Open Your Door to Spring

29 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Great Outdoors, The Home

Tags

brick, concrete, curb appeal, exterior, grass, greenery, home, moss, nature, plants, rocks, spring, stone, trees

Soon the cool weather will be gone and before you know it, spring will be knocking at your door. Now is the time to start thinking of how to welcome the season in your home as well as showcasing its beauty on the outside. Curb appeal is an important thing to consider when you have a home. Creating an inviting entrance and beautiful exterior can make all the difference sometimes.

There are many easy and affordable ways to jazz up the exterior of your home. Most of all, you want to complement the architecture and design of the house. You can do this by considering its colors, size, details, and all the elements that stand out. Nature is not only a huge inspiration, it is what will give your home sweet home a fantastic makeover. Flowers, shrubs, trees, and other natural materials like brick, stone, and wood, are all great examples of what to use.

Here are some great inspirations to get you moving. Enjoy!

The brick pattern in the pathway adds interest to the path and the open feel of this entrance way is clean, organized, and inviting.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Giving shape to the landscaping helps build interest around the whole house. Suddenly, lines and patterns appear, which help the eye move with a unique perspective and help the architecture stand out more.

Photo Credit: Laurie Heredia

The use of gray and black really adds a nice contrast to the earthy greens that surround the entrance of this home. The lush feel is vibrant and fresh.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Have fun with gardening and plant lots of different kinds of greenery. Mix and match colors that complement each other and play with texture. For some tips, you can always ask your local nursery for some suggestions.

Photo Credit: Garden Design Inc.

Just by updating hardware or adding a planter box filled with colorful plants can revive an entrance in no time.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Dress up your driveway and backyard with large potted plants and fresh greenery.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Get creative when it comes to your driveway and pathway. Concrete isn’t the only material you can use. Explore your options with other natural elements like stone, brick, rocks, and even grass and moss.

Photo Credit: Down to Earth Landscapes

Landscaping can make all the difference in creating an overall finished look for your home. You want to create an environment where the structure of the house looks as if it was always meant to be there.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Home Sweet Home Facelifts

06 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

better homes and gardens, construction, design, diy, exterior, home, homeowners, makeover, renovation

I have always loved seeing makeovers. Whether it was for a person or a home, they never cease to amaze me when they are done right. Since Dan and I are new homeowners we know how much work a house needs and because we have done it all ourselves so far, we can stand back and be even prouder.

I came across some great makeovers today seen on Better Homes and Gardens and thought they were good inspirations for anyone who is planning to renovate or give the exterior of their home a facelift. I wish you lots of luck and patience if you are doing so! But it is worth it in the end to create something that represents your style and allows you to feel comfortable and at home. Enjoy!

Before | After

Shop of the Month – Rejuvenation

08 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Shop of the Month

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

antique, Art Deco, Arts & Crafts, Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, decor, doors, exterior, exterior home, hardware, home, Industrial, lighting, lights, mailboxes, Mid-Century Modern, old world, Period Basics, rejuvenation, victorian, vintage

Rejuvenation is a lighting shop I came across a couple of months ago. Once I saw their products I was in love. They had tons of options from many different time periods which is right my alley. Now that Dan and I own an older home, dated around 1916, looking for vintage and antique items to fill it up is a must. Plus, we adore the vintage style and love to be surrounded by pastime goodies.

The shop carries lighting and hardware within nine collections: Period Basics, Mid-Century Modern, Classical Revival, Industrial, Art Deco, Victorian, Arts & Crafts, Colonial Revival and Old World. I am sure you will find something you love!

I also appreciate the clean and modern design of their website as well as their beautiful photographs of their products. It’s also organized and easy to navigate which is very helpful when you offer so much to your customers.

Besides their inventory, Rejuvenation also offers restored antiques. They also have a blog that showcases the many things that surround their products such as architecture, artists and real spaces that use their lighting. And for any advice or inspiration you may need on the subject, the shop has that too. All of this makes your shopping experience fun and exciting while learning a thing or two in the process.

Check out some of these inspiration photos from their gallery.

Now for some of my favorites! I hope this post inspires the Thomas Edison in all of you and gets you thinking more about lighting and how important it is in a space. Maybe it will remind you to make the exterior of your home just as nice as the inside. With all its hardware and door sets its certainly easy to! Shop around and look at what Rejuvenation offers. I can guarantee you will find something that will look beautiful in your home.