Having a pool is indeed satisfying for you can just jump into the water and soak on its relaxing coolness. But it is even more satisfying to have a pool with a totally serene aura or maybe a pool that seems to bring us to the beach. Some pool areas are designed with a tropical look as you see palm trees stretching from the ground. A pool with this look seems to bring you to a distant haven where you can relax and enjoy the dramatic aura of the area.
Other than palm trees, a tropical pool is also decorated and adorned with dramatic lighting, fire pits, soft flowing fabrics, parasols and other decors with beach-y feel. Today, we have collated some tropical swimming pools that would take your breath away and will make you feel like you are vacationing in a beach while you are in your very pool. Now, feast your eyes on what we have gathered for your inspiration today.
Mariel
Private Estate #7
Tropical pool with fire features
Private Residence, The Estuary, Naples, FL
Tropical Paradise in South Florida
South Beach, FL
Hires Residence
Tropical Pool Phoenix
Kauai Lake Front Estate
Old Florida Refined
Bromeliad Beauty
Reflecting Pool
Pool Party
Private Residence
Royal Palm Residence
So, there you have it! We have shown you 15 swimming pools with a tropical aura. How would you love to get one for your own home? With this, you would no doubt keep those tanning creams and shades handy for you can spend time in it like it is always summer without even spending too much! It will even be more complete if you have a hot tub in it!
15 Gorgeous Swimming Pool Slides
Ever considered adding a pool slide to your swimming pool at home? Today, we will be showing you a couple of designs that famous pool makers and contractors have thought of adding to the swimming pool their clients asked them to work on. You will see slides from stunning stone-designed slides to concrete and even plastic. Let us go ahead and be in awe with the lovely designs they have created to inspire and encourage pool owners to have the swimming pool slides they deserve at home.
But before we go any further about the 15 Gorgeous Swimming Pool Slides that we will be showing you today, let us determine first what requisites do we actually want to be added to our pools and who will use the said slide. Is this a slide for the kids or for the general public – like friends and colleagues? If we have determined the end users, we will then be able to know what make or maybe model we can ask our designer to add to our pools. With that in mind, take a look at the pictures we have below.
Aquarius
Cabo Style
Eads Natural Pool
Howard County
Los Angeles Tropical Pool
Northport Drive
Park Lake Project
Slide and Precast Rock
Slide Pool
Swan Pools
Traditional Swimming Pool
Travertine Geometric Pool
Upper Saucon Pool with Waterslide and Swim Up Bar
Water Slide and Fountain
White Project
All in all, the list we have today about the 15 Gorgeous Swimming Pool Slides is indeed a list we can always aim for – especially when we already have the swimming pool and we are still in the look out as to the design and concept that we want to work on for the water slide. It may be a choice we make because we have kids who loves to swim and bring friends over or even just for our own family. There are tons of choices and designs we can always ask about through our designers or pool contractors. Also, if you have the chance, check out the 15 Lovely Oval Pool Designs we collated before for you guys! Have fun!
Fossil: Recycled Waste Paint is a New Furniture Material
If you have some excess paint at home, you would just keep it in your storage and it would stay there for a long time until you would need it again. Sometimes, storing paint could be messy especially when they get spilled and when some of them could no longer be used. Imagine how a paint factory would look like with bunch of paints around it. It would really be dirty especially for polyurethane paint because when it is mixed with reactive components, it becomes a waste. The paint then ends up in the dump.
To answer this problem, an Israeli product designer gathered wasted paint and developed a method for collecting and processing them and use them to create beautiful objects and furniture. Shahar Kagan is indeed a genius for being able to make use of wasted paint. A mold was created for collecting the waste paint and then it is left to dry. The paint then reacts with one another and the result vary too. This process results into chunks of solid paint that looks like sedimentary rock which is the outcome of thin layers of random colors and designs from paint. He calls this material as the Fossil.
Cans of waste paint- who would think that these could be used as a new material for a furniture?
Various paint mixed together and let dry creates an interesting look.
Because of the process, no two areas of the Fossil are the same.
But it does look really beautiful and artistic.
It can even be used to create furniture like this. Just beautiful.
Aside from the interesting look of the Fossil, the furniture design itself is unique.
You can also attach handles and other hardware on the Fossil just like how you can work on wood.
I love the look of the faces of these furniture. It is like something we do in Art class.
But it isn ’t actually the same as what we have in Art class because this takes an entire process.
It would take four months to dry the entire Fossil before it could be used. Now that sure is a long time!
But the waiting is always worth it! Just look at the output!
He also made jewelry and other items using the Fossil.
Expect the work area to be this messy when you are dealing with paint.
I really admire people who are able to make use of waste and turn them into something totally amazing! I ’m not sure if you could remember the Newspaper Wood, it also made use of waste newspaper to make a new material that looks like wood. This time, it is paint that could be used to create a material for furniture and other items. Shahar Kagan did an amazing job with the items presented above. He carved, sanded, drilled and laser-cut to create furniture from waste paint. It sure is very impressive indeed!
10 Tips to Consider When Buying Home Items from Thrift Stores
We had been talking about DIY stuffs and furniture makeovers and I am sure that you have noticed that we have encouraged you to buy stuffs from thrift stores. This is because thrift stores have cheap items which you can just clean and redo to make them functional and presentable. But buying from thrift stores is different from buying on stores that have brand new items.
That is why today, we will give you a guide on what you need to consider when you are buying from a thrift store. It isn ’t really hard and tricky but this simple guide will help you get the right stuff and use them in the proper manner that will save you from trouble. Once you do it right, you would do frequent visits to the thrift stores!
1. Research where to buy.
Before you even think of going for a shopping, make sure you know where you can buy them. There are different thrift stores. Some sell clothes, others sell furniture, still others have different home decors that you can choose from. Try to search the internet. There might be helpful information that you can get about where to buy the things you need. You can also ask help from friends or you can tour the area first so you will know where to go.
2. Set a budget.
As always, it is always good to have a budget when you go shopping. Same is true even if you are buying home items from a thrift store. But be sure that the amount you have in mind suits the kind of items you intend to get. But I ’m sure you will be surprised to see very cheap items with good quality.
3. Know what you need.
You have to check your home first on the things that you really need to buy. If not, you might just get whatever stuffs to you see and these will merely be sleeping in the corner. So, make sure that when you buy something, you are really going to use it and you really need it. With this, you know which section of the thrift store you ’ll be going.
4. Think before you buy.
Do not be carried away with the cheap items you see. Just because it is very cheap, you might buy it for that sole reason. Make sure that it will be functional. Shop for things that you will use immediately and not those that you might need in the future. Once you see an item you need, ask yourself questions like: How can I use this? When can I use this? Where can I place this? Weigh your answers and use it as basis of your purchase.
5. Be creative.
It would be fun if you are able to think of creative uses of the items you have. If you find an old basket, you can use it to store magazines. If you see an old pot, you can paint it and use it as a flower vase or recreate it into a lovely centerpiece. Be creative with the things you see and this will surely make your purchase worthwhile.
6. Check items before buying them.
Always check the items that you like for damages and others. If there are damages, can you still do something about it? Would it be easy to fix? Don ’t buy it if you think you will be spending more than how much you bought the item. Look closely into every part of it and always think of a solution. If you can ’t think of any, you can drop it because you might not be able to use it. When buying furniture, check if it is still sturdy and look into every detail of it. If you think it is a unique find, then grab it.
7. Look for discounts.
I know you are buying from a thrift store but it doesn ’t mean that you are no longer entitled for discounts. Thrift stores would have schedules when they will sell items for 50% off or even 75% off. Of course, expect to see fewer nice items because these are the “leftovers” of what others have chosen from. Nevertheless, you might still find something nice from there. Don ’t be afraid to haggle too.
8. Look at tags or brands.
Before you get that furniture or that vase, check if there is a tag and where it came from. If it is just something that is from a local store, then it wouldn ’t be worth it. But if it is an antique stuff or something that comes from an expensive brand, give it a go! It will really be worth it!
9. Always think of how to clean them.
Image: Internet Sense| Flickr
It is important that you know how to clean the things that you will buy. Before you even buy it, think of how you are planning to get stains or other dirt on it. If you think it would be hard, then pass on it. This is very important especially if you are buying furniture.
10. Take your time and remember there is still a next time.
It wouldn ’t be good to go thrift shopping on a rush. See to it that you have enough time to choose items because if not, you might waste your money in buying those that are not really worth it. If you can ’t find something really nice when you got there, don ’t worry. You can leave empty handed. There is still another time. Try asking when new items are coming so you can go there to check. If you still can ’t find what you want, just check back often and for sure you will get that soon!
There you go, so the next time you visit the thrift store, bear in mind the things we mentioned above. After all, it is for your own good and I am just making sure that you get good value for you money. With that, you will be able to do your chair makeover or other DIY stuffs with pride that you were able to get a good item that is cheaper than that what others have bought from the market. It is actually fun to buy from thrift stores. If you haven ’t done that, try it and you will be pleased with yourself that you were able to decorate your home with all those thrifted items!