Ali Enterprises - Transcends the Imagination
When you think of your outdoor living space you want to view it as an extension of your home. Some homeowners look for the “wow” reaction, some look for a relaxing space to breath with a good book, others look for a dynamic elegant party experience. Often, clients look to feel all these sensations. The passion and imagination behind the creation of a successful outdoor living space requires a professional eye who sees both the natural beauty of the space combined with the homeowner’s vision. Overall, the goal is to create a functional space that meets and often exceeds the homeowner’s expectations while providing a purposeful artistic experience.
Ali Felschow: “The wonder of color and texture transcends the imagination. My creations are designed to stimulate the senses beyond the trivialities of everyday life and allow you to experience the elements of the design while enhancing the space.”
Designer and builder Ali Felschow of Ali Enterprises Inc. bases her projects around the experience, the feel which she explains is different for every homeowner. Having designed outdoor living spaces for over 20 years, Ali Enterprises Inc. has a reputation for creating timeless showcases that integrate seamlessly with their natural surroundings and feel comfortable and inviting. “I didn’t start out in the field of design. In college I went to school for Art in Atlanta, naturally I learned how to manipulate spaces on paper but that is nothing like seeing it before your eyes. When it comes to the pool construction industry, my experience really did start at the bottom. During school I worked as a pool maintenance technician working and cleaning pools of different shapes, sizes, colors, and locations. As I got older and with a better understanding of a pool’s functionality, I was able to take my artistic knowledge and really use it to understand the flow of natural spaces in pool construction. Since then I have been a part of hundreds of different creations and different visions. “I take this hands-on experience and my familiarity in the area of pool construction and maintenance to my client’s advantage.”
When designing the perfect space often you must look at the bigger picture. Bringing imagination to life needs a hands-on experience. “When I refer to hands-on experience, I’m not simply talking about my previous experience in construction. Design is a creative experience that goes hand and hand with an education. Traveling has helped educate me on different ways to build and overcome obstacles. Necessary items do not need to be boring or standard. A drain cover is a very necessary item when designing outside spaces. When traveling in Austria the Melk Abby, I noticed the hand cut drain covers which was a fantastic way to make a functional part of a project be a decorative piece that really makes you stop and look at the details in a new way. Every facet of the world has a unique way of solving problems related to everyday life, we just must “see” the creativity.
Ali takes interest in how the client lives. She likes to study the family dynamic, the style they seek and how everything flows inside and out. With these additional details she attempts to create a design that fits the clients best. “Seeing a homeowner comfortable in their natural environment really helps me develop a stronger connection with the space.” As clients travel from Coast to Coast they do so to experience new places and want their spaces to fit their lifestyle yet invoke a inner connection.
Ali enjoys the conversation and learning about people and the imaginations of the different people she encounters. “While I believe I can create a lot of great ideas on my own, it is nice to take a page from a client’s book. They live with the space every day, they stare at it and formulate ideas in their head while you are still processing that the space exists. Sometimes just listening provides you with a great deal of insight.”
The best part of design is taking the client to their new space in a way that they would not have ever imagined. Some clients tell me that they want a certain look, however their home and how it’s designed do not match what they say they want, I have to listen and look and I always find that “feeling” that the client wants in the space that might not have been translatable in “modern” , “Mid Century Modern” etc. The outdoors should flow inwards to the home’s interior for a good design to be apparent.
Ali states, “Crafting a space that can be used during all seasons is a personal priority for me. If I cannot provide a beautiful 365-day experience for my clients than I have not done my job.” Elegance can only be provided when the correct details are supplied at the right time with close attention to flow, functionality, and spacial awareness to create an enjoyable and easy experience for both client and contractor.
From new construction to renovation, Ali enjoys the challenge. She holds a certification for the Society of Water Shape Designers (created by GENESIS) and Watershape University. Ali attended the University of South Carolina and graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta with honors. She is an artist, painter, and does pottery work as well. Ali works to incorporate different artistic designs into the water shapes and hardscapes. Just how an interior designer incorporates art into your home, she incorporates art into your outdoor space. She continues to study her environment and enjoys new experiences. She continues to evolve beyond simplistic design to create new and unique designs in every space.
“Designing is the first look into what a space could become. I love seeing the look on my clients face when I show them a 3-d rendering of what the space could be. When I complete a design and I see that my client loves it, it creates a euphoric feeling and makes this job worth it every day.”
