Organic curves · Lagoon style · Rock, grottos & beach entry · Phoenix, AZ
Free-Form Pool Shape
The free-form pool shape trades straight lines for natural, flowing curves — the look of a lagoon or a desert oasis dropped into your backyard. We Fix Ugly Pools® designs and builds custom free-form pools across the Phoenix metro.
A free-form pool — also called a lagoon or naturalistic pool — is built from soft, irregular curves rather than geometric edges. There is no single “correct” outline: the shape bends and swells to echo nature, to wrap around landscaping, and to fit the real contours of your yard. It is the shape most people picture when they imagine a resort or a hidden desert oasis.
What is a free-form pool shape?
A free-form pool is a custom shape with no fixed geometry — its perimeter is a series of gentle, organic curves meant to look like it belongs in the landscape rather than being stamped onto it. Where a geometric pool is about clean lines and symmetry, the free-form is about movement and nature. That freedom is exactly why it pairs so well with rockwork, waterfalls, grottos, and beach (zero-depth) entries.
Because it is a fully custom concrete (gunite) build, a free-form pool can follow almost any outline you like. It sits at the heart of the most naturalistic pool designs — curved and softened so the water looks like a pond, a cove, or a tropical lagoon. In the Arizona desert, that often means a palette of natural stone, boulders, and warm, earthy finishes.
What a free-form pool looks like
Think flowing, uneven curves — a wide lounging cove easing into a narrower swimming run, edges that bulge and tuck to hug boulders and planting. Nothing about it is rigid or symmetrical, and that is the point.
Free-form shapes are the natural home for the features that make a backyard feel like a retreat: a cascading rock waterfall, a grotto or cave, a beach entry that wades in gradually, and a custom blend of stone and water. The curves give those elements a natural edge to live against.
Where a free-form pool shines
Natural, lagoon look
Soft organic curves that read like a pond or oasis, not a rectangle in the ground.
Made for waterfalls & grottos
Curved edges give rock waterfalls, cascades, and grottos a natural place to land.
Beach (zero-depth) entry
A gradual walk-in edge that mimics a shoreline — easy for kids, pets, and lounging.
Wraps around landscaping
Curves bend around boulders, planters, and trees so the pool fits the yard you have.
Fits irregular lots
No fixed geometry means the shape can follow odd angles and sloped yards gracefully.
Fully custom gunite
Shaped on site in concrete, so the outline, coves, and depth are entirely your own.
Your own backyard lagoon
A free-form pool is a fully custom concrete (gunite) build, so we shape it to your lot, your landscaping, and the features you want. New custom pools in the Valley generally range from $38,000 to $60,000, with premium rockwork, grottos, spas, and extensive hardscape adding roughly $60,000 or more on larger projects. Your free design consult sets the right scope and a clear number.
How we design and build your free-form pool
Design consult
We walk your yard, study the contours and landscaping, and sketch curves that fit the space.
Engineering & permits
Custom plans, structural engineering, and permitting handled by our licensed team.
Excavation & gunite
We dig the organic outline, set steel, and shoot the gunite shell that locks in the curves.
Rock, finish & features
Boulders, waterfalls, beach entry, tile, and interior finish turn it into a natural retreat.
Which yards and homes suit a free-form pool?
Free-form shapes are the most forgiving of any pool outline, which makes them a strong choice for yards that are irregular, sloped, or full of mature landscaping. The curves can hug a boulder outcrop, bend around a tree, or follow a property line that a strict rectangle would fight.
They suit homes going for a relaxed, resort, or desert-oasis feel rather than a crisp modern look. If your style leans clean and architectural, a geometric or rectangle pool may be a better match — and a kidney is a simpler curved option. We will help you choose at the consult.
Construction and cost considerations
A free-form pool takes more hand-forming than a straight-sided shape, because the curved shell and the rockwork, grottos, and beach entries that usually come with it are all shaped on site. That artistry is part of the appeal, and it is also where the budget can climb — the pool itself is only the start once you add waterfalls and boulders. As a reference point, new custom pools in the Phoenix area generally run $38,000 to $60,000, with elaborate water features and hardscape pushing larger builds up by around $60,000 or more. Every free-form pool is quoted after an in-person design consult. Explore the full range of types of inground pools and inground pool options as you plan.
Finishes and features that pair with a free-form pool
Natural, earthy finishes suit the lagoon look best. A premium pebble interior — which typically lasts about 25 to 30 years — gives the water a deep, natural tone and stands up beautifully next to stone; a quartz-blend finish lasts about 12 to 18 years, and standard white plaster about 5 to 7 years. The classic free-form pairings are a cascading rock waterfall, a grotto, a beach entry, a tanning ledge, natural boulders and flagstone decking, and warm LED lighting after dark. Browse all of our custom pool features to design your oasis.
“They completely transformed our backyard. The crew was professional, the finish is gorgeous, and it’s held up beautifully in the Arizona heat. Worth every penny.”
Why Arizona homeowners build with We Fix Ugly Pools
- Licensed, bonded & insured. Arizona ROC KA5-275609 and KA5-353555 (KA-5 swimming pools, commercial and residential), and KB2-304269 (KB-2 residential and small commercial general contractor).
- Building the Valley since 2001. 20,000+ pools built and renovated across metro Phoenix.
- Any shape, fully custom. We design and build custom concrete/gunite pools in any organic shape you can imagine.
- 700+ projects a year. A seasoned design-build team that shapes free-form pools and rockwork routinely.
- 4.9 stars from 305+ homeowners. One of the most-reviewed pool companies in Arizona.
- Design-build under one roof. From first sketch to final fill, one accountable team.
Ready to design your free-form pool?
Book a free design consult and we will shape a custom lagoon-style pool to fit your yard, your style, and your budget.
Free-form pool shape FAQs
What is a free-form pool shape?
What features work best with a free-form pool?
Is a free-form pool good for an irregular or sloped yard?
How much does a custom free-form pool cost in Phoenix?
What interior finish is best for a free-form pool?
Do you build free-form pools across the Phoenix metro?