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A Special Collection of Dramatic Pools‌Built to Inspire
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Desert Pools ool builders know that the best place for design
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insight is found all around the proposed venue: the home’s architecture, the setting’s cultural
heritage, and especially the family’s lifestyle. When the poolscape will be in a desert, however, the designer can’t help but turn to the land’s dynamic spirit for inspiration. The desert is a study in contrasts, and those contrasts create an ever-changing landscape that ebbs and flows from one season to the next. In the spring, when the desert comes to life after a winter’s hibernation, dramatic pink, red, white, and yellow flowers practically blanket the land with vivid color, while during the heat of summer, the sky turns a vibrant blue that sparkles in the golden sunshine. Of course, it is the warmer colors, like tan, brown, and the faded red and orange of terra cotta, that give the desert its true personality——even though, every now and then, a lush oasis takes over a patch of ground, showing that different shades of green can also be found in the harsh environment. And don’t forget the cactus: Its omnipresent charisma defines the landscape like no other feature.
In this setting, the line between the desert and the private space is blurred through the use of indigenous plants and landscaping material. Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc., Cave Creek, Ariz.
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Desert Splendor
Using tones and textures found in the desert, this poolscape’s winning personality evolves from the Tufa travertine coping and veneer, Sicis iridescent glass tile, and split face travertine for the wave pattern found on the wall. Photographed by Scott Sandler for Brandenburg Pool, Phoenix, Ariz.
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Nights can grow cool in the desert, but this warm setting inspires quiet contemplation— or cozy conversation if guests are so inclined. Photographed by Balfour Walker for Cimarron Circle Construction Company, Tucson, Ariz.
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