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AT THE WATER'S EDGE from Better Homes & Gardens
by Jill Connors
August 01, 2002
Alan Straus remembers the wintry day that pool builder, Ron Giannamore, first visited their home. "He stood at our living room window, looked out at the site, and in an instant, drew a pool sketch," Alan says. What resulted is a rock-lined, free-form pool made of gunite, a cement product. It's just the right material for water-filled retreats because it can be tailored to the site and the homeowners' preference - like this au-naturel look. A dark-gray finish was applied to the gunite, forming a smooth-touch-to-the-toes pool bottom and a reflection that is lagoon-like in color.
Although the homeowners initially pictured only a pool out back, they followed the pool builder's advice and added a spa and waterfall. "The spa definitely extends the amount of time we use the pool early and late in the season," Alan says. State-of-the-art technology prevails: From a computerized panel in the house, the owners can control all heat and lighting for the pool system. The spa heats to 100 degrees in just 30 minutes; the waterfall, which re-circulates water from the pool, can also be heated more quickly than the pool itself. Sums up Alan, "The pool is our place for cooling off and relaxing with friends."