—Decorative and functional design elements to include in your backyard resort

Would you like to make the experience around your backyard pool the most enjoyable one possible for your family? When you’re ready to design a new concrete (gunite or shotcrete) swimming pool, don’t forget about great options that deliver added comfort and convenience.

Toward that end, here are three leisure-oriented pool features to consider: an umbrella-covered pool ledge for tanning and lounging, a built-in table and seating area inside your pool, and an activity-oriented, shallow-depth pool design.

Your pool is gorgeous. It cools you off, it raises your home value, and it makes your backyard the envy of the cul-de-sac. But after a few weeks of summer, even the most beautiful pool can start to feel like a one-trick amenity. Swim. Float. Repeat.

The fastest way to fix that is also the cheapest. Pool toys and games. Real ones, built for adults as much as kids. At Blue Haven, we have spent more than 65 years designing backyard pool resorts, and the pattern is the same every summer. Pools with a basketball hoop and a volleyball net get used more often. Family game night moves outside. Adult dinner parties end in a pool joust bracket. Kids invent rules and stick with them all summer.

Below are 10 of our favorites. Most are under $100, none require a contractor, and every one of them is built to make your pool the place everyone wants to be.

—Negotiate a better home purchase price with an in-depth pool inspection

Seeking a new home with outdoor space for keeping cool, entertaining, and exercising? Many people are, and for these reasons, some house hunters see the advantage of buying a home with an existing inground swimming pool. With a ready-made backyard resort, you can begin enjoying a private aquatic leisure center on move-in day.

—Make the right picks to create a lasting, comfortable setting for backyard meals

For enjoying meals and conversation, what better place is there other than poolside in your own backyard?

Whether it’s a sit-down family barbeque, to a romantic moonlit meal for two, or outdoor bash with several dozen friends and a spread of fun finger foods, sunshine or a starlit sky make private alfresco dining a special experience for everyone. It’s even better with the right mix and type of outdoor tables and seating that accommodates your diners.

You priced the family vacation. Flights, hotel, rental car, eating out, the whole thing. Then you looked at the backyard and realized you already paid for the resort. It just needs the features that make a resort feel like one. Below are 10 staycation upgrades that handle shade, dining, warmth, and fun, so the backyard finally earns its keep.

—Get peace of mind by outfitting your outdoor space with emergency supplies and accessories

Backyard swimming pools are designed for fun, relaxation, and entertainment. Whether you prefer sunning on the deck, soaking in the spa, or splashing in the water, responsible pool owners understand that safety should always come first.

—Rates are lower, and in-house finance experts know where to find the money

Building a new swimming pool is one of several kinds of home-improvement projects that observers say will increase in 2017. A recent survey by LightStream, a division of SunTrust Banks Inc., indicates 59 percent of homeowners expect to spend money on home renovation projects this year.