Water & Space

Design Choices: Follow these 6 WaterSpace Design Principles

We all want to have design choices, to make our own choices. But have you ever been overwhelmed by too many choices? It happens a lot with the abundance of choices we have in America, and it seems to happen daily, now that we’re buying so much online. Believe me, it’s going to happen frequently […]

Philadelphia’s Fairmount Water Works – America’s Most Famous WaterSpace

‘A Place Wondrous to Behold’: How Philadelphia’s Place for Pumping ‘Utility Water’ Became America’s Most Famous WaterSpace In the mid-19th century, Philadelphia’s Fairmount Water Works was a world famous tourist attraction. It was the second most visited attraction in America (first place went to that most famous “water feature,” Niagara Falls). Upon his visit in […]

Take a Dive Into the Science of Water

Let’s look at the science of water. This article is the second in the “Just Add Water” series inspired by Wallace J. Nichols, author of “Blue Mind” and founder of the Blue Mind movement We all know water is H2O—two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen—but very few appreciate just how strange and magical the chemical […]

LED the way: Light your Nighttime WaterSpace with New Outdoor LEDs

A host of new LED lights are making outdoor lighting more accessible, affordable, and a lot safer than those 120-volt wires running in conduit under your garden or patio. Now is the best time ever to upgrade the lighting in your outdoor living space. Before you click “buy” on that online order, however, take time […]

Just Add Water: The Science of Water and Wellbeing

Let’s look at the Science of Water and Wellbeing. This is the first in a series of articles inspired by Wallace J. Nichols, a PhD who has turned his passion for water into his life’s work

Creating Harmony Through Architecture, Water and Space

Let’s explore how to create harmony through architecture, water and space. In our series on creating your own WaterSpace, we’ve focused so far on the elements of landscape design, but there’s another essential design element—your home’s architecture—that you want to keep in harmony with your plan. The idea of bringing harmony through architecture involving the […]

Color Choices In Pool Design – How to Talk About Color

I make lots of color choices and design decisions at work, but my wife picks the colors in our home. Some people think professional designers dictate color choices. That’s old school. Today, most people want to make their own decisions. That’s the way it should be when you work with a designer (or spouse), whether […]

The Tao of Texture in WaterSpace Design

Texture is an element that means more to landscape architects and WaterSpace designers than the word suggests to others. A recent debate with my wife over a bathroom remodel reminded me just how far apart that understanding can be. She is subscribed 100 percent to the clean, modern contemporary style that has become the leading […]

75 Questions to Answer Before Starting Your WaterSpace Design

Let’s examine the questions to answer before starting your pool design. I’ll spare you the long list in this overview, but if you’re planning to build a custom pool environment, be prepared to spend up to three hours in an onsite discussion with your designer or contractor. In my initial interview with clients, I’ll bring […]

How Lines and Shapes Take Form in WaterSpace Designs

Lines make Shapes, and when a shape becomes part of a formal design it is called a Form