If it was me, I would prefer having the people at the bar facing the pool....good luck!!

I'm glad you asked because I was wondering the same thing for ours. I think it would be more important to have the people at the bar facing the pool. If the cook is waiting for the food to cook, he can always turn and face the pool. If he is tending to the food, he won't be looking at the pool anyway. How's that for logic, LOL!

I would agree. People at the bar should be facing the pool.

In our case, we are going to have the bar on an "L" shape so half can look at the pool. The other half will have their back to the pool. You will walk inside the area to cook or serve guest. I didnt want to look at the back of the kitchen from around the pool. Our side facing the pool will have stack stone and will be a prettier site to see than then grill, sink and frig. I think it depends on your space, post a picture of the potential spot.

Hmmm, I didn't think of what the side facing the pool looks like. Actually, I haven't seen it. We weren't given a choice and all I know is that it has a grill, frig, cd player and is almost 9ft long and 26" wide. I have asked for a pic and now that you've brought that point up, I'll tell them I really need to see it before I decide.
I was figuring the guests would probably sit at the nicer table and chair set I have and kids would probably sit at the bar.
Can someone help me with posting a pic. Put it in idiot terms for me! Thanks!

Our kitchen has the cook facing the pool. His side is stucco, but there's ledgestone on the other 3 sides. We have a separate, matching bar. I also put the barstools with their back to the pool, but since they swivle it's not an issue. I also want the pretty stone side to face the pool. During meals and parties, people tend to sit at one of the tables. We have seating for 10 and the 2 barstools are overflow seating.

Unfortunately, mine is not built yet. They are wrapping up the pool tile work today, then the new drains have to be installed, then the tumbled marble/travertine decking....the bar will go ontop, so its one of the last things to be done. Its a few weeks off. Mine sounds like it will be similar to scrapula's, stucco on the inner side, dry stacked ledgestone on the 3 other sides. I did not really have a wall against the house to place the grill, so its not attached to the home. My bedroom slider and window are sort of in front of the grill/bar area. My bar is raised above the work space for the sink and frig area. The grill and stove area is further down the "L" shape and will be one level. Ours will really look more like a squared off "J" than an "L". We have a roof support post in the middle, so everything to the left of the post has the 2 tier bar area, to the right is the one level grilling area. My bar stools will swivel too, its funny, I never thought of having the guests face the pool, I can visualize doing it the other way, it would look odd to me. I hope someone posts a pic of the guest facing the pool. It must have to do with your space.

Hey scrapula, I wrote to you months ago about your pebble tec finish, I sent you the "mystery pool" at Hawks Landing. Last night I finally learned how to search in the pool forum and found the write up you had with someone about Tropical Breeze. Next Thursday they shoot my pool, I am still uncertain about which color. I love the stones in Tahoe blue because they go with my color scheme, but I am afraid of the green tint the water will sometimes have. I saw blue granite and I liked that too. Today I need to go look at all three pools and make up my mind:)

I think the more people with their eyes on the pool, the better. Not just for their pleasure, but so there's no need for the chef to be the only one with their eyes on the swimmers.
Our bbq island is round and the chef faces away from the water -but he does face the keg tapper when looking at the pool, so everyones happy. ;-)