Phoenix is home to stunning landscapes, towering saguaro cacti, and brilliant sunsets. Drawing inspiration from the Sonoran Desert’s rugged beauty, homeowners artfully blend natural elements with modern design to create outdoor living spaces that are both beautiful and functional. These custom-crafted environments seamlessly integrate native plants, sustainable materials, and innovative features, transforming backyards into personal oases.
The mild winters are ideal for fire pits and outdoor entertaining, while the scorching summers necessitate ways to escape the heat. For many Phoenix homeowners, the solution is a backyard swimming pool. Phoenix leads the nation with the highest percentage of homes featuring pools, at around 32.7%. In Arizona alone, there are over half a million residential swimming pools, according to Angi’s List.
An inviting backyard oasis goes beyond having a cool feature like a pool, which can cost $100,000 or more. It’s about creating a space that encourages relaxation and quality time with loved ones. The recent boom in outdoor living spaces reflects this trend, with features like outdoor kitchens, cold plunges, and covered patios transforming backyards into versatile living areas.
For professional triathlete Ben Kanute, however, his backyard needed to serve a dual purpose as both a training ground and a leisure retreat.
An insider look at Ben Kanute’s backyard
Ben Kanute’s backyard in Phoenix is a testament to how a functional space can blend seamlessly with aesthetic appeal. Given Arizona’s desert climate, Kanute chose to install an H2X Challenger 18D Pro swim spa — a smart choice for a triathlete who needs to maximize training time without the hassle of long trips to a public pool.
“I never really wanted a pool in the backyard,” Kanute shares. “I knew I wouldn’t use it often just for lounging. But having the ability to work out in the swim spa has been a game changer. On those rare occasions when I do want to float around, it’s there for that, too.”
In addition to the swim spa, Kanute’s backyard features a thoughtfully designed outdoor kitchen and dining area, allowing him to entertain guests and enjoy meals al fresco. His outdoor space includes a built-in fireplace with a curved bench, providing a stylish and functional area for social gatherings. The hardscaping, including a large paver patio and privacy wall, not only enhances usability but also adds value to his property.
Backyard pool-spa combo
Incorporating a water feature into your landscape design can be an exciting and creative process. It’s not just about how you’ll use it, but also how it will integrate into your existing space and enhance your outdoor living experience.
For Kanute, this meant transforming a “little dead space” — a small, unused garden area with tile but no plants — into a focal point by installing an H2X Fitness Swim Spa.
To maximize the available space, Kanute chose to partially recess the swim spa. This clever design decision serves multiple purposes: it prevents the spa from blocking windows, allows it to blend seamlessly with the rest of the yard, and enhances safety for Kanute’s young children. The lowered height facilitates easy entry and exit while acting as a barrier to prevent unsupervised access by little ones.
Strategically placed close to the house, the swim spa offers convenient access, making it ideal for quick dips or extended relaxation sessions. The Challenger 18D Pro features a spacious swim area perfect for swimming, water exercises, and leisurely floating. Additionally, the built-in hot tub seating provides a cozy spot to unwind and soothe tired muscles.
To combat the intense Phoenix sun, the installation includes shade sails. These offer much-needed relief from the heat, ensuring comfortable use of the space throughout the day. This thoughtful addition extends the usability of the swim spa, making it an inviting retreat even during the hottest parts of the year.
Backyard cold plunge
No triathlete’s backyard is complete without a recovery element. Kanute has incorporated a Michael Phelps Chilly GOAT Cold Tub by Master Spas into his outdoor space.
“I wasn’t able to really do ice baths before the Chilly GOAT,” Kanute says. “To go buy four or five bags of ice and fill the bathtub, it was more work than I wanted to put in.”
With a 2.1-horsepower chiller, the cold tub maintains a refreshing temperature range, crucial for recovery after intense training sessions. Among the benefits of cold water immersion are reduced inflammation, pain relief, increased circulation, and flushing out lactic acid.
But it’s also about convenience. Just steps from his backdoor, Kanute can seamlessly integrate cold water immersion into his busy schedule.
Kanute installed the Chilly GOAT under a patio roof and away from the reflective glare of large windows — important in areas such as Phoenix, where prolonged heat waves can affect the performance of any cold tub. It’s also important to make sure that the vented cabinet has 6 feet of open space around it, allowing for proper circulation.
Outdoor kitchen area
Dining outdoors is a delightful way to enjoy meals with family and friends, but taking your cooking outdoors elevates the experience even further. Fueling the growing popularity of outdoor kitchens is a desire to cook outside of your at-home kitchen, which can often be a central hub of activity and family life.
An outdoor kitchen offers the opportunity to prepare meals in a refreshing, open-air environment. Kanute’s outdoor kitchen is an intentional design element of his Phoenix backyard. The space is outfitted with a built-in bar and grill, as well as a smoker, making meal prep a breeze.
Fire pit and seating
A beautifully designed fire pit adds style and warmth to any backyard. Kanute’s fire pit features a built-in design, making it an ideal spot for gatherings.
The area also boasts built-in seating that integrates seamlessly with the backyard features. This choice enhances both the comfort and functionality of the space, allowing for relaxed social gatherings and maximizing the use of the outdoor area.
Crafted from concrete, Kanute’s built-in seating is durable and designed to withstand the Arizona climate. Outdoor cushions and pillows can add coziness and comfort but can easily be stored. Bonus: Concrete is easy to maintain — there’s no painting, staining, or sealing required.
Benefits of a swim spa for triathletes
For triathletes like Ben Kanute, a swim spa offers an unparalleled advantage. Unlike traditional swimming pools, swim spas are designed for efficient, year-round training.
“As awesome as the pools are in Scottsdale and Phoenix overall, the pool hours get pretty funky through the winter,” Kanute says. “I love having access to water so that I can swim at any time of day. It makes those easy swims just so much more palatable than driving and grinding it out in the pool.”
The resistance currents in a swim spa allow for continuous swimming without ever hitting the wall, making them perfect for long-distance triathlon training. The H2X Challenger 18D Pro, for instance, provides a powerful and adjustable current that meets the needs of serious and endurance athletes. With three dedicated swim pumps and six airless swim jets, you can swim at a pace as fast as 1:10 per 100 meters.
An added training benefit of the swim spa: The endless swim current allows you to swim without having to stop or do a flip turn. ”It’s kind of like having open water in your backyard,” Kanute says, “which is nice.”
Additionally, swim spas are space-conscious and come in a range of sizes to fit nearly any backyard, offering a solution for those like Kanute with limited space.
Swim spas also have the added benefit of being low-maintenance compared to traditional pools. With no need for constant cleaning or high upkeep costs, they allow athletes to focus more on their training and less on pool maintenance. For triathletes who juggle intense training schedules with family life, the convenience of a swim spa can be a game-changer.
Create your own backyard oasis
Do you want to be able to swim, exercise, and relax at home? Having an H2X Fitness Swim Spa by Master Spas allows you to swim on your schedule while adding a fun factor to your backyard. Click here to find out more about the benefits of hydrotherapy and relaxing in a swim spa. Or, contact your local Master Spas retailer to learn more about swim spa ownership. Wondering how much a swim spa costs? Request a quote here.