Earth-tone pebble finishes, vanishing edges, integrated spas, and minimalist hardscape are dominating new builds across Sherman Oaks and Encino. Here is what is driving the shift.
Across Sherman Oaks, Encino, and Beverly Hills, the pools we are quoting in 2026 look almost nothing like the pools we were quoting in 2019. Three things are driving the shift, and homeowners can plan around them without guessing.
Earth-tone pebble is taking over from bright blue
White plaster used to be the default. Then it was Caribbean Blue PebbleSheen. Now it is warm grey, gentle green, and onyx-toned PebbleTec finishes that read more like natural water and less like a hotel pool. The shift is partly aesthetic and partly practical — earth-tone pebble hides surface stains, holds color through aggressive sun, and pairs with natural-stone coping instead of fighting it.
Vanishing edges are no longer just for hillside lots
We are seeing infinity-edge designs on flat lots in the valley because homeowners want a sightline from the kitchen to the water without a coping line breaking it. The engineering changes slightly — you need a catch basin and a separate equipment loop — but the cost difference on a new build is small enough that it is becoming a default-yes question instead of a default-no.
Integrated spas, not bolt-on spas
The old pattern was a separate round spa next to the pool. The new pattern is a spa that shares one wall with the pool, spills into it on a timer, and uses a single equipment pad. Cheaper to run, easier to automate, and looks like one cohesive water feature instead of two.
What this means if you are remodeling
If you are sitting on a 1990s pool with white plaster, blue waterline tile, and a separate spa, you have three high-ROI upgrades available before you spend on anything cosmetic: switch the finish to a current PebbleTec color, replace the waterline with a porcelain or glass tile that complements the new finish, and tie the spa into the pool’s plumbing so they share the same automation. Total spend lands between fifteen and thirty-five thousand dollars on a typical valley pool, and the visual change is closer to a new pool than a remodel.
