—Make an educated decision about building a diving pool

Note: This is the first article in a two-part series on diving boards.

When buying or remodeling a swimming pool, one important consideration is whether or not to include a diving board. This decision should be a calculated choice based on your pool design, backyard space, and family lifestyle.

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.

—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.

—Buying tips for choosing the best unit for your backyard

Once found only in restaurants to make outdoor dining more pleasant for their patrons, patio space heaters have expanded to private backyards, helping warm homeowners across the country.

This trend has come about for a good reason: By extending the months possible to enjoy a pool and patio area, outdoor heaters maximize opportunities to take advantage of your exterior living space.

Evaluating factors that help determine the ideal amount of decking for your backyard

A new swimming pool and deck can serve as the foundation for a beautiful backyard resort where your family and friends come together for relaxing, dining, socializing, and overall healthy living.

Pick the right float and turn your pool into the spot everyone wants to be.