Tag Archives: Swimming Pools

Fresh Escape- Pool by Design in Charlotte,NC (Feb/Mar 2013)

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Written by Dana ToddGlen and Mary Stowe commemorated their wedding anniversary June 30 and they celebrated by jumping into their new backyard pool. The pool, constructed by Pool by Design, is part of a larger oasis that provides respite for the busy couple at the end of each day.

“The pool project took seven weeks to complete,” says Mary Stowe. “Completion was closer to the timeline than we’ve ever experienced during a construction project and Simon [Spiers, of Pool by Design] gave us excellent advice.”

The Stowes began by installing a six-foot brick fence around the entire backyard, a material in keeping with the modernized take on their Colonial Georgian house.

“The bricked-in backyard gave a different feeling than I expected,” says Stowe. “I expected the enclosed space to feel smaller, but it actually took away the view of neighbors’ houses. I was worried the fence would destroy the park-like feeling, but instead it provided an oasis.”

Working in tandem with landscaper The Whole Blooming Landscape, and outdoor lighting vendor S&H Sprinklers & Landscape Lighting, Pool by Design’s team designed and installed a free-form freshwater pool that resembles a pond. A filter and ultraviolet light keep the water clean and fresh for swimming.

“Simon suggested we move the pool closer to our house than originally planned,” Stowe says. “He leveled the ground so we could walk right off the portico to the pool concrete and over to the water. He suggested we situate the shallow end near the door so it would feel more like a social outdoor room.”

These changes created more of a true outdoor living ambiance and paved the way for natural plants to complement the hardscaping. Stowe is a gardener, so she had garden beds installed where she could transplant seedlings. “I used native plants and those I already knew how to grow,” Stowe says about the garden beds that interrupt the surrounding hardscape of French gray tiles capped with bluestone. “We incorporated unexpected tropicals like palm trees, a banana tree and a windmill palm at the pinch point in the middle of the pool.”

An installed pool waterfall replicates Mother Nature’s white noise and allows the family to enjoy it from inside when the doors are open during warmer weather. The pool blends with the home’s architecture and another outdoor living area that contains a two-sided chimney with an English flue, kitchen, grill, smoker and showerheads.

“It’s like a British Colonial,” says Stowe, about the house’s traditional architecture mixed with the tropical yard plantings. “I underestimated the positive effect the redesign would have. Just looking at it and hearing the fountain is instant tranquility.”

Now is the time of year to begin designing your own personal oasis. Contact Pool by Design at 704-333-7446 or find inspiration at www. poolbydesign.com.


Twitt

Who is Working on Your Pool? (Aquality Construction)

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Smart people know that with a little more up-front effort and not taking the seemingly lowest bid will save you headaches and cost over the long run. Be wary of pool builders who can somehow ‘save you’ large amounts of money compared to the competition. For example, they may make statements like “I’ve been around so long I can make judgment calls in preparation and construction that would otherwise be wasted money on your part.” Somehow scope creep tends to follow these kinds of people and they aren’t around to answer when their judgment call turns out wrong years after the fact. Read article HERE. Visit www.AqualityConstruction.com or call Joe and Lori at 303-469-2229.

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Pool Time- Pool by Design in Charlotte, NC

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By Dana W. Todd

Wade and Penny Brown are a busy couple. They own Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, which manufactures parts for the auto racing industry and they know something about daily multitasking with their thriving company and busy family life. When they decided to upgrade their backyard by adding a pool and surrounding landscaping and hardscaping, they realized their already packed schedules would not allow much project oversight. Luckily, Pool by Design provided a solution when they stepped in to create the outdoor relaxation station the Browns desired.

“The Browns have a backyard paradise,” says Simon Spiers of Pool by Design about the installation. The Pool by Design team coordinated the design and construction process that included an outdoor fireplace, pool, hot tub, intimate seating area and two decks.

“Like many construction projects, the Browns did face a couple of challenges,” explains Spiers. “The yard banked steeply down a big hill and which meant our design team had some significant structural considerations to install a pool that wouldn’t wash out over time.” Pool by Design created a retaining wall as a solution, which serves dual purposes as both functional and beautiful.

A second challenge to consider was a safety concern for the Browns. “I saw a temptation for the kids to jump off the stonework into the shallow end of the pool,” says Penny. “This seemed really dangerous to Wade and I, so Simon and his team helped us relocate the spa to the deeper end of the pool.”

The Browns agree that it was this kind of flexibility that made working with Pool by Design a real pleasure. Penny and Wade also benefitted from Pool By Design’s network of craftsmen, creating a entire hardscape and landscape design that was overseen by Spiers and his team as well. “This made converting their backyard into an oasis a truly painless process,” explains Spiers.

“Everything worked out beautifully and we get a lot of compliments from visitors,” Brown says. “The planning [by Pool by Design] was excellent.” Penny says she and Wade recently received a visit from a member of the Pool by Design team to teach them how to take care of the pool and landscaping now that it is mature. “All of the contractors we used are still in business, still call and are still involved.”

To design the pool and surrounding backyard features you’ve been dreaming about, contact Pool by Design at 704-333-7446 or see inspiration online at poolbydesign.com. 

To view more articles visit www.urbanhomemagazine.com or click here.

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Why Hire? A Landscape Architect (Charlotte, NC)

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Written by Anne Marie Ashley.

It’s springtime, which means many of us will be planting flowers, tending to new growth or planning to renovate the look of our yards all-together. Realtors estimate homeowners can add as much as 15 percent to their home value with a well-landscaped yard. In a currently stale market, the time investment may just be worth the return on your home.

It can seem daunting to design, coordinate and implement a landscaping master plan, but luckily there are experts who make the project easy — and yes — even enjoyable. We spoke to Nancy Somerville, CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and the local Charlotte landscape designers at DeSignia to find out how landscape architects can help create an outdoor space that’s beautiful and functional.

How Can a Landscape Architect Help Homeowners?
“Unlike interior design,” explains Designia, “landscape design will grow and change over time, turning the project into an art piece that you can enjoy as it evolves.” Hiring a professional landscaper means they can advise homeowners on the best flora and greenery for the terrain, especially since every home’s terrain is completely different. “The most important thing professional landscapers bring to homeowners is being able to look at the space in a comprehensive way,” says Nancy Somerville. “They can see what’s possible, which means that you are targeting your funds and getting the most value.”

What Can Homeowners Expect from a Landscape Architect?
Whether you go with a firm or an individual, landscapers offer a range of possible services from drawing up a master plan, contracting the work, overseeing and maintenance to consulting on project basis. In any case, you can expect a wealth of knowledge on things like appropriate vegetation, drainage considerations, grading, soils and lighting. “The knowledge they provide is truly critical in planning,” explains Somerville. “A great landscaper will provide solutions to any problems homeowners experience in their outdoor space.”

What Questions Should be Asked?
It’s important to interview several landscapers and find the one that fits best with the homeowner. Organizations like ASLA provide info on local resources on their website or you can go on recommendations. Somerville suggests looking through their portfolio to see if their work appeals to you. Ask how they intend to solve problems specific to your space, what some native plants might be and if they’ll work in your yard.

What Should Homeowners Expect to Pay for Landscape Design?
If homeowners are honest about what they can afford and expect, most landscapers will identify what can feasibly get done within your budget. Somerville suggests it’s smart to invest 5-10 percent of your home’s value into landscaping. “As a rule of thumb, anything that can raise your home’s value more than 10 percent is worth the investment.”

DeSignia adds, “You set the budget here, we work our hardest to give you the very best service and design within that parameter.”

Resources
www.asla.org
www.biggerslandscape.com
www.customlanddesign.com
www.designialandscape.com
www.morganlandscapegroup.com
www.wilsonsnatural.com

To view more articles visit www.urbanhomemagazine.com or click here.

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Outdoor Trends- Beyond the Back Porch (Charlotte, NC)

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Gone are the days when just a charcoal grill and lawn chairs suffice. Outdoor living rooms are the new essential for American homeowners and it’s not only for high-end custom homes. They are being built into moderate spec houses and added in the renovations of existing homes. It seems everyone recognizes the benefits of having a backyard sanctuary.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey for the second quarter of 2011 found a significant increase in requests for outdoor living spaces. Even with consumers scaling back their wish lists, investing in outdoor living spaces has become a major part of home remodeling as families travel less and instead spend more on outdoor entertaining and family time at home.

While this can mean a high-concept kitchen with a great room attached and amenities that rival indoor furnishings (surround sound, flat screen televisions and fashionable furniture), the outdoor room doesn’t have to be extravagant.

A stylish outdoor living area can be created within any budget. We spoke with Charlotte’s design experts to learn their recommendations for creating an outdoor living space that can increase your home’s footprint and give you a great escape that’s as close as your own backyard.

Certified landscape designer Ashleigh Geremia says creating outdoor living rooms is her passion. She has had the opportunity to create many in her role as a designer with DeSignia in Charlotte. As a plant specialist with a degree in horticulture, it is natural for Ashleigh to prioritize plants, or softscapes, in the outdoor living room. She also designs pools, patios and other hardscapes that define the space.

Ashleigh shares her top five elements for a successful outdoor living area:

Landscape.
“Plantings (softscapes) are an essential element to outdoor design,” says Ashleigh, who explains that it’s easy to get caught up in hardscapes like fireplaces, pools or patios and forget that being in nature is the true beauty of an outdoor room. “First and foremost we need seasonal color and the beauty of plants. Without the plants you may as well be indoors.” Ashleigh’s favorite plantings for the outdoor living space include evergreens, which she calls the backbones of the outdoor living area and ornamental grasses. “No plant compares to ornamental grasses,” she says. “The blooms, or plumes, are majestic and create a graceful billowing aesthetic when blowing in the wind.” Ashleigh also loves working with our classic southern plants. “Bursting color from Azaleas in the spring, Hydrangeas that bloom in the summer and Camellias with their winter blooms are essentials,” she says. “They are proven southern performers, so they are low maintenance and give us beautiful color.”

Patio
“Whether you do pavers or natural stone, you need somewhere to entertain that is functional and aesthetically pleasing. With the array of pavers available today there is something to please everyone’s taste as well as match the architecture of their home,” says Ashleigh.

Fire
“You need a fireplace, fire pit, grill or pizza oven — something to entertain with,” says Ashleigh. She says built-in outdoor grills and pizza ovens are not just for custom, high-end homes. “These features are attainable and we’re building them in all types of homes.”

Water
“A water feature of some sort helps set a peaceful mood,” she says. “The soothing sound of bubbling water or a trickling waterfall creates a relaxing environment that is the perfect place to unwind after a hectic day at work.”

Lawn
“A little bit of green goes a long way,” says Ashleigh. “There is a big difference when your outdoor living area is offset by turf even if it is a small area of turf. A green lawn brightens the atmosphere and broadens the horizon.”

Create An Extension of Your Home
John DiFiore, President and project manager at Fun Outdoor Living, sees the outdoor living area as an extension of the home. “I like to design the area to meet the architectural characteristics of the home,” explains John. “It should never look like an afterthought or an add-on.

It should flow seamlessly from the inside of the home to the outside.” John also adds that while you should strive to make your outdoor living area fun and integrated, it’s also important to make it functional. He says there are three steps he typically follows when considering an outdoor project for a client. “First, I consider the specific needs of the homeowner,” says John. “What do they like to do? How active are they?”

“I also like to identify their long-term goals in an outdoor area so that we can build an infrastructure that allows us to add on to the space in phases if they want. If the client needs a satellite or a full kitchen, we can add structures that make entertaining outside as comfortable as using your kitchen inside.”

Furnishing Your Outdoor Living Area
Of course you’ll need somewhere to sit in your outdoor living room. Furnishing your outdoor living area can mean fashionable furniture, accessories and rugs. Regina Poshkus of Summer Classics in Charlotte says that choosing durable fabrics doesn’t necessarily limit your selection. She recommends Sunbrella, a high performance outdoor fabric that comes in hundreds of colors and patterns.

“Look for furniture made with N-Dura resin, wrought aluminum and cast aluminum frames that withstand the toughest elements,” Regina says. “And don’t be afraid to ask an expert. We make house-calls to help clients plan their outdoor living spaces and teach them how to care for their outdoor furniture.”

Add Ambience With Lighting
Whether your entertaining during the day or the evening, outdoor lighting can add an atmosphere that’s warm and inviting. Robert Fortney from Lighthouse Landscape Lighting suggests looking at lighting additions that meet the specific needs of your outdoor living lifestyle. “With more people doing “stay-cations”, the back yard has truly become an outdoor living area,” explains Robert. “There is nothing more inviting than a warmly and properly lit home.”

To view the entire article click here or to see similar articles visit www.urbanhomemagazine.com

Resources
www.asla.org
www.archadeckofcharlotte.com
www.biggerslandscape.com
www.carolinapoolking.com
www.customlanddesign.com
www.DeSigniaLandscape.com
www.fallingwaterpools.com
www.fhcasual.com
www.funoutdoorliving.com
www.thehearthandpatio.com
www.charlotte.lightsbylighthouse.com
www.morganlandscapegroup.com
www.oasispoolsplus.com
www.overstreaminc.com
www.poolbydesign.com
www.summerclassics.com
www.sunmarconstruction.com
www.stonemanrocks.com
www.wilsonsnatural.com

Twitt