Glassed-over pools
One of the hottest trends in pool and home décor is glass tile. As a pool finish, this option is becoming increasingly popular in Canada, especially in British Columbia where it has become an ever-growing trend that separates style setters from followers. Glass tile is a beautiful product that comes in many shapes, colours, and textures. This finish can change a pool from a basic backyard oasis to an elegant, stunning work of art.
Depending on the look the consumer wants, costs can run from affordable to extremely expensive and everything in between. However, when carefully selected and installed, the one constant that remains is the effect glass tile has in transforming a pool from drab to fab.
Best room in the house often is not inside
Outdoor living spaces are bringing traditional indoor gathering areas such as family and dining rooms outside. This practice has become one of the most in demand design trends. Often, with the pool as the focal point, homeowners appreciate the ability to extend their entertaining and living spaces by adding an array of customizable features that include lighting, music, fireplaces, and kitchens, which are all helping to redefine the term ‘living poolside.’
Thanks to advances in all-weather materials, furniture and accessories are now available in numerous shapes, sizes, and styles to highlight and display the customer’s unique style all while flowing seamlessly from indoor to outdoor décor.
Another trend is the love of Mediterranean-style living, which offers a wide array of flexible entertaining scenarios and is widely used in a lot of newly created outdoor spaces. Homeowners are realizing that expanded entertaining areas, adjacent to the pool, not only extend their living space, but also enhance the way they live.
The pool is often the focal point of the house, bringing people together much in the same way the kitchen has always been credited. Today’s favourite kitchens just happen to be outdoors by the pool, complete with fireplaces, pizza ovens, specialized light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, entertainment areas with televisions for outdoor viewing and speakers that play music above and below the water. All of these accessories have made their way onto the consumer’s wish list.
What does the future hold?
When a consumer is planning a new pool or a renovation project, encourage them to consider all of the things they love to do with their family and list any personal and/or family goals they are trying to achieve. Once the homeowner has an idea of the activities and areas they would like to see included in their pool design, an experienced designer can step in and guide them through the design process, often offering guidance that can enhance their plans. The goal is to incorporate items into today’s design that will be at the top of tomorrow’s list of trends.
Carla Sovernigo is president/chief financial officer of Alka Pool Construction Ltd., in Burnaby, B.C., and has been involved in the pool industry for more than 30 years. She is proud to serve as the chairman of the board of directors of the Master Pools Guild, a global network of luxury pool builders from around the world. The group meets twice a year to share and discuss new technologies, techniques, best practices, and design trends. Sovernigo can be reached via e-mail at carlasp@alkapool.com.
