By Jason Cramp
Tumber & Associates, a landscape design and build firm in Orangeville, Ont., successfully created this elaborate outdoor living space with several elements, despite having to combine and compress them into the client’s relatively small, yet upscale, suburban environment.
The project includes a swimming pool, cabana with full kitchen, in-floor heating and fireplace, in addition to a gazebo, water features, reflecting pool, statuary, fire pit, hot tub, outdoor barbecue, wood-fired pizza oven grotto and large entertaining space. Tumber’s effective integration of these elements earned them a gold award in the residential water feature category of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals’ (APSP’s) 2009 International Awards of Excellence competition.
Making this installation even more unique was the client’s desire to have the features available for year-round use. This meant creating freeze-proof, low-maintenance elements. For example, one of the main water features was designed so it could simply be turned on and off at will, without any associated plumbing or electrical issues.
For ease of operation, Tumber designed the control system with ‘master’ and ‘slave’ electronic panels and installed easily accessible touch-pad screens in common living areas to allow the homeowner to program specific run schedules to meet their lifestyle and entertaining habits. The system can also be accesses remotely or via mobile device.
In addition to the original water feature, which included numerous cascades with a relatively wide watercourse to create visual impact, the project features an underground pizza grotto with tow additional sets o waterfalls emanating from its rooftop.
Working with the European-influenced architecture of the home and neighbourhood, Tumber incorporated classic bronze statuary throughout the landscape, including a seated figure in the grotto ‘sheer’ waterfall, which creates a playful focal point.
