Location of Steps.....Please Chime In!

[Veccster]

Hey Y'all!!!

I'm looking for some opinions and have to decide by this afternoon - meeting with PB to finalize things and place order. This is a 18x36 vinyl in Pittsburgh, PA. Take a look at the two sketches below and let me know which side makes more sense. The location of the steps is the only thing that is different.
Thanks.

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[Nectarologist]

Hi. Without knowing the direction it faces I would choose to have the steps on the far side of the house since it would face the table and 8 chairs patio area (people can easily see each other w/o having to turn around to talk). But does one side shade before the other? If one area gets sun longer I'd have it face that way. I have a bench in the deep end (rectangle pool) and my stairs shade 30 minutes prior to the deep end so people gravitate to the deep end bench as the sun goes down (it's because of neighbor's trees that it starts to shade at different times). My pool is similar in shape/size and my shallow end faces directly west, house is on the ladder side just like your diagram (south side of pool for me).

 

[Veccster]

North is in the upper left of the sketch. Early summer sun sets directly in front of house. Late summer sets between my house and neighbors house (over the green paver stairs).

Closer to the house will get SOME shade. The chaise lounges are in the sunniest spot.

We're in Pittsburgh, PA. So although we do get some hot summer days, it's not like it's 100f+ hot.