Soft, gurgling water sounds mingle with a bit of tropical music. Dinner sizzles on the grill in an outdoor kitchen not too far away and fresh towels have just been set out from the pool house. Lush foliage surrounds the area where guests are lounging poolside. Sound like a scene from your last vacation? For a couple of families on the south side who lead the latest trend in renovations, it is actually a scene from a typical evening at home.
The idea of renovations in a tough real estate market isn't new, but this twist takes the idea one step further. "It's a whole new space that people can customize to provide a place for entertaining, for relaxation or for recreation," said Rick Rushing of Rushing Design Company.
According to Rushing, a registered landscape architect, the trend is just starting to really take off here, and in the last several years there has been an increase of homeowners spending their leisure dollars on improving their homes instead of traveling away from it-and he should know. He's been working on custom planning, landscape and pools for years, and cut his design teeth in a place that knows a bit about resort living: Laguna Beach, Calif.
"People want to bring the vacation to their home. It's a concept of everything you'd find in a resort to your backyard," Rushing said, and adds that another influencing factor is the state of real estate. "In this market, a lot more people are staying in their homes. Instead of thinking about moving, they are thinking about what they can do with the home they have."
In the world of renovations and remodeling, most are familiar with the tools of the trade and the latest trends, and the "do-it-yourself" mantra is a tempting one to claim, but when you're talking about 25,000 gallons of water and some serious excavation, a little bit of help doesn't hurt. Neither, says Rushing, does a master plan.
"The first step is always to determine a program for each client," he said. "Everyone has different requirements, wants and needs. For people who are going to do a lot of entertaining, it's important to incorporate a lot of seating spaces, for example. Families may have different things they're looking for."
The options for customizing an outdoor space are nearly limitless. What plants would look best and not cause problems? What water features should be included? Extravagant pool house or functional cabana? What kind of kitchen space and accoutrements should be utilized? Fencing, furniture, pool shape, water type, material to build the pool. All are decisions that have to be made-and careful consideration must be taken on how the pool is oriented in terms of the property, home and, of course, the sun.
It can seem overwhelming, but Rushing says there are a few common elements of an outdoor renovation that bring harmony and purpose to the project. The things he says are often included are water, fire, food, music and lighting-things that make the outdoors a complete and usable space.
"It's not just about dropping a pool in the ground anymore, especially on these beautiful homes," he said. "Everyone's backyard should reflect their unique style."
Enjoy these charming examples of "backyard resorts," as Rushing calls them-straight from the south side-and you may be canceling your next flight out of town.
For more information about Rushing Design Company or custom backyard design, visit www.rushingdesign.com.