WaterShapes

Aesthetics First!
I ran into an interesting reaction to my last blog — the one about diving boards and slides — that forced me to meditate on my approach to this series of articles about elements of aquatic environments that I like and/or dislike. “Must everything,” I was asked, “be about aesthetics? You yourself say that diving boards and slides are a blast, but then you
Taking the Plunge
Back in 1979, when I first started in magazine publishing and was toiling away as a humble editorial assistant rewriting lots of press releases, the thought of having my own office seemed out of reach. But I was just
The Art of Concealment
For years now, I have been fascinated by the lengths people are willing to go to avoid visual clutter.It all started before I was a watershaper – back in the days when a partner and I spent our time setting up high-tech security systems in the homes of well-to-do residents of Silicon Valley. As though it were yesterday, I remember a homeowner giving me a tour of her house and taking delight in asking me to
Spanish Accents
In the first entry in this series of articles, we opened a discussion of the hurdles watershapers encounter when attempting to integrate pools or spas with architectural styles that historically never had swimming pools
2012/2.1, February 8 — Sharpening a Design, Budgeting Issues, Bellagio’s Fountains and more
February 8, 2012 WATERSHAPES.COM FEATURE ARTICLE Sharpening the Focus Wrapping up a series of articles…
Test Your Knowledge #26
Hotel Guest Killed, Several Injured fromCarbon Monoxide Leak in Pool Heater
Ripples #37
Compiled and written by Lenny Giteck   Skinny-dipping Steven Tyler Shocks Fellow ‘American Idol’ Judge J.Lo
Tracking a Personal Trend
My feelings about diving boards and slides have changed through the years. When I was a kid, there was no poolside sight more welcoming than either one of those accessories. The clowning that took place on and around diving boards was, for starters, unmatched in hilarity, and there was nothing quite so satisfying as
Simply Fascinating
I’m fairly jaded when it comes to observing watershapes: I’ve seen a lot of them, know how they work and tend to focus on weird details that go beyond what’s perceived by the typical observer. There is, however, a fountain that makes me feel giddy and even
Truth in Budgeting
Putting a residential pool project out for bid can be a perilous undertaking for a property owner – especially when the home in question is new and architects or custom-home builders are involved in the process. Quite often, the architect or home builder will reach out to a local volume builder who, for free, will come in and provide a quote based on