Swimming Pool Features Options

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Creative pool features such as a tanning shelf, swim-up bar, grotto, and more

A few built-in features can take your pool from typical to unique and custom. Items like swim-up bars, built-in benches, and tanning ledges transform ordinary and dated pools into trendy and entertaining hotspots. Nearly any of these features can be included in your pool design. Talk to your pool builder to see how they can incorporate one or many of these into your design.

Grotto       Designed to look like a cave, a grotto is typically created from artificial rock and provides a sheltered cove. It is usually designed in conjunction with a waterfall or sometimes a slide, providing a sanctuary or retreat for swimmers, or a fort-like structure for kids.
Beach Entry       Sometimes called a beach walk-in or gradual entry, this sloped entry into the pool provides child-friendly access, a shallow area for play, handicapped access and added safety for poor swimmers or pets that fall into the pool. The beach entry is sometimes viewed negatively because it’s possible for unwanted pets to wade into the water. It also can take away from the length of a pool and the play area in deeper waters if space constraints are an issue.
Tanning Shelf       The tanning shelf is a large shallow area designed for sun bathers to relax or for young children to play. It is typically 5-8 inches deep and is situated at the perimeter of the pool. In some designs, the tanning shelf (or baja shelf, sun ledge or Shamu shelf) can be placed near the deep end of the pool so kids can jump off it and so adults can comfortably supervise, or more commonly in the shallow end as an entry point into the pool.
Underwater Benches and Tables       Much like the seating within a spa, in-water benches are essentially ledges connected to the inside of the pool under the water. They provide great escapes for relaxing while still remaining cool in the water. They can also be combined with an underwater table (a larger raised portion of the pool floor). Umbrella holders can also be installed in underwater tables so the area can be shaded.
Swim-up Bar Swim-up bars add to the convenience of conversation and relaxation with refreshing cocktails and snacks nearby. Bathers can swim up to an underwater stool and enjoy company without having to leave the water. In some designs, the swim-up bar offers a “dry” side (the dry side must be lower than the pool’s bond beam) where the drink mixer and other guests can co-mingle without getting wet.
Water Slide      Nothing says fun like a water slide
Outdoor Shower       Few things are as refreshing on a hot summer day as a showerin the open air.You’d expect to find an outdoor shower at a suite at a lush Caribbean resort,   but in your own home? Why not? That’s what more and more homeowners seem to be   saying, as the master bath becomes yet another room in the house where people   are letting in a little bit of the great outdoors.
The outdoor shower is definitely part of the trend of people bringing the   outdoors in, with people now building outdoor bathrooms and even outdoor   kitchens

 

Outdoor Landscape Lighting

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Compliment your Georgia Classic Pool (and landscape) with outdoor lighting. Your pool at night will look spectacular with professional low-voltage outdoor lighting.

As your Atlanta landscape lighting specialist, NightVision Outdoor   Lighting has the skill and knowledge needed to transform and illuminate your   home.  We can add elegance and definition to your home, highlighting the   architectural features and ensuring that your house will always stand out after   sunset.  Our landscape lighting can draw attention to your favorite tree, guide   guests through your garden, or light up your deck for your next party.  Whatever   impression you want to make, NightVision Outdoor Lighting will bring your home   to life and exceed your expectations.

They also install seasonal Atlanta Christmas lighting, giving your   home a festive holiday appearance.  Many people enjoy driving through the   neighborhood around the holidays to admire the homes adorned with lights.    However, homeowners are generally less enthusiastic about untangling strings of   lights and dealing with precarious ladders to hang up their Christmas lights,   and then going through it all again when the holiday season comes to a close.    If you would like an Atlanta Christmas   lighting display that will make your house stand out, without the trouble of   setting it up yourself, call NightVision Outdoor Lighting and let them do all of   the hard work for you.

NightVision Outdoor Lighting can also address your Atlanta commercial   lighting needs.  If you want lighting that will make your building pop, you will   love their work.  Creative, well designed lighting can really make an impact.  Our Atlanta commercial lighting will draw   attention to your commercial space and display it in the most effective way.  If   you want your business to make an impression before the visitor even walks in   the door, you can’t go wrong with a commercial lighting plan from NightVision   Outdoor Lighting.

At NightVision Outdoor Lighting, we are committed to   raising and defining the standards for great Atlanta landscape lightingat a great   value.  After being in business for 11 years and installing landscape lighting   in over 3500, our work speaks for itself.  Whether you plan to entertain and   show off your yard to your friends or simply enjoy the view for yourself as you   pull into your driveway each day, a customized Atlanta landscape   lighting design from NightVision Outdoor Lighting will give you something   to be proud of.

Firepits

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Adding a fire pit as part of your landscaping will extend the enjoyment of your backyard for you and your guests.  They provide warmth, light, a cooking source, and ambiance, making them a natural gathering spot for socializing, entertaining, and relaxation. People are drawn to the campfire-like atmosphere, and before you know it, there will be story-telling and laughter. A fire pit can also serve as an important focal point in your outdoor landscape design. When placed where it can be easily seen from your interior living space, it can be enjoyed from the indoors as well.

There are many options when it comes to the size, shape and style of a fire pit. You can have a built-in fire pit installed, or you can purchase a portable one that can be moved about your yard. If opting for a built-in fire pit, you’ll be able to choose from a variety of outdoor finishing materials including concrete, stone and brick. And remember, fire pits don’t have to be round-they can be square, L-shaped, triangular, or an entirely custom shape.

Outdoor Fireplace Options

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Wood Storage       If you get a wood burning fireplace, you’ll need a place to store wood close by. A built-in wood box is great for this purpose. You need a storage box that is large enough to hold enough wood to keep the fire fueled through the evening. However, many homeowners opt for two storage boxes on either side of the fireplace to create a symmetrical design. Another option is to build a wood storage space beneath the firebox and hearth.
Mantel       For an added boost of style you can add a mantel to your outdoor fireplace. An outdoor mantel serves a similar purpose as an indoor one—it is a feature on which you can display decorative items. Outdoor mantels can be made of precast concrete that is colored or textured to your liking. Precast concrete is an excellent option because of its outdoor durability. Other popular outdoor mantel materials include granite rock, cast limestone, and wood (if properly treated for the outdoors).
 Hearth       If you want to be able to sit and warm up close to the flames, consider adding a hearth to your fireplace. A hearth is an attached bench that allows for people to sit close to the fire. A comfortable height for a hearth is between 18 and 20 inches. Make sure the seat of your hearth is deep enough for someone to sit at a comfortable distance from the flames. Companies that sell prefab fireplaces usually have a matching hearth option that can be attached to the main unit. If you are opting for a custom fireplace, your contractor will be able to build a hearth that suits your needs. Your hearth can be faced with brick or stone to match the rest of the fireplace. For an added decorative touch, cap the hearth seat with flagstone or precast stained concrete.
Lighting Lighting should also be a consideration when installing an outdoor fireplace. Make sure your lighting is subtle and doesn’t overpower the glow of the fire. Light fixtures can be incorporated right into the structure of an outdoor fireplace. Consider using light to highlight special features such as the mantel or wood box. If you plan to install lighting on your fireplace, make sure electrical lines are ran before construction begins.

Hardscape

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Installed for their warmth as well as their ambiance, outdoor fireplaces transform backyards into cozy outdoor living rooms where people can gather and relax even when there’s a chill in the air. For the patio, fireplaces often become a design anchor and tend to be where furniture and other elements of the outdoor living space are centered.

Outdoor fireplaces come in a variety of styles and finishes. Choosing the right fireplace for your outdoor room can be overwhelming, considering all of the options in design, size and type. It will become easier to narrow down which fireplace is right for your space after you learn more about  the various features of each type. Keep in mind that the fireplace material you choose needs to resist exposure to the weather and withstand extremely high temperatures. It is also beneficial to select a fireplace facing that is easy to clean, so soot and ashes can simply be hosed off.

Landscape Design

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A well-designed landscape can be inspiring. It can provide a sense of calm, a sense of awe, and a sense of balance. It can boost your spirits and give you solace. A beautiful landscape can also improve the curb appeal of your home and inspire other people in your neighborhood to turn their own yards into inspiring landscapes.

Landscaping and gardening are also ideal outlets for your creativity. Nature gives you an expansive palette of colors, textures, scents, and structural compositions to choose from. In a home garden, you can take these gifts from nature and combine them in any style you desire. But with so many landscaping options at your disposal, where do you begin?

Whether you want to create a sanctuary, a retreat, an entertainment area or any other environment, Georgia Classic Pool can help you achieve what you want.

Hiring a professional landscape designer could be one of the smartest investment decisions you’ll ever make.  Designers trained and qualified in the principles of garden design and horticulture can help their clients avoid the costly mistakes that can turn the dream of an outdoor haven into a landscape nightmare. Professional landscape designers are skilled practitioners of fundamental design concepts – proportion, unity, balance, perspective, color, texture – that can bring about a fully integrated design.  They have a comprehensive knowledge of plants so that you get the right plant that grows to the right size for the right place in your garden. They are skilled communicators and planners who work with contractors, vendors, local governments and others to complete successful projects.  Professional landscape designers are also aware of our natural environment and promote sustainable practices whenever possible.  They are inspired by the creative process, by great design, and most of all, by their clients’ needs, wants and dreams.

Staining of the Swimming Pool

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Stains can, and do reduce the attractiveness of a swimming pool. By regularly         testing and maintaining the water chemistry of a pool, we can avoid pool problems         such as staining. The cost of regular pool water maintenance is far lower than         the cost of stain removers, acid washing or swimming pool resurfacing.

Staining of the swimming pool’s surfaces does not result in illness, but has a negative aesthetic effect on the bathers at the swimming pool. The swimmers have the impression that the swimming pool looks dirty and this detracts from the swim.

Staining can result from several factors:

By testing and correcting the above pool water parameters, the staining should stop. Existing         stains will, however, still require special treatment and we suggest you         consult a pool professional.

More pool stain resources are in the Swimming Pool Staining Forum.

Information provided from the Pool Wizard: http://www.havuz.org/

Pool Chlorine Smell

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Many pool owners complain that the swimming pool water is not really clean, but         they can smell the chlorine so there must be enough in the water to ensure         disinfection.

Unfortunately, if you can smell chlorine, the swimming pool hasn’t got enough         – strange, isn’t it?! What you can smell are chloramines. These are formed         when insufficient levels of free available chlorine react with ammonia         and other nitrogen-containing compounds (swimmer waste, sweat, urine,         etc.), resulting in their only being partially broken down (creating halomethanes).

To confirm this, measure         the free available chlorine and total chlorine. You will be able to         calculate the unwanted, irritating combined chlorine compounds as follows:

Combined chlorine = total chlorine – free chlorine

You will probably find that there is little or no free available chlorine            and too much combined chlorine. A chlorine shock treatment or other            pool water sanitiser is necessary to complete the disinfection and            dissipate the combined chlorine.

The combined chlorine in the pool water can also be destroyed with a non-chlorine shock if you prefer not to use large quantities of chlorine.

Information provided from the Pool Wizard: http://www.havuz.org/

Burning Eyes and Nose

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If the swimmers complain about burning eyes and nose, or dry, irritated         skin, there is most certainly a problem with the pool water chemistry.

This could be caused by various factors:

By testing the swimming pool water and correcting these levels, the problem should disappear.

Even at the recommended levels, chlorine can cause eye irritations. To         enable effective sanitation at lower chlorine levels, consider installing         a mineral pool sanitiser (e.g. Pool Wizard)         which requires only about 25% of the chlorine normally necessary.

Information provided from the Pool Wizard: http://www.havuz.org/

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

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Clear, sparkling pool water is a joy to look at. A cloudy swimming pool loses its beauty         and becomes uninviting for swimmers.

Cloudy swimming pool water can result from one of several factors:

By testing and correcting the above, the cloudy pool water problem should disappear.

More help for cloudy water problems can be accessed at the Cloudy Pool Water Forum.

Information provided from the Pool Wizard: http://www.havuz.org/