Outdoor Living Spaces

Outdoor Living

The Best Pool Projects Don't Stop at the Water's Edge

A pool is the reason people come outside. What keeps them out there is everything around it — somewhere to cook, somewhere to sit when the sun drops, a surface that is comfortable underfoot, and a yard that drains properly after an Upstate thunderstorm. Aquarius Pools of the Upstate designs and builds outdoor living spaces that bring these elements together so your pool and backyard feel like one complete space.

From outdoor kitchens and covered structures to fire features, pool decking, lighting, and custom backyard upgrades, we can help transform your outdoor area around the way you actually want to use it. Whether you're building alongside a new pool or improving an existing backyard, our team can help plan a space that feels connected, practical, and built for Upstate South Carolina living.

With more than 29 years of industry experience, we bring hands-on knowledge to every project and help homeowners make informed decisions from the initial ideas through construction.

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

Free consultation

Start Your Outdoor Living Project

Tell us about your property and vision. Our design team will follow up to schedule your free consultation and 3D rendering.

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Outdoor Living in the Upstate

hours

Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Phone

864-501-8008

Warranty

1-year workmanship · 3-year manufacturer on new equipment

Rating

5.0 ★ Google Reviews

Pergolas & Covered Outdoor Areas

Add Shade and Comfort to Your Backyard

Shade can make a major difference in how often you use your outdoor space during South Carolina's warmer months.

Pergolas, covered patios, pavilions, and other outdoor structures can create comfortable areas for dining, lounging, and entertaining while providing protection from direct sun and changing weather. These structures can also help define different areas of the backyard and make the overall outdoor space feel more finished.

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

Outdoor kitchens

Cook, Entertain & Enjoy More Time Outside

An outdoor kitchen is what turns a pool deck into somewhere people spend the evening rather than an hour. We build them in masonry and stone, sized to how you actually entertain, with the gas, water, drainage and electrical runs handled properly underneath rather than improvised later.

Depending on how you use the space, your outdoor kitchen can include a built-in grill, countertop and preparation areas, storage, refrigeration, sinks, bar seating, and other outdoor appliances.

We can help create a layout that works naturally with your pool, patio, and seating areas while giving you enough space to comfortably cook and entertain.

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

Patios, Pool Decking and Hardscape

Connect Every Part of Your Outdoor Space

The surface around a pool has to do three things at once: look right, stay comfortable underfoot in July, and drain away from the water rather than into it.

Pavers. The most common choice around Upstate pools. Individual units move with the ground instead of cracking across it, and a damaged section can be lifted and reset rather than patched.

Natural stone. Warmer and more varied in appearance, with the cutting and setting done to suit the shape of the pool.

Coping, decking, patio and walkways are designed together so the levels, joints and drainage lines all work as one surface. Replacing the coping and decking is also one of the most common parts of a pool renovation, where the pool and its surround are brought back together at the same time.

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

Fire & Water Features

Fire Pits, Fire Bowls, and Fire-and-Water Combinations

Water and fire features can add character to your pool area while creating a more inviting space for relaxing and entertaining. Depending on your pool and backyard layout, options may include waterfalls, spillways, deck jets, fountains, fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, and fire bowls.

Aquarius Pools of the Upstate can help you choose features that complement your existing pool, outdoor living space, and overall backyard design while making sure each addition feels purposeful and well integrated.

We build outdoor fireplaces in masonry and stone, designed to sit with the pool and the house rather than look bolted on.

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

Outdoor & Pool Lighting

Make Your Backyard Just as Enjoyable at Night

Outdoor lighting can completely change how your backyard looks and functions after sunset.

Lighting can be incorporated around walkways, landscaping, outdoor kitchens, covered areas, steps, water features, and swimming pools to improve visibility while creating a more inviting atmosphere.

Modern pool lighting and automation can also give you greater control over the appearance and operation of your backyard from one convenient system.

Book a consultation



864-501-8008

Retaining Walls, Grading and Drainage

Level Ground on a Sloping Lot

Most Upstate backyards slope, and most sit on red clay over weathered rock. That combination is what makes a flat, usable outdoor space possible in the first place — and what quietly ruins one that was built without thinking about water.

Retaining walls create level ground where there wasn't any, and they hold that ground in place. Grading decides where rainwater goes. Drainage decides where it goes when there is a lot of it at once. Get those three right and a patio looks the same in ten years as it did the week it was finished. Get them wrong and you see it in settling pavers, standing water, and a deck that drains toward the pool.

Kevin Ward spent 29 years in construction working on exactly this — grading and drainage, retaining walls and underground utilities — before Aquarius. It is the reason a sloping lot is something we look forward to rather than work around.

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

before you build

Before You Build in the Upstate

A handful of local considerations we evaluate and manage on every outdoor living project.

Permits

Hardscape, retaining walls above a certain height, gas lines and outdoor electrical all have permitting implications in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties.

HOA approval

Many Upstate neighborhoods require architectural committee approval for structures, walls and significant hardscape. Submitting early matters, because review can add weeks that have nothing to do with construction.

Drainage comes first

On a sloping clay lot, where water goes is decided before anything is laid. It is the least visible part of the job and the one that determines whether the finished space lasts.

Materials and the Upstate winter

Freeze-thaw cycles are hard on hard surfaces. Material choice, base preparation and jointing all matter more here than in a milder climate.

Utilities

Gas for a kitchen or fire feature, power for lighting and outlets, water and drainage — all easier and cheaper to run before the surface goes down than after.

Phasing

A full backyard does not have to happen in one season. We can design the whole space now and build it in stages, so the parts done later still fit the plan.

Real Homeowners. Real Experiences.

The Best Pools Start
With Trust

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"Kevin and his team are wonderful to work with. Kevin does not cut corners. He builds pools with the highest quality materials and equipment. He treats every customer with kindness and care. I highly recommend Aquarius Pools of the Upstate. We love our new pool!"

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"Owner, Kevin Ward mustered the individuals to help create a beautiful pool. A travertine supplier, a great brickie to install the stone, a pool liner specialist, a firm that digs and removed tons of material, electricians, pool equipment plumbing - a complex dance that yielded a happy customer. Heartily recommend Aquarius Pools of the Upstate."

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"On the coldest day of 2022 I woke up to find my pool half empty. No one that I usually worked with was available. Aquarius pool was recommended to me and they were here in 30 minutes. They fixed the busted pipe and taught me how to avoid another freeze that night. They were concerned and genuine. Thank you!"

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"Amazing!! Can’t recommend highly enough. Quickly returned phone call and came out next day to look at Intellichlor system which we thought might need replacement. This system is new to us and they gave us an education and fixed the problem. The owners, Kevin and Kevin were gracious and so helpful! They will be our “go to” pool guys going forward!"

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"Aquarius Pools replaced our liner and we are very happy we chose them! Kevin was very responsive throughout the entire process, answering all if my questions in a very timely manner. They went above and beyond to make sure our pool was working properly, the liner was replaced correctly, and did it all ahead of schedule. Their workmanship is top notch and I would use them again for any pool needs!"

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"Excellent customer service and our pool looks great! We got quotes from several companies but ultimately decided to go with Aquarius, even though they were not the cheapest, because they were the most professional from the get-go! Kevin and Kevin both sat down with me and explained the quote and the process. Communication has been super easy and that they have been back to check on my pool several times and make sure that we are happy!"

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"Kevin was great to work with. Excellent communication and fair pricing. Great quality work! We have used several pool companies in past years, but we will be sticking with this company from now on!"

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"The 2 Kevin’s are Top Notch ! We had a Diving board removed , Fountain installed, New Liner and new vacuum. The pricing was excellent! The work performed was awesome! The communication was amazing! Would definitely recommend and will use them again!"

outdoor living price

What Do Outdoor Living Features Cost in the Upstate?

Outdoor living is priced on scope more than anything else — a fire pit and a small patio sit at one end, a full backyard with a kitchen, walls, planting and irrigation at the other.

What moves the number:

Square footage of patio and decking
Site conditions — slope, access for equipment, how much excavation and base work is needed
Retaining walls — height, length and engineering requirements
Kitchen scope — size, masonry, appliances and the utility runs behind them
Fire features — freestanding versus built-in masonry
Planting, sod and irrigation coverage
Material — pavers, natural stone or concrete, and which line
Whether it is built with a pool or added to an existing one

Book a consultation

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864-501-8008

Outdoor Living FAQ

Answers to the most common questions Upstate South Carolina homeowners ask about outdoor living and hardscape.

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What are the best outdoor living features for South Carolina?

It depends on how you use your backyard, but shaded structures, outdoor kitchens, lighting, pool decking, fire features, and comfortable seating areas can all help make an outdoor space more enjoyable throughout more of the year.

Do you only do outdoor living work with a pool?

No. We build outdoor kitchens, patios, fire features, retaining walls and planting on their own, for properties with an existing pool or no pool at all.

Can outdoor living be added to a pool I already have?

Yes, and it is a large part of what we do. We work around the existing pool and deck, and we will tell you honestly if the coping or decking should be replaced at the same time for the two to sit well together.

Pavers or concrete around a pool?

Both work, and the right answer depends on the design and the budget. Pavers move with the ground rather than cracking across it, individual units can be lifted and reset, and they handle freeze-thaw well — which is why they are the most common choice around Upstate pools. We will give you an honest comparison for your specific yard.

Do I need a permit?

Often, yes. Structures, retaining walls above a certain height, gas lines and outdoor electrical generally require permitting in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, while cosmetic hardscape work usually does not. We evaluate requirements for your specific project and manage all applications and inspections.

Do you handle the landscape design as well as the build?

Yes. Professional landscape design is available as part of the project, so the planting, sod and irrigation are designed with the hardscape rather than after it. And if the pool itself needs attention at the same time, renovation work is usually more efficient done alongside the hardscape while the crew and equipment are already on site.

What areas do you cover?

Greer, Greenville, Spartanburg and the surrounding Upstate of South Carolina.

Get in touch

Let's Design the Whole Backyard

Tell us how you want to use the space. We will walk the property, tell you what it can hold, and draw the whole thing before anything gets built piecemeal.

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864-501-8008

Outdoor Living Spaces in Upstate South Carolina

The Best Pool Projects Don't Stop at the Water's Edge