The Countless Construction Materials of Fountains
The Countless Construction Materials of Fountains While today’s garden fountains are made in a variety of materials, most are made from metal.
Metallic models offer clean lines and unique sculptural accents and can accommodate nearly any decorative style and budget. If you have a modern-day look and feel to your interior design, your yard and garden should have that same style. At present, copper is extremely popular for sculptural garden fountains. Copper is common for both inside and outside use and is widely found in tabletop and cascade fountains, among others. Another advantage of copper fountains is they are versatile and come in a wide variety of styles.
Also popular, brass fountains generally have a more old-fashioned appearance to them versus their copper counterpart. Though not the most modern, the creatures and sculptural features you find on fountains are mostly made of brass, thus making them very popular.
Of all the metals, stainless steel is recognized as the most modern -looking. Adding a modern-looking steel design will immediately add value to your garden and enhance the overall ambiance. As with all fountains, you can get any size you need.
For people who want the visual appeal of a metal fountain but prefer a lighter weight and more affordable option, fiberglass is the answer. Keeping a fiberglass water fountain clean and working correctly is quite simple, another aspect consumers love.
Where did Fountains Come From?
Where did Fountains Come From?
A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes. The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. Residents of urban areas, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains needed to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and memorialize the designer. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. Fountains played a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exercise his power over nature. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Gravity was replaced by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for beautiful water displays.
These days, fountains decorate public spaces and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.