Resorts have long been a popular inspiration for backyard design.
One of the earliest derivations from resort settings came in the form of sun shelves. Designer Randy Angell remembers when clients began asking for them.
“I would have clients come back from Mexico or Hawaii and other exotic places, requesting wet deck on the pools in their homes,” says the CEO of Randy Angell Designs, in Plano, Texas.
Now, just about every one of his clients wants one.
Swim-up bars also started in resorts, with homeowners wanting to bring that level of interactivity and functionality to their own homes. These are mostly reserved for very high-ticket projects, though, as they cost more to construct due to excavation and special drainage needs.
Resorts have influenced material selections as much as features. Angell sees more of his high-end residential clients choosing large-format porcelain tile, thanks largely to its prevalence at resorts. He also credits resorts with popularizing a product on the opposite side of the tile spectrum – tiny glass mosaics.
The common denominator for all these features and materials? Luxury, Angell says.
“With the porcelain pavers and large-format porcelain tile, I think there’s an element of Zen simplicity and quiet to the material, as opposed to natural stones that have a lot of movement and color,” he says.
Glass tile promises another brand of luxury. “They want their friends to be wowed by the fact that they kicked it up a notch and brought in these materials that are more luxurious than what your standard project would have,” Angell says.
ACCESSIBLE LUXURY
Recently, product developments have made it possible to convert certain materials and features from commercial-only to residential applications. Where before, costs were such that they only made sense on a commercial scale, now they’ve become more accessible to homeowners.
For instance, the large-format porcelain tile and pavers have become more affordable and available in a much larger variety of textures, shapes and sizes.
Before including this material in pools and spas, make sure your tile crew or subcontractor knows how to install it. Setting such large pieces brings unique challenges, so it takes special skills. Fortunately, the material’s increasing popularity has caused many tile setters to learn, Angell says.
“Large-format porcelain has come to a place where it’s a little easier to use now,” Angell says. “But when it was newer, it was very expensive, and finding installers was very difficulty for a small residential project as opposed to a commercial project.”
Fire features also fit this bill. At one time only possible on the most expensive projects, these mood setters not only have become available in more backyards, but also with a greater depth of customization possible.
“I’m working with one of the fire-feature manufacturers that can actually build the sculpture that I designed and then take one of their fire burners and have it installed into the sculpture,” Angell says. “So it’s a one-stop shop – I’m not having to have the sculpture made, then figure out how to get the burner in there. They’re going to make the whole thing for me.”
If it does make more sense to have the artwork made separately, or build the feature on-site, he adds, manufacturers are more able and willing to customize equipment such as ignition systems and burners.
Video screens also have become more accessible for home applications, sometimes combined with waterfeatures.
“Technology has caught up to where we have a better budget point so we can utilize things like that in our residential projects,” Angell says. “I’m finishing up a project with a video wall adjacent to the spa. That video wall is about 6-by-9-feet, with a rain curtain falling in front of it. It’s an outdoor-rated, wet-rated video component wall.”
As products and systems continue to evolve, expect more luxury and resort-inspired features to fall in reach for more homeowners.
