Imagine: a sultry summer evening. You and your friends are lounging on the built-in benches in your custom pool, sipping cold chardonnay from clever acrylic glasses. Your kids are throwing themselves into the shallow end - juuuust far enough away so the splashing water doesn’t ruin your wine.
Perhaps you have a waterfall element for ambiance and to further busy the offspring. Maybe a tanning ledge with a chaise or two thrown atop and a whirlpool…
The possibilities are as endless and as close to heaven as one may dare to dream.
We chose to dream big this summer: an all-out glamorous dip aka Slim Aarons, or a provocative Blue Lagoon-esque watery sanctuary.
So we turned to the convivial folks at All American Custom Pools and Spas (AACPS) to give us the low-down on high-brow swim spots: AACPS co-owner William Osanitsch, his son-in-law and construction manager Adam Buehler, and co-owners daughter and in-house marketing manager Mariah Keane.
We had a fun discussion about what people want with water, what’s new and interesting in pools, and how the three of them work together as one, big, business-blended family.
Because AACPS specializes in indoor and outdoor pools, custom pools, and even renovations, it was tough to pare down all of the possibilities. So here are some highlights of what’s happening in pools:
- Trending now are “elegant and simple” pools for a practical reason: auto-covers. An auto-cover keeps debris out of the water and obviates the need for a fenced-in yard, however, it only works on rectangular pools.
- Whirlpools and tanning ledges (an elongated 12” deep shallow end). The shallow water is good for non-swimmers (kids) and can also be covered by an auto-cover.
- Not everyone wants simple: pools with rock elements and waterfalls are still popular, exciting, and smack of wilderness.
- Infinity pools are all the rage, but they’re expensive. “It costs almost as much as building two pools,” William warns.
- Diving boards? Not so much. According to William, “There are very specific construction code requirements for the pool base design,” not to mention safety concerns.
- Pool water is shifting from chlorine to salt which doesn’t require the harsh (and pricey) chemicals. Using salt results in water that feels softer on the skin.
- Don’t want salt water? UV Ozone systems are also gaining traction. They kill the reproductive ability of the bacteria and produce crisper, clearer water than chlorine.
- Use your imagination - few things are more fun in the summer than splashing around in the water, and a custom pool can be almost anything you want it to be (although waterslides are a bit pricey).
Important to note, AACPS also offers expert maintenance for its pools. This is good for two reasons: 1. If they build it, they’ll know it better than anyone; 2. Maintaining a pool is a lot of work and if you let it flag you’ll regret the clean-up required. Let them keep it clean and fresh so you can enjoy it. After all, that’s the whole point of having a fabulous pool!
AllAmericanPools.com