Taking a dip in a backyard pool has never looked so refreshing.

Today's pools aren't all the energy guzzlers or chemical soups of the past. Like cars, new technologies have created efficient systems to treat and clean the pool, as well as light and heat it.

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Mosaic art by Ceramic Mosaic Art jazzes up the bottom of a swimming pool.

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Peacock tile from Lightstreams Glass Tile's Renaissance Collection makes the pool more fashionable.

The desire for a personalized outdoor living space has some people bringing home more than snapshots from their vacations. T.J. Moreland of Merlin Industries, a pool product supplier in Hamilton, N.J., notes that homeowners often want to incorporate elements they've seen from hotels or water parks — submerged bar stools, liners patterned like aquariums or even depictions of favorite activities.

"We made a liner look like a baseball field, complete with infield, bases and home run distances on the pool walls," Moreland said.

Here are some updates for America's more than 5 million in-ground pools, with nearly as many aboveground pools, according to figures from the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals:

Chlorine alternatives: Salt does a good job of keeping water clean and preventing algae, and costs considerably less than standard chlorine treatments. Ultra- violet light also breaks down harmful materials, and bromine is touted as a less harsh chemical additive.

Ozonators, which have been widely used in European pools for years, are finding favor in North America as an alternative for those sensitive to chemicals. Ozone is an effective remover of sunscreen and body oil, and also destroys cryptosporidium, which can cause intestinal upset.

Alternative energy: Solar heating systems help reduce heating costs, although their effectiveness depends on the pool's location. Hammacher Schlemmer's floating solar heating rings can raise the water temperature three to four degrees in a week when covering 70 percent of the water's surface.

Creative lighting: Innovations in lighting allow pool owners to move beyond the single white light at the bottom of the deep end. Quartz halogens, halides, fiber optics and LED systems provide outlets for creativity — perhaps a sequence of changing colors dancing around the pool, or a neon-bright perimeter.

Wet decks: Wet decks are another new trend. Basically wide, submerged steps, wet decks make it easy for young children, senior citizens and even pets to safely enjoy the pool without swimming. They're popular as gathering spots as well, and can be built with umbrella housings and nonslip surfaces.

Joe Vassallo of Paragon Pools in Las Vegas introduced the WetFlame, a torchlike fire pit that also spills water into a pool, for a 2000 luxury home tour. "It's become a must-have with high-end designs ever since."