We have all heard in home sales that “The most important view is what can be seen from the street”—that's called curb appeal. We have found that there's another important view that exists within the “pool cage” or “beyond” the pool cage. This area has the greatest potential for untapped opportunities. It is often overlooked in home sales, renovations, and buying for added value renovations.

By extending the outdoor living space beyond the pool cage, the outdoor space can often flow more outward, from the interior theme to the outdoors extending the living space—connecting the interior to the ‘out of doors’ living areas and beyond the exterior. To extend the spaces beyond the immediate exterior we need to consider whether a larger lawn area, a beautiful fairway or putting green exists, a natural or manmade water body or just a pretty view needs to be considered. Connecting these areas for a broader landscape offers unlimited possibilities to visually enlarging an outdoor living space for a more harmoniously “connected” home with abundant spacial opportunities. Screens can sometimes create a disconnect to these spaces if not designed appropriately, or may be too restrictive in their structure type. With careful evaluation of each home we can determine if the removal of a screened cage will enhance the home’s outdoor living space and optimize any views; in some designs this “un-caging” can create wonderful experiences with new found freedoms by connecting a home’s interior to the exterior and beyond—extending the visual surroundings in a vivid way.

BEFORE & AFTER: The Waterfront View
In this project we felt the design element of the frame's vertical braces forced the eye to abruptly adjust from one view to another and limited the horizon view of the waterfront. Often times when space is limited beyond the pool, such as in this project, we suggest extending the view past the pool to the absolutely magnificent waterfront coveted by Floridians. By removing the pool cage and adding a new infinity-edge spa, we achieved the illusion of a much larger space for a 'zen like' mental freedom. The spa acts as a quiet pool and adds a touch of ‘seamless’ resort – providing tranquility within the newly found expanded outdoor living space with a luxury waterfront view.