In the past few years, sun shelves have gained popularity like never before; being incorporated in new pool designs and remodels alike. Also known as a Baja shelf and coined the “ledge” by in-pool furniture leader Ledge Lounger, these shallow water platforms are trending as a focal point for in-pool fun, relaxation, and style.   

Because of this, there’s been an influx of new in-pool and outdoor furniture brands entering the market. As life on the sun shelf becomes the standard, in-pool furniture manufacturers have beefed up their product offerings with new stylish options. In-pool chaise lounges, benches, bar stools, slides, tables, umbrellas, and more are now elevating the look and functionality of pools and outdoor spaces around the world. 

With so much to choose from which is the right one for your pool? This article explores the top 5 in-pool furniture brands to help you select the best option for you or your customer. In no particular order, let’s dive into it. 

1) TENJAM: Simply Bold. Retro-Style Pool Furniture

The newest manufacturer to enter the in-pool furniture category, Tenjam’s roots originate in rotomolded school furniture. The manufacturer places a very heavy emphasis on comfort, functionality, and bold, retro designs. With decades of experience in rotomolded furniture fabrication, Tenjam is certainly earning its place on the market.  

Some of their most popular pieces include the Shayz Pool Lounger, the Mibster Chair, the Moon Chair, and the Amped Side Table.

Simple and bold is what describes Tenjam’s style. And rightfully so! Tenjam brings a very different and unique look to the sun shelf with a wide range of products that blend bright, bold colors with mid-century style.  

Tenjam prides itself on providing comfort and functionality in every piece of furniture they design. For instance, their popular Shayz Lounger features an ergonomic, upright seated design with armrests and cup holders. They have also specially designed a counterweighted headrest pillow for the lounger to ensure comfort and ease of use, featuring a built in pocket for convenient storage of a wallet or cell phone.

The patented valve system makes filling the lounger a complete breeze. They also offer three different snap-in risers (4″, 8″, and 12″) which elevate the height of the chair, allowing use in 5 to 17 inches of water. 

2) LEDGE LOUNGER: The Original In-Pool Furniture Brand

Many say that nothing beats a classic, and Ledge Lounger is certainly the classic choice for in-pool loungers and patio furniture on the US market. Before starting the company, their CEO was in fact a pool builder, giving him insight into what consumers are really looking for to complete their outdoor space.

The Ledge Lounger furniture line is extensive, consisting of self-sinking and leveling pool bar stools, classic in-pool loungers, patio chairs, patio tables, games, and even baby slides. Their most popular in-pool collection is the Signature Series. This includes loungers, chairs, barstools, and tables.  

As the originator and influencer in the industry, Ledge Lounger is known for its iconic resort-style look. Clean, modern, and streamlined, their products are available in an array of colors with supporting cushions, pillows, and sunshade accessories. The Signature Series isn’t Ledge Lounger’s only in-pool collection. Their new, luxurious Autograph Collection includes the Autograph Pool Chaise, winner of the 2022 Good Design award! The lineup certainly boasts an alluring look, appealing to all sun lovers alike. 

Ledge Lounger tends to offer a more reclined seating position in their products; perfect for sunbathing and relaxing in shallow water. Seat shades, pillows, and cushions are nice add-on accessories to further enhance one’s ledge experience.  

Their in-pool furniture features a threaded plug system where a plug is removed, and the furniture is filled with pool water to submerge itself and stay in place. The product lineup allows use in water depths from 9″ – 20″ depending on the chair or lounger selected. Risers are also available. 

3) FLOATING LUXURIES: Stylish & Comfortable In-Pool Loungers

Floating Luxuries offers a very simple yet powerful lineup. Available in a beautiful, classic white color, this manufacturer offers the perfect hybrid of style, comfort, and functionality. The Kai series offers a shallow and deep-water lounger, a side table, and a commercial-grade fiberglass umbrella for arguably one of the most comfortable, yet fashionable complete sun shelf sets on the market.  

Their popular products include the Kai Shelf Lounger, Kai Shelf Lounger – Deep, Kai Side Table, and the Kai Luxury Umbrella to complete any outdoor paradise!

Fashion and comfort are the cornerstones of Floating Luxuries’ Design. The collection is reminiscent of iconic, resort-style in-pool furniture looks but has certainly brought its own personal touches to make them stand out. 

Compared to other loungers on the market, Floating Luxuries produces oversized loungers, that sit in a more upright, forward-facing position, making them comfortable for people of all shapes and sizes. All Kai loungers have been ergonomically designed with long-term lounging in mind.  

The furniture utilizes top-fill and bottom-drain ports. This allows simple filling with a garden hose to keep them securely in place. Air vents at the knee allow uninterrupted fills, while the cup and phone holders are a customer favorite. 

Floating Luxuries has an extensive product offering that includes pillows, pool noodles, pool floats, and a floating drink caddy to give their customers everything they need for a fun pool day in the sun.

4) VONDOM: High-Fashion, Modern Outdoor Furniture

Imported from Spain, Vondom brings true high-fashion pool and outdoor furniture to the US market. Their ultra-modern, contemporary furniture is designed by world-renowned designers, bringing you more than just pool and outdoor patio furniture, but elevating your pool and outdoor space with stunning works of art.

Their most sought-after pieces include the Ibiza Sun Lounger, the Faz Sun Bed, the Jut Sun Chaise, and the Surf Sun Chaise. All of which offer sleek, modern designs and comfortable functionality.

Commercially rated, and available in rotomolded and non-rotomolded designs, this furniture line is made from polypropylene-reinforced fiberglass, making it sturdy and long-lasting. Vondom is famous for its high-fashion European designs that add a unique flare to any space. From LED-lit daybeds to comfortable contemporary loungers, they bring art and design to any outdoor area.

Vondom is dedicated to the environment and in an effort to reduce pollution has created the Vondom Revolution line of in-pool and outdoor furniture. Manufactured using recycled polypropylene materials like plastics from fishnets and waste collected from our oceans, this eco-friendly initiative sets the example for other brands to practice sustainable product development, which is critical to achieving a better quality of life for all. 

5) SR SMITH: Timeless Pool Furniture

If you’re looking for in-pool furniture but you’re a fan of classic style and a modern-looking lounger just won’t do, then look no further than SR Smith! They offer comfortable and unique in-pool furniture in a timeless style.

The Destination Lounger and the Destination Rocking Chair are popular, non-rotomolded (not hollow) products that distinguish this brand from the rest. They feature a self-filling ballast system which means there are no fill ports; you’ll enjoy the easy setup!

The Destination Rocking Chair is the only in-pool rocking chair available on the market. Who says rocking chairs can only be used on porches? Now you can enjoy the comfort and old-world style while you relax in refreshing pool water on a hot summer day. You really can’t beat that!

Moreover, their products are available in 9 color options and are UV protected to ensure longevity. Plus, they’re safe for all pool types including vinyl!

THE TAKEAWAY 

Apart from Vondom, which is manufactured and imported from Spain, all the above-mentioned brands are manufactured in the USA from commercial grade, UV-resistant, chemical-resistant plastics, and resins. They are safe for all pool surfaces including plaster, vinyl liners, and tiled surfaces. 

It is estimated that over 90% of new pools are being designed with a sun shelf. From sun lovers looking to enjoy their day in the pool to growing families with children, this pool design trend has skyrocketed as it offers a versatile living space. 

With so many different applications and personal styles, there is no wonder why manufacturers are carving out their own piece of the sun shelf market share.  

WHERE TO BUY 

Some of the manufacturers listed in this article have online stores and may also be found on Amazon at full retail pricing. It’s important to note that some third-party vendors are manufacturing inferior look-alike products. It’s always best to read customer reviews and buy from a trusted source. 

In some cases, builders and contractors may even be able to open dealer accounts with reputable vendors. But, with so many options wouldn’t it be great to access all brands from a single source while enjoying the very best in customer service and preferred pricing?

If the answer is yes, then we at AquaBlu invite all trades to join our AquaPRO Trade Network.  

AquaBlu Mosaics isn’t just tile… As a leading supplier of pool tile and outdoor accessories, AquaBlu is now proudly the #1 destination for In Pool Furniture. Give us a call today for help getting your or your customer’s outdoor furniture set today!

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How a Virginia retail business leverages their ‘most valuable commodity — human willpower’ for continued growth

Jennifer Clements is the first to admit she loves to talk.

“The gift of gab can be very powerful,” says the co-owner of Pla-Mor Pools, a family-owned retail business with two locations in the Mechanicsville, Virginia-area.

For 40 years, Clements and her husband Kenny have been running the business her in-laws began in 1968 by focusing on the relationships they build with their employees, customers, and industry partners. But Clements never expected her role to become so critical as it did in the last two years as COVID and supply chain shortages combined to make business more challenging.

The pool and hot tub retail business was the hardest hit segment in the industry, Clements surmises.

“We had to put a lot of rules, guidelines, and new practices in place. On the administrative side, I spent more time making sure that our retail store was compliant than helping customers, and that’s sad,” she says.

Looking back, she recalls the early pandemic days as “horrific” and the time since as a wild ride.

“In all my decades in the industry, I’ve never experienced demand like that,” she says, yet “[suppliers] limited how many tubs we could buy, and we could have sold probably five times as many.”

Pla-Mor weathered the storm, ensuring the next generation of Clements family owners, Jennifer’s four sons, can carry on the tradition. “I know now that where there’s a will there’s a way,” she reflects. “I think our most valuable commodity is just human willpower.”

Treat employees like family

Clements likes to tease her staff that she has “adopted” them. She says a big part of Pla-Mor’s success through challenging times is in how they recruit and retain employees.

It hasn’t been easy.

“It was the most exhausting feat trying to bring in folks (during the pandemic). I’ve been stunned by how few candidates apply for positions,” she says, citing stimulus checks, safety concerns, and family care responsibilities as culprits. Now she runs continuous hiring campaigns through Indeed, posts fliers, and uses local organizations to educate prospective employees on career opportunities. Her main message: “Your safety is front and center for us, and we value you.

Other tactics they’ve used the past two years include:

• Aggressively adjusting pay rates to national trends
• Adding short-term sales inducements to products to help create excitement and establish goals
• Allowing employees to help set safety standards
• Including all employees in ongoing training, including leading training sessions once they’ve hit a year of service

Overall, Clements doesn’t try to get fancy with her employee incentives – she focuses on paying employees well and treating them even better.

“Most of our staff has been with us for a long time, so they know they’re part of the family,” she says. “You have to actively work with new staff to establish that sense of belonging.”

Build your network to expand your options

Ask Clements what her job title is, and you’ll get a few answers. She finally settles on “director of business development,” but that doesn’t quite capture the whole picture. She’s used to being behind-the-scenes wearing many hats.

Today she reaches out to other women in this business who feel the same, to help them see the value in talking about their roles.

“Women are networkers by nature,” she says. “I love to network, whether it’s with other people in the pool business or if it’s with sales reps to find out what the trends are and forecast ahead of time which direction our business needs to go.”

Regardless of gender, Clements says that networking can help anyone’s business grow. She suggests a few key places to make an impact:

• Attending trade shows gives you time to pick the brains of other business owners, get key contacts, and reach out to people with a strong industry presence
• Interacting with political leaders pre-pandemic allowed Clements to contact the Virginia governor’s office in the earliest days of COVID so that Pla-Mor could have a plan in place before restrictions began and keep their doors open
• Joining industry associations like the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance has given Clements the “Batphone” – there’s always someone to call for help, which has especially helped in sourcing hard-to-get products

Communicate with your customers

Clements actively monitors all of her business’s online reviews. Last year, she had a tough one. The customer was lamenting that they had purchased an aboveground pool from someone else, and they couldn’t get a ladder from Pla-Mor. Clements did what she always does – respond with the facts.

“I had to explain the interaction we had in the store that, yes, we did have them on the floor, but they were sold and nobody can source them,” she recalls.

As someone who can talk to anyone, Clements does not shy from customer interactions. Quite the opposite, she’s picked up those communications in the past two years and recommends:

• Getting to know your customer base – Pla-Mor has a large percentage who are older, so they expected elevated safety and cleanliness standards
• Serving customers where and when they want, which for Pla-Mor has meant increasingly moving to online retail and continuing contactless curbside pickup
• Re-evaluating your show floor setup or warehouse storage footage to meet current demands – at Pla-Mor that has meant utilizing space left open by carrying fewer spas to instead store and display pumps and filters that they stocked up on to fulfill customer needs when others couldn’t
• Providing full transparency into your pricing and sourcing strategies, even going as far as creating a book that shows manufacturer and distributor letters/information on rate increases and product shortages

Clements has learned customers can be fickle. “We were so short on some products and then other products were so far ahead that it would have been nice if we’d had explosive growth on everything.” While not experiencing the growth some builders and service businesses saw, Clements applauds the hard-won 27% growth rate Pla-Mor achieved these past two years, in large part thanks to the people who power their business – their employees, customers, and allies.

Download a sharable PDF of this article. 

Watch the full interview with Jennifer:

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