A beach entry not only looks good, it provides a shallow splash and play area for children or a cool retreat for sunbathers. Van Bower recently put a stone chess set into a zero-depth area for one customer, making way for even more fun possibilities. Bently says that many of his upscale pool customers request some sort of water feature whether it s a naturalistic rock formation with a waterfall cascading down it or a formal fountain. A water feature will have the millennium pool sounding as good as it looks and it will do double duty of helping to circulate the water. Entertaining with ease means having everything close at hand.
Outdoor kitchens are hot right now.
For a cooking station that really cooks, there are acrylic stucco and stainless steel grill cooktop rotisserie combinations complete with tiled or granite prep and serve areas, storage space and warming drawers. You can even customize your kitchen with an outdoor pizza oven. Covered outdoor lounging areas are becoming more elaborate, too, with sofas, artwork and televisions. Some are decorated in such a way, Van Bower says, that when you look inside the open area, you d swear you re in someone s living room. And in a way, you are.