Want your hot tub surroundings to look nice, but don’t want the hassle of a major custom installation? Good news. That’s absolutely possible.

The owner of Best Hot Tubs’ New York showrooms (Westbury, Farmingdale, Windham), Bill Renter, previously owned a build/design landscaping firm and has been customizing hot tub installations for many years.

One thing Bill learned is that a custom installation doesn’t have to be complicated. “All a hot tub basically needs is a firm foundation, such as on the ground, that has been prepared to allow proper drainage. “And if you add a little creativity and style to it, the outcome can be very attractive — yet simple to complete.”

 

 

If you have an existing deck, and you don’t want to just place the hot tub next to it, you can have a piece of the deck cut out and nestle the spa into it. Then, by choosing a hot tub base that matches the decking materials, a seamless feeling to it all is achieved. Also, part of the hot tub will be conveniently left exposed for access to its plumbing, etc.

Additional easy tips: Choosing outdoor patio furniture cushions that are removable, will not only provide a soft comfortable seat, the cushions can be easily cleaned or refreshed without having to be replaced regularly. 

 

 

 

It can be just as easy to position a hot tub by removing a few patio pavers as it would be to cut a small section from a deck.

Again, these clients chose a Bullfrog Spas’ hot tub base that harmonized with a key element of their backyard: the patio pavers. 

For additional color note how they added bright pillows — which is, by far, the easiest way to brighten an outdoor space such as a hot tub area.

 

 

 

 

Of course, if it’s time to upgrade a patio or deck, the custom look can be really enhanced by incorporating a simple cut out in the patio/deck’s original design. Indeed, these Best Hot Tubs clients did just that. 

Plus, by choosing a dark hot tub case for their Bullfrog Spa that picked up the color of their sloping roof, the clients created a dramatic contrast to the light tones of their patio and steps. Finally, the warm light brown outdoor furniture they added, along with bright plantings and natural stone boulders, finished it all perfectly — with none of it being complicated.

 

 

 

Again, if you are starting from scratch and need a new patio or deck, it can be designed to accommodate your hot tub in both color and shape. These homeowners wanted a round spa, in the traditional style of early hot tubs, and shaped their deck with curves to harmonize with it. They also customized the hot tub case with the same decking material.

The clients were also fortunate to have some existing old-growth wisteria available to add charm to the hot tub area. If you have abundant blossoms or greenery near your hot tub, it’s wise to keep the spa’s cover on when not in use. Falling petals and leaves will alter the pH balance of the water requiring more chemicals and cleaning than would otherwise be necessary. Note: Today’s spa covers are so simple to use, covering the spa when not in use is easy-peasy, too.

 

 

 

But, you may ask, what if you have an existing deck that is above ground and you can’t nestle the spa into it? The simple answer is a spa cradle. Bill Renter designed this cradle himself to match the white frame and wood lattice of the existing deck. And he had it constructed in a height that turned the mount into a second tier of the deck. The spa mount was easy to do when you consider the overall effect.

One final note. There are many ways to design a custom hot tub installation. But positioning the spa near the back door (like in all the installations we highlighted today) ensures you will use your hot tub a good deal, even when the weather isn’t great.