Before we all know it the warm weather will be upon us. We are counting the days! The up side of it still being a while before the temps warm up is that if you’re building a patio this year, there is still plenty of time to find a design and style that you love. […]
Are you a lover of beautiful older houses? Do you take the ‘long way’ just to drive through one of your favorite neighborhoods because of the gorgeous houses there? We can answer ‘yes’ to both of those questions, too! We love older, classically traditional houses and their yards, with all their nooks, crannies, and the […]
One day walking to my front door, I looked up to see that my front porch pendant light fixture needed replacing. It was around 18 years old and the finish had faded. It just looked worn out as were our other outdoor lights. So began the search for new light fixtures. Little did I know […]
It’s possible that just the thought of talking about that abstract concept of ‘space’, or giving a project ‘enough room’ (as in how big should we build the new deck?) could make a person zone out. You realize you need some amount of space/square footage/area for an outdoor project, but how do you know you […]
Weathervanes come in so many styles or themes that it would be just about impossible for someone not to find one that they really love. Styles like classical or whimsical, hobbies or pets, nautical, sports, woodland, or wildlife, and more…much more, make finding a favorite simple. Weathervanes are typically added to the top of a […]
We are in the process of renovating our Mom’s two side yards. Right now, we are working on the side along the wall of the garage. It’s been a process, with removing old shrubs, and relocated/reusing others. Even though it’s been a lot of work, it is exciting to see the improvements that the renovation […]
When we see steps that were constructed at the very edge of a walk or driveway, when there was ample room to move the steps back away from these objects, it is puzzling to us. In fact, as landscape (outdoor) architects, it is a pet peeve of ours! If you can’t picture what we […]
We think that one of the first impressions people have of someone’s home can come from the entry way leading to the front door. A homeowner may think they’re out of luck in ever being able to build an attractive and inviting entry design to their home if their front yard is on a slope. […]
A backyard fire pit provides a great setting for family and social gatherings. Many homeowners have built their own fire pit using a concrete product for the walls of the pit, such as pavers, engineered stone, or CMU (concrete block). Concrete materials used to build a fire pit perform best when protected from the intense […]
Recently we visited a Home & Garden show where ideas abound for enhancing the comfort, convenience, and beauty of the house and the outdoors for homeowners. One of the displays that caught our eye was of a company that builds yard/garden storage structures, including garden sheds, dutch barns, garages, playhouses, and even weekend cabins. We […]
