Any parent understands just how much children love to play outside. And a big component of parenthood is to provide a safe environment for children to enjoy the great outdoors. This was the driving force behind Alan and Jenn Tripp’s decision to renovate the landscape design in the yard behind their home in the Harbor View neighborhood in Seminole. The Tripps are parents to 3-year-old Juliana and Trey (Alan Tripp III), who was born during the renovation. It was important to Alan that their 2/3-acre lot, half of which encompasses their back yard, be not only well designed and beautiful, but also comfortable and useable no matter the weather.
To accomplish this, the Tripps contracted with Al C. Erturk of A-Niks Outdoor Comfort Solutions in Tampa. Taking their two children into consideration, the Tripps were interested in many of the services that A-Niks provides: outdoor temperature control—cooling during the hot summer months and warming in the winter, providing shade for sun protection, insect control throughout the exterior front and back, and covering during rain or windstorms. “It’s of no use to have a large back yard and patio if you can’t use it due to bugs and heat,” says Erturk.
Alan himself designed the contemporary pool and attached hot tub, installed by Outback Pools in Dunedin. The hot tub is underroof so that the Tripps and their guests can relax and watch television simultaneously.
The shallow end of the resort style pool has a sun shelf entry, which is perfect for the small tots. A-Niks installed dual arm cantilevered 11.5-square-foot umbrellas that provide ample shade over the sun shelf so the kids can enjoy the water without the fear of getting too much sun.
Two thousand, five hundred square feet of Silver Sam pavers surround the pool and tub, with laminar and bubbler water features for visual enjoyment as well. Colored LED lights add interest at night. The water itself is temperature-controlled at 90 degrees year round.
During the day, misters positioned along the pool fencing provide a cooling effect for sunbathers. Bug sprays surround the lot on the outside of the perimeter fencing going off automatically three times a day—not visible but effective.
The 300-square-foot covered porch features a sitting area and outdoor kitchen. Alan was inspired by homes built farther north using Douglas fir for the beams and trusses, and stone veneer throughout the project and the rest of the home. The outdoor grill is placed in white synthetic polymer cabinets by NatureKast, and louvered Bahama shutters control light and breezes. Several small rectangular Turbo Coolers were placed near the ceiling corners, offering a cool mist of water that causes a drop in temperature of 8 to 15 degrees without getting diners or TV watchers underneath wet.
This past Memorial Day, the Tripp family hosted 25 adults and 9 kids for the first time in their new resort-like back yard and outdoor kitchen and dining area. “Jenn was exceptionally happy we were able to have this party since she had endured a pretty tough pregnancy during the installation,” says Alan. “Now it was time to celebrate!”
Resources: Overhead structure, temperature and insect control systems: A-Niks Outdoor Comfort Solutions; Pool and spa: Outback Pools, Inc. Pavers: Artistic Shellock in Silver Sam