Table-Top Fountains In Demand
The sound of running water - and we don’t mean the drip in the kitchen sink - is making a big splash this year.
Table-top fountains - a.k.a. desktop fountains - are not exactly new, but these water elements are hitting a new peak of popularity.
“The sound of running water seems to be a successful tension reliever,” says Roger Bonasera, owner of Pottery Mart in San Jose, Calif. “It’s a way to break the tension of our busy days. People like that.”
Say “water fountain” and people think about digging a big hole in the back yard and installing an expensive koi pond. But table-top fountains are a cheapie alternative, costing as little as $40. All you need is an extension cord.
These small recycling fountains are everywhere this season - in stores such as Orchard Supply Hardware and Pottery Mart, and catalogs like Gardener’s Eden and National Wildlife.
Some are ornate miniature settings with bonsai plants and weathered rocks; others are simple bowls of sun-bleached rocks or slate washed by water.
Still others are pure fun, such as the frog that “spits” a stream of water, or the brass faucet suspended in mid-air with water magically cascading from the faucet. And don’t overlook the resin knock-off from China depicting Santa Claus in the pond.
“The great attraction with indoor fountains is the soothing sound of water in the environment where we work or play,” says Bonasera. “All desktop fountains recycle their own water, have little or no splash and require minimum maintenance. You fill them up, put the plug in the wall and you’ve got instant environmental adjustment,” he says.
These mini-fountains are a twist on the power of running water. Who hasn’t marveled at the sound of a stream tumbling over rocks, sunlight sparkling like diamonds on the water? The sound of flowing water soothes the soul and calms the mind. Yosemite Falls in a box. How can we resist?
“People just love this stuff,” says Joe Polzin, owner of Fancy This Inc. in Temecula, Calif. Polzin, a metal artist, invented Fantasy Fountain, which is a watering can with a faucet and no apparent water source.
One of the hot newcomers to the fountain market, the faucet “is like an optical illusion. People look at it and say ‘How do they do that?”’ Polzin says.
“Everyone, and I mean everyone, who stops to look at this faucet will eventually put out their finger to ‘feel’ the running water. What they touch, of course, is the acrylic pipe through which the water is recycled,” he says.
Although table-top fountains have been around for about 10 years, buyers this year are finding refined and improved models that include adjustable pumps to control the speed of water flow and pumps that will not burn up if the water runs dry.
Until five years ago, most attempts at small fountains for indoors were scaled-down versions of big Italian styles or over-size natural rock models.
“Many were quite impractical for indoor use because they splashed and were not very pretty to the eye,” Bonasera says. In 1992 a Southern California manufacturer began shipping a simple, good-looking functional fountain in a box to major retailers. “Then the market just exploded,” he says.
Says Glenn Harrison of Table Top Fountains in Antioch, Calif. “Over the years I’ve heard people say this is a fad that will die out. But I think they are here to stay because these little fountains bring affordable water into our lives. You can buy a fountain, or buy a pump and make your own. It’s just plain satisfying.”
While there are inexpensive models of table-top fountains, not all fountains come cheap. Depending on size and material, a recycling fountain can cost from $40 to $1,000 and beyond.
These more expensive fountains - which are no more trouble than a table-top design - rely on the ever-faithful recycling pump and an electrical source.
Because they usually are part of the outdoor landscape, either in the garden, patio or entryway, they are made of more durable stone, although Japanese fountains of wood and bamboo can withstand the elements.
But it is the little ones that seem to have the most appeal. “There are no limits as to the type of designs or the type of fountainheads that are used in these designs. Nothing is sacred,” Harrison says.
xxxx WATER ELEMENTS MAY NEED SOME UPKEEP San Jose Mercury News Although table-top fountains are nearly maintenance-free, there are a couple of caveats, says Roger Bonasera of Pottery Mart: Condensation can form on the bottom of the fountain, staining the floor or leaving unforgiving water marks on a table. “It is good practice to raise the fountain slightly above finished surfaces,” he says. Depending on how the fountain pours, there may be a small amount of splashing. “Be careful to inspect the area around the fountain after it’s running for awhile. If there is water splashing slightly, you can correct the flow before water accumulates,” Bonasera says.