Choosing the colour of your new swimming pool can be surprisingly difficult.

Looking at a small colour sample is one thing. Trying to imagine how that colour will look across an entire pool, filled with water and sitting in your own backyard, is something quite different.

The important thing to remember is that you're not really choosing the colour of the pool shell. You're choosing how you want the water in your finished pool to look.

The final appearance of your pool will be influenced by the colour of the pool itself, but also by the amount of sunlight it receives, the depth of the water, the surrounding landscaping and even the colours and materials used around your home.

So, how do you choose the right fibreglass pool colour? Here are some of the things worth considering.

What determines the colour of pool water?

The colour sample you see in a brochure or showroom won't necessarily be the colour you see when you look at your finished pool.

Once a pool is filled, the appearance of the water is influenced by several things, including:

• the colour and finish of the pool shell
• the depth of the water
• direct sunlight and shade
• reflections from the sky
• surrounding trees and landscaping
• paving, decking and other materials around the pool

That's why two pools manufactured in exactly the same colour can look quite different once installed.

Rather than simply asking, "Which pool colour do I like?", it can be more useful to ask: "What do I want my finished pool and water to look like in my backyard?"

Should I choose a light or dark pool colour?

This is a good place to start narrowing down your options.

Lighter pool colours tend to create a brighter, lighter water appearance. They can work particularly well when you're looking for a fresh, coastal or tropical feel.

Compass colours to consider include: Pearl, Beach, Sapphire, Ice Blue and Ivory Shimmer.

Darker pool colours tend to create a deeper, richer water appearance and can make the pool a strong visual feature within the landscaping.

Colours such as: Atlantic, Viridian, Vercoe, and Evolution can create this type of effect.

Neither is inherently better. The right choice depends on the pool, its surroundings and the look you're trying to achieve.

What pool colours work best in shaded areas?

If your pool will sit in the shadow of your house, beside a high wall or underneath established trees, consider how much natural light will reach the water.

A very dark finish combined with substantial shade can create a much darker overall appearance than you might expect from looking at a sample.

If you want the pool area to feel light and inviting, a lighter finish can help make better use of the available ambient light.

Compass colours to consider: Pearl, Beach, and Ivory Shimmer.

What pool colours work well in full sun?

If your pool will receive plenty of direct sunlight, you have more scope to consider richer and darker finishes.

Strong natural light can bring out the depth and variation in darker blues and greens, producing a striking water colour and making the pool a strong focal point in the backyard.

Compass colours to consider: Atlantic, Sapphire, and Royal Blue.

What colour should I choose for a small pool or plunge pool?

With smaller pools, the colour you choose can have a significant impact on the overall feel of the space.

If your aim is to create a bright, open courtyard or make a compact pool feel visually lighter, consider a pale or light-blue finish.

If you're deliberately trying to create a dramatic architectural feature, a darker finish may be equally appropriate.

The important thing is to think about the pool as part of the entire outdoor space rather than choosing the colour in isolation.

• For a lighter look, consider: Ice Blue, Pearl, and Ivory Shimmer.
• For a more dramatic look, consider: Atlantic, Evolution, and Viridian.

 

What colours work well for large swimming pools?

A large pool creates a substantial area of colour in your backyard, so the finish can have a major influence on the overall landscape design.

Deeper colours can help create a rich, resort-style appearance and give the water considerable visual depth.

Lighter colours can instead produce a brighter, more open appearance, particularly in highly landscaped or coastal-style settings.

For a deeper appearance: Evolution, Viridian, and Atlantic are worth considering.

Matching Pool Colours to Your Landscaping and Home

What pool colour works best with timber decking?

Warm timbers such as Kwila are extremely common around New Zealand swimming pools.

The reddish-brown tones in Kwila can look particularly striking alongside deeper turquoise, teal and ocean-blue water colours. The contrast between warm timber and cooler water tones can create the relaxed resort appearance many pool owners are looking for.

Compass colours to consider: Viridian, Vercoe, and Atlantic.

What pool colour works with concrete or exposed aggregate?

Grey concrete, pavers and exposed aggregate are popular choices around contemporary New Zealand homes.

Grey and stone-inspired pool finishes can work particularly well in these settings because they allow the pool to become part of the wider architectural palette rather than introducing a completely separate colour.

For a clean, contemporary appearance, consider: Quartz, Grey Marble, and Evolution.

What pool colours suit gardens and green landscaping?

If your pool is surrounded by lawn, trees and established planting, lighter sand and natural finishes can create a softer transition between the water and landscaping.

This can work particularly well when the aim is to create a natural lagoon or relaxed coastal feel rather than having the pool dominate the backyard.

Compass colours to consider: Beach, Ivory Shimmer, and Pearl.

What pool colour suits a modern or architectural home?

For modern homes, don't automatically assume the pool needs to be bright blue.

Stone, grey, deep green and darker blue finishes can integrate particularly well with contemporary architecture, concrete, large-format paving and minimalist landscaping.

If you're trying to create the feeling of an architectural retreat or high-end resort, consider finishes such as Pearl, Beach, Evolution, Viridian or Atlantic, depending on the surrounding materials and amount of sunlight.

What pool colours suit villas and traditional weatherboard homes?

Traditional New Zealand villas, bungalows, and weatherboard homes often suit a softer pool palette.

Classic blues, pale colours and sand-inspired finishes can complement painted timber, verandahs and traditional landscaping without making the pool feel disconnected from the house.

Compass colours to consider: Pacific, Pearl, and Beach.

What pool colours suit mid-century homes?

Homes inspired by 1960s and 1970s architecture often feature exposed brick, timber, earthy materials and strong indoor-outdoor connections.

Deeper greens, teals, and stone-inspired finishes can work particularly well with these materials and help the pool feel like a natural extension of the home's architecture.

Compass colours to consider: Vercoe, Viridian, and Evolution.

Maintenance and Durability Considerations

Which pool colours are easiest to keep looking clean?

No pool colour eliminates the need for cleaning, but different finishes can make some debris more or less noticeable.

Very light, uniform finishes can make leaves and darker debris easier to see, while very dark finishes can make lighter sediment more noticeable.

Speckled, stone and granite-style finishes can be more forgiving visually because of the natural variation within the surface.

Compass colours to consider: Evolution, Quartz, and Grey Marble.

Of course, if reducing the amount of time you spend physically cleaning your pool is important, colour is only part of the conversation. This is also worth considering when choosing your pool's circulation and cleaning system.

Will a fibreglass pool colour fade?

This is an important question because you're choosing a pool that you expect to enjoy for many years.

Compass Pools are manufactured using our Bi-luminite™ fibreglass technology, which combines two layers of vinyl ester resin with a durable gelcoat surface as part of the pool's construction.

When comparing fibreglass pools, it's worth looking beyond the colour chart and asking how the pool itself is manufactured, what materials are used in its surface and structure, and what warranties support it.

Your local Compass Pools dealer can explain the construction of the pool and the warranty protection applicable to your chosen model and finish.

Don't choose your pool colour from a small sample alone

A colour sample is useful for narrowing down your options, but one of the best ways to choose your pool colour is to look at completed pools in real New Zealand backyards.

Pay attention to pools with similar conditions to your own:

• Is the pool in full sun or shade?
• What colour and materials surround it?
• Is it surrounded by lawn and planting or hard landscaping?
• What style is the house?
• How large is the pool?
• What does the water look like at different times of the day?

Your Compass Pools dealer can also show you examples of completed pools and help you understand how different colours are likely to behave in your particular setting.

Still not sure which pool colour to choose?

That's completely normal.

Choosing a pool isn't simply about selecting a shape, size and colour from a brochure. The best result comes from considering how the pool will actually work within your home, landscaping and lifestyle.

Talk to your local Compass Pools dealer about the type of pool you're considering, show them photographs of your backyard and the look you're trying to achieve, and ask to see examples of different Compass colours in completed pools.

Together, you can narrow down the options and choose a pool colour you'll be happy to look at for years to come.