Creating the Ultimate Outdoor Escape
Summer in North Central Washington is meant to be lived outdoors. Long sunny days, warm evenings and sweeping views of lakes, vineyards and mountains naturally draw people outside, making the backyard an extension of the home rather than simply a patch of grass.
That shift in thinking has fueled growing interest in outdoor living spaces that blend recreation, relaxation and entertaining into one cohesive design. Swimming pools, outdoor kitchens, fire features, patios and thoughtfully designed landscapes are no longer considered standalone amenities. Instead, they’re being planned together to create destinations where families and friends want to spend time.
For Dale McElroy, owner of Boyer Mountain Pool, that transformation has been at the heart of the family-owned company’s work for more than three decades.
Boyer Mountain Pool has built pools and transformed backyards throughout Washington, Eastern Oregon and Northern Idaho for more than 30 years, installing more than 1,500 pools across the Northwest. Today, the company specializes in fiberglass swimming pools, automatic safety covers and complete backyard renovations designed around the way homeowners live.
Designing for the way people live
While swimming pools remain the focal point of many projects, McElroy says today’s homeowners are thinking much bigger than simply adding a place to swim.
“The demand has grown tremendously,” McElroy said. “People are spending more time at home and realizing they can create a vacation right in their own backyard. Instead of traveling every weekend, they’re investing in pools, patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, landscaping, and other amenities they can enjoy every day.”
That evolution reflects a broader lifestyle shift. Rather than viewing the backyard as separate from the home, homeowners increasingly want outdoor spaces that function much like an additional family room — a place where children play, adults unwind and guests gather throughout the year.
As a result, McElroy says clients are asking for comprehensive designs instead of individual features.
“They’re looking for a complete outdoor living space,” he said. “They want a place where kids can play, adults can relax, and everyone can gather.”
Among the most requested features are tanning ledges, spas, expansive patios, automatic safety covers and large entertainment areas that accommodate everything from family dinners to neighborhood gatherings.
Bringing every element together
The most successful outdoor spaces don’t happen by accident. They begin with a master plan that considers how every element works together.
“It starts with thoughtful design,” McElroy said. “The pool should flow naturally with the patio, landscaping, seating areas, and outdoor features. When everything works together, it feels like an extension of the home instead of something that was added later.”
That philosophy is shaping many of today’s backyard trends.
Clean, contemporary designs continue to dominate, with homeowners gravitating toward natural colors, stone coping and larger gathering spaces. Integrated lighting allows outdoor living to continue well after sunset, while energy-efficient heating and cooling systems help extend the swimming season. Automatic safety covers not only improve safety but also simplify maintenance and reduce operating costs.
Beyond the pool itself, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, fire pits, retaining walls, landscape lighting, putting greens, splash areas for children and smart automation systems are becoming increasingly common.
Together, those features transform a backyard into a multi-functional environment where cooking, dining, recreation and relaxation all happen within the same space.
No two families are alike
Although design trends influence many projects, McElroy says no two backyards should look exactly the same because no two families use them in the same way.
“We spend a lot of time asking questions because every family uses their backyard differently,” he said. “Some entertain large groups, some have young children, and others simply want a quiet place to relax. We design around how they’ll actually use the space instead of offering the same solution to everyone.”
That personalized approach often begins long before construction starts.
Contractors evaluate how homeowners plan to use the space, the property’s natural features, existing landscaping, sun exposure, access, drainage and long-term maintenance needs. By addressing those factors early, the finished project becomes more functional and avoids expensive changes later.
Planning the entire backyard from the outset also allows each feature to complement the others rather than competing for space.
Today, McElroy says the pool typically serves as one element within a larger vision.
“It’s often paired with outdoor kitchens, covered patios, fire features, custom concrete, landscaping, and comfortable seating areas,” he said. “The goal is to create a destination where family and friends naturally want to spend time together.”
Meeting the challenges of the landscape
North Central Washington offers spectacular scenery, but designing outdoor living spaces often means working with complex terrain.
Some of Boyer Mountain Pool’s most memorable projects have required extensive engineering before construction could even begin.
One recent project involved a steep hillside overlooking the water.
“It required extensive engineering, retaining walls, and significant site preparation before we could even install the pool,” McElroy said.
The work was demanding, but the result completely transformed the property.
“In the end, the homeowners gained a beautiful outdoor living space that completely changed how they use their property,” he said. “Those challenging projects are some of the most rewarding because of the transformation they create.”
Such projects highlight the importance of choosing experienced contractors who understand more than simply pool installation.
Excavation, drainage, soil conditions, permits and long-term durability all play critical roles in the success of a project, particularly on difficult sites.
According to McElroy, one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is focusing only on the pool while postponing decisions about everything else.
Another common oversight is underestimating the importance of drainage, site access and overall planning.
“A well-designed project considers the entire property from the start,” he said.
Built for the Northwest
Climate also influences nearly every design decision.
Unlike warmer regions with year-round swimming weather, Central Washington experiences four distinct seasons, including freezing winter temperatures that can place significant stress on outdoor structures.
“Living in Central Washington means we experience all four seasons, so durability is extremely important,” McElroy said.
That’s one reason Boyer Mountain Pool specializes in fiberglass pools, which he says perform especially well through repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles.
The company also recommends efficient heat pumps, automatic safety covers, proper drainage systems and concrete finishes selected specifically for the region’s climate.
Increasingly, homeowners are also looking for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient options.
“Variable-speed pumps, LED lighting, efficient heat pumps, saltwater systems, and automatic safety covers all help reduce operating costs while making pools easier to own and maintain,” he said.
Those technologies not only lower energy use but also reduce maintenance, making pool ownership more practical for busy families.
Creating places that bring people together
Looking ahead, McElroy expects outdoor living spaces to become even more integrated with daily life.
Technology, automation and longer swimming seasons will continue to shape future designs, but he believes the biggest trend isn’t about equipment or materials.
It’s about how families choose to spend their time.
“I think we’ll continue seeing backyards become true extensions of the home,” he said. “More integrated technology, smarter automation, longer swimming seasons, and complete outdoor living environments will become the norm. Families are placing a higher value on spending time together at home, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
For McElroy, the most meaningful projects aren’t necessarily the largest or most elaborate. They’re the ones where homeowners later describe their backyard as the place everyone naturally gathers.
“We’ve been fortunate to work on many incredible projects throughout North Central Washington, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Idaho—from waterfront homes and challenging hillside installations to simple backyard transformations,” he said. “The best stories are always the ones where homeowners tell us their backyard has become the place where everyone gathers. Those are the projects we’re most proud of because it’s about more than building a pool—it’s about creating a place where memories are made.”
After more than 30 years in business, that philosophy continues to guide every project.
“At Boyer Mountain Pool, we don’t just build swimming pools—we build places where families come together,” McElroy said. “We build every project the way we’d build it at our own home. That’s what’s driven our business for more than 30 years, and it’s still what motivates us every single day.”
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