WaterShapes

Planting Presence
Back when we launched WaterShapes, just over 21 years ago, the magazine surprised lots of people for a variety of reasons: Its broad focus on all types of water systems; the fact that it's written in the first person by industry experts and not
Decorative Fountains from Aquascape
Aquascape (St. Charles, IL) manufactures landscape fountain kits that come with all the necessary components…
S.R. Smith’s Artisan Rail Series
S.R. Smith (Canby, OR) fabricates the Artisan Series of hand rails, stair rails and ladders…
USA Shade’s Commercial Shade Sails
USA Shade (Coppell, TX) offers three-, four- and five-point sails that provide shade with a…
Pentair Introduces LED Laminar Jets
Pentair (Sanford, SC) produces MagicStream Laminars that add dramatic sights and soothing sounds to any…
Twinscape Offers Moveable Floors
Twinscape North America (Campbell, CA) produces Hydrofloors, moveable-floor watershape systems made of stainless steel beams…
Guided by Sight
Designing with line of sight in mind is something I think about a lot. Knowing where to place things so they will be seen, or in some cases not seen, is arguably square one in the design process. That's why when I talk to my clients one of the first things I ask is, "What's the most important view in the house?" I start there because it's something they are going to be looking at 365 days a year, probably morning, noon and night. The answers are mostly the same, the living room, dining room or kitchen. Every once in a while, someone
Meetings of Blue Minds
Since joining Watershape University (WU) last fall, one of the most intriguing, and I believe inspiring, ideas we've pursued has been the plan to develop the Live Blue Foundation (LBF) as a companion organization. For those who might be wondering what the LBF is all about, and how it ties in with WU, here's a brief synopsis. The concept for LBF stems from the revolutionary work of
A Launch Interrupted
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought suffering and loss to many. It has certainly challenged everyone's patience and forced us to find creative ways to move forward on the work front from the confines of home. For some, that's proven impossible and they are truly stuck at home with little or nothing to do. Others are luckier and can earn the daily bread in isolation, or quarantine. Many bravely soldier on in medical facilities, grocery stores, delivery services and other essential businesses.
Outdoor Connections
I love the outdoor living part of the conversation, and our clients do too. It's so important because two of the big keys to success in business are paying attention to the client, and you have to be able to adapt. The outdoor living piece lead to both. We always start by looking at what people are seeking. What do they really want? Almost always that boils down to some kind of at-home, outdoor experience or set of experiences. That can mean a lot of different things to different people, so you have to