Swimming Pools

Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways: Big Ideas for Small Backyard Destinations

Virginia Woolf was right. Women–and men, it turns out–yearn for a room of their own.

But instead of a little nook beneath the eaves, that room is now a shed. Today’s sheds, however, are not dusty shelters for plants and tools. Lace curtains have replaced cobwebs, charming antiques stand where shovels and rakes once rusted, and instead of corrugated walls, you will find cedar shingles and window boxes. Sheds are stylish and elegant and offer a hassle-free and affordable way to create more space without undergoing a major renovation. They function as artists’ studios, writers’ retreats, yoga dens, entertaining pavilions, children’s playhouses, garden rooms, or serene hideaways for any personal pursuit.

In Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways, Debra Prinzing and William Wright showcase twenty-eight innovative and beautifully imagined spaces from New York City to East Hampton, from Seattle to San Diego, and from Atlanta to Austin to Santa Cruz. Some are elaborate and luxurious; others are delightfully modest. They are built in urban gardens and suburban backyards and tucked away on rural properties.

Stunning, lush color photography graces Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways, bringing the reader into each space and face-to-face with all its nooks, crannies, and details; the text describes how the owners’ needs and interests inspired the shed practically and aesthetically. With sample plans for building a shed, advice on the practicalities of designing and decorating it, and thoughts from backyard philosophers who celebrate the appeal and possibilities of simple structures, Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways is both an inspiration for creating your own backyard destination and an armchair journey to some of the country’s most private and serene places.

The Complete Pool Manual for Homeowners and Professionals: A Step-by-Step Maintenance Guide

If you are a pool owner, you have made a major investment and proper swimming pool maintenance is an absolute must! Keeping your pool clean and maintained should be a top priority since a clean pool is essential in many ways. First, no one wants to swim in, or look at, a dirty, green, or yellow pool. Keep in mind that although the pool may look clean, it may in fact be still contaminated with enough bacteria to cause sickness. If a pool is not maintained properly it can get very expensive to clean or fix at a later date. Dan Hardy has used every available resource in his 20-year career as a pool professional to add to his store of knowledge about making and keeping water safe. An untiring and dedicated "Pool Doctor," he has become the "go to" man for owners of some of the world's largest, most ornate, and expensive private swimming pools including that of award-winning actor Mr. John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston. Dan started working on pools as a boy in his dad's firm. Not content with doing routine maintenance, he began learning all he could about chemicals, mechanics, and safety. In this book he may just be a lifesaver to pool owners who want to save money on maintenance but need to know how to handle poisons safely. Pool maintenance business owners will want to have this book on hand as an easy guide to repairing filtration and pumps and dealing with serious pool problems. And anyone who wishes to have such a career could have no better mentor than Dan Hardy.

Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build

Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build shows how average "do-it-yourself" families can easily and affordably bring to life a "Hobbit's Treehouse," a "Pirate's Playhouse," or a "Crow's Nest" in their own backyards! There are a lot of books out there filled with enchanting photos of elaborate treehouses and playhouses built by professionals and costing tens of thousands to build. For the rest of us, there's bit of elbow grease, a lot of imagination, a trip to the hardware store-and Treehouses & Playhouses You Can Build.

Building a Deck (Build Like A Pro)

The definitive guide to building the most popular exterior building project there is: the deck. This book walks the reader through the entire process -- from the planning stages, through construction, step-by-step, to the custom details that make a deck unique. The book covers the practical side of building as well as design considerations that make a difference to discriminating homeowners.

Building a Shed: Siting and Planning a Shed, Building Shed Foundations, Adding Custom Details (Build Like a Pro Series)

This well-illustrated guide offers a range of building options, with complete instructions and plans for four popular projects: saltbox potting shed, garden storage shed, storage barn, and lean-to tool locker. Author Joe Truini walks the reader through each step, from evaluating storage needs to basic construction to putting the finishing touches on the roof.

Ideas for Great Backyard Cottages (Ideas for Great)

Choose from ideas for stand-alone backyard additions that reflect a variety of architectural styles, from English cottage to backwoods rustic, from Victorian gingerbread to Asian. Includes guesthouses, offices, pavilions and gazebos, childrens playhouses, potting sheds, structures made from kits, and more.

The Ultimate Guide to Pool Maintenance, Third Edition

Harness All the Latest Technology, Equipment, and Methods Needed to Keep Any Pool or Spa in Top Condition!

The Ultimate Guide to Pool Maintenance provides complete guidance on all the maintenance and repair tasks required to keep pools and spas working at peak efficiency. This Third Edition now contains information on the latest technology and equipment, together with Quick Start Guides and difficulty ratings for each procedure.

Filled with hundreds of detailed illustrations, this updated classic features:

• A step-by-step explanation of each pool maintenance procedure with easy-to-follow photos
• Quick Start Guides to help readers start and finish each task quickly
• Tricks of the Trade to make each procedure easier
• Tools of the Trade highlighting parts and tools for each job
• An Easy, Advanced, or Pro difficulty rating for every task
• The following new material: new information on chlorine alternatives; a new section on maintaining saltwater pools; expanded coverage of pools with built-in spas

Inside This Updated Pool Maintenance “Bible”

The Black & Decker Complete Guide: Build Your Kids a Treehouse (Black & Decker Complete Guide)

Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)

Natural swimming pools rely on the correct balance of living plants and micro-organisms to clean and purify the water. They are easy and less costly to maintain than chemical pools. Chlorine and other common pool chemicals that are hazardous to human health are not used. Natural pools are safe places for children to play and birds to drink, and are a dramatic example of ecological design, combining the natural and man-made worlds while creating beauty. These pools offer enjoyment not only in the warm months, but during winter, when they can be used for ice skating. Often the focal point of a garden, a natural swimming pool blends into the environment, flowing into the surroundings with plants and rocks. It reflects the changing seasons and enhances the environment naturally. This book is a necessary resource for people who consider a natural swimming pool. It shows how the natural system works to provide environmental, health, and safety benefits. Drawings, diagrams, and charts help explain their planning, design, biology, materials, construction, planting, and maintenance. Over 300 beautiful color photographs of natural pools will inspire your own water garden, where you can swim in harmony with nature.

Pools & Spas: Ideas for Planning, Designing, and Landscaping

Creative Homeowner helps turn a dream into a reality with Pools & Spas: Ideas for Planning, Designing, and Landscaping. This book offers ideas and advice through the complete process from pool/spa selection to creating an attractive environment. Over 300 inviting color photos illustrate the many options from infinity-edge pools to indoor swim spas; from built-ins to attractive aboveground pools. Valuable advice is included on site selection, materials, financing, and more. As the crowning touch, Pools & Spas suggests ideas to create the ideal setting for the new pool or spa using decks, patios, and landscapes.