WaterShapes

The web site for all professionals and consumers who've made or want to make water a part of their lives

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PHOTO COURTESY J. BROWNLEE DESIGN, NASHVILLE, TENN.
PHOTO OF CHAND BAORI COURTESY VICTORIA LAUTMAN, LOS ANGELES
PHOTO COURTESY JULIET WOOD DESIGN, ATLANTA, GA.
PHOTO COURTESY OUTSIDE THE LINES, ANAHEIM, CALIF.
PHOTO COURTESY RYAN HUGHES DESIGN|BUILD, TAMPA, FLA.
PHOTO COURTESY PINNACLE DESIGN, LA QUINTA, CALIF.
PHOTO COURTESY LIQUID DESIGNZ, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J.
PHOTO COURTESY STUDIO JUNGLES, MIAMI, FLA.

Island Life

Searching for an effective and natural way to improve water quality in both man-made and natural bodies of water, inventor Bruce Kania turned to the experiences of a childhood spent exploring and fishing in the waters of the upper Midwest. Inspired by the diversity and sheer wildness of the natural, floating islands that can occur there, he’s developed a system that not only enhances water quality but also provides a haven for wildlife.

An Equine Retreat

Designing ponds for special purposes is nothing new to Anthony Archer Wills, who recently worked on this one, meant for horses. The result, set in the shadow of the Bavarian Alps, is beyond beautiful -- even though the four-legged part of the story involved a late twist.

The Flooded Mirror

Turning his attention to a reflecting pool after completing two other watershapes on the same property, Steve Swanson suggested using a detail that was new to him. This bold move involved him directly in the home's overall visual impact and in a high-stakes learning curve.

Split Personalities

There was definitely something familiar about this project: All of the principals involved knew each other well, notes Ken Alperstein, and now they'd been asked to rework almost every detail of two golf courses on which they've all labored repeatedly for nearly a quarter century.

No Worries

Set atop a mountain on a beautiful bump in the Atlantic Ocean, this project jumped countless supply hurdles and survived two hurricanes while under construction -- thereby proving to Shane LeBlanc that anything is possible if you step back and learn to live with 'island time.'

Your Liner Is Showing

No matter the cause, nobody is particularly happy when a once-concealed pond liner pops into view. And it's sad, writes Dave Garton, because these exposures can usually be avoided if the installer works wisely with the liner and takes the time to select and place rocks with care.

Perfecting the Look

This all-glass-tile project was about to start on the wrong foot, notes Jimmy Reed. But he became involved at a point when changing directions was still possible -- and the results are not only beautiful but gave his design-oriented clients just what they'd been after from the get-go.

Perfected in Place

California’s Skip Phillips has been a vocal advocate for excellence in swimming pool design, engineering and construction for the past two decades – and through the past three years has pressed his point far away from home, collaborating with Canadian bui

Keeping Clean

For the past 35 years, Patrick Simmsgeiger has maintained scores of ponds and lakes throughout southern California and says that every single one of them seems to have a mind of its own. As a result, he advises those who design and build these watershapes to learn the general approaches to making the water manageable and trouble-free – but also to pay even closer attention to each vessel’s specific character and situation.

Staying Current

In her Natural Companions column from March 2005, Stephanie Rose wrote in great detail about what she does to keep her design work from falling into any sort of rut. Want to revisit her secrets?

Don't Forget the Cupcakes

A lunch meeting in downtown Glendale, Calif., offered Jim McCloskey an unexpected treat in the form of a dazzling fountain set in a compact public courtyard. It's worth a visit just to bask in the composition's unusual approachability -- and enjoy the tasty treats you'll find nearby, too!

Starting with Gardens

A sophisticated look at garden design. Book Notes includes reviews of a wide variety of publications hand-selected by a professional watershaper/landscape designer who sees their relevance in his life and work.

New Products at Watershapes.com

Crystal Fountains Offers Cooling Jets

Outdoor Living Systems & Accessories
Product information from Crystal Fountains on NEJ100 jets for use in evaporative cooling of pool decks and outdoor spaces.

Keystone Introduces Panorama Supra Pavers

Landscape/Hardscape Materials & Equipment
Product information from Keystone Hardscapes on the Panorama Series of Supra concrete pavers with the appearance of cut flagstone.

Other Watershape Systems & Equipment
Product information from Pentair on MagicBowl Water Effects, a line of mood- and appearance-enhancing bowls for poolscapes.

Sunbrero Offers Adjustable Pool Umbrellas

Outdoor Living Systems & Accessories
Product information from Sunbrero Products on its line of adjustable in-pool umbrellas with height-adjustable refreshment trays.

Construction Systems & Materials
Product information from Pacific Concrete Images on its Formliners for use in fabricating poured-in-place pool copings and more.

Fountain Systems & Equipment
Product information from Hydrel on Model 4800 LED wet-niche lighting fixtures for use in low- or line-voltage fountain applications.

Humble Thanks

WaterShapes World (blog)
The occasion of writing his last WaterShapes World blog has prompted Jim McCloskey to review a decades-long list of friends and colleagues who have helped him make WaterShapes what it is -- and salute a few special folks who are now committed to pushing it to all-new levels.