You definitely want something to keep the animals from getting under the house. If it were mine, I'd paint the trellis (or whatever) the same color as the siding. However, if you're also installing trellis under the small porch shown in the photo, what color you paint the trellis under the house might depend what color you paint the porch. If the porch is a different color than the siding, should the trellis be two colors? Thinking of the area between the pool and the house/trellis from a landscaping point of view, I'd try to hide the trellis adjacent to the pond for a more natural look. Since you say the area is under the eaves and won't get much rainfall, and therefore plants won't do well, how about rocks? I think this view of the pool would look better with a backdrop of vertical rocks rather than with trellis as a background. Yes, there should be trellis there -- but hidden by the rocks. (I daresay you should leave a gap between the rocks and the trellis so the trellis won't rot.) Anyway: vertical rocks as a backdrop for the pool. Something that's not too different in color from the flagstones. Angular (to match the flagstones) would look more natural -- unless the flagstones' edges end up concealed with drifts of moss or other vegetation. If you can't find rocks the right shape and size, you could make your own with hypertufa (a lightweight cement mixture that you form into shapes; depending what you do, it can look more like rocks than concrete). There's even a forum for it: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/hypertufa/ If you'd prefer plants there, you do have a couple of options. One is to plant varieties that can handle dry conditions and water them yourself. Another is to install a small automatic drip system that will water them for you. So the main consideration would be whether the area gets enough sun.

There are two products made just for this type of application. Both of them are slate or stone tiles bonded to an Aluminum or fiberglass composite skin. These products attach to your standard deck frame via the skins below the tiles, and both products are spaced slightly to allow for movement and drainage. One product is called Stone Deck, the other is Rock Deck. They are extremely durable, but they do require periodic sealing (just like concrete), and because they are natural stone, some color variation is to be expected.

We have a RBB across the back of the pool and a raised circular spa along the L edge. When we closed the pool this winter, the PB used a one-piece safety cover that attached behind the RBB, and was custom cut to cover the spa and the pool. Obvioulsy, it was not flat and there was a slope from the top of the RBB to the opposite edge of the pool. no problem! It's hard to tell in this pic, but the far side of the pool is the RBB and the raised spa is on the left. Here's the pool in all its glory: Here is a link that might be useful:

Happymrsf - you'll be surprised at how much you enjoy it when it's done, small or not. Don't lose that vision! A plus with a smaller yard is there is less upkeep and more time for floating!!! ;-) Gotta find the positive in everything. Looking forward to seeing your finished project. What's your projected finish date? Re: the cultured stone - our original bid/plans were to use the same stone on the pool as we had on the planters. There was a thread awhile back about how the cultured stone can become discolored/white streaks in the water, so I changed my mind at the 11th hour. Instead of trying to compete with the waterfall/planter, I decided to just go with something that flowed together. I think stone RBB are beautiful! I would have loved to have had the stacked stone, but decided a real stone would have clashed with the existing cultured stone. Not the look I was going for. Will have to save the ideas for another yard, another project :-) Fauxnecian aka Christy - too funny! You're so right about the spelling. If I got $1 for every time they spelled my name wrong on my cup @ Starbucks, I'd probably be able to pay for 1/2 the pool ;-) Yeah, there's a lot I wish I could do, but there's only so much space. Looking forward to seeing your pool, too. You haven't posted pics yet, have you? I thought you had just filled recently.