When we take complicated yards that have a lot of grade, we tend to … I’ll tend to build a model. A clay model. A three dimensional model. It helps me, number one, play with the grades and elevations. I know that can all be done on a computer, but for me, it’s hands on. Get the sense of elevation and what it’s going to be and try to make it as good to scale as possible. Plus then, that’s a great tool for me to bring to the homeowner and say, “Here’s what I’m talking about. Here’s the idea”.
We had a waterfall right there, basically the exact footprint that it turned out to be, but very nondescript, just a waterfall and slide. As we started the project, the more steampunk genre came to be and that feel of steampunk, and a little bit of Caribbean. Out of that, a solid pad of concrete that is about 4′ underneath … The pool underneath there and all kinds of steel sticking up, we just started formulating. We knew where the slide was exactly. That was no problem. We knew where the steps were going to be, but the rest of it sort of, shaped itself as we went. That’s when I just got creative and started thinking about, from a steampunk perspective, what it would look like.
We can carve all kinds of stuff out of concrete, but what about using some copper and some metals and some different ways of bringing the water forth. Because again, in a waterfall, how do you create the way that the water spills out so that it’s unique and interesting, and/or nondescript whatsoever. We made focused efforts to tell you exactly where the water is coming from. The water comes out of the bell helmet and that was a reproduction bell helmet. Shiny copper when I got it. We patina-ed it, to give it that old look and water comes out of the front of that and then, water comes out of the tuba on the other side, so we’re very distinct places. Instead of hiding that water entry points, we accented them and made them obvious because that, again, creates visual interest.
If it was just a pipe sticking up and water shooting out of it, probably not very interesting, but because we have shapes that the water is coming out of, it becomes really interesting. The whole process was organic in nature. It was just one of those things that, as we built, I kept finding parts. Then I would build a little more and I’d find more parts. I stop at all kinds of crazy places. Little hardware stores and plumbing shops. Anything, to be able to find miscellaneous, interesting copper pieces, and that’s the net result.
For all the pool knowledge you’re looking for, check out Ask the Pool Guy HQ. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about swimming pools, all in one place. Ask the Pool Guy is passionate about sharing the vast knowledge he has acquired throughout his decades in the pool industry, and he wants to make sure everyone has an enjoyable pool experience. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for here, you can contact him or a capable member of his team!
Visit our Ask the Pool Guy Website: http://www.askthepoolguy.com
Legendary Escapes is the home of the hybrid swimming pool. Al, the designer and builder, and his team are passionate about creating unique, one-of-a-kind pools. They are constantly innovating and coming up with new ways to better serve their clients. No two Legendary Escapes pools are alike, and they are unlike any pool you’ll find elsewhere. Our website showcases our projects, as well as providing helpful information if you’re a current pool owner or considering building a swimming pool.
To learn more about the construction arm of Ask the Pool Guy, check out the Legendary Escapes website: http://www.LegendaryEscapes.com
Ask the Pool Guy and Legendary Escapes are striving to share the knowledge! We don’t think homeowners in SE Michigan should be the only people who have the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, hybrid swimming pool; so we’re working with builders across the country to bring hybrid pools to you. We’re happy to work with local builders, wherever “local” might be, to design and build beautiful pools all over the country.
Music in the videos:
“Electrodoodle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
