Singing a Soothing Song

Hey, Boomers and Gen Xers. Don't waste your days searching for that proverbial fountain of youth. That's so Ponce de Leon.

Instead, allow us to recommend a more fruitful quest—to find the fountain of serenity and universal rhythm. That's right, we're talking about a water fountain of your own choosing to augment your yard, garden, or atrium.

"It's beyond being relaxing to me," CA-Modern magazine staffer Adriene Biondo says of the water feature in her own Eichler atrium and the liquid song it sings. "It kind of gives a Zen feeling to your environment, almost meditative."

This is the bliss Biondo urges you not to miss in 'Falling Water,' her consumer report on stylish fountains in the Summer 2021 CA-Modern. Click here to read a PDF of the story.

"In planning for your water feature, you'll want to ask yourself a few questions," she cautions in the story, which features ten modern-styled water elements priced between $125 and $1,600. "Where will your new feature be positioned [and] what size, scale, and weight work best in your planned space?"

"Will access to electricity and water be needed?" she queries. "Other factors to keep in mind before bringing your water feature home are noise level, splash zone, drainage, auto-fill needs and capabilities, and maintenance and safety concerns."

"Certain fountains are more splashy than others," Biondo pointed out in a recent phone interview, acknowledging that stray water may be a reason to place your fountain on a level hardscape rather than, say, a wooden floor or deck. "Moisture can accumulate under the fountain—probably not the best idea."

One of Biondo's favorite water feature products currently on the market is the Falling Water produced by Palm Springs-based Modern HQ. The company owner, Joe Tatar, concedes that there are quieter and less splashy models available, but none more stylish.

"These fountains have an architectural appeal," promised Tatar. "They definitely are a sculptural, active art piece."

One Eichler owner who has been duly impressed with Tatar's eye-catching design is Eichler Network/CA-Modern publisher Marty Arbunich.

"I was recently struck by Falling Water and thought it would make for a great addition to the courtyard of the Eichler X-100," Arbunich said of the Eichler experimental steel house he owns in the San Mateo Highlands. Still, he had questions.