ARTICLES Archives - Page 89 of 314

When Jimmy Reed approaches intersections of planes in tile surfaces, he sizes up the situation and figures out ways to complete the transitions with polished visual dexterity. It's not easy work, but he knows that these deft touches turn the common into the awesome.

Defined by Details

Even after years of operation in the tile-application business, we still find fresh challenges and new sources of pride in what we do. I think it's primarily because we spend so much of our time focusing on fine details - the little touches that turn routine work into creative exercises and repetitive tasks into ongoing sparks of inspiration. A case in point is the huge job on display in this article: The three watershapes encompass vast square footage that includes fields of

Paying the Frontrunner Fee

'I've always been excited by innovation. I place creativity high on my list of aspirations and priorities in my own business, and I think my life gets most interesting when I'm involved with people who are similarly attuned to this desire to do and try new and interesting things.' That's how Brian Van Bower opened his

Mission: New Orleans

My bags aren't quite packed yet, but I'm already excited about hitting the road for New Orleans and the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo during the first week of November. As I've written in previous blogs in advance of the show, I always look forward to these events - and I have to confess that I'm particularly pleased when

Luxury Liners

Just one question is covered in "Ask the Pond Digger" this time, in response to a gentleman who asked me to compare reinforced polyethylene (RPE) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) liners for use in ponds. I get this one all the time, from do-it-yourselfers looking to save some money - and from professionals who

Working in Color

'When I paint,' observed Stephanie Rose at the start of her Natural Companions column in October 2006, 'I constantly play with color on canvas and experiment with various combinations to see what works well and discover what, to my eye, clashes or doesn't seem to mix harmoniously.' 'As a landscape designer, I'm aware of working through the same sort of

Working at a distance is nothing new for Brian Van Bower, whose projects frequently carry him across the globe. But this one on a beach in Sri Lanka tested his limits, both in the scope and scale of the project and in the fact that it was all done without him ever visiting the site!

Slices of Heaven

Working on a wide range of projects in a wide range of locales for a broad range of clients is an interesting way to make a living, I have to say, but in some cases the projects we participate in are so high end that we know we'll only ever experience the finished product in pictures. A case in point is the Ani Villas, a resort property in Dikwella on the southern edge of Sri Lanka, a large island off the southern coast of India. It's a water lover's paradise, with 270-degree views of the Indian Ocean as well as grounds dotted by multiple watershapes: two large main pools, numerous small private plunges for certain guest rooms, a pair of pools for kids, a weeping wall to greet visitors and a river/cascade system through portions of the property. It's an amazing place, and I'm proud to say we

A Mighty Chorus

I've been up on my "river pools" hobby horse for a good while now, which is why I can't believe I missed a great story from the online version of Outside magazine when it appeared on May 19, 2016. Written by Erin Beresini and headlined, "Why Urban Swimming Pools Are Raising Millions on Kickstarter: Inside the revolution to reclaim

Shotcrete Rising

In the final installment of their series on the history and development of the shotcrete method of concrete application, William Drakeley and Lily Samuels examine the industry's current state of the art -- then cast an optimistic eye toward the approach's future.

The hilltop spec house called for a soft-spoken pool and spa that didn't interfere with the great view beyond. So he started with a simple form, writes Ben Lasseter -- then focused his creative energies on details that make cool impressions when it's time to take a closer look.

All About the View

When outsiders think of Texas, they very often assume that it's flat as a pancake with no topographical distinctions to consider. That may be true in some parts of our big state, but where I live and work in the vicinity of Austin, there are areas that offer great views and have attracted developers who are intent on using those prospects to full advantage. The spec home featured in this article is an example of this trend: It's in Westlake Hills, a small neighborhood within Austin's city limits that affords some amazing views of

Brilliant Reflections

It's been many, many years since I visited Bordeaux - and when I did get there back in the 1970s, I had yet to develop my appreciation for the French region's wonderful wines. As a result, I was the swiftest of sightseers out on a day trip, and one of the few things I recall with any strength of memory was the Bourse, a set of grand riverfront structures that now serve as the region's central commercial exchange. Under construction from 1730 to 1775, the complex was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, probably most renowned for his work on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. He was an ardent exponent of neoclassical symmetry and certainly didn't ease off his preferences in this case. When I saw it in 1978, I was impressed by its balanced grandeur and spectacular level of detail. here. To see his own gallery of images of the Miroir d'Eau, click here.