With the experts at Blue Water on your team, the possibilities for customizing your special project are limitless. Your choice of Custom Features may include any or all of the following:
A Beach entry, also known as “Zero Edge Entry”, lets you get in or out of the pool without the need for stairs or ladders. It gradually slopes from the deck into the water, effectively utilizing the shallow end of larger pools. Beach entries can also lead to tanning ledges and then to entry steps into deeper water.
Beach entries often have unique surfaces made of natural stone or exposed pebble that also aid in making the surface non-slip. Most beach entries have rock outcroppings set in the area.
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In natural pool designs, the use of boulders and stonework is crucial in recreating that tropical feeling. Choose from our wide variety of stone types and let our best artisans build you unique and natural-looking scenes that fit your grand vision for a one-of-a-kind backyard. Boulder outcroppings around pools create that perfect spot for plants that enhance the overall look of the space. Man-made stones can be designed to fit any design criteria by leveraging a wide array of colors and shapes, allowing you to achieve that unique look found in exotic aquariums and theme parks around the world.
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Bubblers are fun water features that spout up from shallow pool surfaces, like steps, beach entries, or tanning shelves. Combined with the right lighting, they create a fun splash pad for small children and adults alike.
Stream sprays project water into the pool, adding both visual and physical impact as they shoot up and hit the surface of the pool. These jets of water can be installed on the surrounding pool decking or shoot out of the sidewall of the pool. Kids and adults will appreciate the visual aesthetic and the interactive experience it brings as it consistently streams jets of water from its spray.
Roman Fountains are upward varying sprays of water that are mixed with color LED lighting. These can be grouped together and synchronized in unique patterns or rotations to create a show in itself. Children love to run around in these, and they are often used in Splash Pads next to pools.
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Fire Features adds drama and warm ambiance to your custom swimming pool or deck area. The combination of fire and water presents a striking contrast that is simply fascinating to behold.
Fire features come in a variety of different forms. From standalone deck elements to fire bowls merged with water that spill into the pool, our designers will show you the best fire features that will take your backyard pool experience to another level.
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A Grotto is built using rock & boulders (natural or man-made) creating a small cave or “Grotto”. These designs can have waterfall curtain entries that create an exotic, tropical element to your natural pool design. Grottos are popular in hillside construction as they allow the pool design to encroach into the hill expanding the size of the backyard area. They also can be made as free-standing structures with added landscaping to bring all the elements together. Combined with the right Interior lighting, Grotto’s add mystique and natural elegance to your backyard pool.
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Laminar Streams are translucent arcs of water that stream from the pool deck or surrounding landscape. They can go as high as 7 feet or more before landing in a pool, spa, or other water feature. These streams arc across the swimming pool, adding an elegant and unique visual experience to your poolscape. At night, the LED lighting makes them glow and even more enchanting to watch.
Our custom-built water slides are designed to accentuate your overall pool design and provide hours of exciting pool fun. Each water slide is crafted to fit your pool’s shape with colors and materials that complement your coping and pool decking. Our slides can be custom designed around grottos, landscaping backdrops, or hillside installations and can be as simple as a short flume or be as elaborate as your favorite water park. For that retro look, you can have pool slides that mount on the pool decking lead to a swirling trip to the pool below. Our diving boards come in a variety of sizes and we incorporate a specific pool design to provide safe use for the diving equipment. If you want a more natural and cleaner look, you can opt for a diving platform instead. They also provide a larger and safer area to dive from, as well, more fun for multiple people to jump at once.
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Spas are the most popular addition to today’s contemporary pool designs. It serves as both your personal private spot and a special place to enjoy with friends and guests. Nothing beats ending a tiring day with a luxurious dip at the spa as you let its warm water rejuvenate your entire body. And children can enjoy them too as a place to retreat to and relax. Spas can be used year-around as long as they have insulated covers that fit them. Custom designed spas come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can match the aesthetics of your pool. Designs can be geometric, freeform, elevated, attached or detached from the pool structure. Raised spas also act as a water spillover feature and are easier to enter. Customize your spa by choosing from dozens of materials and finishes that suit your fancy.
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Swim-up Bars are a sure-fire way of entertaining your guests and bringing them together. Nothing beats sipping a tall glass of frozen cocktail as you stay on the water while enjoying the view. Swim-up bars let you enjoy poolside meals or drinks without ever getting out of the water.
The designs can range from built-in bar stools made of stone, tile, or precast finishes to stunning builds adorned in ceramic tile, glass tile, or a variety of stone products. You’ll have an endless list of choices for creating the ultimate Swim-up bar for your backyard.
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The tanning ledge is also called Sun or Baja Shelf, Baja Step, or Baja Bench. It’s a flat ledge typically located at the entrance of the pool. It’s the perfect location for a lounge chair or umbrella and offers shallow water pleasure for those who want to avoid the glare of direct sunlight while enjoying the pool. This feature is also an excellent area for little ones to learn to enjoy the water too, and great for pretty much any activity you want to do by the poolside.
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Water Features let you customize your pool or spa in a variety of ways. They can be a single sconce of water or a multiple of spillways in a raised pool wall, delivering a stream of water into the pool. They can be single sheets of water called Power falls or individual raindrops that project into the pool. Each water feature surrounds you with a delightful, ambient sound of water as it moves around. Water features can be fabricated to fit in almost any design. So whether it’s a simple but elegant addition, a majestic accent, or a piece with a touch of old-world charm, it’s a great add-on to have for a more relaxing and enjoyable backyard experience.
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Waterfalls give your pool a nature-inspired vibe and are very popular with both kids and adults alike. Our custom-designed waterfalls utilize natural rocks in conjunction with artistically constructed faux stonework to create a lush natural look that perfectly complements the surrounding areas. The visual and auditory impact of the sound of water smoothly flowing down makes for a truly relaxing experience.
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Choosing your decking and coping is crucial because it greatly affects the look of your pool. Stamped or patterned concrete is always available, but in this part of Michigan, pavers are by far the most popular choice. These paving stones can add a sense of elegance and formality to any design. Or you can opt for a rounded or tumbled paver for an “old world” feel. We recommend Artistic Pavers because they’re designed and built specifically for swimming pools. They’re stunning to look at and feel cool on the feet. Add the fact that their bullnose coping matches the pavers perfectly. Or you can go for a complementary color for a more striking look.
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You have a myriad of options to choose from for the interior finish of your pool. The original marbleized plaster and Marcite have been replaced by a variety of polymer/aggregate finishes. With nearly unlimited textures and colors, these finishes typically outlast plaster by two to ten times.
“All-tile” interiors are also an option, giving your pool an elegance that no other finish can match.
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Also known as “Negative edge” or “Infinity Edge,” a Vanishing Edge offers the illusion that the pool (or spa) water is pouring over the edge of the pool into another body of water (such as a lake or river), or down a hillside.
When all sides of a pool or spa are “vanishing edge,” you have what is known as a “wet deck” or “Perimeter Overflow” pool. With this design, there are no visible edges to the pool (or spa). Water flows over the edges on all sides, into a specially constructed and hidden catch basin. The deck on a perimeter overflow pool is usually at the exact same height as the water, with the deck and water separated by a narrow gap.
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A Swimming Fastlane is a device that turns your pool into an endless river by creating a limitless current of water. You get to control the flow of water depending on the type of activity you wish to partake. Want a leisurely swim against the current? The slow mode lets you enjoy the flow of water as it mimics the gentle rush of a river. Or if you’re in for a more rigid exercise, the fast mode will help you improve your stroke and other aspects of swimming while getting fit at the same time. For years, swimming coaches and physical therapists have recommended Fastlane currents to those who wish to enjoy its benefits both for relaxation and training. If you want a Swimming Fastlane added to your pool, our highly-trained personnel will install it according to your needs and preferences.
Here are some examples of our recent work. Click any photo for a closer look.