In luxury pool design, the difference between beautiful and breathtaking often comes down to the details and nothing transforms a backyard into a true resort experience like the sound, movement, and artistry of water.
At Southern Pool Designs, we view water features not as add-ons, but as essential design elements that define the mood, energy, and identity of your outdoor space.
From subtle reflections to bold architectural statements, the right water feature elevates your pool from functional to unforgettable.
The Purpose Behind Every Drop
Upscale water features do more than look beautiful. They bring life and texture to a pool environment, softening hard surfaces, masking neighborhood noise, and creating movement that draws the eye.
We design each feature to serve one or more of these key functions:
- Visual interest: Layered water levels, motion, and symmetry enhance luxury aesthetics.
- Sound and atmosphere: Cascades and sheers create a soothing white noise that transforms relaxation.
- Temperature moderation: Circulation and aeration help regulate water temperature.
- Light interaction: Flowing surfaces amplify the effect of LED and ambient lighting.
Every sound, reflection, and ripple is intentional – engineered to balance form and function.
Signature Water Features That Define Luxury
Over the years, we’ve mastered a wide range of custom water features that blend design artistry with performance reliability.
Here are some of the most popular (and stunning) options for high-end pools:
1Sheer Descents & Water Walls
A sleek, modern statement piece. These thin, smooth sheets of water cascade down a tiled or stone wall — perfect for adding elegance and movement without overpowering the space.
Best for: Modern or transitional designs with strong architectural lines.
Scuppers & Spillways
These precision-cut metal or stone outlets allow water to spill gently from a raised beam or spa into the pool, creating rhythmic motion and sound.
Best for: Classic, Mediterranean, or contemporary designs with elevated walls or raised spas.
Perimeter-Overflow “Champagne” Spas
Also known as mirror or vanishing-edge spas, these are the hallmark of modern elegance. The water spills evenly around all edges, creating a perfect glass-like surface that gently flows into the pool below.
Best for: Statement pieces in luxury builds, where symmetry and reflection define the aesthetic.
Rain Curtains
Mounted overhead or integrated into pergolas, rain curtains create a shimmering water veil, part architectural art, part sensory experience.
Best for: Covered lounge areas or transition zones between indoor and outdoor living spaces.
Bubblers, Deck Jets & Laminar Flows
Small but powerful elements that add playfulness or movement to shallow areas, sun shelves, or entry zones.
Best for: Resort-style family pools and pools with expansive tanning ledges.
Fire & Water Integration
Combining opposites, flame and flow, is the ultimate design statement. Custom fire bowls, linear features, or in-pool fire elements create contrast and ambiance.
Best for: Evening entertaining spaces and luxury builds that emphasize drama.
Infinity & Knife-Edge Systems
The pinnacle of engineering and artistry. These features use precise leveling and hydraulic design to create a continuous, mirror-like water surface that visually merges with the horizon or architecture.
Best for: Oceanfront, lakefront, or elevated sites where the view becomes part of the pool.
Built to Perform, Designed to Last
Luxury water features require more than creativity. They demand engineering precision.
Every system we build at Southern Pool Designs is designed with:
- Independent pump and plumbing control for flow consistency and quiet operation
- Corrosion-resistant materials to handle Florida’s humidity and coastal air
- Proper surge and return systems to prevent staining, splashing, and uneven flow
- Professional hydraulic balancing to ensure efficiency and performance
Our projects are built to perform flawlessly, day after day, year after year, without the maintenance headaches that come from underdesigned systems.
The SPD Difference
Every feature, from a simple sheer to a knife-edge perimeter overflow, is part of a larger story.
We design with the entire space in mind – water features, lighting, landscaping, finishes, and sound – all working together to create emotion.
That’s the mark of true luxury: every ripple, every shimmer, every reflection has purpose.
If you’re ready to elevate your pool with architectural water features that blur the line between art and engineering, we’d be honored to design it.
Southern Pool Designs — Florida’s leader in engineered luxury pools and water features built for life.