Tips to Make the Most
of Your Pool and Spa
(ARA) - Get away from it
all and relax -- without being frisked by airport security. Whether
you go for candlelit tranquility or kid-friendly splash zones, creating
a comfortable and comforting atmosphere around your pool and spa means
surefire stress relief is always close at hand.
The National Spa &
Pool Institute (NSPI) offers these ideas for escaping into your own backyard.
Room for a view
Landscape for atmosphere
and privacy. Hide a security fence with a living screen of shrubs or trees.
An all-white garden really glows at night, and tropical plants can turn
your backyard into an oasis. Or make the most of your growing space with
a beautifully colorful potager-type garden of vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Light it right
Highlight pleasing features
in your yard and on your home. The right lighting can make your backyard
magical. Consider uplighting on trees and architectural elements, pathway
lighting in planters and to mark hazards, and mercury vapor lighting up
high for a soft, moonlit effect. Also, there's dramatic fiberoptic lighting
to outline the perimeter of your pool and spa.
Convenience counts
Extend your living space
to the outside with beverage centers, cooking stations, comfortable furniture,
etc. Take cues from your indoor furnishings and décor when planning
outdoor rooms.
Beyond barbecue
Take the grill up a notch
with a complete cooking station that includes not only a grill, but also
a cook top, a prep area and lots of storage.
Eat outside
Entertain with ease by stocking
up on pretty, unbreakable (and dishwasher safe) acrylic glasses and plates.
Made in the shade
If you don't have a naturally
shady seating area near the pool, create it with something as simple as
an umbrella-covered table or as elaborate (and romantic) as a tent with
gauzy netting.
Defining space
Consider a trellis or gazebo
to enhance your outdoor space.
Take a seat
Provide plenty of seating
around your pool or spa to make entertaining easy. Combination benches
and planter boxes offer seats and scenery.
Music please
Wire your indoor stereo
system so that you can enjoy your favorite tunes outside. Hide speakers
inside man-made, but natural-looking hollow rocks. Some spas come complete
with DVD, CD and video players, a pop-up television and a floating remote
to access them all.
Natural sounds
Water features such as fountains
and waterfalls sound as good as they look.
Built-in fun
When planning your pool
or spa, consider installing swim-up bars and in-pool seating.
Banish boredom
Make your pool kid-friendly
with zero-depth beach entries, shallow places for little ones to play and
perch and low-profile slides.
Game time
Make the pool a place to
play with volleyball nets, floating basketball goals, noodles, big floats
and other pool toys. The choices are just about endless.
Extend game time
Take this idea a little
bit further and install a nearby play area made of concrete covered by
a rubber mat. This can serve as anything from a mini basketball court to
a putting green.
Layers of protection
You'll enjoy your pool and
spa all the more knowing it's as safe as you can make it. Install perimeter
fencing with self-latching gates and alarm sensors on doors that lead to
the outside. Automatic pool covers are horizontal fences. Motion sensors
and alarms are available for your pool to alert you when someone goes into
the water. Also, check your main drain cover to make sure it's not missing
or broken.
Carefree fun
Automate your pool and spa
to make maintenance a snap. Better yet, rely upon an NSPI CSP Certified
Service Professional to keep everything sparkling clean and working just
fine.
The National Spa & Pool
Institute is the industry organization representing more than 5,200 manufacturers,
distributors, builders, retailers and service companies that share a commitment
to fair business practices and a standard of excellence in health and safety.
NSPI also conducts an industry certification program for pool builders
and service professionals. For more information about swimming pools, contact
(800) 323-3996 or visit NSPI online at www.nspi.org.
Courtesy of ARA Content |
