Here are some updated specs from the PB. Now we are $96K... Included site plan picture. Pool:à35'9"àxà16'8"à(19,609àGallonsàEstimated)àPerimeterà96âÂÂ10âÂÂàLinearàFeet,àAreaà581àSq.Ft.àDepthà4ft.àxà5.5ft.àxà4ft.à1àBenchàTotalà15àSq.àFt,à2àBeachesàTotalà56àSq.àFtààExcavationàandàformingàExcavateàandàformàpoolàshellàShellàwallsàtoàbeà8"àâÂÂà10âÂÂàthickàwithà12âÂÂàbondàbeamàRockàexcavationà-ànoàextraàchargeààSteelà&àGuniteàSteelà8âÂÂào.c.àâÂÂàrebarà-à8âÂÂào.c.àbothàwaysàSteelàinàbeamà1/2âÂÂàrebaràxà4àCaliforniaàstyleàâÂÂàupgradedàguniteàwithàfiberàmeshààPlumbingàandàEquipmentàPoolàPipesà-à2âÂÂàscheduleà40àpvcàSkimmers:à2àindependentlyàplumbedàforàoptimumàcontrolàReturns:à8àloopedàforàevenàpressureàNoàMainàDrainàPumpà-àVariableàSpeedàHaywardàandàWateràFeatureàPumpà(SP3400VSP)àCleanerà-HaywardàSharkàVacàwithàCartà(RC9742)à1àAutoàFillàValveà(PoolàMiseràPMIâÂÂMP101)àInstallàVacuumàBreaker(s)àatàHoseàBib(s)à(4)àBubblersà(à3àonàtheàGrottoàledge,à1àonàEntryàBeach)ààBubbleràandàspillàoveràpumpà(HaywardàSP2315)àSpaà7'10"âÂÂHorseshoeàshapedàwithàHaywardà400kàBTUàHeaterà(H400fd)à6àJetsàMassageàWaterwayàPulzaràjetsà(à2106170àorà2106510à)à2àflushàmountedàflooràjetsàforàfootàmassage.àà6àft.àSpilloveràBlowerâÂÂàAiràSlencerà(ASFâÂÂ1636120f),àHaywardàPumpà(SPâÂÂ3010X15AZ)ààDeckàandàMasonryàCopingà-àOklahomaàFlagstoneàOklahomaàFlagstoneàHickoryàNewàPoolàdeckà730àSqàFt.àinàOklahomaàFlagstoneàOklahomaàFlagstoneàHickoryàTurndownàasàneededàrubbedàconcreteà172àSq.àFt.àStoneàStepsà(àincludesàTreadàandàraisersà)àRunàpipesàfromàdownàspoutsàforàààTileÃÂ

What are you trying to do with the lighting? Light up the entire deck? Provide enough light to see the entry/exit to the door at night? Just aesthetics? That will make a huge difference in what light you will need. We recently installed a solar double-bulb security light on each corner of the back of a house and it lights up the whole deck (which is the length of the house). We installed a single-bulb light directly on the wall outside of the door and it provides enough light to illuminate the walkway.

where do you live? will the pool be closed 9 months of the year, for example? while we adore our RI pool, i wish the previous owners had built it further from the house. we have 3 months of pool and 9 months of pool cover. so if you can site yours a bit further from the house, with a patio in between, you'll enjoy your yard more. also, be 100% on top of what your local code requires as far as gates, alarms, etc. most of the 'pretty pools' shown at houzz would get a big frown from the inspector. you'll save a lot of time and a lot of money on discarded designs if you go in knowing whats what. you can not depend on contractors to know the code on pools.

I like the idea of a pergola too. If you cantilever it off the wall, you can avoid having a post in your walkway. Make it deeper and use it as a shaded living area. There are lots of possibilities for that wall in addition to the ones already mentioned - an outdoor kitchen, a place for lounge chairs or a group of chairs around a propane fire pit... You mentioned the area where the salt bags are placed is the optimal place for sunbathing so are you saying you'd like to fit lounge chairs there? Your seating looks to be pretty far off of your retaining walls, if you wedged the grouping closer to the door and retaining walls, it would open up and maximize the largest part of the hardscape plus create a path so you can place some lounge chairs by the pool and then slide them back toward the retaining wall in the cold season. You did a great job on the remodel, especially your stairs.