Tips for Designing Around a Wall Fountain

Wall fountains are impressive pieces of art. They bring sound and movement to rooms which may otherwise be static. They are conversation starters. They are, quite simply, breathtaking. If not installed properly, however, they can lose some of their shine. Functionality is important, of course, but what about the other part of installing? It takes more than finding studs and running wires to make a wall fountain fit into a room. Sometimes you need to design around it in order to truly bring everything together.

Hiding the Cord

Few things are worse than a visible cord. Whether it’s a lamp, a television or an incredible wall fountain, a cord tends to stick out like a sore thumb. So, how do we fix that? There are a few different ways.

First, best, and probably most difficult would be to install a new outlet just for the fountain. For something like the Aspen Falls Wall Water Fountain, if you install an outlet in the wall, then place the fountain in front of it, there’s no cable to be seen. This is something seen often when people have custom theater setups which include a wall-mounted television. Often, wires will be run through the walls into a special box behind the screen. There’s no reason this same method can’t be used with a wall fountain, but it’ll take some skill with carpentry and electrical wiring, both of which can be costly if mistakes should happen.

Another option would be cable covers, another trick used by television owners. These come in a variety of shades and can be painted to match your wall. All you need to do is run the wire as straight as you can to the floor, then apply the cable cover. It’s certainly not as elegant as a custom outlet, as these covers are still visible, but it is something to consider.

A third option, which is probably the easiest and can still maintain a fair sense of elegance, is to place something in front of the cable. A table, for instance, with a tall plant on top. This, if placed strategically, can help cover the cable as it hangs down toward the outlet.

This is a technique which would work well with something like the Contempo Luna Horizontal Stainless Steel and Silver Mirror Indoor Wall Fountain. Because of its relatively short height, it doesn’t take up a significant amount of space on the wall, so placing something beneath it would work.

Complementing the Piece

hile some wall fountains, like the impressive 6 Foot Tall Sorcery Triptic Fountain, can hold their own, it’s important to find other things that can complement what you’re bringing into the area, without taking over the focus. Furniture is one good way to do this. Furniture serves a few functions, not the least of which is giving you and your guests a place to view your new fountain.

A piece like the Cascade Springs Wall Water Fountain, for instance, is tall and somewhat slender. While its height isn’t conducive to allowing for anything below it, chairs can be placed on either side of it. Something classy, like this piece with its jagged design, would benefit from something soft and round, like a leather sitting chair.

Plants also make good additions. Tall plants that would reach from the ground to near the center or upper third of the fountain would do a great job of really helping it stand out. Using the Cascade Springs Wall Water Fountain as an example, again, something tall and slender in a dark shade would help it pop out.

You can also make use of special lighting. While many fountains include their own lighting, bringing some into the situation can give you the opportunity to really customize it to your own liking. Track lighting, for instance, can open up new angles of light, allowing for different reflections and sparkles in the water as it passes across the face of your fountain.

Color, Color, Color 

So many of the fountains we offer come in a variety of customizable colors, such as our art wall fountains. On many, you can choose the color of multiple parts, from the frame to the background to the metal finishes. It is important to keep that in mind when planning to bring a wall fountain into your life. Let’s look at the Olympus Falls Wall Water Fountain, one of my favorites. This piece offers 10 different surface material options, as well as two trim styles and three different frame finishes. This fountain even has the option to add your business logo, making the design even more exciting! 

When it comes to colors, I like to contrast and complement. For instance, if I had a white wall, I would likely choose to go with the black frame finish. Personally, I would also likely go with the black marble or the rajah featherstone finish. Both of these would play well with the light produced by the fountain and would contrast nicely with my white wall.

As some accessories for this fountain, I might place a black leather chair nearby. If I went with the squared corner trim style, I would aim to make sure the leather chair had straight lines. Sometimes, though, you may not want to have contrast. A cream-colored wall would look well enough with the rustic copper finish and the silver mirror surface material.

Bringing in a little color through flowering plants would also be a smart idea. A pop of pink from the inside of a lily, for instance, can go a long way in the modern presentation I laid out earlier. Bringing in some blues or violets, or even just some tall grass in a nice vase, would look nice in the presence of the copper and silver.

The key to having a good wall fountain presentation is making sure nothing is standing in the way of it looking amazing. A dangling cord is very distracting. A piece standing on its own can be easily overlooked. If your fountain is hanging on the wall all by its lonesome, it stands a chance of not being noticed. Using color, accessories and a little smarts can go a long way toward making sure your investment is something you are both proud of and can enjoy. Do you have a wall fountain? What have you done to make sure people are admiring your favorite piece?