Triad Associates Inc.

10 Ideas for Outdoor Rooms

2012-05-17T19:29:05Z

An outdoor room is the perfect way to expand the living area of your Boston home, and Triad Associates Inc. can help you create the perfect space for your family. With concrete pavers, stamped concrete, or exposed aggregate, we can create a patio, outdoor kitchen, pool deck, or other area for fun, relaxing, and entertaining. Take a look at 10 great ideas for outdoor rooms below, and call us today to discuss your hardscaping and yard design needs!

Create connection with your home through style and materials.
Make the space flow by including multiple entry points and opening up the back of your house with lots of windows.
Use low-maintenance materials.
Create a conversation area with a fire pit or fireplace.
Add an outdoor kitchen or bar for summer dinners and parties.
Make your outdoor room comfortable for as much of the year as possible by providing shady areas, hanging a ceiling fan from a pergola, and even building on the south side of your house so the area will be warm enough to use in the fall.
Include an all-weather LCD television or sound system.
Light the space for both safety and to set the mood. Lanterns, path lights, wall sconces, and more can help you achieve this.
Add a water feature.
Define space and add privacy with walls or fences.

photo via BH&G

Tips for Designing a Safe Pool

2012-05-11T18:17:54Z

As we mentioned in our previous post, May is National Water Safety Month! That means it’s a great time to brush up on your water safety knowledge, especially if you own or are considering building a pool.

Adding a pool to your Boston home can be extremely rewarding, providing a great opportunity for exercise, having fun with your kids, entertaining, and more. However, it’s important to create a pool space that is as safe as possible. Fortunately there are plenty of online sites to help you learn about pool safety and design, like The Pool Safety Resource.

Sloped "beach" entrance to pool

The Pool Safety Resource has some great tips for designing a safe backyard that includes a pool. Here are some of the most important ones to remember.

Make sure that your yard is designed in such a way that kids can get to the yard without having to walk through the pool area.
Think about where each area will be located in relation to the pool, ie the grill/outdoor kitchen, dining space, lounge area, play space, etc. How will the location of these spaces affect your ability to keep an eye on your children or grandchildren? Be sure to include a space where you can comfortably watch the kids play in the pool.
Consider the distance from water level to edge of the pool. If the distance is over 6″, it may be too hard for a small child to reach up and grab.
A high wall or series of terraced retaining walls can make a great visual statement along the back of a pool, but can also present a safety challenge. Building in shelves or “swim outs” along that side will provide a space where a tired swimmer could stop and rest, even if the edge of the pool is out of their grasp.
Incorporating special features is not just an aesthetic concern; it can actually help improve safety! For instance, beach entrances are great for introducing little kids to water. Using different colored tile or mosaic elements can help define which areas your child should swim in. For instance, “Don’t swim past the blue tiles” or “Only dive past the turtle!”

No matter style you are going for with your pool, Triad Associates can help you make it both safe and attractive. Contact us today to learn more about our Boston pool repair and construction services!

May is National Water Safety Month

2012-05-11T17:37:53Z

May is National Water Safety Month, which will be celebrated throughout the US through educational programs, public service announcements, and much more. Swimming and other water-related recreation is extremely popular, especially during the summer, so it’s important to spread the word about water safety.

Here at Triad Associates, we provide a number of services related to pool construction and pool repair, from coping and plastering to creating unique and attractive pool decks. Take a look at just a few pool safety tips below, and make sure to check out National Water Safety Month to learn all the rest!

Learn to swim, and make sure your children know how to swim.
During social gatherings, appoint a “designated watcher” to monitor children.
Equip doors and windows that exit to the pool area with alarms.
Keep rescue equipment/first aid near the pool and learn CPR.
ALWAYS maintain visual contact with children in a pool area. If a child is missing, check the pool first.
Remember that flotation devices are NOT a substitute for supervision.

We hope you’ll take the time to learn more about water safety this month and spread the word to your friends and family! If you are considering installing or repairing the pool of your Boston area home, contact our Haverhill hardscaping company today.

photo via Flickr