Dentists from the around the country as well as from Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia and Yugoslavia have contacted Ft. Lauderdale-based Living Color Enterprises, Inc. in recent months. They have been interested in the company’s Discovery Collection, a line of semi-custom aquariums that start at $12,900, less than half the price of a custom design. New to the Discovery Collection is the cylindrically shaped Neptune design. The Neptune holds 158 gallons of water, measures three feet in diameter and is nearly eight feet tall with cabinetry. “We have seen a surge in interest in the semi-custom aquarium line that we launched in March, particularly among dentists,” said Scott Nash, president of Living Color, which has been building custom aquariums for more than 15 years. “They recognize the health benefits aquariums can have on patients.”
Studies have proven that looking at an aquarium actually lessens patient anxiety and can reduce blood pressure.
“I love my aquariums and how they look,” said Dr. Larry Kawa, a dentist practicing in Boca Raton, Fla. “Most importantly, my patients love them and find them to be quite therapeutic.”
Aquariums in the Discovery Collection, which have become popular in physician offices, are as easy to install and incorporate into any room design as a piece of fine furniture.
In addition to the Neptune design, there are two other designs currently offered in the Discovery Collection, the Atlantis and the Poseidon. The Atlantis holds 270 gallons of water in a rectangular tank that measures 6’ x 2’ x 3’. The Poseidon holds 180 gallons of water in its 4’ x 2’ x 3’ tank. The coordinating cabinetry is just over seven feet.
The size and shape of aquariums in the Discovery Collection are pre-designed; however, customers can tailor the look of their aquarium by selecting a fabricated saltwater reef style – Caribbean, Indo-Pacific or Red Sea, reflecting those found in tropical waters worldwide. Living Color also offers a River Rock fabricated reef option with the Poseidon and Atlantis designs for those customers who desire a freshwater aquarium.
Living Color artists replicate the look of saltwater and freshwater environments using synthetic coral, which is ecologically safe for the environment and often preferred over living organisms due to its minimal maintenance.
Nash said that the majority of the company’s customers purchase saltwater aquariums due to the vibrantly colored fish and coral indigenous to this environment.
Living Color aquariums are made using acrylic, known for its clarity and strength. The company has always used acrylic instead of glass. In addition to its higher optical quality and impact resistance, acrylic is not affected by sun, salt or temperature variations.
The handcrafted cabinet styles in the Discovery Collection can be made to fit a traditional or contemporary look, and the wood can be stained to complement the décor of any home or office.
Since 1988, Living Color Enterprises, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been duplicating a natural “living reef” ecosystem with custom museum-quality coral reef sculptures and themed archeological replicas. Each architectural aquarium system is handcrafted by a team of marine biologists, artists, designers and fabricators. Living Color aquariums can be seen in museums, resorts, theme parks, restaurants and private residences worldwide.
For more information about Living Color or its Discovery Collection, please call 1.800.878.9511 or visit www.livingcolor.com.