Hi 27! Excited for you about the new pool! And welcome to TFP!!
I like how you have the lights shining away from the house. That's something I always suggest, but you beat me to it!
Not sure what to tell you about the finishes, except to hurry! It's such an individual thing. I tend to like organic, subtle colors and textures. Others like fancy patterns and lots of bling. The sky's the limit. But what I can suggest is that you try to see some actual pools. A showroom somewhere (that's how I did it), or perhaps a pool your PB has built and can get you in to see. Picking colors out of a brochure or from pictures on the internet or from small samples is not going to give you the perspective and color accuracy needed for this kind of decision. I had to drive two and a half hours to go to my plasterer's showroom, so you don't necessarily limit yourself to your local area. You gotta get in front of the real deal.
May I? A couple things popped out at me that I think are not too far along to do something about.
I see in your signature (nice job on that, by the say) you spec a "Intelliflo VSF Variable Speed & Flow Pump." Pentair makes great pumps, and that particular one has been discussed elsewhere here on the forum. A residential pool can't really make smart use of the "Variable Flow" component of that pump. You'll most likely only need the "Variable Speed" features it has to offer, so you don't need to pay extra for the variable flow. Pentair's Variable Speed pump would be perfect for your pool, and save you some money.
The other thing was the 10" shelf. Is that measured from the water line? The depths of shelves is a personal choice, I don't have an opinion about that, but I don't see a step down onto the shelf from the coping. Did you discuss that with the PB? When you add the distance to the coping, that could be another 4" to 6", and a 14" to 16" step in and out of a pool is quite a stretch, especially for kids and us elder types (which you'll be someday). I'm thinking you should have a step somewhere, if not clear across that shelf, that splits that step height in half.
I don't believe it would be much work at all, or expense, to add that step at this stage of construction.
And just curious, how did you come up with a 3' shallow end depth? That's the shallowest I've seen. I have a thread going that discusses depth profiles and peoples' preferences about them. I find the subject interesting. Maybe you saw it:
Sports Pools vs Deep/Shallow End Pools
Anyway, good luck with the rest of your build, and your finish choices. Perhaps if you tell us a bit about your style preferences, folks here can make some suggestions. One approach I've offered to others is to look through your picture collection, or travel magazines, wherever, and find an image of a destination that calls to you. A tropical paradise, a resort somewhere, a natural scene, you get the idea. An image that describes: this is where I want to be. Then hand that to your PB and say: this is my color palette, how can I make my pool/yard feel like this? The point being: you can look for inspiration from sources other than just pictures of pools.
And just to give you something to think about, you don't necessarily have to pick a tile that is square! This is mine:
