Outdoors 5 Min Read

Three Stunning Pools to Inspire Your Country Retreat or Urban Oasis

By Wendy Jacob On August 7th, 2026

Get inspired by three picturesque pools in three unique settings.

Open Country

In 2021, Heather and Rockey Delfino bought their beautiful home in Mono, about an hour’s drive northwest of Toronto, primarily for the views of the sprawling Ontario farmland. “We envisioned the pool as a quiet retreat, a place to take in the landscape and experience the seasons,” says Heather. Set into the hill’s incline, the pool seems like an extension of the land and blurs the boundary between water and horizon. Truckloads of natural boulders were brought in and set into the slope to anchor the space. The steep, difficult grade has now been transformed into a series of terraces on different levels, with flower beds overflowing with lavender spikes and other perennials for colour and movement.

LOCATION: Mono, Ont.
TYPE: Shotcrete infinity pool with a hot tub
DESIGN BRIEF: A pool that takes advantage of the views of the rolling hills and is suitable for small children to play in
DIMENSIONS: 37’8″ l. x 19’8″ w. x 8’3″ d. (hot tub is 6′ l. x 6′ w. x 3’6″ d.)
POOL CONSTRUCTION: Three months for the pool, plus six months for the landscaping

“You walk down an 80-foot embankment and, once you’re in the pool area, you’re in your own little world,” says pool designer Peter Brown of BonaVista Pools. An existing barn converted into a pool house serves as a place to gather, dine and relax out of the sun while also housing a sculpting studio. “The infinity-edge pool and hot tub have become the heart of everything,” says Heather. “We share a glass of wine with family and friends here, and we especially enjoy watching the sun sink behind the hills. It’s the perfect ending to a day.”

Rustic Retreat

Four years ago, Quebec TV personality Vanessa Pilon moved from Montreal to Sutton to be closer to nature. “I love swimming, but the rivers here are cold,” says Vanessa. She tried excavating test sites for a pond on her mountaintop property, but nature had other plans, so Vanessa decided on a fibreglass pool. “We chose a dark colour — a flashy turquoise looked too tropical for the setting.” Richard Doucet of Mova Pools agreed: “The pool colour was custom developed to Vanessa’s liking to blend in to the Eastern Townships landscape,” he says. Landscaper Frédéric Arsenault of La Roche Posée augmented the rustic feel by siting boulders in a naturalistic way as seating around the pool. “It’s similar to what you’d encounter in a forest setting,” says Frédéric.

LOCATION: Sutton, Que.
TYPE: Fibreglass pool with a stone grey Diamond interior finish
DESIGN BRIEF: A pond-like pool that suits the country setting with family-friendly features
DIMENSIONS: 34′ l. x 12′ w. x 4’10” d., with a 7′-long integrated sun ledge, 6’6″ x 17″ benches and a 3″ safety ledge
APPROXIMATE COST: $150,000, including furniture

Vanessa followed his easygoing approach by enhancing the pool with native plants that draw bees and hummingbirds. The shallow sun ledge gives Vanessa’s daughter, Claire, and her French bulldog, Sophie, a safe place to splash around. The pool has become a magnet for her city friends and their kids. Vanessa also enjoys maintaining the garden setting. “In the past, I was into fashion and city life, but there’s something artistic about working with plants,” she says. Her transition from cosmopolitan to country seems complete. “I used to like travelling during the summer, but now I want to stay at home! I went to Greece last year and thought, I could be home right now. ”

Urban Spa

It started off as a water feature, but it grew into something much more for homeowner Tara Borg. “We really wanted a beautiful landscape design,” says Tara. “I wasn’t a big pool fan because I worried about maintenance, but this pool is so pretty to look at, and it beautifies the backyard.” She consulted with landscape architect David Taylor at Mark Hartley Landscape Architects and made it clear she didn’t want the backyard swallowed up by concrete, or to spend hours fussing over plants. Tara opted for a shotcrete pool because she wanted a slim profile and custom features like a bench for lounging.

The pool deck, also in sandblasted Algonquin limestone, complements the tones of the rustic back wall with its trio of waterfall spouts.

A covered porch off the family room is equipped with a fire table and radiant ceiling heaters for cooler nights. Neutral furniture suits the sandblasted Algonquin limestone patio tile. An unobtrusive safety barrier is installed near the house, rather than the pool.

LOCATION: Midtown Toronto
TYPE: Shotcrete plunge pool
DESIGN BRIEF: A water feature and pool that can transition into a hot tub
DIMENSIONS: 18′ l. x 8′ w. x 5’6″ d., with a 15′-long bench
POOL CONSTRUCTION: Three months
APPROXIMATE COST: $110,000*

Three waterfall spouts on the raised wall add a gentle cascading sound to drown out traffic noise and add serenity to the backyard. The surprise? Not only does the pool double as a water feature, but it can also be transformed into a hot tub, thanks to hydrotherapy jets and a heating system. Especially when the weather cools, the homeowners like to put on music and turn the pool into a spa. “The compact size is manageable: the pool heats quickly and doesn’t dominate the backyard,” says Tara. “If we’re coming home, we can switch it on remotely through an app so it’s ready for us when we get there.”