{"id":32,"date":"2012-03-27T22:40:39","date_gmt":"2012-03-28T02:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/?p=32"},"modified":"2012-03-27T22:40:39","modified_gmt":"2012-03-28T02:40:39","slug":"close-up-specialty-decking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/close-up-specialty-decking\/","title":{"rendered":"CLOSE UP: SPECIALTY DECKING"},"content":{"rendered":"

Art and Architecture How to expertly combine specialty decking materials to complement the home and landscaping.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In \u00a0 a push to come up with evermore creative backyard designs, many builders are \u00a0 mixing and matching multiple surfacing products to great effect.<\/p>\n

Vic \u00a0 Lehmann, for one, uses a variety of materials on his projects. \u201cThere\u2019s no \u00a0 excuse for creating a cookie-cutter pool in a day and age when there are so \u00a0 many incredible surfacing options available,\u201d says the president of Lehmann Pools & Spas<\/a> in Mahwah, \u00a0 N.J.<\/p>\n

While \u00a0 it takes skill and an artistic eye to blend layers of materials and textures \u00a0 in a way that creates a cohesive design \u2014 and not a jumbled mess \u2014 pool \u00a0 builders should not feel intimidated.<\/p>\n

Here, \u00a0 we\u2019ll examine the multiple-surface trend and showcase tricks of the trade \u00a0 from those who do it well.<\/p>\n

Spotlight \u00a0 on surfaces<\/span><\/strong>
\nWith decking materials reaching new levels of sophistication, it\u2019s no \u00a0 surprise that designers are becoming more ambitious. Many use multiple types \u00a0 of surfaces to enhance otherwise plain patios, improve safety, and even make \u00a0 their projects more cost-effective (To see real-life examples, go to Making an Impact<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen \u00a0 mulling over new materials, not only should visual elements be considered, \u00a0 but also strength, safety, ease of maintenance, weather resistance and \u00a0 drainage capability,\u201d says Mark Ragel, president of Patio Pools & Spas<\/a>, a Pool & Spa News<\/em> Top \u00a0 Builder in Tucson, Ariz.<\/p>\n

If \u00a0 price is an issue, these materials can be a great way to keep costs low, says \u00a0 Joe Vassallo, president of Las Vegas-based Paragon Pools<\/a>. \u00a0 \u201cWhen the materials themselves are breathtaking, you don\u2019t need as many \u00a0 bells, whistles and tricks [such as a fountain].\u201d<\/p>\n

To \u00a0 discover creative combinations, designers suggest experimenting while on the \u00a0 job. In addition, Lehmann spends time reading trade magazines to learn what \u00a0 other builders are doing, traveling to see what\u2019s hot in other regions, \u00a0 visiting quarries to look at stones firsthand, and crafting small-scale \u00a0 mock-ups to show to his clients.<\/p>\n

\u201cCreating \u00a0 something new and exciting takes a lot of experimentation, preparation and \u00a0 hard work,\u201d he says, \u201cbut the payoff is worth the extra time and effort that \u00a0 goes into designing something truly original.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putting \u00a0 it into practice<\/span><\/strong>
\nTo achieve design excellence with multiple materials, it\u2019s important to \u00a0 remember a few basic principles.<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 Experiment with color.
\nCreative decking designs often use complementary or contrasting shades.<\/p>\n

Some \u00a0 prefer working with a narrow color palette \u2014 for instance, a variety of \u00a0 blues, grays and black \u2014 which allows them to visually unite the disparate \u00a0 materials. Others choose to boost the \u201cwow\u201d factor by incorporating dramatic \u00a0 elements against a more neutral backdrop, such as setting metallic tiles into \u00a0 a concrete path.<\/p>\n

Another \u00a0 option is to vary the look of a single type of material. \u201cFor greater \u00a0 sophistication in our designs, we often use one material cut or finished in a \u00a0 variety of ways,\u201d Lehmann notes. Using the material in different ways enables \u00a0 designers to highlight focal areas and capture viewers\u2019 attention in a manner \u00a0 that\u2019s less \u201clook at me\u201d and more subtle elegance.<\/p>\n

Whether \u00a0 colors harmonize with one another or provide stark juxtapositions of contrast \u00a0 is a matter of preference. Be warned, however, that with so many beautiful \u00a0 and boldly hued materials available in today\u2019s market, it\u2019s easy for builders \u00a0 to overdo it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou \u00a0 have to use your most eye-catching materials wisely, and sometimes sparingly, \u00a0 to avoid a final product that looks like the work of an amateur,\u201d Vassallo \u00a0 says. Even with more adventurous clients, he still prefers to work with fewer \u00a0 than six materials to avoid what he calls \u201ca Picasso\u201d \u2014 a look that many will \u00a0 see as a disjointed mess.<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 Keep things in proportion.
\nWhen blending a variety of materials, size, scale and proportion should be \u00a0 considered in great detail.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith \u00a0 a rectangular pool, you want to use materials that are geometric. To throw in \u00a0 the use of boulders and curvy materials simply doesn\u2019t work,\u201d Ragel says. \u00a0 \u201cThe same thing goes for a free-form pool, where bold square and geometric \u00a0 patterns disturb the overall appeal of the design.\u201d<\/p>\n

For \u00a0 large lots, he recommends multiple materials as a rule. \u201cEven if a particular \u00a0 material is incredibly beautiful, it will lose its effect if it paves an area \u00a0 as expansive as a football field,\u201d Ragel says.<\/p>\n

To \u00a0 avoid a mismatched look, he recommends setting off the different materials with \u00a0 design elements such as waterfeatures, planters, bridges or walkways. Doing \u00a0 so creates intimate spaces that function almost like outdoor rooms.<\/p>\n

Conversely, \u00a0 to maintain proportion in a small lot, Ragel often limits the variation in \u00a0 materials used to keep things uncluttered.<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 Consider balance and symmetry.
\nTo provide a cohesive, finished look, designers should focus on where the \u00a0 hardscape is placed as well as the materials. \u201cBalance outside the pool goes \u00a0 a long way toward making a setting visually pleasing,\u201d says Bill Renter, \u00a0 president of The Deck & Patio Co.<\/a> in Huntington \u00a0 Station, N.Y.<\/p>\n

Materials \u00a0 should not only be in balance with each other, but also harmonize with the \u00a0 property and home. \u201cUse of rhythmic patterns and well-known, simple shapes \u00a0 can provide a sense of order as well as pleasing variation,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s \u00a0 not to say the decking must always be evenly distributed. While most builders \u00a0 strive toward symmetry, Renter believes asymmetry can achieve a more natural \u00a0 look. \u201cNothing is more classic than nature, and since most things in nature \u00a0 are grouped in odd numbers, I like to see design groupings in threes and \u00a0 fives to mirror nature,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 Strive for unity.
\nUnique materials can draw the eye, but nothing in the hardscape should stand \u00a0 out too much because, ultimately, each element needs to fit together like \u00a0 pieces of a puzzle.<\/p>\n

By \u00a0 carefully editing the number of materials used and drawing on them repeatedly \u00a0 throughout the design, aesthetic unity can be achieved. Also, using a variety \u00a0 of differing but complementary textures, colors and shapes can break up what \u00a0 could become monotonous.<\/p>\n

Harmony is crucial to creating a picture-perfect \u00a0 project. \u201cOne key element should tie the entire yard together,\u201d Ragel says. \u00a0 \u201cWith consistency in patterns, colors and textures, builders can make almost \u00a0 anything work. They\u2019ll be able to successfully unite many different materials \u00a0 while maintaining a sense of seamless ease.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: Leslie Licano – Pool and Spa News | 8.14.2009<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Art and Architecture How to expertly combine specialty decking materials to complement the home and landscaping.   In \u00a0 a push to come up with evermore creative backyard designs, many builders are \u00a0 mixing and matching multiple surfacing products to … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pool-accessories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33,"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32\/revisions\/33"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expertpoolbuilders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}