While a hot tub may be a refuge of relaxation and comfort, an unadorned hot tub cabinet is unlikely to evoke emotions of desire. The sad truth is that the average hot tub is far from a thing of beauty. A large square box plopped down in the middle of your backyard isn’t going to win any landscaping design competitions, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for an eyesore. A little ingenuity combined with some landscaping design principles can transform that ugly square box into a beautiful addition to your backyard. If you want to learn how to make a hot tub surround to bring about this transformation, this article has been put together to give you some ideas.
The Steps
Because it’s quite expensive to sink a hot tub to ground level, a set of steps is often required to provide access to the water. While pretty much every hot tub dealer will offer purpose-made hot tub steps as an add-on, very rarely are they things of beauty. However, by taking things into your own hands you can make the steps a beautiful and inviting feature. Attempt to make the stairs the grand entryway that draws you up towards the water. By transforming the steps into a hot tub surround you upgrade what’s merely functional into a focal point.
The Privacy Barrier
Those who live in crowded urban environments often find their backyards looked over by several neighboring properties. This can make the hot tubbing experience less than comfortable. It can also greatly reduce the amount of use it gets. Privacy barriers are practical, but that doesn’t mean they have to be ugly. They can be made of all sorts of different components from living plants to natural materials to human-made objects. Some beauty to its functionality and you’ll have a hot tub surround that encourages more use.
The Deck Or Patio
When most people envision a hot tub they picture it being surrounded by a wooden deck or a stone patio and there are good reasons for this. Not only can a deck or patio be very practical in delineating an area around the hot tub, but there’s also a natural beauty that comes from pairing wood or stone with water. Decks are often used to surround and cover the hot tub cabinet, whereas patios can be used to create a solid, stable base for the hot tub to rest on. The wide range of materials that decks or patios can be made of ensures they can be tailored to suit any type of environment.
The Gazebo Or Pergola
Gazebos and pergolas can be used to provide an elegant layer of shelter to a hot tub. Their frames can be used to create extra privacy, protection from the elements and a surface on which to attach extras such as heaters, fans or sound systems. A pergola offers more overhead exposure while a gazebo will provide full overhead protection. Which one works best for you will depend on the weather patterns in your area and the amount of overhead coverage you’re seeking.
The Swimming Pool
What better hot tub surround could you have than a full-sized swimming pool? The two go hand in hand. Jumping into a cool refreshing swimming pool after soaking in a hot tub and vice versa is every water lover’s dream. If you’re looking to seamlessly expand your aquatic universe, a swimming pool is the ultimate hot tub surround.
Now that you’ve got some ideas on how to make a hot tub surround and add beauty to your backyard, download a free buyer’s guide for more information.