Your Tropical Paradise

It’s summertime and there’s no better way to enjoy the weather than by relaxing in your backyard – next to the pool. Just imagine yourself floating in the cool water with a refreshing beverage in your hand as sweet music emanates from the bushes and dances through your head. The garden looks great and you feel amazing with warm rays of sunshine beating down on your face as the water cools your body.

You enjoy your day, going inside only to fix dinner (or remaining outside at your new outdoor kitchen). As the day fades into night, the lights kick on, not only in the pool but throughout your garden. Glows radiate from the bases of your trees and flowers to project a mood of serenity throughout the backyard. With the temperature dropping as the sun goes down, you turn on the Jacuzzi and slip into it, as you share the beauty of the evening with your friends and family.

Clearly, the picture we just painted in your head is amazing, but what decisions do you need to make in order for this tropical paradise to become a reality in your backyard?

The Pool

If the pool is going to be the centerpiece of your paradise – and it will be – then you’ll need to decide what type of pool you want – essentially how deep you want it?  This can be the most difficult question to answer because if you have small children, the prospect of a deep pool may frighten you.  However, it’s important to remember that your kids will grow up with this pool, and as they get older they will want to dive and do cannonballs, just like you did as a child. A common solution is to have a “deep end” where diving is allowed, with the pool starting shallow and sloping downward. The most common alternative to a pool with a “deep end”  is an “activity pool” where swimmers will be able to stand throughout the pool. Typically, it is shallow at both ends and gets slightly deeper in the middle.

The Ambiance

The key to a great experience in your backyard is turning it into an escape – a paradise. Showing off and enjoying that garden that you (or someone you hired) work so hard to maintain is imperative – even in the evening. You need lights to see at night, so why not let them serve a dual purpose and light up your beautiful garden at the same time? You can use soft, wide lights at the base of your trees, flowers and bushes in order to accentuate their beauty and create a cabana-vibe while you’re relaxing in your Jacuzzi or on your patio.

Lighting the pool can also create an aesthetically-pleasing environment while providing another measure of safety.  Lights can and should be installed in both the pool and the Jacuzzi so that swimmers can be safely observed at all times. The sight of the light passing through the water is a beautiful one at night, and gels can be placed over the lights in order to manipulate the color. Would you love a specific colored light to complement your flowers?  You can do that.

Just as lights can be placed at the base of plants or inside trees, so can speakers. Listening to your favorite songs while lying on a raft in your pool can take you away to your own tropical paradise in seconds. Speakers can be strategically placed throughout your transformed backyard. Treetops, inside lawn ornaments, nestled within bushes, or up against the house. With speakers in the right place, you can feel like your favorite artists are performing poolside while you soak up the sun.

A pool is a long-term investment. If you’re going to have it in your backyard for the next 15 years, it may as well be perfect.  With the perfect pool, you can be off to your own little paradise in no time.

This article was provided by Mr. Electric. For all your lighting, be sure to contract a professional electrician, such as those at Mr. Electric. While your Mr. Electric professional is installing all those lights, ask him to hook up your stereo system too. For more information, visit www.mrelectric.com.