One backyard at a time, since 1997.

Southern Pool Designs was founded in November 1997, when John Kirkland left the Army National Guard to pursue his passion for building pools. He bet everything on this vision and built the company from the ground up, one backyard at a time.

From the first infinity-edge shell he shaped by hand to the natural grottos and lazy rivers we craft today, John has led with the eye of a designer and the pride of a true craftsman. Over the years he has taught and mentored every team member around him, and his hands-on experience has shaped not only the pools we build but the people who build them.

In 2025, Austen Ebenger joined John as managing partner. A graduate of the Wharton School with an MBA from NYU, Austen built his career in private equity and brings a systems-driven mindset and a customer-first approach: real-time dashboards, smarter scheduling and clear processes that make the construction journey feel seamless from start to finish.

John still leads from the field, visiting job sites daily, guiding crews and sketching concepts by hand. Austen runs the backend, making sure every promise made in a design meeting is delivered on time and on budget. We may not control the weather or the city’s permit queue, but we control how we show up.

With nearly 30 years of craftsmanship and now two generations of leadership, we hold an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and active memberships in the Florida Swimming Pool Association and the Greater Orlando Builders Association.