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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Tag Archives: gardening

Backyard Makeover 2014

13 Friday Jun 2014

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

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Tags

backyard makeover, crafty, diy, flowers, gardening, grass, home makeover, landscaping, patio, patio stones, resurfacing, resurfacing concrete, summer

The past month or so my husband and I have been busy getting our backyard ready for summer. Besides gardening and the usual cleanup, we seriously improved the space with a few projects that were long overdue. Now that we got everything checked off the list, we can finally enjoy the summer and relax. Something we are not used to. Lets just say I am very excited.

The first project on the list was to make the area where our garbage cans sit a little nicer to look at. At the time it was just dirt and I hated how it looked. On top of that, when it rained it was muddy and not fun to walk on. So, I thought of a simple solution. With the help of Craigslist, I found someone about 30 minutes away that was getting rid of tons of pebbles and stones on their property for free. You bet Dan and I were there that weekend shoveling as much as we could get our hands on. Once we got home, we sectioned off that side of the house and filled it with all our free goods. Much, much better!

Backyard Makeover 2014

The second project was to create a stone path from the side fence to the back patio. We bought the stones from Lowes and some white pebbles to fill in the spaces. Then, just grass seed to finally bring some green to the space. I was very happy with the result. Especially, after the grass was all grown.

Backyard Makeover 2014

Backyard Makeover 2014

After that was checked off the list, we had to tackle the fence situation. Our neighbors to the right is a nursery, which is awesome. But there is an ugly chain link fence in between us that allows no privacy at all. Since we don’t have the funds to have a new fence installed professionally, we chose to put up lattice. I saw this somewhere and thought it looked really good so we tried it and love the results. And with the overgrowth we have from the trees, it looks even better! We do plan to stain it to match the fence but whenever we get around to it is fine with me.

Backyard Makeover 2014

I also had a little project of my own, which my mother helped me with. Along the fence, its so hard to plant anything because the roots from the trees are crazy. So I used 3 old crates as planter boxes and created a small garden by the fence with hydrangeas and hostas. I thought it came out really cute.

Backyard Makeover 2014

The next big project was all done Memorial Day weekend, thanks to my husband. I wanted to create a small side patio with the same stones from the path so we have another seating area. To do this, he had to break up all the old cement that was there, which was a job all in itself. After he was done, we laid down 16 inch stones and filled in the spaces with the same white rocks. Then, laid down grass seed. The grass isn’t fully grown yet, but what a little space its turning out to be. I been looking at water fountains for sale online and visualizing what it would bring to our yard.

Backyard Makeover 2014

Then, it was finally time to conquer our back patio. We had planned to build a deck but after thinking about it more we decided to just resurface the concrete as best we can to save some money. It was a difference of $750 and a lot of work on our part since we were going to do it ourselves. This plan seemed better for us at the moment. So for $250 we bought all the supplies and concrete we needed, along with the stain to paint it with, and got to work. Although its not perfect, I have to say it came out pretty good considering I did all of it by hand. My husband mixed and poured, while I did the spreading. It was hard work but it got done. And what an improvement!

Backyard Makeover 2014

Backyard Makeover 2014

I also gave our back porch a makeover to freshen it up a bit. I stained the stairs to match the new color of the patio, painted the rails a nice black to pop, and added some art and plants to bring some style to the space. I also made a quick skirt with leftover fabric to hang under my potting bench so no one can see all the not so pretty stuff underneath. I am currently looking for a few more items but I am loving it so far. We are also hoping to purchase a new back door this summer, which will really add a nice touch.

Backyard Makeover 2014

Backyard Makeover 2014

And as far as the garden, it is doing the best it has ever been. Peonies are blooming, the bushes are full of flowers, the hydrangeas are growing super fast, and the rose bushes are showing their beauty with glee. I planted a few new things but everything that was already there is growing full force and smiling under the sun.

Backyard Makeover 2014

Backyard Makeover 2014

We are loving our backyard even more now. All our hard work has paid off for sure and we are so excited to share this peaceful space with our family and friends this summer. DIY all the way!

Backyard Makeover 2014

Inspiration Photo Friday: Keeping Cool

02 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Inspiration Photo Friday

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

cool, fall, garden, gardening, growth, happiness, home sweet home, life, love, nature, plants, positivity, summer, weather

This past week or so has been super nice around Long Island. Even though its late summer, there has been a break in the hot weather and keeping cool has been much easier. I am loving it. Especially, since I am not a fan of the warmer season. And its interesting because my home, as well as Dan and myself, have been undergoing a change as well. Not to mention, friends and family around us. It’s like the weather helped guide us all to something new or different.

Being able to have all the windows open in our home, instantly changes how it feels in here. Letting the fresh air in, as well as the sweet sounds of birds chirping, helps me to relax and feel more at peace. If there is a way I can let nature in, I take it. Just thinking about fall and how close it is, makes me so happy. So all this cool weather has been holding me over till September rolls around. I can’t wait.

The photo below was taken this morning. It’s of various plants and herbs we planted in our patio garden box. It’s amazing to see how everything has grown since we put them in the ground, it truly fascinates me. All the little bugs that call this garden home have a safe place to be and each plant gets to thrive to its fullest potential. I am sure they have been loving this cooler weather as well.

I feel your surroundings have a major impact on how you feel and live your life. During the summer, my husband and I feel a little trapped because we don’t like the heat. Whereas fall brings a whole new world. The fact that we’ve been keeping cool much more lately, allows us to have a more positive outlook and enjoy our surroundings a lot more. To feel happy within ourselves and to see the world around us grow and evolve, makes all the difference.

picstitch

Getting Your Garage in Shape

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cleaning, design, garage, gardening, home, organization, spring, summer, tools

Getting Your Garage in Shape

Spring is here! Now is the time to get those gardens growing and backyards ready for the beautiful weather. That also means you should get your work spaces organized so you can get things done and actually enjoy it. Having a garage is great because you can store all tools, both house and garden, along with tons of other things you need to keep your home in tip top shape. But having it clean and set up in a way where you can find things easily and fast is a must. And it can’t hurt if it looks good too!

Here are some great ideas and inspiration on how to get your garage in shape.

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Organizing Options LLC

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Chibamboo

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: About.com

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Team House Missions

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: The Columbus Dispatch

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Stage Tecture

Getting Your Garage in Shape
Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Home and Garden: 2013 Resolutions

22 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Guest Posts, The Great Outdoors, The Home

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Tags

bold, color schemes, eco friendly, emerald, garden, gardening, green, home, interior design, nature, new year, plants, resolutions, upcycle

We always start the New Year with great intentions for the coming months. A common resolution is to take more care and attention over your home and garden. But it’s usually around now, a couple of weeks into the New Year that these good intentions can start to slide. However, when it comes to your home and garden, there are some simple changes you can make to help keep everything looking and feeling fresh for 2013.

Color schemes: Be Bold
2013’s color of the year is Emerald Green – not necessarily an easy color to fit in with your current decor (unless you’ve already jumped on this trend!) However, this is a great opportunity to be bold with your home interior and add a little something different. Experimenting with colors is a perfect way to inject some excitement, especially at the start of a new year.

Home and Garden: 2013 Resolutions
Photo Credit: Simplified Bee

This doesn’t mean a complete overhaul is required; a touch of green can come from a variety of objects and ideas. Potted plants such as the Homalomeno ‘Emerald Gem’ provide a burst of color and are ideal for interior settings. If plants aren’t your thing, depending on your existing color scheme, you could add emerald green throws to your couches. For a more subtle touch a couple of green cushions will help to create a similar effect. Whichever way you incorporate the color into your home, making a resolution to try something different with your color scheme is something that is simple yet effective.

Home and Garden: 2013 Resolutions
Photo Credit: Simplified Bee

Gardening: Be Eco-friendly
Making a resolution to keep your gardening eco-friendly will not only have wider benefits for your local environment, it will help to keep your garden in tip top shape.

One aspect of your garden that may not spring to mind when it comes to the environment is your soil. Most commercial potting soil contains peat which is a non-renewable resource, and it can only be found in certain parts of the world. However, it is used as a form of energy, so it would be beneficial if gardeners looked to other sources of material for their soil. One popular alternative is to use coconut coir. This is a natural by-product of the coconut industry, and it helps to promote plant health.

Home and Garden: 2013 Resolutions
Photo Credit: Gotta Shop It

Reducing the amount of pesticides and insecticides you use is another way of helping the environment – instead of using whatever is lurking in your garden shed, go to local garden centers and ask for advice or any alternative methods to pest management. One method is to frequently check plants and remove any bigger pests that are visible by hand. Another way of helping is to try and encourage insects like ladybirds and spiders as these types of insects will naturally help to reduce the number of pests in the garden. These may not seem like revolutionary ideas, but will help your garden to look great, alongside the achievement of helping the environment.

­­Upcycle: Be Unique
Upcycling is the perfect way to save money and make use of items that may have been long forgotten, but it can sometimes seem like a lot of effort for little gain. However, there are simple ideas and inspiration everywhere you look.

For example, a great method for accessorizing old t-shirts only takes some newspaper, chalk, bleach, a paint brush and some imagination. Use on darker-colored t-shirts to get the most effective look. Put some newspaper inside your t-shirt to prevent any bleach from soaking straight through the material.

Draw a design on your shirt with chalk – staying simple is usually more effective; however you can experiment and see what you prefer. When your design is complete, dip your paintbrush into some bleach and trace over the chalk design. Once you’re happy with the color and the bleach has soaked in, wash your t-shirt. The bleach will have stained the shirt in the shape of your design, and the chalk will be rinsed off. You can use this method for other items of clothing or any other material you may have around your home.

Home and Garden: 2013 Resolutions
Photo Credit: The Berry

This is just one simple example of upcycling – there are plenty of methods you can find online and in craft shops, depending on what items you want to upcycle. So before throwing anything anyway, take a second and think about what you could do with it!

These ideas can help you to keep up with your home and garden over 2013, without breaking the bank and that even a novice could attempt. What home and garden resolutions do you have for 2013?

{Danielle is a guest author working on behalf of Tiger Sheds. She is an enthusiast of home improvement and gardening, and loves to keep on top of the latest design trends and inspiration.}

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