Some homeowners underestimate the importance of sufficient functional and decorative lighting in the outdoors. According to Felicia Feaster, effective outdoor lighting is like cinematography for the house- a way to show off some of the interesting and beautiful features of the outside of your home. With the creative use of lighting, you are able to transform an ordinary scenery into something special and reminiscent of the dramatic landscape that we usually see at other homes, says Feaster.

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Hometipster.com discusses how a pergola can transform your landscape, and the fact that there many materials and designs to match your style, environment and budget. To get started you will need to decide where to locate, and choose your design and materials. Continue reading →

Does the word drab describe the concrete pathway to your home or patio?

Decorist.com shares eight steps to revitalize your sidewalk and patios and show off your DIY skills.

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If you’re into photography, and especially taking pictures of beautiful outdoor recreation areas with flowers, Michelle Slatalla can help. She has written an article on gardenista.com with a bunch of tips for aspiring flora shutterbugs.

Michelle begins by clarifying some of the difficulties: for example, the fact that taking pictures outside is more difficult because there are many more variables that cannot be controlled, such as sunlight changes when clouds go by.

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SPRING CLEANING

It’s been a long winter for all of us—even in parts of the country that aren’t accustomed to prolonged periods of cold. And for those parts of the country, in particular the South, it may be that much of the outdoor spaces which typically get regular use have become messy and are in need of spring cleaning. Debris and particulates from the fallen snow that has melted, or from heavy rains, may have left unfamiliar stains on cushion fabrics, furniture frames, tabletops and paving or decking surfaces. These can all be cleaned.

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As much as I love to garden I have to admit that I’ve always been a bit intimidated by landscaping. It’s just so much more obvious when you screw something up. I’ve accidentally killed a plant or two (ok, way more than that) but is so much easier to pull up a plant and throw it into the compost pile than it is to hide an entire lawn of dead grass. For this reason, I’ve always avoided landscaping and just confined myself to my pots and garden beds. But, this year, I decided to make a change. I will no longer distinguish the difference between yard work and garden work. They will become one and I will learn to master them simultaneously, one day being able to stand up in front of the masses and say “yes, I do my own landscaping and I do so with no fear or hesitation!”

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From Casual Living, 12/5/2013

Pantone® today announced PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid as its Color of the Year for 2014.

The color institute describes the hue as “a captivating, magical, enigmatic purple” that “emanates great joy, love and health.” According to a release from the company, Pantone expects Radiant Orchid to infuse interiors via paint, accent pieces and accessories. The color also appeared in Pantone’s spring 2014 Fashion Color Report.

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Relaxing on a deck, patio or balcony, and entertaining friends outdoors is often the highlight of summer. When summer starts to come to an end, some routine maintenance can make your outdoor furniture last for many future summers.

It doesn’t matter whether your patio furniture is expensive or not; just a few simple steps before putting it in storage for the winter can make all the difference.

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Increased use of grills and smokers in turkey preparation

From Casual Living, 11/20/2013

They call it Turkey Day for good reason. According to the latest numbers released by the National Turkey Federation, an estimated 46 million turkeys will be served up for dinner when Americans sit down at tables across the country to celebrate Thanksgiving on Nov. 28.

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Of all the upcoming holidays, Halloween is probably the most stress free and fun. The holiday is all about family time, candy, costumes and scary movies. On what other occasions are you given the opportunity to dress up as your favorite characters and get free candy? But aside from dressing yourself up, it’s also fun to dress up your front yard. Here are some of our favorite ideas for an extra-spooky Halloween!
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