Swan diving into a free-form fantasy

What could be more emblematic of life in Southern California than a swimming pool? With apologies to the Hollywood sign, the answer is probably nothing. Which is what makes Sunset’s “Pools and Spas” book the centerfold equivalent of every pool-seeker’s fantasies.

Throw in a rainy weekend that leaves you trapped in your own pool-less house and let the daydreams begin.

The book is part of Sunset’s Spring 2008 Outdoor Living Collection of five garden and outdoor building titles that focus on making outdoor living more functional and enjoyable.

The show stealers are clearly the photos. But, written by Curtis Rist and Vicky Webster, the book -- a pool-building primer -- is equally flush with helpful tips and information. As extra fuel for the “we really can afford a pool” argument, there are examples of how fairly modest pools and spas are elevated to the dreamy stage with carefully thought-out landscaping and design: A fire pit built over the circular, infinity-edge pool or bright red cushions on the outdoor furniture to match the blooming bougainvillea make an eye-popping difference.

Then there are pools that are works of art in themselves, maybe helped a little by the fact that they are set in the Arizona desert against a backdrop of mountains and blue skies.

But without question, incorporating landscaping, waterfalls, fountains and proper lighting makes all the difference between a backyard pool that screams “we built this on the cheap” and one that reeks of living rich.

Even aboveground pools are given a nod in the book. The trick, apparently, is to disguise the fact that they aren’t in-grounders by using clever landscaping and decks and then quietly enjoy the idea that they didn’t raise your tax bill and cost an arm and a leg.

Without question, the look of pools has changed. Gone -- or at least greatly disguised -- is the straight rectangle with the diving board at one end; also gone is the kidney-shaped pool, replaced by something more genuinely free-form.

One newer trend in backyard pools, according to the book, is a return to nature: Pools that look more like swimming holes and that rely on plants to help create a self-cleaning ecosystem, making chlorine and other chemicals less necessary.

The book delves into planning, design, equipment, construction, landscaping, maintenance, safety and saunas, and its tips are as welcome as a swim-up pool-bar daiquiri on a hot summer’s day. For example: Although the best pipes for delivering water to the house may be copper, for the pool, plastic PVC pipes are perfectly safe and a whole lot less expensive. Or this: Don’t install the pump more than 60 feet from the pool. Farther than that will necessitate an increase in pump horsepower or a secondary booster pump -- both add to the noise and expense.

One of my favorite chapters is on outdoor showers. Again, from the sublime to the ridiculously inexpensive if you’re creative. A personal favorite was the vine-covered, painted red wall surrounded on three sides by a canvas cabana. Chic-looking, private and a do-it-yourselfer if there ever was one.

The authors caution that, as with Rome, not every pool needs to be built in a day. The heating elements, the landscaping and the outdoor cabanas can all be added later as your budget permits. And until the job is finished, well, you’ll always have this book to drool over.

ann.brenoff@latimes.com