ARTICLES Archives - Page 168 of 317

Kicking Up ‘Curb Appeal’

“You only get one chance to make a first impression.” How many times have you heard that in your life? There’s a good reason for it: First impressions last – and that’s particularly true with a home. This is why real estate agents typically bring up “curb appeal” when advising clients about how to sell at the best price. Why? Because if prospective buyers drive up and sees a messy, weed-plagued yard, chances are good that they will simply roll on by. And even if they stop, the negative initial impression will be hard to shake as they

Watershapers Must Grow or Go! (Part 2)

In the first installment of this two-part opinion piece, watershaper and educator Mark Holden offered a scathing critique of what he views as the traditional pool industry. To read Part One in its entirety, click here. In the second installment of his two-part opinion piece, Holden offers

Test Your Knowledge #15

What celebrated swimmer keeps trying to swim the Flodia Straits?

10 Years Ago: Why Proper Supervision Is Essential

In April 2001, as part of his “Details” column in WaterShapes, David Tisherman argued forcefully for constant, competent on-site supervision of watershaping projects. In his article, entitled “Super Vision,” he noted, “Call it quality control, attention to detail or perfectionism: There’s no

Ripples #26

Compiled and Written by Lenny Giteck Screen Legend Marilyn Monroe’s Nude Swimming Outtakes from Her Final Film Had she lived, movie icon and sex goddess

Brighter Future or Wishful Thinking?

I’ve spent considerable time in recent days chatting with watershapers about the way things are going — just touching base with old friends, mostly. These conversations generally start with curiosity about

Mastering Outdoor Fire Features

Through the past decade or so, the popularity of all forms of outdoor fire has increased dramatically. No matter whether it’s a fire pit, a fireplace or a fire bowl or box, more often than not these days, our clients are asking for some type of decorative fire treatment as part of their

Test Your Knowledge #14

How much do you know about springboards?

The Courage to Create Art

I was recently rummaging through my local bookstore, searching for the next pearl to unveil in this space, when I came across a book that stopped me in my tracks just because of its title: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking. This slim, 122-page volume, written by David Bayles and Ted Orland (Capra Print Editions, 1993), is so provocative and insightful that

Ripples #25

Compiled and Written by Lenny Giteck Oprah Winfrey Proves It’s Never Too Late to Learn How to SwimIt seems there is not much Oprah Winfrey can’t do. The many terms that describe her include