Outdoor Living
8. Garden living room. With striped bunting, comfy furnishings, twinkle lights and pots of flowers out front, this garden room in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, could hardly look more festive. Although designed more as a summer house, the garden room could easily become an inviting cool-weather destination with a small space heater and perhaps an electric kettle for tea on hand. Often just adding more light and warmth is enough to make a space more inviting, even in winter.MoreHow to Add a Backyard Shed for Storage or Living10 Ways to Revamp Your Garden Shed
7. Cozy art studio. This light-filled studio space in Corpus Christi, Texas, is just steps away from the house but feels like a tranquil retreat. The building is oriented to receive as much natural light as possible, while also allowing room for a pecan tree to grow up through the roof’s exposed rafter tails.
Inside, a ladder leads up to the mini sleeping loft, which would be just enough room for young kids to curl up for a sleepover or an adult to relax with a book. The interior has been kept simple, with some boards left natural and others whitewashed to brighten the living room. Recessed lighting makes the cottage an appealing place for playing after dark.
It has a built-in bed, a second fold-down cot and a mini kitchen, complete with a fridge, farmhouse sink, coffee press and toaster — effectively everything an overnight guest would need.Rustic details, like salvaged wood doors for the underbed cupboard along with mismatched china, add to the charm. Layered patterned quilts, fuzzy throw blankets and vintage touches make the space feel especially homey.
1. Craft studio with a porch. Tucked behind a house on Vashon Island, Washington, this mini prefab studio provides extra space where the homeowners can work on arts and crafts projects. The sloped tongue-and-groove pine roof extends generously over the studio’s entryway deck, protecting the doorway from the elements and adding a nice architectural touch.
Native Bentgrass grows long in a California yard.The species mixes — mostly of different grasses — presented here are all different and suited to different uses. Some can handle foot traffic and pets, while others can’t. Some will do OK in shade, while others require full sun. One thing they have in common is that they are more environmentally friendly because they require less water and fertilizer to maintain. As you consider starting or converting to a nontraditional lawn, know that there are pros and cons to having one. ProsNeeds less mowing, with the option to mow only once a yearNeeds no synthetic fertilizers (use compost tea or other organic lawn methods instead)Needs less water Makes an attractive, lush ground coverBenefits wildlife when allowed to grow long and provide habitatConsCan be more difficult to establish than traditional sod (if using seed, the establishment process is similar to creating a meadow garden)May be difficult to find the right product in your areaRequires preparation for weed control if installing in an area that previously grew traditional sodCosts more to install than traditional sod (but you’ll get your investment back in savings from water use and ...
Tips for Establishing Walkable Ground Covers as a Green Carpet1. Choose the right plant for your site. Ground covers best suited for your site conditions (soil type, water and light exposure) will be better able to withstand foot traffic than plants in the wrong place (not receiving enough light) that are under stress.2. Plant according to spacing advice on plant label, or a little tighter. Spacing requirements vary by ground cover. Depending on how quickly you’d like an area to fill in and how tight a carpet you’d like to grow, you may want to place plants slightly closer together than what is stated on the plant label.3. Keep off while plants get established. No plants are walkable when they’ve recently been planted. Keep off any areas of newly planted ground covers, allowing at least a few weeks for the plants to get established.4. Water consistently, especially in the beginning. After planting, keep the soil consistently moist, even for plants that only require low water once mature. This can be particularly important for plugs of Carex pansa, which can turn brown if they dry out when adjusting to transplanting.MoreInspiring Alternatives to the Traditional Front LawnThe Case f...
8. Geometric. In this garden in Vancouver, Washington, built-in benches and concrete planters filled with grass-like foliage and evergreen plants create a standout backyard foundation design. In the back planter, the deep green foliage of Mexican orange and the cascading lime-colored foliage of golden Japanese forest grass form a pleasing composition. Wiry horsetail rush fills in the perpendicular planter, acting as a “room” divider.If you’re thinking about building a foundation-level planter like this one, hire an experienced contractor or another professional to help. Drainage is an important consideration for all foundation plantings (see planting tips below), and wall-side planters require top-notch drainage engineering. Raised soil, for example, should never touch the building, and the soil should always be quick-draining, with drainage aimed away from building. Even planters that appear to be right up against the home have a back side, or a gap is left between the planter and the home’s foundation for air circulation.Plant Combination Mexican orange (Choisya ternata, zones 7 to 10)Golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, zones 4 to 9)Horsetail rush (Equisetu...
Fireplace rocks
An approximately 100-year-old maple tree dictated the shape of the deck on one side, which was modified to accommodate its presence. Melanie and Andrew also included multiple trellises, arbors and railings throughout the space.
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