My pool is smaller, and the pic below is while the water was still filling (so it was greener than it is now), but it should give you an idea of a mostly white pool (there is small blue exposed quartz aggregate) with an even more bluish tile.

Only you can decide on color scheme, but IMO the tile color does little to influence pool water color. Hopefully a builder or two with more experience will chime in & confirm/correct my opinion.

{{!gwi}}

SVR BLU is great, very close to what we have. The blue gets toned down a bit with a colored finish. IMO you need to go with some type of colored plaster, white is very 60's! Sounds like a great pool you are building, don't cut corners on the finish, go for like a PebbleFina finish, just something to add color to the water. Our is a 3M quartz that they don't make anymore, but Pebblefina is the same thing. It will hide minor stains, which you WILL get, and also small imperfections in the plaster.
GO FOR IT!!!!

We would love to go with a PebbleFina in a lighter color that make the pool look blue (dark pools scare me for 2 reasons, snakes and not seeing a kid in distress) but the PebbleTec was quoted at 9K and I think Fina might be more expensive. The total cost of the pool will be around 100K with fence and I just don't have another 10K to put towards it this fall. We have to consider landscaping costs as well. We are not financing this project. I don't even think there is a company out there right now that is doing too many pool loans. There was some talk that the pool would not be plastered and filled until spring so we were tossing around the idea of an alternative finish if we had the extra money at that time. If that stays true then we might be able to do it. I do want to pick an alternative finish that I would LIKE to go with now b/c I want to see the color in person and make sure it doesn't hurt the feet (I have heard people complain about that). People will be closing their pools soon and they won't be open before I would plaster in the spring so I that is why I need to choose what I like IF I can do it. I don't want to cut corners but we had to pick the things that we could not go back and do easily if we decided we wanted them down the road (spa, bigger pool, bigger decking, slide). We can easily drain the pool and have them come back and do an alternative finish if we want next year or the year after when we have the funds ; ). I love the look of your overall pool. Is that a pool house/bar I see on the right side? We are doing an 8 x 8 Victorian style "house" (sometimes seen as a playhouse for people with little girls). My husband and I both have a thing about pool toys sitting out (we have 2 little boys so there will be a TON of toys I am sure) and we don't want the polaris to become a deck ornament when it is not being used. I only wish I could have an outside bathroom built ; ).

Yes, poolhouse. Design idea from www.summerwood.com, we had it built from scratch by our contractor. Kitchenette and cabana room with outdoor shower. Bathroom connected to our house, so not needed here.

Have you considered River Rok? I know in our neck of the woods - central NJ - it was half the cost of PT. It's more like Pebblesheen - smaller pebbles that feel very nice under foot and they have an array of colors to choose from. We went with Granite - didn't want something dark, but didn't want a white plaster look either. If you search on my user name, you can see our post, which contains photos of the finished product. Good Luck - this is a fun time, although it can be trying with all the decisions that have to be made.

Well We have finally decided on a tile. It is by Luv Tile and it BIC NERO
http://www.luvtile.com/index.cfm/product/334/bic-nero.cfm
I really wanted something a bit different without looking contemporary or mosaic.

We went today tot he showoom and I was able to put it all together with the coping, tile, PebbleFina, slide color and board color.

We have also decided that we will most likely be getting an alternative finish. We really liked the look of the Bella Blue PebbleFina. Now I just have to find someone who has it (or atleast good pics of it) so I can be 100% sure it is not green.

I would like to thank everyone for talking me away from the white plaster : )

Jimbar, what color 3M finish do you have? love the sharp blue color.

apdnj-3M is no longer in business but I can tell you that you might want to check out Bella Blue which is by PebbleFina. I want a pool with NO green that is a true blue. My PB is giving me a quote on it today for a 1000 sq ft pool with 7 ft spa. I will let you know what he says. With your screen name I am assuming you are from NJ???? Prices are probably pretty close since I am in MD. Google "Bella Blue Pebble Fina". I think you will love it.

I have been told the Bella Blue is a real close match to the 3M Blue/Green Blend that we have. The 3M is an equal blend of Blue and Green crystals, Bella Blue is a little different, but creates close to the same water color.

Found some more cabana / shower pics.

thejimbar-the CABANA is AWESOME. I would love to have something like that (of course, when I recover from the pool project).

Hi Megankheaps, do you have a thread going for your pool project? You've been so helpful in commenting on my ups and downs, would love to see what you've got going on in MD! thanks, Marta_P