Modern Pool Design

I am in the process of building a custom home in Phoenix, Az.  I am trying to make hundreds of decisions on all sorts of topics, but currently am focusing the biggest majority to the pool, landscaping and layout of the back yard.  I would love to hear any thoughts about the pool information I will list below. 

It is a ½ acre lot on a hillside, but we are able to use such a small amount of the lot that the backyard (our only yard area) is very small. 

Below is the current layout, all of which is set in stone (well, actually block) at this point.  What I now need to figure out is what to put around it. 

The right side is north, and the house is at the bottom of the picture, so when in the house your view is west (for some GREAT sunsets!).  There are two 18 foot glass sliders (or maybe folding doors if I can fit it in the budget) to get from the inside out, as well as a door leading to the bathroom. The area on the sw corner is a planter area that is 5 ft below the level of the back yard (required for retaining issues).  On the south side is the bulk of the lot as well as an open wash area, so there is probably 100 yards of desert until the nearest neighbor.

The only change to the plan is that the entrance to the pool equipment will be against the north wall, not the west wall. 

The grey area between the two black rectangles (which are posts supporting the deck above) and back to the house is a covered patio area.  So, when entering the pool you will be under the covered area still.  There is a side entrance to the pool also, so that we can easily get out of the pool and into the hot tub, as this is something that we typically do a few times each time we are in the pool/hot tub at night.  If you look you will see a grey line between the pool and the hot tub, this is a hand railing.  Since there will be older relatives visiting we wanted to add a handrail but still wanted to have a clean look.  We are going to use stainless steel tubing and have a railing fabricated.  It will be an arch, to mimic the laminar jets (see below) that will go from the pool out across the decking and then into the hot tub. 

Here is a photo that inspired the handrail (the site also has some other really cool, yet possibly somewhat impractical things!)

http://bianchidesign.com/

The decking will be concrete with a cantilevered edge.  I will probably stain the concrete, although I do want a light grey color, so I will have to see if it is needed or not.

On the west side of the pool are 2 laminar jets that will have colored LED lights in them.  Those will shoot out of the ground at the base of two saguaro cacti that are currently there.

Here is a picture of the jets: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8420222@N07/508895850/ 

And the cactus: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8420222@N07/508925395/

In between the two cacti I am going to have another ss piece fabricated to make a fountain.  Here were the original thoughts but looking at the space now I think these will be modified to make it about 2 ft from the edge of the pool and then angle at 45 degrees so that the top will be over the edge of the pool.  Water will then flow out to make a fountain.  If possible, this will also be lit.  The thought was that this could be a piece of sculpture when the fountain is not on and a fountain when it is, all while not taking up too much visual space. 

Here is the overall first concept:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/8420222@N07/508952453/

Here is the detail of where the water would flow from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8420222@N07/508952449/

I am planning to use a black pebble sheen type of product for the interior of pool and spa, my thought is that the darker water will reflect more of the area around (especially the cactus).

We will also be having an LED colored light in the pool and spa. 

I am trying to accomplish a somewhat sleek and simple look in the backyard, while still having some things that will grab your attention. 

I have been searching for weeks online for any ideas for a modern pool area, and have not come up with a whole lot. 

Any comments, ideas, criticisms or thoughts are very welcome!

Vegas baby, Vegas.  Does not sound sleek or simple.  sometime it is the sleek and simple that get the attention.  Vegas baby, vegas

Scrap the LED neon looking lights - they are too much.

The infiniti pool on biachi's website is nice. Not fond of the handrail. I agree with Millhouse - simple is better. Understated is more.

Go with a black bottomed inifiniti pool - maybe with a firepit off to the side. Don't overthink it.

Thanks for the input.  I agree that a black bottomed infiniti pool would be great, unfortunately, my checkbook does not. 

 The laminar jets with LED lights are only on ocassionally, and when they are not, they will not be seen at all.  I will consider if they should stay or not. 

Jason - you didn't like the handrail.  Any thoughts of what would make it better?  I need to have one, it is a safety issue and is needed as part of the whole project.  As it will be custom made, it can be almost anything. 

You both said simple is better, which I would agree with.  If the laminar jets are not on, the only things around the pool area will be the one sculpture/water feature item in the back and the handrail that is required.  Do you think that makes it not simple? 

Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it!