santa Ynez Mountains behind. An estate lot can hold a large pool, so the design is about scale, views and a place to gather. Space lets the pool, the pergola, the outdoor kitchen and the lawn each have room. The risk is a pool that looks lost, so scale the deck and the planting with the house.

The house is a Spanish colonial revival estate with a white stucco wall, red tile roof, arched loggia and wrought iron details. A Spanish or Mediterranean house wants curves, warm stone and plenty of shade. Roman ends, travertine and terracotta tones echo the stucco and tile roof. A pergola and potted planting finish the courtyard feel.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 70 by 38 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 72 by 40 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 28,300 gallons. It is 40 by 20 ft with about 780 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 70 by 38 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 72 by 40 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for CA is $140,000 to $380,000 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

Old olive trees, a stone fountain and terraces stay in place, so the design leans on the shapes already there. A Grecian pool suits the arched loggia, and blue all-tile with flagstone and travertine reads as one stone family. The cabana and pergola share the left end with the separate round tub.

What to watch: Keeping mature olive trees and cypress means roots, fruit and leaves near an all-tile pool, and tile needs patient, skilled work. No fence is shown, so ask the town what barrier the pool needs.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$140,000 to $380,000 for CA, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $74,000 to $205,000. 780 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.
- All-tile interior: $11,000 to $42,000. 1,326 sq ft of shell at $8 to $30 a square foot above plaster. Tile is priced $4 to $30 a square foot as a finish, plus the extra labor over plaster.
- Coping: $4,500 to $6,500. 113 linear ft at $40 to $55 a foot.
- Deck: $31,000 to $55,000. 1,950 sq ft at $15 to $27 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,500 to $19,000. A spa added to a new pool. A separate tub still needs its own plumbing and equipment.
- Sheer descents: $1,500 to $4,000. Two descents. Each, installed.
- Wall for the water: $2,000 to $8,500. The wall that sheer descents and scuppers pour from, where none exists.
- Pergola: $2,000 to $7,000. A 10 by 12 ft pergola. The one source is dated 2022.
- Cabana: $8,000 to $32,000. Priced at $150 to $600 a square foot for a custom pool house, over this cabana's footprint.

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/); [HomeAdvisor, pool resurfacing](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-resurfacing); [Pool Research, pool coping cost](https://poolresearch.com/coping-cost/); [HomeAdvisor, travertine pavers](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/outdoor-living/travertine-pavers-install/); [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, pergola](https://www.fixr.com/costs/build-pergola); [Block Renovation, building a pool house](https://www.blockrenovation.com/guides/building-a-pool-house-costs-design-tips)

## 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 yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.
- 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: All tile, blue (about 1,330 sq ft of shell). Small glass or porcelain tile over the whole shell. It is the most durable and cleanest looking interior, and the one with the most grout joints to keep tight.
- Coping: Flagstone (about 113 linear ft). Natural, irregular stone. It looks like it was always there and needs its joints watched for movement.
- Deck: Travertine pavers (about 1,950 sq ft). Natural stone pavers. Cooler than most paving in the sun, but porous: it needs sealing and a quick rinse after salt or chlorine splashes.
- 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: Cabana. A small open-sided shelter beside the pool: shade, a changing spot and somewhere to keep towels.
- Yard addition: Pergola. A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.
- Hot tub: Separate tub, round (about 850 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

## Keeping it up

- All tile in this climate: Tile is a long-lived choice here. Keep the waterline free of scale and the grout sealed.
- When it is resurfaced: An all-tile interior is not replastered. The upkeep is in the grout and the waterline, which should be checked every year.
- Travertine pavers deck: Seal the travertine as the maker says and rinse it after salt or chlorine splashes. Use a stone-safe cleaner, never an acid wash.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
- How will the builder protect the old olive roots during digging, and can the sheer descents run down the stone wall without harming it?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- Does the pergola need a permit or engineering for wind or snow, and who builds it?
- What pump runs the sheer descents, and how loud is it at night?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=spanish-colonial-estate-pool-montecito