Creating Your Perfect Spa Enviroment by Asia Chapdelaine

Congratulations, you have finally decided
to add a hot tub to your home! Installing
your new hot tub will be the start of what
will be years of blissful time spent relaxing
with your nearest and dearest. Your next
step to enjoy your new hot tub is locating
it in your backyard. It is easy enough to
select the location, pour the concrete and
enjoy, but why limit yourself to a site just
because it’s convenient, easy to access or functional? The transition from a plain installation to your ultimate vision for the perfect backyard can be a reality; all you have to do is explore all the potential of your original landscape and how you can integrate your new hot tub. There are many great options you can consider, and with a little inspiration and creativity your new hot tub can become your
personal home spa retreat. So design your space and make a plan, these will be the starting points for creating your perfect spa environment.
Inspiration By Design
Your inspiration may come from exclusive
resorts you’ve visited or have seen in travel
magazines, photographs or exotic set designs
from foreign films, outdoor lounges that you
wind down in or maybe unique floral arrangements
in charming oversized vessels. Maybe
you’ll want to cozy up by a fire feature or
add a screen or divider that provides the right
amount of privacy. All of this can be incorporated
when planning your spa environment.
Your design will welcome you to the spa and stimulate the senses.
Create A Look Book
When you incorporate new objects into an environment
it is important to examine your choices carefully. Your
options are endless for accents, accessories and materials.
Researching all your options is the key to developing
a great design theme. But how can you get all of
your ideas and inspiration organized? Why not create
a Look Book ? A look book is your reference guide to
a complete exterior design plan. It’s a note book for your
written plan that keeps you focused and helps
avoid spontaneous shopping. Selecting objects
not relevant to your design or home can disrupt
your concept. As you develop your vision list your
items, landscape mediums, screens & dividers,
water or fire features, lighting, lounge areas,
dwelling extensions, trims, boarders or pathways
and decorative accessories. Unique
shapes for pathways, screens or features add excitement and intrigue,
use your photographs and magazine clippings, all of your notes, measurements
and ideas and inspiration are within reach. Your book should
include labeled sections, hand sketches, house colors, fixtures, a photo of
your home, plants & trees that perform best in the setting, accessories that
compliment other objects within the area are best, or offset as an accent.
If your using an installer confirm the design details and your vision with
photographs and detailed drawings from your Look book. Also designers
sometimes create a mood board that conveys the theme within the design
plan. Fabrics, paints swatches and landscape mediums all round out your
completed concept. Next let’s start the layout.
Render before you Renew.
To help visualize your design you will need to produce a simple rendering. This rendering a hand drawing of the backyard and your plan. Purchase a graph pad, you will be using two sheets or more of graph paper as there will be some trial and error in this process. There are some simple rules for your rendering that can make sure your design fits the backyard. A plant and foliage garden design
should compliment the layout and type of the hardscape
items such as rocks, walls, pathways, stairs,
water features and decks. How the garden is laid out
should reflect the style of the home and is key to the
continuity of your design scheme. When selecting the
right position of the spa area, study the movement
of the sun to determine the suns strength at different
times of the day and decide if subtle shading is
required. At dusk ambient mood lighting will guide
you on your journey to the spa, light placement and
direction subdues an area or adds drama.
Now lets get started on the detail The first sheet will
represent your exterior floor plan with each square
is equal to 12 inches (1 foot). Measure the length
and width of the spa area and spa. If your area is
20 feet x 12, count 20 squares x 12 squares on the
graph sheet, if your spa is 10 feet x 10 feet, count
10 squares x 10 squares etc. Identify the total space available within
your property and outline the full potential for the spa area. Measure
the length and width of the property and outline the measurements on
the squares on the graph. You could also use a separate graph sheet
to measure the length and Width of your home and cut out the shape
and apply to the original graph sheet. Follow the same procedure using
the measurements of objects that surround the home. Measure any
permanent fixtures, furnishings or accessories, cut the shapes from a
graph sheet and apply to the original graph. Illustrate any pathways or
landscape borders on your floor plan (the original graph sheet). You can move around the objects that are not permanent to visualize your alternatives through this process. Once you’ve completed your plan on paper. Get ready to prep the area.
Prepare To Be…Spa-tacular
Remove all debris or clutter from the area and start with a clean space. Once you determine the exact location for the spas foundation, confirm it fits and meets easement rules of your property boundaries. Walk the perimeter of the property to get the full perspective of space. You’ll be surprised what just walking the area will reveal. Once a design or shape is determined for your foundation, mark the elevated
or sunken areas staking the area with string or food coloring if on grass. If on concrete you can use chalk. Use a mock object, to locate where your vessels, features, accessories or large boulders are to be placed. The outcome of prepping the area will be to check how each item fits and matches the surroundings. Try to keep the items accurately spaced in relation to one another and to the scale of the spa area and home.
The Six Walls
There are six perspectives or walls of interest for your spa environment. A great design addresses each possible angle when your in the spa zone. The first wall is your floor and defines the length, depth and width of your area. Once you have established the shape, a filler adds contrast. Fillers soften the hard Lines of the site or define a simplified pathway for your exterior floor space. Sand, polished glass gravel, or tiny polished stones feels great for the toes. The second wall, your ceiling, refers to the height,
depth and volume of your space. Enclosing the
space above the spa restricts your sight lines. Avoid
solid objects above your spa so you can marvel at
the stars by dusk. If shade is required, a fixed structure
such as a pergola with angular well spaced
rafters is a great choice to maintain the view.
Draped or taut fabrics that are u v resistant provide
a softer spa like atmosphere and may also be used
as your third wall. Your third wall is the most influential to your concept.
The backdrop sits above the height of the spa and
behind it. Like the background scene in a theatrical
play it highlights and sets the spa environment.
Incorporate fixed materials for your structure such
as wood, stone, metal, concrete, resin, fabric or
glass. A structure anchors the location site and sets
the stage for a wide range of themes. A tree line
or long grasses set in odd numbers of three, five
or seven is always the preferred natural alternative
and a solution to manmade backdrops to promotes
a more natural flowing movement; the breeze to
please your senses. There are many modular manufacturers
that provide instant panel systems for living
walls that in turn become a year round focal point.
Water features, foliage and flowers highlight the
left and right side of your spa and theses sides are
recognized as your fourth and fifth walls, let them
sweet talk your senses. Layered above or below the
spa height are odd grouped oversized vessels, with
statues or flowing aromatic vines, lavender shrubs or
blossom trees that perfume the air on breezy days
and nights. The forth and fifth Walls promote a
natural connection with nature when there is a non
symmetrical design. Draping shear flowing fabric
panels that move and sway gently, accent shade or
privacy. The entrance to the spa is your sixth wall.
This space can be a series items and materials for
visual layers and spa highlights. Positioned below
or at par with the spa height it features interesting
items with varying finishes at the entry such as an
offset sun deck in glass, a staircase equal to the spa
width, in limestone, teak or resin. Display an oversized
moss or quarry rock with a bubbling functional
water Pump, for your foot bath. A towel station in
wood or Iron serves you best on brisk days and
nights. Low to ground vessels filled with sand, pea
gravel or polished glass or glimmering mirrored crystals,
(opposite to what you use as your ground filler)
staked with ethanol torches or flameless candles,
promotes intriguing textural effects and mood lighting.
Medium sized vessels
with medium height grasses along the pathways and beside the steps add movement
and intrigue to your evening visits to the spa. Lounge seating or
large fire features can be the sequel to your production. If placed just
far enough from the spa, it provides the perfect enhancement to your
360 degree view. Each item defines your great spa escape and should allow your dreams and senses to come alive. When we reunite with nature we leave behind the structure and confinement of the indoors. Your home spa environment is your realm, nourish all your senses. Exhale, find newness, drift off in your spa , escape, as you are reborn in your secret place.