Pools and Spas: New Designs for Gracious Living (Interior Design and Architecture) [Hardcover]

Alan E Sanderfoot (Author)

Book Description

Series: Interior Design and Architecture | Publication Date: April 1, 2003

Of all the elements in nature, none is more life affirming than water. We're born into this wonderful world after swimming in the mysterious elixir for nine months, and then we spend the rest of our days seeking out its sustaining powers. When you consider that two-thirds of our bodies are comprised of water, it's no wonder we are so drawn to it. And when nature doesn't place water where we can easily access it, we have no problem bringing water to us in the form of luxurious swimming pools and hot tubs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In industry expert Sanderfoot's homage to pools, hot tubs and fountains, readers are treated to a wide array of envy-inducing and sometimes awe-inspiring creations: vanishing edge pools that seem to merge into the blue seas beyond, spas ensconced in lush vegetation, fountains that pour into water lit with colored lights. From an Atlanta, Georgia, lap pool that's an integral part of the house (it's next to the bedroom on the second floor) to a tiled, modernist pool on a rooftop in Thailand, and from oases in the Arizona desert to pools built in London basements, these are the crème of the luxury crop. Sanderfoot provides "design details" for each and at least two different photographic views, plus the names of the contractors, engineers and architects responsible. He divides the book into chapters focusing on different design elements, such as pools that look like natural ponds and pools that make use of small spaces. A guidebook for would-be pool owners rather than a coffee table book for the pool fan, this somewhat pricey volume offers much in the way of inspiration. What it doesn't offer is a sense of economic or environmental consciousness (there are a lot of huge pools in desert areas, for instance)-but that's undoubtedly on purpose.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"An inspirational tour of some of the world's most stunning private swimming pools and tubs... the lavish illustrations alone will inspire readers to create their own unique aquatic oasis." Spa Magazine"

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Rockport Publishers (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156496941X
• ISBN-13: 978-1564969415
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,633,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pools and Spas: New designs for gracious living, March 19, 2004

By 

David S. Laker "[e-mail]" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pools and Spas: New Designs for Gracious Living (Interior Design and Architecture) (Hardcover)

POOLS and SPAS

A coffee table book! If , like me, you want to learn more about the technical side of swimming pools, give this one a pass. In spite of the promise hinted in the promotional text of giving insights to "design details" this book doesn't even come close. Most of the pools are out of reach except to those whom money is no object starting with a pool costing $700,000. If for instance, you want to be educated on the pros and cons of vanishing edge pools, the Author tells us, "they have been overused and misused"-no clarification, no explanation, no examples. Of course none of the beautiful pools pictured in this section fall into either category. Design details? Each very beautifully photographed pool describes the multi-million dollar surroundings, the size of the pool pictured, construction i.e. Gunite, finish-Plaster. This scant, mostly irrelative information hardly qualifies as "design details".

If you want to show your pool contractor the kind of pool you have in mind and hand over a blank check, then this is the book for you. You'll get no feel for the typical cost of the pools depicted (except the one for $3/4M) nor will you be guided as to any of the unseen but extremely important mechanical components required.

I'd keep this book if there was just one piece of information that I could consider valuable advice. Thankfully, Amazon will take it back.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational Ideas, July 11, 2004

By 

Jason Reubok - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pools and Spas: New Designs for Gracious Living (Interior Design and Architecture) (Hardcover)

The projects in this book are out of the reach of most budgets, but the ideas are incredibly inspirational. It's like looking through Architectural Digest for pool designers. I found incredible ideas for my new pool and spa installation -- many things I never new existed and that the contractors I talked with never mentioned. A pool and spa is a major investment. For me, this book was insurance that guaranteed I would get the aquatic paradise and related amenities me and my family wanted. Plus, it's looks great on the coffee table in our new pool house!