14 Jul

Posted at 14:21h in General Interest by
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11 Essential Landscape Tasks for Fall

From Barn Nursery

Believe it or not, we are on the downside of summer heading into Fall.  It's hard to believe that the 4th of July is in the rearview mirror, but in a few short weeks the kids will be back in school and those halcyon days of extra sunlight and hanging out by the swimming pool will be just a loving memory.  This post from The Barn Nursery gives you a handy guide to preparing for Fall and Winter by tackling the tasks in your garden and landscape that are necessary for Fall.  With proper preparation and care, your outdoor living space will be much healthier and easier to get ready for next years Memorial Day party!

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13 Jul

Posted at 14:01h in General Interest by
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7 Luxury Swimming Pools That Have To Be Seen To Be Believed (PHOTOS)

From Huffington Post

As this article from the Huffington Post states, "a high-end home would just feel incomplete without a swimming pool."  We couldn't agree more.  While the swimmng pool has become the ultimate luxury item for the high-end custom home, some designers have advanced the artform to a new stratosphere.  This post presents seven of these over-the-top designs that are described using terms like "amazing" and "extreme".  Check it out for some design inspiration on your own backyard shangri-la.

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10 Jul

Posted at 14:37h in General Interest by
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Designing for Fireside Warmth: Tips for Outdoor Furnishings

From Garden Design

Once one has been through a landscape construction or outdoor living construction project, the first reaction is usually to want to utilize the space.  After all, the reason that the homeowner undertook the project in the first place was to have friends and family around in a comfortable, warm environment.  The final touch, and one that sometimes gets overlooked is providing proper furnishings to outfit the space.  This seemingly innocuous detail can make the difference between just having a space and making the space useful and spectacular.  This post from Garden Design gives some great tips to wrap up the final stage of design and construction correctly for the homeowner, and to outfit the space for maximum enjoyment.

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08 Jul

Posted at 14:12h in General Interest by
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POOL LANDSCAPING: MORE THAN JUST PLANTS

From Swimmingpool.com

Skilled outdoor living and swimming pool designers know what many people don't immediately realize:  There is way more to designing an outdoor living space that includes an inground swimming pool than just planting a few bushes and plants around the pool.  Thoughtfully planned space allocation, colors, features, traffic patterns, entertaining spaces, etc. all are considerations that make one's outdoor living space with a pool ideal.  This post from Swimmingpool.com gives some great advice on how to plan the ideal environment around a swimming pool, considering all of the aforementioned considerations.

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07 Jul

Posted at 12:00h in General Interest by
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MY POOL WATER IS NOT ALL THE SAME COLOR?

From SwimmingPool.com

Of all the myriad questions that are presented to swimming pool designers and builders, the most common question is "What color is my pool going to be?"  This is a very complex and complicated question to answer, and frankly, the real answer is a moving target.  Pool color can be affected by a number of factors, and can change dynamically depending on the environment.  This post from Swimmingpool.com gives a very good explanation of these factors, as well as what a consumer can expect from the final product.  

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06 Jul

Posted at 19:46h in General Interest by
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Outdoor Entertaining Tip of the Month: Popular Outdoor Products for Fall

From Belgard

If you live in the Midwest, it seems like the Summer hasn't really even started.  Unfortunately, with the 4th of July in the rear view mirror, the Summer is all downhill from here, and Fall is literally weeks away.  If you haven't had a chance to utilize your fabulous outdoor living space yet for entertaining, this Fall may provide that opportunity.  This post from Belgard provides some essential outdoor products that will make your Fall entertaining season memorable, and easier.

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25 Jun

Posted at 16:58h in General Interest by
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5 Impressive Outdoor Kitchens

From The Kitchn

Having an inground pool is indeed the ultimate luxury for Americans, but what happens when your guests are hungry?  Having to run back and forth into the house to prepare lunch or dinner is a chore, and ordering take out or delivery just doesn't feel like outdoor living is supposed to feel like.  An outdoor kitchen is a must for the outdoor living enthusiast, and this post from The Kitchn presents some beautiful outdoor kitchen designs with features that make any outdoor living space the envy of the neighborhood.

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18 Jun

Posted at 16:43h in General Interest by
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Luxury Outdoor Fountains with Dramatic Flair

From Luxury Pools

Landscape designers are always looking for proper space allocation, rhythm, repetition, and focus.  There are many ways to create a focal point in a landcape design, or funnel the eye towards a specific feature or set of features.  Even with an inground swimming pool in the design, the focal point can be something elsewhere in the space.  This post from Luxury Pools shows that a fountain feature can be that very crowning jewel on any landscape design, and shows some elegant examples of the state of the art.

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17 Jun

Posted at 14:55h in General Interest by
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THE HISTORIC RISE OF SWIMMING POOLS

From Hayward

Hvae you ever wondered when the first swimming pool was constructed?  When did ancient man decide to create an alternative to natural bodies of water and create a swimming pool or hot tub specifically for recreation and therapy?  Why did man make this leap?  These and other questions are answered in this brief history of swimming pools by Hayward Pool Products.  

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