Outdoor patio do-over!

I have just finished a project for a client that turned out so great I had to share it! My delightful client, Miss Leeann, wanted to give her outdoor covered a fresh, new an updated look so we got right to work! She had a number of existing furniture pieces and accessories and as she really wanted to keep them - she got busy with a few (quite a few!) cans of spray paint! We suggested making things feel a bit more sophisticated by using black - at first she was not sure - but now she loves it! There was a brick planter box that was covered with a piece of plywood, painted and turned into a 147" banquette - perfect for seating 6 people! The striped fabric and the tropical floral fabric all come from the Duralee / Suburban Home - Terrazza Collection of Indoor / Outdoor prints. The black looks super and still very colorful! We contrasted EVERYTHING with a super bright welting from the Duralee Pavilion collection. The red leopard print in the chair is also a Duralee Pavilion piece. The green chenille on the back of the pillows as well as the ottoman is from Kravel Soliel. Then we added some red outdoor drapes, lots of great pots and plants, a fun outdoor zebra rug and TA DA! It looks fantastic and I know she will use it all summer and well into the fall season! YIPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Thanks Leeann for letting me talk you into all the black - I LOVE it!

Here are the before pictures...................................

....and then the after! What a difference!

Making Your Home Noticeable with Outdoor Lighting

HELLO ALL! We have a guest blogger today; John Corso from CSN Lighting.com talking about a subject near and dear to my heart.........OUTDOOR LIGHTING! This article focuses on making your house a little more appealing in the current real estate market - you know - giving yourself the edge over the other sellers! Here you go.......

Making Your Home Noticeable with Outdoor Lighting:

As the old saying goes, first impressions are everything; in real estate, that statement holds even greater truth to it. Because of this, the marketing, listing and showing of your home is extremely important in the home selling process, which includes featuring both the interior and exterior of your home. Without a doubt, every cent that you put into your home yields a far greater return when it is finally sold. Here are a few projects that you can do to highlight your home to prospective buyers. Many homeowners do not seem to know that using lights to highlight the exterior of your home can significantly contribute to the favorable outcome of selling your house.

Focus on the Walkway - As prospective buyers approach your home, they will most likely be using some sort of a walkway to get to the entryway. Walkway lights are a great way to add some extra attention to the landscape of your yard. The addition of a few appealing, knee high solar walkway lights are a great way to create a welcoming feel, as well as to throw a guiding light on the pathway. Solar walkway lights serve both a function and aesthetic purpose, and are a great way to boast some of the eco-friendly additions to your home. From an aesthetic standpoint, these walkway lights work really well to highlight a flower or plant-lined walkway, and they are eco-friendly which is always a plus.

Outdoor Wall Sconces - Outdoor wall sconces are fixtures that constructively add to the outdoor ambiance of your home. These wall sconces give off a subtle, yet appealing light that is great for featuring some of the beautiful intricacies of your home’s exterior façade. Be sure to purchase exterior wall sconces that are both ADA and Dark Sky compliant to maintain the theme of eco-friendly in your renovations. Exterior Wall Sconces go great over an outdoor patio or a lovely window that commands attention during the day, but may be missed in the dark of the night.

Spotlighting - Probably the most attention-grabbing outdoor lighting renovation is to “spotlight” your home. As prospective buyers are driving up to the home, the first thing they will notice is the frontal façade. Because of this, it may be a great idea to purchase a flood light to make the exterior a focal point of your overall presentation. Flood lights are impressive additions that will create a beautiful glow to your house, while also making sure that it will not be missed in the dark. Who knows, you may also make your neighbors jealous, which is always a plus.

All in all, there are many ways to highlight your home for selling by using outdoor lights. Still, as is the case with most real estate renovations, the most important thing is that you are showing the prospective buyers that you care about your home’s appearance and that it was very well maintained. Outdoor lighting is not going to be the deciding factor for sure, but it can significantly and maybe subconsciously factor into the final decision of the potential buyer.

Thanks John!

My Great Outdoors at Apartment Therapy!

I AM SO EXCITED! They posted the pictures (previous post) of my garden at Apartment Therapy in the My Great Outdoors contest! YAHOO!!!!! Check out our project and some other amazing entries at the Apartment Therapy website! Have a good weekend!!!

Here are some photos of my front yard - perfect for entertaining! These photos are for NW Renovation Magazine - I am writing an article on Outdoor Entertaining - and the Editor shot these last week. I love my front yard! The photo of the front of the house shows that I haven't quite gotten around to finishing (or really starting) my project of paining all the trim glossy black - we are starting this weekend! YIPPEE!!!!