Plunge pools are making a splash in the Twin Cities

Plunge pools are making a splash in the Twin Cities, according to Karen Filloon, a director at Southview Design .

The big picture: Large hot tub-sized pools fit in Minneapolis' and St. Paul's typically tight backyards, offering just enough space to cool down over cocktails, Filloon tells Axios.

Between the lines: The national average plunge pool costs about $20,000 , compared with $44,000 for a lap pool, per HomeAdvisor.

What they're saying: "Now that [clients] understand there's a more affordable option, plunge pools are being asked for, whereas a couple years ago, no one knew they existed," Filloon says.

• Fire and water features also top the list.

Zoom out: Backyard food and drink stations offer a hot backyard upgrade, custom architects nationwide say.

• Nearly a third of bespoke homes designed in the past year include an outdoor kitchen, according to a new survey by Residential Design magazine and John Burns Research and Consulting.

Yes, but: You don't need to devote tons of your own time and money to spruce up the backyard.

• Taskrabbit backyard bookings climbed 12% through April compared to the same time period in 2023, per data from the gig marketplace.