What do you do or where do you go when you need to decompress and unwind?
1 -3 via Pinterest 4-5 via Richard Powers
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
To have a space for dreaming and solitude...
You know how some people get all of their energy from being around other people, and how other people need "alone time" to energize? Well, I'm definitely one of the later. I grew up on an almost 200 acre farm on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, so being alone and outside was a part of my daily life and something I really took for granted. Obviously, living in NYC for 3 years I never experienced that, and though I loved it - I never truly felt unwound. I have found a happy in between where I am now, but looking at these gorgeous retreats makes me long for a hidden spot in nature where I can go and decompress.
What do you do or where do you go when you need to decompress and unwind?
so, so, so pretty
perfect
heaven
a retreat in Sri Lanka...
and in France
1 -3 via Pinterest 4-5 via Richard Powers
What do you do or where do you go when you need to decompress and unwind?
1 -3 via Pinterest 4-5 via Richard Powers
A month by month plan to get your home storage organized: May is the garage
Yuck. The garage. Not a very fun one to organize is it? Unfortunately it's one of those chores that must be done, and being that it's a long weekend you might have more time to get it done. Here is BHG's plan for organizing your storage in the garage.
Create Task Kits. Create kits for various outdoors projects by filling 5- and 10-gallon plastic buckets with all the tools, products, and accessories you need to complete specific tasks such as car-washing, weeding, bicycle repair, and more.
Stash Sporting Gear. Fill tall kitchen trash cans with large and odd-shaped sporting gear. Drill holes in the bottom of bins if drainage is important. Stabilize containers by securing to a wall with short bungee cords.
Organize the Trunk. Clean out your vehicle's trunk. Toss every item that is expired or damaged. Place all trunk gear in a canvas bin or box. Make sure the container doesn't slip by adding rubber or hook-and-loop tape to the bottom.
Tidy Up the Tools. Hang hand tools on a wall near your workbench from hooks on pegboard, magnetic board, or a wall-mount strip system. Label each tool's spot. Put extra tools in a tool box or clear plastic boxes and store on floor underneath workbench.
I've rounded up a bunch of images that I hope you find inspiring and help you rally the motivation to organize the garage.
The chalkboard cabinet and drawer fronts is a great idea. You could always paint yours with chalkboard paint.
A magnetic kitchen knife strip works great for holding drill bits too
Use magnetic spice containers to hold small hardware in the garage
This space has to be the prettiest garage I've ever seen
In the garage, bins and hooks and boxes are our friends
A rolling cart with most used cleaning supplies and tools is a great idea!
images above via BHG
Take a cue from Julia Child's kitchen and do the same for your tools!
via Martha Stewart
Create Task Kits. Create kits for various outdoors projects by filling 5- and 10-gallon plastic buckets with all the tools, products, and accessories you need to complete specific tasks such as car-washing, weeding, bicycle repair, and more.
Stash Sporting Gear. Fill tall kitchen trash cans with large and odd-shaped sporting gear. Drill holes in the bottom of bins if drainage is important. Stabilize containers by securing to a wall with short bungee cords.
Organize the Trunk. Clean out your vehicle's trunk. Toss every item that is expired or damaged. Place all trunk gear in a canvas bin or box. Make sure the container doesn't slip by adding rubber or hook-and-loop tape to the bottom.
Tidy Up the Tools. Hang hand tools on a wall near your workbench from hooks on pegboard, magnetic board, or a wall-mount strip system. Label each tool's spot. Put extra tools in a tool box or clear plastic boxes and store on floor underneath workbench.
I've rounded up a bunch of images that I hope you find inspiring and help you rally the motivation to organize the garage.
images above via BHG
via Martha Stewart
A charming country home with style north of Copenhagen
One place we didn't visit on my travels, but is still very much on my travel wish list, is Copenhagen. I'm sure the architecture and shops would be right up my alley. Has anyone been to Copenhagen? What did you think?
The natural light in this home is great - also the architectural details like the radiator cover and top window pane.
I'm a sucker for detail shots :)
The look of all those books in the bedroom is really nice - but I'd be afraid I'd stay up too late each night reading.
This little spot in the yard is wonderfully wabi sabi no?
What do you think of this home? Close to your style?
via Indenfor and Udenfor
The natural light in this home is great - also the architectural details like the radiator cover and top window pane.
I'm a sucker for detail shots :)
The look of all those books in the bedroom is really nice - but I'd be afraid I'd stay up too late each night reading.
This little spot in the yard is wonderfully wabi sabi no?What do you think of this home? Close to your style?
via Indenfor and Udenfor
The Ego Paris Tanderm Sunlounger
With spring on the way its time to look at designer garden furniture.
Here is a great example of one such brand and one double sunlounger.
Ego famed for its outdoor furniture has the Tanderrm range which include this double sunlounger perfect for the patio or next to the pool..
As always its come in an array of colours to suit your needs.
Check the Ego Sunlounger and other items from Ego Paris
Slim line Coffee table from Dedon
Garden furniture with Style!
The pictured Slim line coffee table doesn't do it justice. The weaved fiber is made up of different sections which sadly don't come out in the picture.
The entire dedon Slim line range is full of the special weave and with so many copies of the shape the weave is what make this a top end designer iconic item that will last.
Find out more about the Slim line Coffee table
Premiere EM2 FISH Chaise From Ego Paris - Outdoor
Or it a chair ? a Chaise? a sun bed or a fish?The Premiere Fish is a great looking "chaise/chair" perfect for along side the pool or in garden.
Designed for Ego Paris is comes of course in an array of colours to suit your taste.
Some other items in the Ego Paris collection.
Find out more about the Premiere EM2 FISH Chaise
Designer Beach chair from the tango Collection from Dedon
Called the Beach chair but this sun lounger is perfect for the garden or pool side.
Dedon offer top end outdoor furniture with both clean lines and pure comfort.
The entire tango collection if famed for its curved sofa lines giving a more classical look.
Find out more about the Tango Beach Chair
Dedon Phoenix Sofa and Coffee table - Outdoor Furniture
Got a place over looking the sea? Well dedon outdoor furniture is the only answer..The phoenix range looks as if it made of carbon fiber, and is called the "carbon finish".
The photo shows off the range in situation with two dedon 2-seater sofas and a and a dedon phoenix coffee table.
The Phoenix range is designed by Nicolas Thomkins whom also design the Yin Yang which we have blogged about before here: http://modularofficefurnituremanufacturer.blogspot.com/2009/04/dedon-yin-yang-garden-furniture.html
Find out more about Dedon
Tuscan Inspired Spaces
Have a great weekend everyone - enjoy!
The color of this bedroom is just sublime...
via Restoring Italy
I would love the space for a round table in my entryway.
Italian Country Living
via Tuscan Elements
What a beautiful color on the side of that building.
via Apartment Therapy
via Tuscan Plan
via Interiors by Details
via Inspired Interiors
These bedrooms are so effortlessly cozy
Grand Designs Live
Vittorino Designs
The color of this bedroom is just sublime...via Restoring Italy
I would love the space for a round table in my entryway.Italian Country Living
via Tuscan Elements
What a beautiful color on the side of that building.via Apartment Therapy
via Tuscan Plan
via Interiors by Details
via Inspired Interiors
These bedrooms are so effortlessly cozyGrand Designs Live
Vittorino DesignsDedon Yin Yang - Garden Furniture
The sun is out and the summer is almost here!
Having seen the Yin Yang in the flesh no photo can do it justice. Its very large!
If your have a pool or even a beach this is a must. Basically the Ying Yang by Dedon is two chaises.
As with all Dedon garden furniture it will make any outdoor, garden, pool, beach or covered outdoor area have a modern and contemporary showcase focal point!
Find out more about the Dedon Yin Yang
Decorating for your garden!
Bear with me here - trying something new...
My cousin contacted me a couple of weeks ago with a question about designing a vegetable garden. I have little background in garden design, other than weeding rows and rows of plants in my father's gardens. Regardless, I thought I'd give it a go. Here's her question:
"I have an outdoor decorating dilemma that you might be able to address on your website. I want to plant a vegetable garden this summer in our backyard. I really enjoy the fresh vegetables. We do not have a big yard, it has to look landscaped. I want it to look rustic but beautiful. I am thinking that I want a raised garden with stone and a small wrought iron fencing. But I"m not sure if that is practical. So, I need your help. Any suggestions?"
Well, I started by searching for images of raised garden beds and decorative borders. My personal style is a little more "shabby chic" gardening, but I tried my best to stay focused on a more landscaped garden.
An example of how to use an iron fence border for a rustic look - nothing too shiny and new. This iron fence looks like the one around grandma's kitchen garden. Also notice that extra garden space was created by using the decorative wheel barrow!
Stone borders are really pretty because stones are organic, but they can still create a clean structured look.
"Create soft meandering pathways instead of those that follow a straight, structured line. Many paving materials work in cottage gardens, including wood chips, stone, old bricks, and flagstone." - BHG
I especially like stone paths that have seen a few seasons - so pretty.
via BHG
via World Grace Foundation
Another example of a way to give your garden a "rustic feel," but is also still maintained.
via BHG
via Southern Living
simple wood plank sides are probably the least expensive way to create a raised bed
via House to Home
via Southern Living
via Martha Stewart
borders created with boxwood shrubs
via House to Home
I love this path!!! Simple gravel ways with sticks cut to size laid across the path. So easy to do too!
via BHG
via House to Home
via Blithewold Blog
_____________________________________________________________
Some helpful tips:
* Get creative with your vegetable garden design. Consider creating a series of decorative raised beds with wood-chip or gravel lined paths between. Check out photos of historic French gardens for inspiration. They're very efficient and very beautiful.
* Plant vegetables with their looks as well as flavors in mind. Alternate, for example, pretty purple cabbages with snowy white cauliflowers in a row. Or experiment with planting in blocks and clusters rather than rows for a more decorative effect.
* Many vegetables lend themselves beautifully to containers. Lettuces in various colors are gorgeous in window boxes. Patio-type tomatoes are ideal in large pots. Hot peppers ripen to rich colors that are attractive when mixed in with annual flowers such as marigolds and vinca.
* Tomatoes probably grow better in flower beds than they do in the traditional vegetable garden. That's because they should be moved to a different spot each year to prevent disease, and space is often limited in a vegetable patch. Also, tomatoes do better when isolated from other tomato plants because disease can't hop as easily from plant to plant.
* Lettuces make a great edging plant, especially those that are deep reds and purples. Plant in a row along the front of a bed or border.
* Don't let a little shade deter you from planting vegetables. Fairly shade-tolerant veggies include beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, leaf lettuce, spinach, turnips, radishes, and beans.
* Seek out vegetables in bold colors to interplant among the flowers. Swiss chard, for example, is available in a rainbow of colors. Or try brilliant yellow sweet peppers.
* Pole beans have attractive heart-shaped leaves that are fairly decorative. They're good for planting on arbors, along fences, or on any trellis.
* Some mustards and kales have gorgeous fall color and are ideal for tucking into containers and borders for color late in the year. Try Osaka Purple mustard greens or one of the red or purple kales.
via BHG
______________________________________________________________
Q: I don’t have any gardening beds prepared. Are raised beds the quickest way to make them?
A: Yes, even if you have a site that’s currently covered by lawn, you can build a raised bed right on top of the sod and be ready to plant in as little as a weekend. To do this, mark off the site and cover the grass with a thick layer of overlapped newspapers or corrugated cardboard. (Weight down the paper or cardboard with shovels full of topsoil as you spread it or soak it with the hose; otherwise the wind will blow it away.) Then frame the site with landscape ties or 26s/38140 mm, laying the sides over the edge of the paper or cardboard to discourage grass from growing up into the garden. Use stakes to hold the frame in place. Fill the garden with a mix of purchased topsoil and compost. Mound the soil mix several inches above the outer frame, then water it thoroughly to help it settle. Let the soil dry for a day or so before planting.
-go to kitchen gardeners for the whole article
My cousin contacted me a couple of weeks ago with a question about designing a vegetable garden. I have little background in garden design, other than weeding rows and rows of plants in my father's gardens. Regardless, I thought I'd give it a go. Here's her question:
"I have an outdoor decorating dilemma that you might be able to address on your website. I want to plant a vegetable garden this summer in our backyard. I really enjoy the fresh vegetables. We do not have a big yard, it has to look landscaped. I want it to look rustic but beautiful. I am thinking that I want a raised garden with stone and a small wrought iron fencing. But I"m not sure if that is practical. So, I need your help. Any suggestions?"
Well, I started by searching for images of raised garden beds and decorative borders. My personal style is a little more "shabby chic" gardening, but I tried my best to stay focused on a more landscaped garden.
An example of how to use an iron fence border for a rustic look - nothing too shiny and new. This iron fence looks like the one around grandma's kitchen garden. Also notice that extra garden space was created by using the decorative wheel barrow!
Stone borders are really pretty because stones are organic, but they can still create a clean structured look."Create soft meandering pathways instead of those that follow a straight, structured line. Many paving materials work in cottage gardens, including wood chips, stone, old bricks, and flagstone." - BHG
I especially like stone paths that have seen a few seasons - so pretty.via BHG
via World Grace Foundation
Another example of a way to give your garden a "rustic feel," but is also still maintained.via BHG
via Southern Living
simple wood plank sides are probably the least expensive way to create a raised bedvia House to Home
via Southern Living
via Martha Stewart
borders created with boxwood shrubsvia House to Home
I love this path!!! Simple gravel ways with sticks cut to size laid across the path. So easy to do too!via BHG
via House to Home
via Blithewold Blog_____________________________________________________________
Some helpful tips:
* Get creative with your vegetable garden design. Consider creating a series of decorative raised beds with wood-chip or gravel lined paths between. Check out photos of historic French gardens for inspiration. They're very efficient and very beautiful.
* Plant vegetables with their looks as well as flavors in mind. Alternate, for example, pretty purple cabbages with snowy white cauliflowers in a row. Or experiment with planting in blocks and clusters rather than rows for a more decorative effect.
* Many vegetables lend themselves beautifully to containers. Lettuces in various colors are gorgeous in window boxes. Patio-type tomatoes are ideal in large pots. Hot peppers ripen to rich colors that are attractive when mixed in with annual flowers such as marigolds and vinca.
* Tomatoes probably grow better in flower beds than they do in the traditional vegetable garden. That's because they should be moved to a different spot each year to prevent disease, and space is often limited in a vegetable patch. Also, tomatoes do better when isolated from other tomato plants because disease can't hop as easily from plant to plant.
* Lettuces make a great edging plant, especially those that are deep reds and purples. Plant in a row along the front of a bed or border.
* Don't let a little shade deter you from planting vegetables. Fairly shade-tolerant veggies include beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, leaf lettuce, spinach, turnips, radishes, and beans.
* Seek out vegetables in bold colors to interplant among the flowers. Swiss chard, for example, is available in a rainbow of colors. Or try brilliant yellow sweet peppers.
* Pole beans have attractive heart-shaped leaves that are fairly decorative. They're good for planting on arbors, along fences, or on any trellis.
* Some mustards and kales have gorgeous fall color and are ideal for tucking into containers and borders for color late in the year. Try Osaka Purple mustard greens or one of the red or purple kales.
via BHG
______________________________________________________________
Q: I don’t have any gardening beds prepared. Are raised beds the quickest way to make them?
A: Yes, even if you have a site that’s currently covered by lawn, you can build a raised bed right on top of the sod and be ready to plant in as little as a weekend. To do this, mark off the site and cover the grass with a thick layer of overlapped newspapers or corrugated cardboard. (Weight down the paper or cardboard with shovels full of topsoil as you spread it or soak it with the hose; otherwise the wind will blow it away.) Then frame the site with landscape ties or 26s/38140 mm, laying the sides over the edge of the paper or cardboard to discourage grass from growing up into the garden. Use stakes to hold the frame in place. Fill the garden with a mix of purchased topsoil and compost. Mound the soil mix several inches above the outer frame, then water it thoroughly to help it settle. Let the soil dry for a day or so before planting.
-go to kitchen gardeners for the whole article
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