Here are a few pictures to consider and imagine the work involved to install what these have done then we'll discuss at after.
The first image appears to have a lighter type of liner installed or even a pool converted into a natural pool with the pool tiles still being used. The second is very impressive along with expensive with all natural stone lining the entire pool. That pool would still have a liner installed underneath to hold the water, but the look and appeal is incredible! These last two are the most "natural" looking in that you cannot see the bottom and likely have the black EPDM/PPL liner visible.
I will make a comment or two about these last two; it is easiest/cheapest to just let the black liner be exposed and there are some pros/cons to going this route. Pros being, ease of installation and use as well as cleaning. This type of pool will also heat up the most quickly in the spring with the black liner reflecting/holding the most heat which is a plus. The downsides are the obvious lack of visibility on the bottom which could be a potential hazard if children are swimming as well as difficulty in cleaning while swimming or diving for things that fall on the bottom. Another con to with this option is if anything sharp is thrown in and makes it with any amount of force to the bottom you could have an expensive leak/repair on your hands.
Here are a couple of options you can consider as you decide look/feel of your NSP. There are many commercial types of liners you can purchase that have black on one side and white on the other which allows you to have a white looking bottom and at the same time protect your EPDM/PPL liner that holds the water.
As with everything that will end up in your pond, I would recommend purchasing a quality water testing kit to test what you plan on introducing into the NSP will not overly change the PH/Alkalinity/Phosphates in the water. Here is a decent water testing kit on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DJNN0/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For the test use distilled or purchased water to ensure they are free of chemicals/chlorine which is found in most municipal water. Fill up a mason jar half full and place the rock/screw/wood etc into the jar and wait 72 hours and test. If that item throws off the chemistry drastically it would be wise to not use it. It can take a decent amount of time testing all items going into the NSP, but it's better do your due diligence now so you're not fighting large PH/Phosphate swings later when you want to be enjoying the NSP.
Having crystal clear water will require a lot of forethought and effort to maintain, but it can be achieved. Many have argued you can't have a river rock bottom, but it can be achieved through careful execution. What happens is algae and dirt/silt will eventually accumulate on the bottom which will create an anaerobic bacteria environment at the bottom that will make your NSP stink like a septic tank or at the least a fishy smelling stagnant pond. You can plumb your NSP to return a 1 1/2" bottom jet to the bottom which will circulate oxygenated water to the bottom, destratify the water so you don't have warm upper levels with oxygen and cold lower portions of the pool with no oxygen. This should also help stir up any sediment on the bottom returning it to the top where your skimmer or trusty net pick up the debris.
Finally, our quote for the day, half measures availed nothing is a good principle to live by, but be sure to live by it while building your NSP. Don't cut corners and if at all possible, don't leave your liner open to puncture on the underside or top side. Don't have a leaky liner that could crumble a dirt wall or require a wasteful water top off every other day.
Half measures availed nothing.
What kind of NSP look do you want dark or crystal clear?
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