Freshly baked pies, flowers plucked from the garden, and mixed generations; that’s what a summer dinner party looks like at Aerin founder Aerin Lauder’s East Hampton home. She’s brought that same relaxed spirit into her new collaboration with Williams Sonoma, spanning tableware and outdoor furniture that’ll make you want to start planning your own low-key gathering. 

Fresh blues and whites are sprinkled throughout the collection, from the vintage-looking dinnerware to the scalloped and gingham table linens to the playful confetti tumblers. The color combination was a no-brainer for Lauder: It was her grandmother’s go-to palette. “Her line was all inspired by turquoise, and every room in her [Long Island] house was blue and white,” says Lauder.

Aerin Garden Bouquet Dinnerware Collection, Williams Sonoma ($30)

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Aerin Confetti Tumblers (Set of 4), Williams Sonoma ($80)

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Aerin Swirl Goblets (Set of 4), Williams Sonoma ($80)

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Aerin Scalloped Placemats (Set of 4), Williams Sonoma ($70)

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The palette isn’t the only place Lauder referenced family memories. The outdoor furniture, made of all-weather wicker, was inspired by a massive basket her mom has owned for as long as she can remember. She fills this basket with smaller baskets, which Lauder often finds herself pulling for photo shoots. Needless to say, she has an affinity for the natural material and knew almost immediately after being approached by Williams Sonoma that it would be the star. 

Aerin East Hampton Sofa, Williams Sonoma ($1,895)

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Aerin East Hampton Coffee Table, Williams Sonoma ($1,495)

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Aerin East Hampton Dining Table, Williams Sonoma ($2,495)

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Aerin East Hampton Dining Chair, Williams Sonoma ($595)

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As for the pink onyx bathroom accessories? Those are directly inspired by Lauder’s own New York City apartment. As the style and design director for Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv, she knows a thing or two about skin care, and she sees the bathroom as one of the most important rooms in the house. “That’s where you start your day, and that’s where you end your day, and to have these wonderful accessories makes it that much more special,” she says. We think the tissue box holder is a family heirloom in the making. 

Aerin Pink Onyx Bath Accessories, Williams Sonoma

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The post Aerin Lauder’s Williams Sonoma Collab Started With Her Grandmother’s Favorite Color Combo appeared first on domino.

In Caitlin Cavagnolo’s dream world, she and her husband, Tyler Randall, would live in an abandoned Italian villa, where large tapestries cover the walls and the furniture is worn-in but beautifully so. Of course, you don’t have to be in your ideal location to channel those same vibes at home. When Tyler and Caitlin bought their one-bedroom apartment in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 2016, there weren’t soaring cypress trees out front and frescoes on the ceilings. But it did have an in-unit washer and dryer, a basement, and a balcony. Plus, there was plenty of wall space to hang a tapestry of their own. In the greater New York City area, that’s amore.

For Caitlin, Italian villa equals a space that feels “calming and soothing and a little bit grand,” she says. After making light renovations to their 650-square-foot home over the years, including installing new kitchen counters and swapping the old laminate floors for wood, the couple called on Caitlin’s sister, Hayley Cavagnolo, the designer behind Hayley Bridget Interiors, for help. “When Hayley doesn’t like things, it shows on her face,” says Caitlin. “I definitely saw a look of ‘this could be better’ when she would come over.” 

More kitchen storage was priority number one. Caitlin is an avid cook and—blame it on her Italian heritage—likes to make her pasta from scratch. By extending the marble countertop, they gained shelves for her cookbook collection and an extra workspace that’s perfect for her pasta maker. The new millwork continues on the opposite wall, encompassing deep drawers and cabinets for bulky flour packs and serving platters. “Before, I’d have to pull out a ladder to get to things,” says Caitlin. “Now everything has a home.” 

As if it’s just returned from a summer vacation on the Amalfi coast, the apartment now emits a warm glow. Hayley landed on Farrow & Ball’s Hay, a dusty yellow, for the kitchen cabinets and Benjamin Moore’s Elephant Tusk for all the walls. But when it came to the doors, her sister had a special request: She wanted them to be blue. Hayley presented the couple with two shades, and she wanted to use them both to trick the eye into thinking the panels are deeper than they really are. “I was trying to figure out a way to make the doors more appealing, and adding this trompe l’oeil detail gave them a more decorative look,” says the designer. Despite the painterly touch, the overall color palette for the apartment is definitively tight. “It’s a small space,” continues Hayley. “Cohesiveness is important, especially when you’re layering so much.” 

The splash of dark blue reappears on the bedding. For Tyler, keeping—or at least reimagining—the pieces of furniture they already owned was crucial. “He’s an avid composter and recycler, and he hates waste,” Hayley points out. The couple’s simple wood bed frame fell into the “let’s rethink this” bucket (the headboard is now wrapped in a custom slipcover), as did the dining chairs that now boast round cushions.

“Every time I’d come over, I told [Caitlin] how uncomfortable they were,” Hayley says of the seats. The designer pulled a Rose Tarlow stripe fabric, which plays nicely with the nearby living room armchairs—a Chairish score Hayley re-covered in Loro Piana’s Gritti Midnight. “I just love a stripe; it never goes out of style,” she says. “And when I’m designing something for my brother-in-law, I need to really think about what’s going to be classic for years.” 

Continuing to be mindful of just how small the apartment is, Hayley made a linen slipcover for the TV, that way Tyler and Caitlin don’t have to stare at a black box 24-7. But when they do want to catch up on episodes of Apple TV’s Silo, the piece of fabric can be removed in a flash—just about as fast as their pitbull-boxer mix, Jackson, will claim his space on the sofa. “We’ll sit down and he’ll come up and kick one of us off our spots,” says Caitlin. They’re quick to adjust their seating arrangement to make sure he’s comfy. “Jackson kind of runs the show,” she adds, laughing. Luckily he’s not very furry to begin with, but any hair he does shed is left behind on the durable mohair mat Hayley made to help preserve the couple’s existing couch.  

The designer wasn’t the only one thinking scrappy. When Tyler’s job became fully remote, everyone realized he needed a place to post up that wasn’t the Saarinen dining table. Using CAD renderings that Hayley mocked up and some woodworking tools left over from their first renovation, he crafted a wood base for a narrow desk. Hayley later hooked him up with a slab of honed marble to go on top. The one-of-a-kind piece now lives in the couple’s bedroom. You’d never guess the sleek leather and chrome chair in the corner is actually meant to go at the desk or that his calculator and gum are stashed in the decorative box. 

The tiny bathroom, which houses the washer and dryer, was also overdue for a makeover. First up: a vanity cabinet where they can store laundry detergent (before, they’d just plop it in the washer drum after use) and surplus toothpaste. “There would be a lot of things we’d buy again because we couldn’t see how much we had,” says Caitlin. Hayley made the room feel even bigger by shifting the inset medicine cabinet to the side wall and mounting an extra-large mirror. Even the electrical work came second to the mirror plan. The sconces are layered on top of the glass sheet. “I wanted a little jewel box, something you go into and feel like you’re in this beautiful place,” says Caitlin. One might say, Tuscany. 

The Goods

Grand Rug (Sand), Nordic Knots ($795)

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Alexander Walnut Wood Side Table by Jake Arnold, Crate & Barrel ($399)

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Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore

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Audrey 03, Madeaux by Richard Smith

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The post This Couple Got the Old Italian Villa of Their Dreams—But in Jersey City appeared first on domino.

“Colors are never alone; they need company,” says Christoph Brach, cofounder of Dutch design studio Raw Color. When Brach and his partner (in business and life), Daniera ter Haar, were approached by IKEA to design an 18-piece line of affordable carafes, pillows, rugs, lampshades, rolling carts, blankets, and mugs, they delivered a prismatic collection that includes 15 hues. 

That might not sound like a lot—until you see how they all play out on the products. The lampshades feature three tiers that transition from dark to lighter tones, each layer catching and reflecting light in a different way. The wool rug has the same striped pattern on both sides, so you can turn it over for longer use. The storage unit is on casters and made up of three cubbies, each one a different bold shade and size. 

Fittingly, IKEA debuted the super-colorful collection at Paris Fashion Week, where the company took over 28 Rue de Lappe to also showcase a new collection of portraits by Annie Leibovitz. Ever since we heard about the news a month ago, we’ve been patiently awaiting this day: Raw Color’s Tesammans line with IKEA is officially available for purchase in-store and online.

One of the star pieces in the assortment is the powder-coated side table, which happens to use Brach and ter Haar’s favorite color: pink. “We really love pink. It’s not too bright, [and it] goes nicely with many different tones,” the duo shared in a recent Q&A with IKEA.

Tesammans Side Table, IKEA ($40)

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The table’s wavy red shell comes with a light blush top that—you guessed it—pops off to reveal hidden storage inside. When the lid is on, the $40 piece measures just shy of 15 inches tall, which means it can also double as a nightstand next to a low-profile bed. The bonus compartment can hold it all: a stack of books, rolled-up blankets, kids’ toys. And it’s further proof of Raw Color’s concept: The two hues are better together.

Shop More Items From the IKEA x Raw Color Collaboration

Tesammans Rug, IKEA ($250)

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Tesammans Pendant Lampshade, IKEA ($25)

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Tesammans Cushion Cover, IKEA ($5)

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Tesammans Storage Unit on Casters, IKEA ($99)

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Tesammans Hanging Decoration ($10)

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Tesammans Vase/Plant Pot (Set of 2), IKEA ($50)

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The post IKEA’s Highly Anticipated Raw Color Collection Is Officially Available to Shop appeared first on domino.

When Kelly Wearstler reaches out to you over email to show off the Easter eggs she made with her 18-month-old son, you reply immediately with follow-up questions to get all the details. “I’ve always seen Easter as such a vibrant, joyous holiday, so we really like to make it special for our kids,” she shares. “Now that my son Crosby is old enough to really get involved in the festivities, we’re excited to make Easter more of a production again in our home.” 

From how she strategically “hides” her eggs around her house to her secret to keeping them in place during dyeing, here’s what the designer shared with us about the ways she improvises with a regular box of dye from the grocery store. 

Play With the Palette

To go beyond a simple allover color effect, Wearstler partially submerges the eggs, then dips them multiple times (and at varying depths) to give them an ombré effect that’s still simple enough for Crosby to make, too. To achieve the pastel shades, she dipped for 10 seconds, and for more saturated tones, she kept them in between 5 and 10 minutes. Her secret to keeping the eggs in place? Espresso cups. “They allow for ultimate control over which part of the egg you color because the egg doesn’t roll around,” she says.

Get a Drippy Effect

To take your designs to the next level (without losing the attention of your little ones), Wearstler likes to create a painterly effect by letting the dye drip-dry. “Hold the tip of the egg in the dye for about 5 to 10 seconds. Then slowly pull the egg out, flip it over, and gently move the egg around while letting the dye run,” she says. “You’ll get the most amazing patterns and lines.”

“Hide” Them as Art

The reason Wearstler hides her eggs in plain sight is twofold. One, they’re pretty enough to be on display. But also: “Since my son is so young, I didn’t want to make them impossible to find. But I couldn’t make it too easy either, so some eggs are a little more hidden than others. I had fun positioning them among designs in our home, emphasizing existing shapes and colors.” For example, a green drippy egg almost blends into a marble sculpture’s veining, and a dipped yellow one looks right at home on a chessboard. To which we say, Crosby has his work cut out for him. 

The post Kelly Wearstler Emailed Us About Her Ultracool Drippy Easter Egg Technique appeared first on domino.

The biggest kitchen trend isn’t sage green cupboards or two-tone subway tile backsplashes—it’s making the room look nothing like a kitchen. One way everyone has been achieving a seamless aesthetic is with panel-ready refrigerators, meaning fridges for which the facades are customized to match the rest of the room’s built-in cabinetry. Celebrities like Jenna Lyons and Hilary Duff and designers such as Martyn Lawrence Bullard support the sneaky camouflage. But covering up the bulky stainless steel appliance with colored laminate or white oak isn’t your only option. Consider hiding your walk-in pantry, too.

A sliding barn door or a plain white hinged one with a single round knob is a dead giveaway that this is a pantry. But make the entrance nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the cabinets around it, and the closet will blur into the background. Here are six benefits to hiding your pantry in plain sight. 

It Keeps the Visual Clutter to a Minimum

When you’ve splurged on custom cabinets, it can be painful to chop up that nice flow you’ve created with a pantry entrance. Some extra hardware and a little trim offer cohesion. Liz Hoekzema of KLH Custom Homes went so far as to mimic the look of the adjacent drawers and uppers in this all-white kitchen—and the optical illusion totally works. 

You Won’t Constantly Hear About Snack Time

An unexpected pro of a secret pantry? “My child couldn’t beg for snacks every three minutes,” shares designer Whittney Parkinson. Out of sight, out of mind, right? It might not be ideal for first-time guests who are trying to figure out where you keep the cashews, but for everyday family life, it means fewer distractions. 

It Streamlines a Tiny City Apartment

This works magic for reach-in pantries in tiny galley kitchens, too. Brooklyn-based designer Delia Kenza pulled the trick off in this space by continuing the classic subway tile backsplash onto the wall and over the push-to-open doors. It’s a sweet surprise, especially if it ends with you snagging a cookie.

It Can Also Store Appliances

A hidden pantry isn’t just for snacks. Designer Brittany Swigart of Maeve Design Collective used the one in this Scottsdale, Arizona, kitchen to store additional appliances such as the microwave. The swing door, along with all the cabinets, got covered in Benjamin Moore’s Accessible Beige, an all-too-appropriate name. “We loved how the hidden door was a cohesive extension of the appliance wall and created an uninterrupted visual,” Swigart says.

It Can Introduce New Colors

You’re basically creating a whole new room, so why not have fun with it? Although the cabinets and door of this Shea McGee–designed ranch may be swathed in Sherwin-Williams’s Gray’s Harbor, there’s another secret behind the pantry door: a room that’s all white, a fun bright contrast to the kitchen’s moodier shade.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Huge

You don’t need a ton of extra room to add a hidden pantry to your home. Even though the secret space in this New England house, designed by Twelve Chairs Interiors, is just 14 square feet, it adds a whopping 40 linear feet of storage.

The post The Most Practical Place for a Secret Door Is in Your Kitchen appeared first on domino.

The reason so many vacation rental interiors look the same is because they’re usually filled with furniture from big-box retailers. An IKEA floor lamp here, a Wayfair sofa there—stuff the homeowners won’t lose sleep over. So, as design lovers, we appreciate it when a host puts a little trust in us and furnishes a space with designer, custom, or even vintage pieces. Apparently, Taylor Swift has the same standards. 

According to Elite Daily, Swift and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, booked the Rosalita House, an oceanfront estate on Harbour Island for their Bahamas getaway. The six-bedroom, $16,000-per-night rental, which was designed by Clemens Bruns Schaub architects Brad Currie and Shane Poulin, is decked out in tropical decor, including an enormous sectional swathed in coral-patterned fabric, palm tree sculptures, and turquoise terrazzo counters. At the top of one staircase landing, we spotted a pair of chairs and a side table we’d absolutely try to take home with us. 

Upon reaching out to Rosalita’s host, we uncovered that the pieces are in fact vintage finds from Paris and are made from seagrass. The discovery sent us down a 1stDibs rabbit hole, but the only super-similar items we could find were posted by the Vault in Sydney, which shared taller versions of what it calls “sculptural braided totem” chairs. Earlier this month, Merit in L.A. also listed five tripod stools made out of woven wicker pine needles, attributing the pieces as French from the 1980s. Our deputy editor, Julie Vadnal, confirmed the pieces’ retro roots: As our team Slack popped off about the chunky chairs in Swift’s rental, she shared a photo of an almost identical version she saw this week at the Round Top Antiques Fair. Much like the one from the Vault, the one she spotted in Texas had two circular backrests instead of one. 

This isn’t the first time a woven chair has brought a smile to our faces. Wicker is frequently used to create furniture with personality; perhaps that’s because it’s so malleable or because it exudes happy summer vibes. Remember Chris Wolston’s Nalgona chair? The seat has true-to-form arms and legs and looks like it’s going to wrap you in a big hug. Tom Dixon and Marzio Cecchi’s S-chairs are a touch more subtle, but there’s something about the exaggerated curves that are utterly humanlike, and we’re here for it.

Similar Woven Chairs With Big Personality

Adrien Audoux and Frida Minet Side Chair in Oak and Braided Straw, 1stDibs ($2,750)

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Mid-Century Modern Style Solid Minimal Wood Chair with Woven Cane Backboard, 1stDibs ($1,100)

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Tom Dixon Speed lounge chair for Space Design, UK 1999, 1stDibs ($2,511)

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Handwoven Tule Lounge Chair Made in Mexico from LUTECA, 1stDibs ($1,475)

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The post The Chairs in Taylor Swift’s Bahamas Rental Sent Us Down a 1stDibs Rabbit Hole appeared first on domino.

Large-scale art is a coveted solution for anchoring a big blank wall, but spaces with XL canvases are more commonly found on inspiration boards than in real-life homes. Why? Large art is expensive. Even at a big-box store like West Elm, you’ll be pressed to find an oversize piece that’s less than $200—and that’s for something mass produced. Forget it if you want a work that’s totally original, right?

Wrong. You’ll simply need to play the role of artist instead. I had a boring white wall above the sofa in my living room and spent months sifting through potential options online, but nothing seemed to fit my style or budget parameters. I wanted to spend about $100 if I could help it, and I envisioned something patterned but still minimalist. Then I got an idea. 

I used painter’s tape to map out the exact size I wanted on the wall (40-by-45 inches) and took those measurements to Home Depot, where I asked a pro to custom-cut a panel of plywood accordingly. Later that day, I picked out a sky blue fabric accented with trios of navy stripes (it just so happened to be on sale at Joann Fabrics) and found a thin batting to go between the textile and the plywood. With help from my mom and dad, we laid out the batting, then the fabric, so it was even on all sides of the board, and dusted off a well-worn staple gun to hold everything in place. Within a day, I had personalized, oversize art for just $60. 

In case you need more ideas to mull over, here are five other DIYs to consider if you’re determined to have large-scale art in your home for less. 

Shop Your Linen Closet

Designer Natalie Tredgett’s London home is full of colorful and clever details, but her choice to hang a quilt behind her daughter Zoe’s bed is especially original. “The color combination is very her; she even dresses like that!” says Tredgett. Given that this is a spot that’s often reserved for a headboard-and-artwork combination, choosing a quilt to act as both creates a cozy yet unexpected alternative. If you’d like to emulate the look in your own bedroom, it could be as easy as sifting through your linen closet for contenders. 

Go Your Own Way on Canvas

Even if you only took one drawing class in your life, there’s a good chance you could do something interesting on a large blank canvas if you so please. “What is that phrase? If you can’t make a good painting, make a big painting,” says creative director Jonathon Burford, who uses they/them pronouns. Burford and their husband, Jesse Rudolph, of Ome Dezin showcase their creative eye throughout their L.A. home, but the art in the kitchen is pretty yet comical: It’s a still life of the exact objects found on a shelf directly below it. Do the same with your own collection and see if guests notice. 

Hang a Small Rug or Other Eye-Catching Textile

Nisha Mirani and Brendan Kramer live in a New York City home with quite a few not-so-subtle hints that they own textile brand Sunday/Monday. They have a number of rugs on the floor, of course, but they’ve gone the extra step of hanging them on the walls, too. It’s an ideal solution if you want to enliven a vertical spot with color and texture, or you fell in love with a mat that isn’t the right size for your living space. “If you have a large collection of textiles, you probably can’t put them all out on your floor or your bed, but the wall is a great place to display them,” Mirani says. “The fabric gets to breathe there, too.”

Do a Digital Download

This is another route I’ve taken in my own home to save a few bucks: I buy a digital download in the scale I need and then frame it using a budget-friendly find from the likes of Target, IKEA, or thrift stores. There are countless options available on Etsy, but I also have Jenny Komenda’s Juniper Print Shop bookmarked. 

Frame Whimsical Wallpaper

When interior designer Judith Achumba-Wöllenstein moved from London to a larger home in Brighton with her family, they set about furnishing their dining room with a mix of DIYs, eBay steals, and a singular vintage splurge. When it came to art that could complement her Brutalist table and architectural chairs, she turned to Belarte, a Swedish company offering mural wallpaper. The designer adhered the print to a pair of MDF panels framed with precut moldings. 

The post I Couldn’t Find Affordable Large Art, So I Made My Own for $60 appeared first on domino.

Danish darling Hay is known for color combos that just hit right: maroon and baby blue duvets, yolk yellow and cream shower curtains, black and forest green rugs. Its newest line applies that stylish know-how to our furriest friends. Hay Dog is the brainchild of the brand’s cofounder, Mette Hay, and her friend Barbara Maj Husted Werner, owner of the very chic Copenhagen boutique Holly Golightly. 

While on a routine walk in the woods with their pups, the pair dreamed up a collection of everyday products that sport Hay’s signature mix of form and function, a cheerful palette, and utilitarian design. Mette, who is also the creative director for the brand’s accessories, wanted to bring some whimsy to the category, adding that pet items often lean into neutral or earth tones. Werner is in agreement. “Dogs have all kinds of ’personal items’ similar to any other member of the family, so why shouldn’t they be nice to look at?” she asks. She immediately got to work on the color-blocked dog bed design, which comes in three sizes appropriate for all kinds of breeds. 

Beyond the bed, the capsule includes tri-tone dog bowls, a dog collar (we’re partial to the lavender and emerald), and a braided leash, too. All of the fabric pieces are made with recycled polyester, and the bowls are crafted from heavy stoneware so they don’t go flying when a big snout comes in hot for dinner. 

Shop the Hay Dog Collection

Hay Dog Bed, Medium, Design Within Reach ($195)

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Hay Dog Leash, Design Within Reach ($45)

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Hay Dog Bowl, Small, Design Within Reach ($45)

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Hay Dog Collar, Medium/Large, Design Within Reach ($35)

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The post Hay’s First-Ever Pet Bed Is Made for Dogs With Discerning Design Taste appeared first on domino.

It’s funny how design trends can slip right onto your TikTok feed, tiptoe into your favorite stores, and slide right into your own home before you even realize it’s happening. But chances are you might have noticed a slight softening when it comes to one of the most important pieces of furniture: the sofa. You’re not alone—according to a recent survey from Afterpay, curved sofa designs have seen a 207 percent increase in purchases so far this year compared to 2023. The other item that has seen a significant bump? The curved table.

Sweeping sofa silhouettes have dotted interiors for generations, from Ubald Klug’s Terrazza sofa from the early 1970s to the De Sede DS600 Non-stop sofa of the same era. The new spring collection from Lulu and Georgia shows the range of a single curve. According to the brand, the furniture pieces are inspired by “the craving for everything bright, lighter, and airier.” The Shaw modern sofa is a prime example of this: It serves mid-century vibes with a wavy backrest, but clean lines and caramel-hued velvet bring it right back into the present day—it’s a refreshing (and lighter!) take on the super-curvy sofas of decades past.

Shaw Sofa, Lulu and Georgia ($3,498)

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But back to the topic of curvy tables for a moment, because this particular trend can be tougher to imagine in this space. You may be picturing wavy edges and drum-shaped bases, but, again, this collection challenges the traditional notion of a contoured silhouette. Take the Kent side table. The design drops a set of spheres right in the middle of the rectangular legs. (It’s fun! It’s quirky!) The Lozano accent chair is another favorite, with its chubby legs and rounded seat. The curvy ethos also trickles into the accessories (give the Kester bowl a peek for proof).

Some trends cross that vague and beautiful line into timeless territory, and it seems the idea of all things undulating is (and has been) on that journey. We recommend taking a cue from the Kent table and cozying up your curvy pieces next to a few angles for a splash of fresh contrast.

Shop More Items From the Lulu and Georgia Spring Collection

Lozano Accent Chair, Lulu and Georgia ($998)

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Kent Side Table, Lulu and Georgia ($598)

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Kester Bowl, Lulu and Georgia ($298)

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Potts Round Side Table, Lulu and Georgia ($698)

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Lowry Sofa, Lulu and Georgia ($2,298)

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Talley Sconce, Lulu and Georgia ($198)

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The post This Sofa Style Has Never Been So Popular—Here’s Lulu and Georgia’s Fresh Take appeared first on domino.

Recently, Compass sales agent Cassidy Iwersen felt a shift in her conversations with home buyers: Most of her clients want—no, need—a house with a swimming pool, and they aren’t afraid to delay their hunt until they get one. “Once, it might have been a ‘nice to have’; now it’s becoming a ‘must have,’” says Iwersen. At least, it’s turned into a deal breaker for many living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that she works in, but she suspects others who experienced record-breaking temperatures this year feel the same. 

For the everyday homeowner, the draw of a pool is enjoyment: It’s an amenity a whole family can use. Some buyers with kids have admitted to Iwersen that having one even encourages their little ones to lessen their screen time. Adults feel the same way: “One of my clients with a high-powered job said, ‘There are only a few things that really help me decompress and where I feel really relaxed, and hanging out in the pool is one of them,’” she recalls. 

What does all that zen time translate to in dollar signs? If you’re shopping for a home with a saltwater pool, you might expect to pay more for it and see more competition from other buyers, according to Zillow’s latest research, which suggests homes with saltwater pools sell for 1.5 percent more than comparable homes without one. Fortunately, most people don’t appear to care all that much about what the pool looks like but rather what shape it’s in. Older ones that require significant repairs can drag down the overall value of a property. “I always recommend getting a separate pool inspection,” says Iwersen.  

And what if your budget doesn’t get you a place with a pool at all? Iwersen has witnessed many clients stall their searches as a result, but she is proposing an alternative solution: Commit to the house you love, and if it’s pool-less, build a 5-foot-deep plunge pool. While they aren’t necessarily that much cheaper to construct than your average inground pool (approximately $25,370), these tiny oases come with a ton of perks: You don’t have to have a huge yard to fit one (you can even put one on sloped terrain), it’s easier to maintain and clean, it requires fewer chemicals, and it won’t break the bank if you want to heat it in the cooler months. 

This time last year, Karen Larson, cofounder of Soake Pools, saw record-breaking sales, 15 percent of which consisted of pools smaller than 7-by-13 feet. According to customer feedback, plunge pools fit well into the ever-popular outdoor living concept because they leave more room for other features such as firepits, lawn games, and alfresco kitchens. Read on for some more perks to paring back. 

You Can Get One in a Matter of Months

Chapman Bullock, cofounder of Proper Plunge Pools, says half of its inquiries come from clients who want a pool within three months—a timeline that’s totally doable when the actual installation only takes a matter of days. “The traditional path is going to take [customers] 12 to 18 months,” he says. “People don’t want a construction site in their backyards for months at a time.”

You Can Order One on the Internet

Here’s a short list of a few designer-favorite sources for premade plunge pools:

• Plungie
• Little Dipper
• Proper Plunge Pool
• Soake Pools

You Can Now Turn the Temp Way Down

More of a cold plunge kind of person? Soake Pools recently announced the launch of its first plunge pool designed specifically for cold plunging. The basin is smaller, lighter, and more efficient than its counterparts. Measuring at just 4-by-4 feet, the compact unit is intended for sitting and comfortably fits one person to create a traditionally individual, energizing experience. In addition to selecting your choice of porcelain tile for the interior, there are three cover styles available: lockable wood roll, textured folding spa, or the power safety. 

It Might Boost Your Value, But It’ll Definitely Perk Up a Listing

During the pandemic, it was clear buyers were willing to pay more for a home with a pool—specifically, $27,199 more on average. Generally, though, adding a pool of any kind solely to boost the resale value of your home is a gamble because you might not recover the total cost of putting one in. “I’m cautious to ever say that you can expect to get that back because there are so many other factors when pricing a home to sell, but I do feel that it does add value in most cases,” notes Iwersen. With that said: The appeal is real. “[Pools] used to be buried in the listing photos, and now I see them as the first one more and more!” she adds. 

You Can Get Creative

The ultimate solution if you are on a tight budget and want a place to keep cool is to buy a stock tank and add a pump. The next best thing? An aboveground pool, which can range from $800 to $5,000. “I feel like people are getting creative with aboveground pools—connecting them to the house with a deck or building out a wood or tiled surround with steps so that they look more inviting,” shares Iwersen. 

And don’t sleep on other water features either. When interior designer Kate Fudim bought her North Carolina home in 2021, there was a tiered fountain in the courtyard—she started requesting quotes from contractors to convert it into a pool ASAP. After a number of contractors quoted her up to $80,000 to do the job, she learned they could simply dig trenches around the lower pool and drill through the bottom of it to add inlets for filtered water and a light. They installed traditional pool equipment, filled it with salt water, and—voilà!—the whole job took three workers three weekends to complete for a grand total of $6,900. “The upper pool is fun because we use our pool floats and lounge around,” she says. “The bottom pool is deeper, though, and it’s in the shade, so I find it the most comfortable.”

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