Building a custom home in the Sarasota area is a unique experience. Not only can you design a stunning home, but our year-round sunshine and stunning views give you a fantastic opportunity to create an outdoor landscape that is as impressive as your new home. A freshly manicured lawn, vibrant tropical flowers, and a chic patio set work together to create the right ambiance – but a water feature will truly take your property to the next level of sophistication. In addition to being beautiful, incorporating water into your landscape encourages wildlife visitors, buffers noise, and calms the senses. Whether you have an expansive yard or a small garden, the perfect way to add a water feature exists.
The most common backyard water feature is the classic birdbath. Homeowners can spend hours serenaded by soothing water sounds and enjoying the birds and small animals the birdbath attracts. The selection of birdbaths ranges from a basic pedestal to a hanging bath or fountain design, giving residents an array of options and sizes from which to choose.
Koi PondFish tanks and aquariums are often showpieces in luxury custom homes, but Florida homeowners can take the fish outdoors and fashion a peaceful and zen backyard koi pond. However, there is a significant caveat. Casual fish watchers may love the playful nature of the koi, but they’re not low-maintenance pets. If you are having a koi pond installed, be sure to read up on the necessary upkeep.
Babbling Brook
Even if water does not naturally run through the property, homeowners can build their own small creek with concrete, gravel, PVC pipe, and a recirculating pump. Strategically placed rocks and stones steer the water to a retaining pool, where the pump sends it back to the top of the creek. Small brooks make excellent borders or can lazily wind through the yard.
Even those with limited space can install one of these water features, which takes advantage of empty wall space. Transform an ordinary wall into a sensory oasis, and enjoy the serenity of water flowing even in the smallest of backyards.Water Wall
A water wall is a unique and visually striking way to create zones or add a dramatic focal point to the outdoor landscape. Walls can also provide cooling shade to sections of your lawn or garden. Water walls are ideal for those with a small yard, as they are vertical and can be built as a freestanding structure or flush against a fence or wall.
Fountain
A formal fountain infuses artistic flair and dramatic interest, whether in the middle of a garden or gracing a courtyard. An elegant fountain surrounded by a reflecting pond or tropical flowering plants draws the eye and demands attention. Add pavers or concrete to create a Euro-style water feature the neighbors will envy.
Rain Fountain
Do you love the gentle patter of a rainstorm as much as the sunshine? Homeowners won’t have to sacrifice anything when they install this uniquely contemporary water feature that mimics the sounds of a rain shower. Rain fountains are flat (like water walls) and thus can be installed in small spaces.
Waterfall
Take your love for falling water one step further by designing a backyard waterfall. Nothing soothes the soul more completely than a personal waterfall, whether freestanding in a rock garden or cascading into a swimming pool.
Outdoor Shower
The best water features allow you to immerse yourself, especially on a sweltering summer day. A backyard shower offers an exhilarating experience and an open-air alternative to your daily shower routine. Consider installing bamboo privacy walls or thick drapings of tropical vines for a truly exotic experience.
Swimming Pool
Of course, the quintessential Florida water feature is the backyard swimming pool. If you don’t have the space or desire for a full-sized pool, consider a freestyle form or a saltwater oasis that resembles a jungle pond. When building a custom home, let your contractor know that you’d like to incorporate a pool—more so than any other water feature, installing the pool before the home is completed is often more practical.
Bruce Williams Designs Homes in Paradise
Few places are as special as the Gulf Coast of Florida. If you plan to build your dream home here, call the professionals at Bruce Williams Homes. We’ve been helping Florida natives (and arriving newcomers) to bring their most luxurious and creative residential dreams to life for over 40 years.
Bruce Williams Homes has the team, experience, and reputation you’ll want on your side when you build your new custom Florida home.
