At a time when plummeting housing prices need a boost, making outdoor upgrades can be a wise investment for improving your home's value. The good news: Breathing new life into Your backyard doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing prospect. Many poolscapes can be made over with a few careful, cost-effective upgrades.

Click here to see our project profile for this poolscape

Other renovation projects, such as the one shown here, call for a more extensive transformation. The addition of new features, new equipment, and new materials can turn a neglected poolscape into the place to be seen all season long.

If you're ready to dive in, the following backyard redesigns illustrate how to make a big splash.

From Ordinary to Opulent

Construction Time: 7 months

Turning a 1980s-looking retreat into a thouroughly modern urban oasis doesn't come cheap.

Premium materials and a no-expense-spared approach resulted in this swank, award-winning design by Scott Cohen, president of The Green Scene.

"Originally, the pool almost had a 'Star Wars' feel to it," Cohen says. The owners had strong feelings about the look they were after, which was a very cool, contemporary design."

Keeping the pool's original footprint intact, Cohen dressed it up with a sleek black slate wall from which a stainless steel spillway drops a smooth sheet of water.

A second rippling waterfall dances over an embankment into the pool. New square pavers bridge the flowing water as if magically suspended. "Who doesn't want to walk across water?" Cohen asks. "It's definitely an upgraded look."

Next to the pool's thick slate coping, dark iridescent tiles reflect off the water line. In the far left corner of the yard, a low oblique fire pit adds extra nighttime drama.

Even the landscaping has a contemporary asthetic. "I used a lot of grasses — blue fescues, dwarf flax, papyrus and horsetail — lots of plants with textural quality," Cohen explains. "

One element of surprise is the fireplace wall in the new, raised outdoor-living area. It's painted a vivid tuscan red, which adds a modern, dynamic contrast to the dark, masculine colors of the pool. "That splash of color really works," Cohen says.

The homeowners also sought to upgrade their outdoor kitchen. The original grill and standalone countertop were dated and not user-friendly. "Your back was completely turned to your guests," explains Cohen, who is also the author of Scott Cohen's Outdoor Kitchen Design Workbook. "We designed a new kitchen that includes a built-in ice chest and beverage center, storage drawers, a smoker box, and a rotisserie." Tying it all together: The stainless steel tile backsplash mirrors the subtle stainless steel details in the pool and fireplace areas.