Austinites dive into plunge pool trend

Plunge pools — those tiny, rectangular pools at the trendiest hotels — are becoming a staple in Austin backyards.

Why it matters: It's hot here, and Texans love a pool.

Yes, but: Maintaining the classic kidney bean pool isn't sustainable in a drought, not to mention it's costly.

The big picture: California-based Yardzen, which was founded in 2018, helps customers virtually design their outdoor space, and CEO Allison Messner spoke to Axios about why she thinks homeowners are so ready to switch to the plunge pool.

Zoom in: Texas is Yardzen's second largest market, behind California, and much of the company's employees and customers are based here.

• In May, roughly 70% of Austin swimming pools designed by Yardzen were plunge pools, according to Messner.
• One Austin backyard, which features a sliding deck to cover the pool, became the most popular plunge pool design among Yardzen customers.

What they're saying: "You don't see those kinds of numbers with a seemingly bespoke trend very often," Messner said.

• "The idea that you can get that boutique vibe that feels like a hip hotel and have it in your yard … [without it being] this overbearing thing that takes up a lot of your outdoor space is really appealing for people," Messner added.