When you’re planning your backyard paradise around your new swimming pool or other water feature, incorporating a fire element may produce striking results. Proponents of the traditional Asian concept of Feng Shui strive for any living space to incorporate a balance of five natural elements: earth, air, fire, metal, and water. Of course, water and fire are significant pieces of that puzzle. Whether or not you’re sold on the philosophy behind Feng Shui, you can appreciate the juxtaposition of those two elements, as well as their shared emotional benefits and visual appeal.
Wonders of Water
According to Feng Shui, water elements naturally provide spiritual and emotional benefits. From wisdom to insightfulness and artistic inspiration, water has been cited as key to many an author and philosopher, throughout the centuries. Too much water, however, can create a sense of imbalance being overwhelmed. But remember, these elements are visual, so by balancing your pool with other elements surrounding it, you can easily avoid such a negative effect. With too little water, loneliness and lack of sympathy can result. Visual elements that evoke the same emotional aura as literal water include dark tones such as black, reflective surfaces, and asymmetrical or wavy shapes.
Foundations of Fire
The opposite of water, fire elements are believed to promote leadership skills and enthusiasm. Encouraging self-expression and boldness, you can easily imagine where too much fire could lead: anger or irritability along with aggressive or impulsive behaviors. In addition to literal fire features and natural sunlight, the fire element in design includes warm shades such as red and purple, as well as animal prints, electronics, candles, and incandescent lights.
Combining Fire and Water
When you combine water and fire elements into your outdoor scape, you’ll truly have the best of both worlds. Not only will you and your family and friends be able to cool down in the pool and warm up by fire, but they’ll also achieve the emotional benefits of both. Fire features can vary greatly, from fire pits incorporated into your deck design to smokers and grills.
Before you strike a match, though, you’ll want to plan your fire features with care, considering the kind of “zone” you want them in; for instance, you don’t want to put a fire feature where children are likely to be running around and playing. You also need to be careful about fire pit regulations, in consideration of local ordinances as well as your homeowner’s insurance. Just like with your swimming pool, safety should be on your radar, too. But as long as you make sure your fire feature is legal and safe, it can truly warm up your outdoor poolside paradise — in more ways than one!
Continue reading with Part 2.
Lyon Financial
Since 1979 Lyon Financial has made the backyard resort dream come true for over 400,000 families across the U.S. Through our solid relationships with more than 3,000 pool contractors and our continued commitment to putting our clients first, we have built a reputation as the first choice in providing pool financing solutions. We also offer financing solutions for kitchen remodels, master bathroom updates, backyard decks, outdoor kitchens, or any other home improvement your home may need. For more information, visit lyonfinancial.net or call (877) 754-5966 today.
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