I had never heard of a Baja Shelf – or Ledge Loungers (which are the ridiculously glamorous chair you see me and Erin sitting in above) – until about six months ago. And now I am not entirely sure how this was so, because it seems to me that every pool-owning person should prooooooobably be on the receiving end of this info.
I’ve talked about the Baja Shelf before, but since the concept of one was totally new to me, I thought it was worth revisiting. When I decided to redo my pool (not really an option, actually, since the plaster was cracking all over the place), the guy who came over to help me plan it said “Hey, what about a Baja Shelf?” Cleeeeeearly an attempt at upselling me, but once I saw what it was I was all hook, line and sinker. Would I also like to have a built-in hole in this shelf for an umbrella? WHY NOT. Because seriously, if you’re going to do a project as massive as a full pool renovation, you might as well do it right.
And “right,” to me, means being able to be in the water without actually having to, you know, expend any effort to do so. (BTW, just a recap, if you’re curious how we paid for our renovations.)
I was a hair confused about what one puts on a Baja Shelf, but my friend Alisa (who apparently has experience with such things), told me that they sell chairs specifically made for placement on a Baja Shelf – meaning chairs made with materials that can handle being in the water virtually all the time, and that give you that perfect ratio of body parts in pool : body parts out of pool. I researched a bit, and discovered that there aren’t a ton of companies that make these things, and of the ones that do, they tend to make…pillows. And if I put pillows in my pool, guess who is going to sit on them? (The answer is “not Mom.”)
We reached out to the company who makes the gold standard of Baja Shelf chairs, Ledge Lounger, and they were kind enough to send a pair of their classic chaise loungers over so I could show you exactly how lovely Shelf Life can be. These things (which come in tons of styles and colors) are made of marine-grade materials, and are sleek and elegant and not pillow-y at all (oh, except for the detachable pillows you can wrap around the headrests just in case you’re exhausted by all that lounging and require a nap).
FYI, Ledge Lounger also makes poolside and patio furniture that doesn’t require the presence in your life of a Baja Shelf, including spectacular daybeds, cabanas, and ice bins that transform into mini tables, in case you want to go Full Miami (trust me, I considered it, but alas, my backyard isn’t quiiiite the size of an upscale hotel’s).
We may have to sell this house, ’tis true, but in the meantime? This is where I’ll be.
P.S. The unicorn float you see below is an obvious must-own. I mean, it has glitter in it. You can buy it here if you need more unicorns in your life (and who doesn’t?).
