Do you own a Tudor Revival style house? If it was built in the early 1900’s, it probably has an abundance of authentic architectural detailing and features. Unfortunately, over time as houses have become more and more expensive, much of that beautiful detailing has gone by the wayside. The craftsmen of old would build houses […]
Like all homeowners, when my husband and I moved into our home I quickly came up with a list of home improvements I wanted to do. Some were DIY projects, and some required the craftsmanship of a skilled contractor. One of the many things I have learned working as a landscape architect on projects for […]
If you are at a loss for outdoor or garden design ideas, a great way to get some inspiration is at a former private estate that has been donated to your local park system (check with your local/state park system). These estates were once privately owned and well-cared for properties (house and grounds). While each […]
‘Curb appeal’ is a term we usually associate with the process of sprucing up the exterior of the house (mainly the parts that can be seen from the street curb) by someone who is trying to sell their house. But why should curb appeal be about selling your house at all? It should simply be […]
If you are planning for some type of outdoor entertaining area with a formal setting, you may be wondering what plants would be used in such a setting. There are indeed specific plants that have traditionally been used for formal settings. Not only are there specific plants, but they are used in specific ways. […]
Many houses have one or more of those plain exterior walls that have little to no visual interest. These walls are typically not very interesting on their own. And it may even bug you a bit whenever you’re in your yard and have to walk past it. We think all sides of the exterior of […]
The Minimal Traditional is a modest, smaller house of 950-1200 square feet with great potential. If this is the style of your house, there are seemingly endless things you can do to give it rich traditional detailing. Minimal Traditional was just that: a traditional architectural style with minimal detailing. The minimal detailing was a […]
Perhaps the most recognizable Tudor Revival house style is the front-facing gable with its brown half-timbers and stucco or brick infill. As you discover various other identifying features of the Tudor, you’ll begin to recognize this style in its many different forms, especially in some of our country’s older neighborhoods. The Tudor Revival style occurred […]
The outdoor fire pit has become a really popular backyard feature for many homeowners. And it provides a great centerpiece for outdoor get togethers. Many times a basic one is all a backyard needs, and we’ll tell you how to build a simple fire pit. It is fairly easy to build and could be a […]
Sealing the bottom edge of your garage door is not just a good idea in terms of keeping drafts, leaves and dirt out of the garage, it also eliminates a point of entry for little critters looking for food or a place to nest. Remarkably, a mouse only needs 1/4” of space to get into […]
