Perched high above lush California valley, these nature inspired tea houses designed by Swatt Miers Architects are a sweet retreat from the busy city. These natural house designs make you feel like you’re a million miles away, yet always within easy reach of urban comforts and convenience.
Austin, Texas-based architecture firm Mell Lawrence Architects designed this rustic house right in their own backyard. Designed as an earthy sanctuary, this stone home design follows the lay of the sloped site with a layered layout both indoors and out. Regardless of where you are, the overall feeling you’ll get here is one of peace and serenity, achieved through the neutral materials, color palette and easy-going flow of living spaces.
German architects Titus Bernhard Architekten designed this cool wood clad house in Munich, Germany as a livable sculpture. The asymmetrical roof is clad in prefabricated vertical wood lamella that makes its way down the walls for a homogenous overall look.
The House Arc by Bellomo Architects may not be much to look at, with its humble, “tin can” facade, but there’s more to this cool compact cottage than meets the eye! Innovative, modular and eco sustainable, this 150 sq. ft. home was designed to be conveniently flat packed to just 4 by 10 by 3 ft., and easily transported to your location of choice. It’s made to weather any storm, withstanding tropical winds and inclement weather with ease.
The Squish Studio designed by Canadian architect Todd Saunders (his practice is based in Norway) brings Canadian and Nordic architectural styles here to the humble hotspot of Fogo Island, Newfoundland. As one of the stops along “iceberg alley,” this coastal community, though small (the 2006 census counted a population of just 2,706 people), clearly had a big influence on the cottage design. With jagged, majestic icebergs as part of the coastal landscape, it’s clear what the inspiration was for the shape.
This summer house located in Southern Burgenland, Austria was designed by Vienna based Judith Benzer Architektur to fit into its countryside surroundings, with a classic “house” shape and a traditional material taken to the next level. Completely clad in wood from the tip of its roof right down to the ground, the house evokes a sense of serenity that is only possible through nature.
Welcome to the Southern Pool Designs company blog.
Southern Pool Designs is proud to be Central Florida’s best custom inground pool and spa builder.
In the interest of increasing communication with our customers, we’ve decided to launch ourselves into the blogosphere and start a company blog. We will use the blog to post company news, product announcements and specials, reflections on the pool industry, spotlight our beloved customers, and anything else we think would be interesting and beneficial to our customers and friends. And of course the whole point of a blog is the conversation loop. So comment away — this place is an echo chamber without you.
You can subscribe to our blog via RSS to stay up-to-date automatically or check back from time-to-time.
If you are a parent of young children or have children living in the household you have a duty of care to foresee the risks of owning a pool. Your swimming pool is a serious risk factor to be taken into consideration when obtaining city and/or county permits to build your inground pool. It is also a factor to consider when purchasing or changing your homeowner insurance policy.
Some areas within the United States have placed restrictions and safety requirements regarding the protection of children and the use of your pool. There are local and state regulations regarding in the use of your backyard pool. One of these restrictions is often the requirement of a pool fence and other pool accessories such as a pool cover and alarms that sound each time a door to the backyard is opened by a small child. Before you decide to build an inground pool, it will help to familiarize yourself with the laws and permits your city, county and state require.
The peace of mind that a pool fence will provide you is so powerful that you will likely never regret your decision to install this lifesaving accessory. There are many different types of fencing options that include design, textiles and construction materials. The newest textile in fencing is mesh. These are increasingly popular for a variety of reasons. Firstly, they are easy-to-install and easy-to-remove. Secondly, they are cost effective and attractive. However, there will need to be holes drilled into the cement or tile surrounding your pool for the intersecting poles.
An accessory to the pool fence is the pool cover. This additional safety device is often made of lightweight plastic materials. This will help to help your pool stay clean and is also available in mesh, netting, and other durable vinyl materials. The cover is not considered to be a lifesaving devise; however, is added protection. This is extra insurance against accidents in and around your pool. Accidents are avoidable and you can shield yourself from liability by being a responsible pool owner.
For many people, it isn’t summer until they have taken a dip in the swimming pool. Whether that dip is an effort to cool down or to have a little fun, spending time in a pool is a warm weather pastime enjoyed by millions of men, women and children every year. With a wide variety of pool accessories available, pool owners may want to consider purchasing a few in order to include some fun sports games in their pool time. If you or your friends are sports enthusiasts, you can’t go wrong with the always popular basketball hoop and volleyball net.
Basketball hoops for swimming pools have been around for years. Even though there are a multitude of other accessories on the market today, basketball hoops have not lost their popularity with pool owners. Whether you’re an Orlando Magics hopeful or just wanting to have a little fun in the pool, this pool accessory is sure to delight.
These hoops come in a variety of attachments options from ones that attach to the side of the pool or deck to water-filled hoops that can be used inside the swimming pool. This makes them perfect for all pool owners. Regardless of whether you have an inground pool or an aboveground pool with or without a deck, you can find one that will work with your pool. Hoops can easily be moved around to find just the right spot, a plus on days when the sun is glaring in your eyes, blocking your view of the hoop.
It is easy to get overwhelmed when shopping for a basketball hoop for your swimming pool. Basketball pool accessories are available in every imaginable size and style. To find the perfect basketball hoop, you will want to compare the advantages and disadvantages of each style. This will ensure you get the right one for you and your pool.
A volleyball net is an excellent addition to your inground pool. There’s just something about soaking your opponent when you spike a ball to score a point that delights players of all ages. Usually the person that gets soaked has as much fun as the one that spiked the ball in the first place.
Shopping for volleyball pool accessories is generally easy. Unlike basketball hoops, volleyball nets are quite similar with little variation. You will find that volleyball nets are versatile. The same one you use for your inground pool can usually be used for your neighbor’s above ground pool as well. You simply adjust the pole length to fit your swimming pool.
While volleyball and basketball are the most popular sports games played in the pool, you don’t have to limit yourself to only these two games. A visit your local pool supply store or to one of the online pool accessory websites will open your eyes to the wide variety of games that can be played in your swimming pool. If you can’t find one that excites you, there is nothing that says you can’t make up your own.
May 14th, 2012 
shady 
