Hot-trending plunge pool is cool choice for HGTV® Smart Home 2023

At every turn, inside and out, HGTV® Smart Home 2023 shows off what’s trending in building and design. Case in point: the home’s backyard plunge pool.

Sometimes called a cocktail pool, a plunge pool is suited for relaxing rather than swimming. These small, shallow water features are the perfect alternative for homeowners who don’t want to take up space with a traditional pool, typically 15 feet wide by 30 feet long, but want something different than a hot tub.

This year’s Smart Home’s plunge pool was installed in the midst of a ground-level Trex deck at the Adobe-style home in Santa Fe, NM, and is just 9’6” long and 6’11” wide. Shallow and flat-bottomed at 4 ½ feet deep, the pool can be heated or cooled depending upon the season.

Smart Home Designer Tiffany Brooks designed the placement of the Smart Home pool, just beyond the main interior living spaces, to encourage conversation and relaxation. Situated just beyond the lounge seating, outdoor TV, and fire pit hangout area, the plunge pool is a natural extension for gathering.

“Behind the fire pit, is a plunge spa with smart controls to turn it from a refreshing dip in the summer to a steamy spa for cooler months next to lots of soft seating for taking in the Rocky Mountain views," she says.

“I even added a turf area for lawn games or pets to play. I love the balance of fire and water features and the green turf adjacent to the warm-toned decking. While it doesn’t take up much physical space of the deck, it adds so much luxury. Who wouldn’t want that oasis steps from your bedroom!”