(August 2013) – Legendary Escapes designer and builder Al Curtis has been named among Pool and Spa News’ 2013 Masters of Design. Pool and Spa News, a national publication for pool and spa professionals, holds a contest each year aimed at finding the best designers in the nation. This year, Al Curtis was chosen to be featured among this year’s winners. He takes pride in each of his projects, but does not build with prestige in mind. Instead, he enters each project with a few simple goals: to give a client the backyard of their dreams, to build each project with careful attention to detail, and to stay true to his artistic integrity.
The project featured in the Masters of Design contest fulfilled each of these goals; and, as a result, Curtis and his team were incredibly proud of it. It is part of a stunning portfolio of beautiful backyards, each of which inspire pride from Curtis and each member of his team. He is excited about this award and what it means–as a regular reader of Pool and Spa News, Curtis knows it is geared toward pool and spa professionals, sharing new developments and best practices in the industry. To be featured in this year’s Masters of Design means a lot to Curtis; “It’s an honor to be recognized by my peers,” he says.
The featured swimming pool, a project in Brighton, MI, is a standout even among its impressive peers in Curtis’ portfolio. The homeowners were inspired by a resort in Hawaii, where they fell in love with an incredible multi-level swimming pool. After their return home, they decided they wanted to create their own backyard paradise–and found Al Curtis and Legendary Escapes Pools. Curtis was inspired by their excitement and dreams for their backyard, and he was willing to tackle some unique challenges. Although the homeowners wanted a dual-level pool, the yard had a high water table. So, Curtis knew, he would not be able to dig down–he’d have to build up. Digging as far as he could to form the lower pool, he built the rest of the pool up from there in order to create the main pool.
A hand-tiled rock slide transports swimmers from the upper pool to the lower pool, where kids (and adults!) can play and splash without disrupting swimmers in the upper pool. The slide wraps around a hand-carved waterfall; and, behind the waterfall, a grotto that seats 4. Complete with a bench and fiber-optic lighting, the grotto is a great semi-private area to get away from it all. The pool also features a large gunite sunshelf, where swimmers can place chairs to work on a tan or simply sit and relax in a few inches of water. Next to the sunshelf is a 3-seat swim-up bar, so no one has to get out of the pool to keep the refreshments coming. The structure housing the bar is made of refurbished barnwood, which matches the house’s architecture and lends to a northern, woodsy feel. Located on a 30-acre property filled with trees, this pool fits right into its surroundings and creates the feel of a northern retreat.
The homeowners love their new backyard, and spend plenty of time enjoying it with their young children. The level of detail and artistry identify it as a Legendary Escapes pool, and Curtis is proud of it. “I leave a piece of myself in every pool I build,” he says; and it is apparent that he truly does pour his heart into each project he creates. He is excited and honored to be featured in the 2013 Masters of Design, and he is impressed with the other featured designers. “I look forward to seeing the industry continue to grow and develop, and I’m just excited to be able to help us all continue to move forward.”
Check out Pool and Spa News’ feature or look through the rest of the featured designers.
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Al Curtis, designer and builder for Legendary Escapes Pools, has been in the industry for 25 years. He has pioneered the hybrid swimming pool process and is passionate about building one-of-a-kind pools and is an avid reader of the Pool and Spa News. To learn more or schedule a design consultation, contact Al or a capable member of his team by phone (248-478-4978), email (legendaryescapes@askthepoolguy.com), or online (www.legendaryescapes.com).