Reviving the overgrown 24-acre garden of a house that had lain empty for three years was a challenge, but thanks to the vision of garden designer Chris Moss, North Rode Manor’s thickets of bamboo and alder have been replaced with shaped evergreens and elegant water features.
What a dump! Seriously, our "back yard" did not exist just a couple years ago. It was behind the house and a very narrow strip with only one window on the lower level. A totally awkward space that became the spot to dump things. Husband was amassing a pile of granite boulders and little did I know that they would become the foundation for a French Country Courtyard. Courtyards are narrow, and usually made of stone, and over time I put a vision and a wish list together. We ended up with a space that the entire family loves! Starting with French doors that replaced the lone window in our dining room, this door is now the most used entry in the house. The rest of the facade was blank space and so a pair of vinyl trellises added some detail and architectural interest. The fireplace vent was hidden by a birdhouse constructed from an old wooden crate that we added a simple roof and cedar shingles. A few holes drilled out for the birds, and a big post was all it took to make it look like it belonged in the flower bed. That vent bugged the heck out of me, and I just had to figure out someway to hide it. It turned out to be a very good solution. In the fall when it comes time to vent the fireplace, we will take it down and store it in the shed until the spring. This shows how the birdhouse was attached to the house. We used an L bracket in addition to attaching the post to the base with wood. Below you can see the birdhouse in its raw formation. The crate we used was an old one that fit over the vent nicely. You could build one out of scrap wood if you need to construct one from scratch. I love that we made this just using things around the house and the yard. The moldings are old painted moldings I had from my Maison Decor workshop days, and then the tiny roof overhangs were made by cutting the corners off of a rectangular wooden photo frame. We glued all the moldings in place with wood glue and when it dried, we painted it in a shabby fashion with white Chalk Paint. Easy to do, it took us about two hours. This is a closer view of the rustic table I created, simply by laying barn board planks on top of the old iron lattice patio table that I have had for years. (You can see the iron set in the before photo sitting on the lawn.)Hubs drilled a hole in the center of one of the wider boards so the umbrella could slide through, and then the other random width planks were set side by side and we screwed it together underneath on each end to unify it. This is SO EASY!! And it completely changed the feeling in the courtyard. The next thing on my list for the rustic dining space was to get rid of the iron patio chairs and replace with all weather wicker chairs. I wanted a greyish wicker, but none were to be found. At least in my price range... Then this set at Lowes caught my eye, and I snapped up 6 of them at $60 a piece. Not a bad price for all weather wicker with steel construction. They are so comfortable and I love the way they look with the wood table as well as the color of the rustic iron daybed. I only needed four for the table, but I knew I would be kicking myself if I didn't get two more to use in the conversation area opposite the daybed. I bet they will be going on sale any minute now, but I had to have them for the photo shoot that was about to take place, and I thought the price was pretty good even not on sale. All of the changes combined to create this wonderful European style space behind the house. Matthew Mead shot the courtyard for his spring issue UPSTYLED HOME magazine. We spent the day yesterday fluffing and styling it to perfection! Matthew has such an array of props, whenever he shoots he offers to bring some of his stash, and I am always in LOVE with what he pulls out of his pickup truck. Like these purple linen embroidered placemats and napkins. They looked beautiful with the wood top and vintage china I had for the table setting. Some newer glassware in purple and green with gold embossed details came from HomeGoods. We used rustic galvanized pots and tubs and pails to hold the bushels of flowers he brought for the shoot. My mora clock came outside for a bit of whimsy and in the end we decided to nix it, and it ended up propped up against the fence until it went back into the dining room. Stacks of purple transferware and scattered plums decorated the tabletop. Matthew brought old purple toile bedspreads and we used them to dress up the daybed for the shoot. I adored them!! You can also see my idea for a "coffee table" was a cube shaped granite block. I normally put a tole tray on it, but for the shoot we used my gigantic turkey platter in purple transferware. A bottle of purple clad champagne for Costco worked nicely too. The other large undertaking was the completion of the shed and vegetable garden area on the upper terrace. Just the day before the shoot two of my sons and husband spread about 5 tons of pea gravel over a weed barrier all around the shed and the little vegetable garden. Wow, what a difference that made! Its an enchanting little spot now. Pea gravel is the key element to creating that French style courtyard space, and its inexpensive and pretty easy to do do yourself. So have some delivered and get out your wheelbarrow and make a precious little space for your own enjoyment. That spot that no one uses or looks ugly....could it be transformed somehow? Take a second look around your own home and yard and see if you can create a courtyard for yourself. I wish I had thought of this sooner, as it has been ten years now that we have lived here. Without makeup and fancy clothes...we met in the courtyard bright and early so Matthew could capture everything. What a fun and exhausting day. I can't wait to see it come to life in the pages of a magazine. I hope this gives you ideas on how to UPSTYLE things to use in your outdoor spaces. Oh, and I couldn't resist hanging my old shop sign above the back door. The kids thought it would look awful, but they all loved it when it got hung up....and so did I. Its now Maison Decor, the restaurant, serving only family and friends, of course. And who doesn't love a good before and after?
Using olive buckets in your home decor. Farmhouse, french, industrial, eclectic or shabby, whatever your decorating style they make a beautiful statement.
What is a Medici urn? Here we uncover their history, characteristics, and 13 chic ways to display them around the house and garden (including some...
Transform your newly built home’s landscape from basic to beautiful.
You're bound to be smitten with the all white interiors of this Nordic French Style Cottage with serenity and vintage charm!
Latin name is Passiflora suberosa and some of its other common names are Devil’s pumpkin and Indigo berry. native to Florida, Texas, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America
Add an elegance to your yard with Arbors and Pergolas which gives shade and will bring dramatic accent and impresses your neighbors.
This is small, but mighty! I love the shuttered exterior and want to know more about the interior but cannot find more information. via UPDATE: Click here for interior photos and story. Thanks, ANNE.
Take your seashells outdoors with these Landscaping & Gardening ideas.
BEHR'S MOST POPULAR BLUE GREEN PAINT COLOR In the last 6-8 years, we've seen trendy green-grays, peaches, corals, and bright teals, along with a few
Come learn how to grow easygoing pineapple guava - with tips on ideal growing conditions, routine care, varieites, harvest time, and more!
Four Star employs the latest genetics to offer you exciting new varieties every year. See the list below of Proven Winners®’ groundbreaking new genera, distinctive new forms of top-selling varieties, unique Heart to Heart® Caladium additions and gourmet add-ons to the thriving Proven Harvest® program.
We have been planting up a storm over here- from peonies to garden roses to sage and lavender and more. And it is all part of a big overall garden area expansion that involves creating a cutting garden area with lots of blooms and pretty on repeat. We are working on planting and pathways and…
Welcome to the weekend view. This week has been a mish-mash of rainy days and lots of behind the scenes work. Delicate Details I have been working on some photography jobs this weekend- one of them involves lots of delicate details, gilded gold beauties and those roses. Stay tuned for a post coming your way…
Source Source Source Source ------- Hope your week is going good so far? Things are a little bit crazy around here…… we are having new windows installed! Hope you will consider following me on Google Friends Connect or with Bloglovin. -------
French country home tour of Amy Chalmers who is an artist, designer, shop owner, antique collector, dollhouse designer and gives tips on creating your own..
I am getting my spring garden ready by preparing my pots and raised beds with my new favorite potting mix. I am also adding a cutting garden!
Layer on the fun with our playful Audree Pom Pom Quilted Bedding. Designed to blend with our best-selling bedding collections; this soft 100% cotton quilt is hand stitched into channels, trimmed in fabric-covered cream pom poms and finished with solid cream cotton reverse. Audree Pom Pom Quilt features: Mix and match with our Jardin Toile and Gwyneth Buffalo Check bedding collections. Hand quilted, slubby cotton Machine washable Imported Audree Pom Pom Quilted Sham features: Envelope closure with tie Imported Audree Pom Pom Bedskirt features: Mix and match with our Jardin Toile & Ava Block Print Bedding collections 15" drop
What a dump! Seriously, our "back yard" did not exist just a couple years ago. It was behind the house and a very narrow strip with only one window on the lower level. A totally awkward space that became the spot to dump things. Husband was amassing a pile of granite boulders and little did I know that they would become the foundation for a French Country Courtyard. Courtyards are narrow, and usually made of stone, and over time I put a vision and a wish list together. We ended up with a space that the entire family loves! Starting with French doors that replaced the lone window in our dining room, this door is now the most used entry in the house. The rest of the facade was blank space and so a pair of vinyl trellises added some detail and architectural interest. The fireplace vent was hidden by a birdhouse constructed from an old wooden crate that we added a simple roof and cedar shingles. A few holes drilled out for the birds, and a big post was all it took to make it look like it belonged in the flower bed. That vent bugged the heck out of me, and I just had to figure out someway to hide it. It turned out to be a very good solution. In the fall when it comes time to vent the fireplace, we will take it down and store it in the shed until the spring. This shows how the birdhouse was attached to the house. We used an L bracket in addition to attaching the post to the base with wood. Below you can see the birdhouse in its raw formation. The crate we used was an old one that fit over the vent nicely. You could build one out of scrap wood if you need to construct one from scratch. I love that we made this just using things around the house and the yard. The moldings are old painted moldings I had from my Maison Decor workshop days, and then the tiny roof overhangs were made by cutting the corners off of a rectangular wooden photo frame. We glued all the moldings in place with wood glue and when it dried, we painted it in a shabby fashion with white Chalk Paint. Easy to do, it took us about two hours. This is a closer view of the rustic table I created, simply by laying barn board planks on top of the old iron lattice patio table that I have had for years. (You can see the iron set in the before photo sitting on the lawn.)Hubs drilled a hole in the center of one of the wider boards so the umbrella could slide through, and then the other random width planks were set side by side and we screwed it together underneath on each end to unify it. This is SO EASY!! And it completely changed the feeling in the courtyard. The next thing on my list for the rustic dining space was to get rid of the iron patio chairs and replace with all weather wicker chairs. I wanted a greyish wicker, but none were to be found. At least in my price range... Then this set at Lowes caught my eye, and I snapped up 6 of them at $60 a piece. Not a bad price for all weather wicker with steel construction. They are so comfortable and I love the way they look with the wood table as well as the color of the rustic iron daybed. I only needed four for the table, but I knew I would be kicking myself if I didn't get two more to use in the conversation area opposite the daybed. I bet they will be going on sale any minute now, but I had to have them for the photo shoot that was about to take place, and I thought the price was pretty good even not on sale. All of the changes combined to create this wonderful European style space behind the house. Matthew Mead shot the courtyard for his spring issue UPSTYLED HOME magazine. We spent the day yesterday fluffing and styling it to perfection! Matthew has such an array of props, whenever he shoots he offers to bring some of his stash, and I am always in LOVE with what he pulls out of his pickup truck. Like these purple linen embroidered placemats and napkins. They looked beautiful with the wood top and vintage china I had for the table setting. Some newer glassware in purple and green with gold embossed details came from HomeGoods. We used rustic galvanized pots and tubs and pails to hold the bushels of flowers he brought for the shoot. My mora clock came outside for a bit of whimsy and in the end we decided to nix it, and it ended up propped up against the fence until it went back into the dining room. Stacks of purple transferware and scattered plums decorated the tabletop. Matthew brought old purple toile bedspreads and we used them to dress up the daybed for the shoot. I adored them!! You can also see my idea for a "coffee table" was a cube shaped granite block. I normally put a tole tray on it, but for the shoot we used my gigantic turkey platter in purple transferware. A bottle of purple clad champagne for Costco worked nicely too. The other large undertaking was the completion of the shed and vegetable garden area on the upper terrace. Just the day before the shoot two of my sons and husband spread about 5 tons of pea gravel over a weed barrier all around the shed and the little vegetable garden. Wow, what a difference that made! Its an enchanting little spot now. Pea gravel is the key element to creating that French style courtyard space, and its inexpensive and pretty easy to do do yourself. So have some delivered and get out your wheelbarrow and make a precious little space for your own enjoyment. That spot that no one uses or looks ugly....could it be transformed somehow? Take a second look around your own home and yard and see if you can create a courtyard for yourself. I wish I had thought of this sooner, as it has been ten years now that we have lived here. Without makeup and fancy clothes...we met in the courtyard bright and early so Matthew could capture everything. What a fun and exhausting day. I can't wait to see it come to life in the pages of a magazine. I hope this gives you ideas on how to UPSTYLE things to use in your outdoor spaces. Oh, and I couldn't resist hanging my old shop sign above the back door. The kids thought it would look awful, but they all loved it when it got hung up....and so did I. Its now Maison Decor, the restaurant, serving only family and friends, of course. And who doesn't love a good before and after?
A highly fragrant evergreen shrub with gray-green foliage and abundant purple flower spikes. A wonderful addition to dry, sunny borders and gardens. Useful as hedge or edging in herb gardens. Highly effective in mass plantings. Flowers may be dried and crushed to use in sachets.
It seems like just yesterday I was working on photographing and writing my new book- French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings. And today -is book release day! So, I am sharing a bit more about the story behind the book- including a short video and along with a few peeks- and lots of fun coming your…
(buy this chart HERE) I spend a large potion of my daydreaming time thinking of how to create an Urban Homestead. As in: a giant edible farm at home. As in… THIS! Growing all my food, raising bees to make honey, creating my own essential oils, herbal oils and much much more. This will happen (!!!) but to start… herbs in pots and small plots are the stepping stone to that really big farm! It all started when I got a huge amount of veggie seedlings and soil and made a patio garden 9 years ago. That year I seismically leaped
Porch skirting mistakes. Porch skirting ideas and lattice under porch design. The porch skirt and porch lattice for historic Victorian homes. Avoid mistakes
French farmhouse decor home tour in a beautiful old barn converted into a stunning home. If you love this style you're sure to be inspired with these photos
I was trying to decide how to word the title of this post – How to keep from re-cluttering after decluttering, Surprise I bought more dishes (said sarcastically), or even Antique Dishes and how to display them. In the end, I chose the direct approach. If you saw my blog post last week about my […]
If you want to put a well house over a well on your property, you can buy a prefabricated...
Can I Grow Hydrangeas in Central Florida? I live in Central Florida, zone 9b, can I grow hydrangeas in this zone? I used to have them in Maryland as they are my favorite flower.
Minor upgrades and subtle tweaks will add charm to your curb appeal. These changes will perk up your home's exterior, offering a lot of bang for your buck.
Tired of all that scientific verbiage that describes the butterflies and butterfly plants of your area? We have five posters to provide a pictorial guide to the most common Butterflies of Central Florida. View or print these FREE posters and visualize your new butterfly garden.
A charmingly detailed wrap-around porch offers the simplicity and balance that are the hallmarks of this family home plan. Upon entering the residence, you see the dining room on one side through a wide, columned doorway. On the other side, French doors open to the study. The large open kitchen, placed between the dining room and the breakfast area, includes a walk-in pantry, a central cooktop island and an eating counter. In the family room, windows flank a fireplace. A bay window in the master bedroom provides an ideal sitting area. In the compartmented master bath, dual vanities flank the linen closet, and a garden tub, separate shower and huge walk-in closet top off the luxury. Upstairs, a balcony overlooks the family room. Bedrooms two and four, each with a walk-in closet, share a bathroom. Bedroom three has its own bath.
Come Christmas time one of our favorite things to watch is Garfield's Christmas, and if you are familiar with it you know the song at the end that goes "Let's have a good old fashioned Christmas down on the farm". Well we love that song and that is exactly the look I was going for this year. With all that we were able to get done on the house this year I feel like our farmhouse is really beginning to look how I imagined it could. Don't get me wrong we have a ways to go but we have definitely come a long way and it feels so good to have all of the ideas (well some of them) that have been in my head all these years finally come to fruition. I am feeling very lucky this holiday season to have such a wonderful family and to live in the home I always dreamed of. Speaking of luck we were fortunate enough this year to get our Christmas tree from Green Valley Christmas Trees. It is an absolutely beautiful Balsam Fir that was delivered directly to our door on the exact day that we wanted it! It is super fresh and smells amazing and we couldn't be happier with it. The day we decorate the tree is one of our son Eli's favorite days, he just loves unwrapping each and every ornament and looking at them. Here he is explaining them all to Millie This is really the only room I am decorating this year because the rest of the house looks like a construction zone right now. I took lots of pictures to make up for it though:) We switched the couches to allow for the tree to fit in the corner of the family room which meant we needed a smaller table in this corner of the room. We moved in this table from upstairs and I think it will be staying even after we switch the couches back. It is one my favorite pieces of furniture and I just don't get to enjoy it as much when it is upstairs. My five dollar cupboard, as I call it, is filled with white ironstone and antique red and white linens, a perfect match if you ask me. I found some old fashioned looking ribbon on Etsy (sources to follow) and wrapped an old spool that I bought at the flea market for a dollar. I finally broke down and bought myself a red stripe grain sack, some things are just worth the price. I loved that this one was a wheatier color because I wanted a little contrast with all of the white in this room. And they just put a new Goodwill in our area and I have had very successful shopping trips there so far. I found both the ironstone bowl below and the toolbox beside it there for $2.84 each! I also found a little dresser that we turned into our bathroom vanity (blog post coming soon). The runner on the table is the one Neal bought me a couple of years ago. Sorry I don't know the source, wish I did because I would buy more. And because I didn't want to spend anymore money but I wanted more grain sack like pillows I sewed my own out of the red stripe dish clothes I bought at TJMaxx. The larger ticking pillow is from Big Lots. I bought the antique basket with the quilts in it at one of my favorite places to shop the Shawnee Country Barns Antique Co-Op in Wheatfield, NY. My best friend lives two minutes from it, she is so lucky! We always go there when I visit her and I always leave with a trunk full of goodies. I have been slowly building my red and white quilt collection. I like them faded, soft and worn. I got the beautiful grain sack stockings from my friend Mel's Etsy shop Rustic Farmhouse Wares. I looked for years for grain sack stockings but could never find any I liked. When I saw that Mel was selling these I was SOOO excited. I knew they would be awesome if Mel was sewing them:) They are exactly what I have been looking for and are so well made. I love the rustic and simple look of them. As for the ribbons I bought the wider one from Lucky Lady Paper Crafts and the thinner one from Boxwood Avenue, both on Etsy. And it is not too late to order something from my Etsy shop (or have someone order YOU something) Farmhouse Supply in time to receive it before Christmas! In the spirit of Christmas I am doing my first ever give away! I will be giving away three of these rustic red and white stripe dish towels made by Bombay Company. I bought myself some and I just love them. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post saying that you want the dish towels (please only leave one comment)! You have until Friday December 18th to enter! I will announce the winner Friday!!! In conclusion I think Garfield said it best "Christmas, It's not the giving, It's not the getting, It's the Loving". ~Merry Christmas~
Use a chip seal paving technique to get a classic driveway look that stands up to plowing and doesn't require annual raking and replenishment
Sweet Annie Acres was featured in the 2015 edition of Country Living Magazine. *************************************************** Whether you're making farmhouse style curtains or a rustic country table runner, this feed sack fabric is sure to inspire you. Reproduced to give it plenty of vintage style with its hand dyed stripe and tightly woven fibers, each style has the look of well-worn grain sack material. No need to dry-clean as this fabric is easy to care for and built to last. Our french country style fabric is 54 inches wide and sold in half yard or full yard increments. All fabric is cut when ordered, and will be one continuous length. The longest length option is 12.5 yards. Tan 3 Stripe/Beige Background Blue 3 Stripe/Beige Background Burgundy 3 Stripe/Beige Background Black 3 Stripe/Brown Background Slight color variations can occur in monitor settings. Orders are shipped promptly via Priority Mail and occasionally UPS Ground. All samples are mailed regular parcel post. ************************************************** 12 Styles Available: Blue 3 Stripe/Blue 9 Stripe/Blue 12 Stripe/Burgundy 3 Stripe/Burgundy 9 Stripe/Burgundy 12 Stripe/Tan 3 Stripe/Tan 12 Stripe/Black 3 Stripe/White 9 Stripe/Cream No Stripe/Tan No Stripe. ************************************************** 70% Cotton 30% Poly Acrylic Machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle. Do not bleach. Lay flat to dry. Cool iron if needed. 10% Shrinkage Rate ************************************************** Stripe Repeat/Dimensions: For 3 Stripe Fabrics: 1st set of stripes is 6 inches from the factory edge. Each set of stripes is 10 inches from one another. Total of 5 sets of stripes. Design goes up the roll. For 9 Stripe Fabrics: 1st stripe is 9 inches from factory edge. Each stripe is 15 1/2 inches away from one another. Total of 3 sets of stripes. Design goes up the roll. For 12 Stripe Fabrics: Stripe has a continuous repeat. Design goes up the roll. ************************************************** Advisories: Variations in dye lots are inherent to linen and are standard to the fabric industry. If exact color match is critical, please be sure to order accordingly to your complete project. Slight odor can be present due to the bleaching process of the cotton but does dissipate over time. Due to the spinning of the fibers, this fabric may contain slubs and other imperfections which are considered natural characteristics.
This sunflower birdbath makes a lovely statement in your yard or garden. In antique bronze finish. Product Features: Sunflower with bird and frog details creates charm. Fade-, chip- and crack-resistant design ensures all-weather use. Stainless steel and brass hardware promises long-lasting display. Rust-free cast aluminum bowl and cast iron base add durability. Product Details: 34"H x 19"W x 19"D Includes hardware Aluminum/metal For outdoor use only Assembly required Manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty For warranty information please click here Model no. 5065-AB Promotional offers available online at Kohls.com may vary from those offered in Kohl's stores.
Thinking of adding some sunflowers to your garden this season but aren't sure where to start? There are many different types of sunflower you can grow, depending on your hardiness zone and how much room you have. In this article, gardening expert Jill Drago shares her favorite varieties of sunflower you can grow this season!
I love vintage garden pots but they are hard to find and often expensive. Wait until you see how I made my new terra cotta pots look old.
