Dear Alice | Pool Houses

In this week’s podcast, we’re chatting about pool houses! While they are a luxury as is, we have some tips and tricks to help take yours up a notch and feel like you’re living everyday at the most beautiful resort! This week’s episode can be found on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcast.

A landscape architect will really come in handy when building your pool house. Think about the orientation- you want to be in a prime location so all of your guests don’t roast in the sun.

The exterior of your pool house should mimic the exterior of your home so there’s cohesiveness but the interior is where you can really let loose and go wild! In a perfect world, you should put in a bathroom, dressing area and a stacking washer and dryer so no one has to wait in line while being sopping wet- besides, what’s better than a warm towel? An outdoor shower would also be wonderful; you can put in a tile pad and privacy panels. We love wallpapering or painting fun colors and murals in the bathroom in the pool house- you only see it when it’s warm out (if you live in a place with actual seasons) so you won’t get sick of it. Consider what’s happening in the house and continue it outside so it looks unified and not like goofy patchwork. You want your pool house to feel so lively that it make you want to get off your couch and throw all the best parties!

Grilling is really big and deserves its own area- you should have enough prep space and cabinetry if you plan to be hosting and dining a ton. If you’re smoking meats, you want proper ventilation so you don’t run everyone out while making them smell like charcoal. You’ll want room for platters to hold food, spaces to hide serving ware and as a pro tip- have a silverware caddy ready to go so you’re not flustered and spilling them everywhere. Go all out if you can and get a snow cone machine or something just as memorable that your family loves! Most importantly, have big enough trashcans so everyone isn’t awkwardly holding onto their trash or putting them into overflowing tiny bathroom waste bins.

Get furniture that’s made specifically for the outdoors that can withstand the sun and weather because if not it’ll fade within the year. Fabrics that are UV protectant are important so your furniture doesn’t get sun rot. Space planning is also super important because outdoor furniture is expensive and you’ll want to get it right the first time around. Lead times are something to be aware of; if you want things around May, place your order in January. The pool house should effortlessly flow to the pool, wether it be with lounging or dining spaces. Teak is a no go and doesn’t fare well in places with desert climates like in Utah, Colorado and Nevada. Keep an eye on any iron frames you may have- like we always say; buy once, cry once! Look into those warranties and buy covers if you don’t have the space to store those larger pieces. Keep your furniture matching and cohesive so it feels really resort! TV’s are fun, especially when it gets dark out- get cozy and have fun watching your favorite shows while your guests are still swimming.

Outdoor drapery is so beautiful and elegant around a pergola; you can also get timed shades to really set a mood! Woven fabrics are really dreamy when sun comes through them as well so there’s no bad choices! 

Make sure the tile you choose is okay to use in your climate so won’t burn the bottom of your feet when you’re walking on it!

Most importantly, create your incredible pool party playlist now and bust out the heavy duty speakers because no pool house is ready for entertaining without some good tunes to set the vibe! Any questions or podcast ideas? Email us at dearalice@alicelanehome.com