7 Custom Pool Features Oklahoma Homeowners Are Adding in 2026
- Calvin Zimmerman
- Jun 15
- 5 min read
The best part of building a custom pool isn't the pool itself — it's everything you can build into it. A custom pool is a blank canvas, and the features you choose are what turn a simple rectangle of water into a backyard your family never wants to leave.
After 17 years of building pools across Norman and Oklahoma City, we've watched homeowner priorities evolve. The pools people are building in 2026 are less about the diving board and more about creating a complete outdoor living experience — a place to relax, entertain, and escape the Oklahoma heat in style.
Here are the seven features Oklahoma homeowners are adding most this year, and what each one brings to your backyard.
1. Tanning Ledges
If there's one feature that has exploded in popularity, it's the tanning ledge — also called a sun shelf or Baja shelf. It's a shallow platform, usually 6 to 12 inches deep, built into the entry of the pool.
Why everyone wants one: it's the most versatile space in the entire pool. Set up a lounge chair right in the water and soak in a few inches of cool water while you sunbathe. Let young kids and toddlers play safely in the shallow water where you can watch them. Place a side table and turn it into the perfect spot for a drink on a hot afternoon.
In Oklahoma's intense summer sun, a tanning ledge gives you a way to be in the pool without fully committing to a swim — and it's become one of the first things our customers ask for. It's especially popular with young families who want a safe, shallow space for little kids right alongside the main pool.
2. Integrated Spas
A custom spa built directly into your pool is one of the most requested additions in 2026 — and for good reason. It extends your pool season well beyond summer.
While the pool cools off in October, a heated spa keeps your backyard usable through fall and even winter. There's nothing like soaking in a warm spa on a crisp Oklahoma evening. Integrated spas are designed to flow seamlessly with the pool, often with a raised wall and a spillover edge where water cascades from the spa into the main pool — adding both beauty and the soothing sound of moving water.
Beyond the relaxation factor, an integrated spa adds a striking visual centerpiece to the pool, especially when finished with glass tile and a spillover. It's a feature that looks as good as it feels.
3. Water Features and Waterfalls
Few things transform a pool like the sound and movement of water. Water features are one of the most popular categories of additions we build, and they range from subtle to show-stopping.
Natural rock waterfalls built from Oklahoma stone create a dramatic, organic focal point and the relaxing sound of cascading water.
Sheer descents produce a clean, modern sheet of falling water that fits contemporary designs.
Deck jet sarc thin streams of water over the pool surface, adding movement and a playful element that kids love.
Bubblers create gentle fountains, often paired with a tanning ledge for a beautiful, low-key effect.
Beyond the visual appeal, water features serve a practical purpose in Oklahoma — the moving water helps with circulation and adds a constant, calming sound that masks neighborhood noise and creates a true backyard retreat.
4. LED Color-Changing Lighting
Modern pool lighting has come a long way from the single white bulb. Today's LED systems let you change the color of your pool at the touch of a button, transforming the entire mood of your backyard after dark.
Set a calm blue for a relaxing evening, switch to vibrant colors for a party, or sync the lighting with your spa and water features for a coordinated effect. LED systems are also far more energy efficient and longer lasting than older lighting, which means lower operating costs over time.
Color-changing lighting is one of the most affordable ways to dramatically upgrade the look of a pool, and it's become a standard request on new builds in 2026.
5. Fire Features
Nothing creates ambiance like the contrast of fire and water. Fire features have become a signature element of high-end backyard design, and Oklahoma homeowners are embracing them.
Fire bowls positioned on raised walls or pool corners create a stunning visual where flames appear to float above the water.
Fire pits built into the surrounding deck give you a gathering spot for cool evenings. Many designs combine fire and water in a single feature — a fire bowl atop a spillover, for example — for maximum drama.
Beyond the look, fire features extend the usability of your backyard into the cooler months, giving you warmth and atmosphere long after summer ends.
6. Expanded Decking and Outdoor Living Areas
The pools people love most in 2026 aren't standalone features — they're the centerpiece of a complete outdoor living space. More and more Oklahoma homeowners are thinking beyond the pool itself to the entire backyard environment.
That means expanded decking with room for lounge furniture, dining areas, and gathering spaces. It means covered patios and pergolas that provide shade from the Oklahoma sun. It means outdoor kitchens and built-in grills that make the backyard the hub of summer entertaining.
The decking material matters too. Travertine, natural stone, and stamped concrete each create a different look and feel — and the right choice handles Oklahoma's heat without burning bare feet and its winters without cracking. The pool is the heart of the space, but the area around it is what makes it livable.
7. Automation and Smart Controls
The newest must-have feature isn't something you can see — it's how you control everything. Pool automation systems let you manage your entire pool from your phone.
Turn on the spa heater from your couch so it's ready when you walk outside. Adjust the lighting, start the water features, control the temperature, and monitor your pool's chemistry — all from an app. For busy families, automation takes the work out of pool ownership and makes the whole system effortless to enjoy.
As smart home technology becomes standard, pool automation has gone from a luxury add-on to something most of our customers want built into their new pools from day one.
How to Choose the Right Features for Your Backyard
With so many options, the key is designing a pool that fits how your family actually lives. A young family might prioritize a tanning ledge and bubblers for the kids. A couple who loves to entertain might focus on an integrated spa, fire features, and an expanded outdoor kitchen. Someone seeking a private retreat might want a natural rock waterfall and color-changing lighting for quiet evenings.
The good news is that adding features during the initial build is always more affordable than retrofitting them later. That's why it pays to think through everything you might want before construction begins. For a sense of how features affect your overall investment, see our cost guide:
And if you already have a pool that's missing the features you want, many of these can be added through a renovation.
Design Your Dream Pool With Signature Custom Pools
Every feature in this list is something we design and build for Oklahoma homeowners. As a custom gunite builder, we have complete freedom to bring any of these features to life — built specifically for your backyard, your family, and your vision.
Don and Robin Allen have been designing custom pools in the Norman and Oklahoma City area since 2008. During your free consultation, we'll walk through your backyard, talk about how you want to use your pool, and help you choose the features that will make it perfect for your family.
Serving Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, Yukon, Mustang, and the entire OKC metro.
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