Pool design in Brisbane has shifted significantly over the last five years. The pools being built right now look nothing like what was popular in 2015. Here’s what we’re seeing in our consultations and builds in 2026.
1. Dark Pebble Finishes Dominate
White and light grey plaster finishes are giving way to deep charcoal and graphite pebblecrete. Dark finishes make the water look richer, more resort-like, and photograph dramatically better. They also show less calcium and mineral staining over time.
The most popular finish we’re installing: mid-grey pebble with a slight shimmer. It reads as almost black in shadow and deep blue in direct sunlight.
2. Sunken Lounges and Baja Shelves
A Baja shelf (also called a tanning ledge or sun shelf) is now on the majority of builds we do. It’s a shallow platform — typically 200–300mm deep and 600–800mm wide — that runs along one end of the pool. It’s where toddlers play, where you lounge with a drink, and where pets can wade in.
The sunken lounge takes this further: a recessed seat area inside the pool, submerged 300–450mm, with bubblers or jets. It functions as an outdoor spa without the cost of a separate spa unit.
3. Frameless Glass Fencing as a Design Element
Pool fencing used to be an afterthought. In 2026, it’s part of the design. Frameless glass fencing has dropped significantly in price and is now standard on premium builds. The visual effect — pool appearing to float in the garden — is worth the additional cost.
For properties with views (elevated blocks in Ascot, Paddington, Fig Tree Pocket), frameless glass is often the only choice that doesn’t sacrifice what you’re building the pool for.
4. Water Features with Natural Stone
Feature walls and waterfalls are being built with natural stone rather than rendered concrete. Schist, basalt column, and cladded stone create texture and visual weight that looks better at 10 years than it does on day one. Rendered concrete features look tired quickly.
5. Pool and Outdoor Kitchen Integration
The pool is no longer the centrepiece of the outdoor space — it’s part of an integrated outdoor living design. Outdoor kitchens, fire features, and deck spaces are being planned alongside the pool rather than added later. When the pool, kitchen, and deck are designed together, the result is significantly better than when they’re done separately.
6. Smart Pool Technology
Automated chemical dosing, remote-controlled lighting, and WiFi-connected filtration are becoming standard. Apps like the Viron eVo allow chemical monitoring from a phone — useful when you travel or rent the property.
7. Plunge Pool in Small Courtyards
Brisbane’s inner suburbs have a lot of sub-500m² blocks. These used to be written off as too small for a pool. Plunge pool design has evolved to make smaller spaces genuinely useful — a well-designed 5m x 2.5m plunge pool with a Baja shelf can feel like a full pool experience in a courtyard setting.
What We’re Building Right Now
If you’re planning a pool in 2026, here’s what we’d recommend looking at: dark pebble finish, Baja shelf, frameless glass barrier, and a quality saltwater chlorination system. This combination has the highest satisfaction rate among our clients and photographs well for resale.
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Also worth reading: Concrete vs Fibreglass Brisbane | Pool Cost Brisbane
Building in Brisbane? We build custom concrete pools across all Brisbane suburbs: Ascot · Hamilton · New Farm · Paddington · Teneriffe · Toowong · West End · Indooroopilly · Kenmore