While an ideal size for swimming laps is 6 feet in width by 60-75 feet in length, you can still fit a pool that accommodates exercise in as little as 30 feet. And, of course, if splashing and drinking is your main objective, any size will do.
Top Row:
1. A lap pool fits nicely into the small backyard of this remodeled bungalow in Australia. From Dwell
2. A lap pool in the couryard of an old mill turned house in France, via Zimbio.
3. Cynthia's Rowley's pool at her Manhattan townhome. Elle Decor via Mimi + Meg.
4. Bestor Architecture
5. Dwell
Bottom Row:
6. Contemporist
7. Houzz
8. Residential Architect
9. A lap pool wraps around a narrow backyard in this project by Eckersley Garden Architecture.
10. A lap pool in the backyard of a contemporary townhouse in San Francisco, via Houzz.
Originally posted May 7, 2012
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Shaw's Original Fir...
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Oh, but can you play MARCO POLO?! :oD
Seriously, nice spaces.
Mmm, refreshing. but not small spaces. more like...skinny spaces.
I lap pool is the pinnacle of my ultimate dream home. Six-feet wide by 25-yards long. None of those take-a-dip-to-cool-off, kidney-shaped, wanna-be pools for me... (unless it's over 90-degrees -- then I'll take anything!)
I agree with Home Body - I have always wondered why would anyone want something so ugly as a kidney shaped pool (or whatever other bizarre shapes they come in). They usually take up most of the backyard, one cannot swim in them, not pretty to look at.
A kingdom for a lap pool!
You can have an even smaller pool with a current to swim against or use a harness doodad. They even have portable therapy pools now. Still beyond my price range but taking up a lot less space http://www.endlesspools.com/products.php I don't know why they're so expensive but maybe some people could DIY an equivalent easily enough.
Okay, so here's a question... have you ever seen a pool that is both non-chlorinated and also functions as a lap pool? (Don't recall where I first saw non-chlorinated pools -- a short article somewhere with some photos of pools that had a pond filled with filtering water plants at one end or side, and then the main body of the pool, with non-chlorinated water circulating between the two)
I love it. pinned.
Psst, home body & CanadianMango ...
Because if you design your landscaping and pool in the right way, a kidney or free-form pool can look like you lucked out with a crystal clear natural pond in your backyard. Think grey-green gunnite, natural stone surrounding walkways and tile, overhanging shade trees, naturalistic plantings, etc. Definitely not cheap, but gorgeous. The 'off-the-rack' versions look awfully ugly, though, I agree.
I agree with Home Body - I have always wondered why would anyone want something so ugly as a kidney shaped pool (or whatever other bizarre shapes they come in). They usually take up most of the backyard, one cannot swim in them, not pretty to look at.
We can swim in our odd-shaped pool just fine, and it doesn't take up half the backyard. Not even.
I'm so happy to have a pool/spa and a large entertaining patio; I care not how you perceive it. It isn't for you.
@Jdog - ozone treated pools do not require the use of chlorine.
Chiming back in - true lap pools are for actual swimmers. If you have ever been a competitive swimmer at some stage in your life, anything less than 25 yards just makes you dizzy. Plenty of health clubs that tout a pool don't even offer this. For the record - many of the above photos would not suffice for my own personal dream, believe it or not.
And I'm chiming back in @CanadianMango. Given the seriously overopinionated tone of your comment history, I'm not surprised that you can throw around "ugly" so cowardly on the Internet. Bravo! What a good one! Zingers every minute.
This shape is also suitable for difficult sites, for example a steep hill.
I like #9 the best - the stairs and shallow end aren't in the way of the lap section. So theoretically, someone could be hanging out by the stairs while someone else is doing laps.
Am I the only person who looks at a lap pool and feels claustrophobic?
We opted for a Mickey Mouse shaped pool. I was trying to maximize the funky shape of our yard so was originally considering kidney shape. I also wanted a more organic shape instead of a rectangular pool. The designer played a bit on her computer and came up with a great form for our yard. Three basic depths (3, 4, and 6 ft), a lanai bench about 18" deep, and a cool sheer fall (waterfall). Yeah, I wish I could swim laps. But trust me when I say, we get plenty of exercise playing in the pool with the kids. Have had great comments from guests. It's also solar heated and salt instead of chlorine. Bottom line, find the best form for your situation and enjoy!
Cool....clear......water (water) ;0)
I would love a 25 yd lap pool - anything shorter and I get dizzy from the constant turns and only get a couple of strokes in before the next wall. Yeah, I do flip turns. Former high school state qualifier, here:)
These are lovely, they give me hope for my tiny city backyard.
Hate chlorinated pools!
Love salt water pools!
Grew up with the use of a saltwater pool at my grandparents, it was fantastic and far more refreshing than any chlorinated pool.
For those on a budget, and very tight on space, I have read that this is a nice option: http://www.amazon.com/iPool-Above-Ground-Exercise-Swimming/dp/B00126QCOO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338248878&sr=8-2
Obviously not suitable for flip turns (unless all you want to do is flip), but great for therapy or lap swimming for those that were never state qualifiers. ;o) They are small enough to even be used in a garage during the winter. No, silly, not for ice skating! For swimming with a heater in colder climates.
I would love to have a lap pool if I lived in a warmer climate. Everything about that first house is wonderful.
We have an ugly-shaped pool and I cannot for the life of me imagine what the pool designer was smoking. It came with the perfect house so we live with it (ok, and we enjoy it in the summer!) but I hate that we can't get a cover and that it takes up such an odd area in our yard.
All of these lap pool options look spectacular!
I am happy with my 35 ft pool so I can float on my airbed in the summer.
lappool makes sense for small places i like no 2.
Mine oh mine!!.. they are just beautiful!
mucho bueno
always wanted. The only advantage of a house over condo IMO
For the US pools - where is the manadatory child-fence? As a child, I put a lot of time and effort into trying to do things that were - not quite safe (or smart - but fun and challenging!) Since all kids know they are immortal and always safe, adults are supposed to protect the kids. #1 would have been a wonderful challenge, inching along the fence to where you could actually get into the pretty water... but doubtless the laws are different in Australia.
Boy oh boy, would I love a lap pool.
WAAAAAANTTT! ;^)
Although I'd probably be happy with one of those small pools that use water currents to swim against to compensate for the short length. (I don't like turns so swimming "laps" that aren't actually laps would be fine with me!)
Who cares about the size, the shape or anything else! If you live thru blistering heatwaves every summer like we do in Montréal, even a bath tub is great!
This is a great concept..really like it a lot. Just thinking also for those that have small children that it's a lot safer than the normal types of pools we see. On these ones they have to have a certain height and can't just accidentally fall. Will have to get one of these