Stephen Fanuka Perfects Your Pool Area
June 20, 2012 | At Home
In the Hamptons, there’s one thing that really defines a great backyard—your pool. Since summer is still just getting started, here are some ideas on infusing style into your swimming space from DIY Network’s Million Dollar Contractor, Stephen Fanuka.
Colored Tiles:
-Add a coping border around the perimeter of the pool to enhance the shape—especially if you’re working with an unusually shaped pool. I love colored concrete or flagstone. Other suggestions would be dark gray cement, brick, or slate. You want the pool to be a tangent of the house!
-Putting colored glass tiles onto any vertical surface like the jacuzzi wall or the pool side of a cabana will really make your swimming area sparkle. I'm leaning toward bright colors like orange, or bronze, metallic tiles. artistictile.com has a great selection for this.
-Haven’t filled your pool with water yet? Install colored tiles on the floor of the pool. Multi-colored, iridescent tiles will beautifully reflect sunlight, especially in the water.
Extras Around the Pool:
-Put some stone and gravel between the fence and pool, but don’t stop there. Really shape a pattern—it doesn’t have to be straightforward. I love white gravel for this as it goes with any landscape and reflects light really well.
-Now that you have some gravel, dress your pool area up even more with shrubs and bushes (placed far enough away from the pool so that the chlorinated water doesn’t kill them!). Avoid greenery that attracts bees or has thorns. You want something that won't shed and get into the pool, too.
-Summer flowers will also add color and zen to your pool area. My favorite plant for a pool area is lantana since it's annual, comes in many colors, and works well in the heat. Zinnias are another beautiful annual to adorn this space.
Enhance Your Work with Lights & Music:
-I like to combine pool lights with landscape lighting for nighttime pool parties or midnight swims. Floating lights are another great idea.
-If you don’t have an outside stereo system, waterproof speakers are a must to enjoy poolside tunes. Ion offers a waterproof speaker that can even be brought into the pool with you.
—STEPHEN FANUKA
Stephen Fanuka has built himself an unsurpassed reputation among the leading decorators, architects, and elite clientele as the go-to guy for high quality general contracting and luxury interior renovations. He was driven by a passion for his family’s business and has grown it from a small father-son custom cabinet shop into the prestigious firm it is today, Fanuka, Inc. Fanuka, Inc. works with some of the world’s top designers and architects such as Francois Catroux, Jacques Grange, Eric Cohler, Thom Filicia, Nancy Bozhardt, Philip Gorrivan, Gordon Kahn, and Christopher Maya, as well as celebrities such as Bethenny Frankel, Beyonce, Lindsay Lohan, Rosanna Scotto, and Tony Bennett.
Stephen’s first television series, Million Dollar Contractor premiered in October 2011 on the DIY Network and in April 2012 moved to HGTV. M$C will debut it’s second season this fall on October 16th on the DIY Network. His book, co-written with Ed Lewine titled What’s A Homeowner to Do? was published by Artisan Books in November and is available on Amazon.com and independent and chain booksellers across the country. Catch more of Stephen's tips on Twitter @StephenFanuka and on Facebook: Stephen Fanuka, "Contractor to the Stars."
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