Outdoor spaces grow with every season, as homeowners create alfresco dining spaces with picnic tables and outdoor napping spots with swing beds.  However, the greatest opportunities can sometimes serve the greatest challenges.  I love the limitless prospects of decorating without walls or ceilings, but creating distinct spaces can be difficult without these go-to dividers.

Many people want a space for dinner parties as well as space for casual socializing.  Using creative barriers can help define spaces and communicate an open, yet structured outdoor space design.

Pathways: Often, space can be the best friend to the outdoor decorator.  If you’re lucky enough to take advantage of an expansive backyard, don’t feel pressured to pile your outdoor rooms on top of each other.  Housing your living space in a gazebo and your dining area under your porch (near the kitchen!) will clearly delineate your outdoor rooms.

To propel guests toward different outdoor rooms, use inviting pathways.  Paver stones and brick walkways work well, but treated pine roll-up walkways are an economical and portable option. Laying out pathways and walkways clearly tells guests where to explore!

Structures:  Using backyard structures like gazebos, pergolas and pool houses is another easy way to clearly separate outdoor spaces.  If you’re back deck is lined with patio chairs and chaise lounges, make your backyard gazebo a destination spot for dining.  Using structures not only adds dynamic architectural elements to your landscape, it creates more covered areas for relaxing and entertaining.

Flora: Using vertical gardening techniques can also create private spaces and living walls between outdoor rooms.  Growing wisteria or trumpet vines up a trellis or garden arbor will develop colorful, living and growing walls that will make guests feel at home in a secret garden.  Using garden arbors with gates and softening the latticed edges with growing morning glories will let beautiful color spill over into every available outdoor space.

Separating living, dining and lounging spaces within your outdoor rooms will make your backyard areas seem larger and more encompassing.  Group your outdoor furniture and patio furniture into outdoor rooms and make entertaining easy by cuing your guests around your outdoor living spaces.

Have Fun!

Hazel.

It’s officially 2011.  And, if you’ve returned to work, you’re well aware that the holidays are over.  The everyday stresses of gift-buying, family visiting, and home decorating are behind us.  But, I’m still finding some Christmas tunes in my head.

While, I’m not sure if the show tune “Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music is considered a Christmas song, they certainly play it a lot this time of year.  It makes sense, after all, some of her favorite things are warm woolen mittens, sleigh bells, brown paper packages tied up with strings, and snow flakes that stay on noses and eyelashes.    These are all things that are fairly prevalent during the holiday season. Paired with other favorite things that span seasons, like whiskers on kittens, crisp apple strudels, and wild geese, I found myself particularly struck by the simplicity of all of her favorite things.

The modern equivalent of brown paper packages, our heaps of expensive wrapping paper with bright colored ribbon, have all been thrown out with the leftover green bean casserole that no one was going to reheat.  So today, especially, this tune struck me for its simplicity of enjoyment.  Is it possible for working, parenting, frantic adults to truly appreciate warm woolen mittens? Does snow smudging your mascara make you smile? Will the cheerful sound of sleigh bells ever catch your attention as quickly as the ringing tone your smart phone makes when you get an email? Perhaps this is a good time for us all to be grateful for simpler things.

Cultures across the globe celebrate a mid winter holiday.  It’s a chance to gather together and know that we’ve made it halfway through the dark winter.  So, after the Winter Solstice, I can never stop thinking about the coming spring. I spend my days dreaming of the end of the dark and frigid weather necessitating those warm woolen mittens.

So, here’s to silver white winters that melt into springs.  Here are a few of my favorite things:

Walking on nature paths with quaint garden bridges

Casual meals enjoyed outside on picnic tables with friends and families

Sharing naps and stories with a loved one in the informal comfort of a hammock

Family get-togethers in gazebos and backyards

What are some of your favorite things that you’re looking forward to this year?

Have Fun!

Hazel

Getting a cabana for your outdoor living area is invariably a great choice.  But, now that you’re set on one, be sure to make the best decision.  While the size of your cabana is dependent on the space you have available, how you’re planning to use it, and possibly your budget, the shape of your cabana is requires more thought.  Are you looking for traditional lines or something out of the ordinary?

Octagon Cabanas:  Octagon Cabanas are great for those who love the traditional look of a gazebo.  The octagonal shape is eye-catching and interesting, and will absolutely stand out among a group of buildings.

Rectangle Cabanas: Rectangle Cabanas are perfect for people that want to decorate a traditionally shaped space.  Arrange your patio furniture in the familiar arrangements of indoor rooms for seamless transitions.

Hexagon Cabanas: The romantic belle roof of the hexagon cabana is unique and striking.  Add some dreamy architectural lines to your landscape to feel like you’re in a paradise every day of the week.  Adding a copper filial to the peak completes the look.  These are great for outdoor living spaces, as well as home offices, studios, and other backyard escapes.

Elongated Hexagon Cabanas: If you love the belle roof, but need a little bit more room, the Elongated Hexagon Cabana is a fantastic solution. Providing more space in a more rectangular layout makes decorating easy and space a premium.  Also perfect for home offices and studios, the elongated hexagon cabana is also great for storage and outdoor dining spaces. Outfitted with a rectangular picnic table, this backyard structure is perfect for dinner parties.

Plan out your intended uses for your cabana, what outdoor furniture or other ideas you have for the interior, as well as how you want your landscape to look overall.  Talk to friends, family members, and a qualified expert about your options… but don’t get overwhelmed!  Choosing the perfect style for your cabana should be fun and exciting.

Many homes would benefit from a guest house.  Whether you entertain often or have in-laws over for every holiday, having a separate guest house can allow both your guests and your home to feel a little more at ease.

Save Your Sleep: Nobody sleeps well with house guests.  The hosts are worrying whether they supplied enough towels, the guests are tip toeing around the kitchen searching for a glass only to knock over your pile of cooking magazines.  It can feel like a competition of who can be more accommodating: the guests or the hosts.  But, in the end, no body feels completely at ease.  Have you ever stayed with a friend that has a burglary alarm system?  You hear this phantom beeping in the distance from your pull-out couch and wonder if there’s some problem.  Skip the stress for both parties.  Having a separate structure to serve as your guest house will let guests retreat to their own space, eliminating the need for tip toes on all fronts.

Save the Hassle: A lot of people avoid the hassle of house guests by investing in a hotel room.  But, now meals and activities have to be scheduled around check ins and check outs.  If the best hotel is across town, no one will be traveling to and from during rush hour! Plus, if there are kids along for the trip, they’ll inevitably forget a favorite toy or book, sending a parent back out into the weather and traffic to retrieve it from the hotel room.  Having a separate guest house will allow families to retreat, but only be a few steps away.

Save Some Money: The upfront investment of a backyard guest house will well outweigh the ongoing costs of those hotel rooms.  After you factor the night rate, parking, gas going to and from the hotel, and other expenses associated with hotels, guests will end up cutting travel costs in half when coming to visit you.  Easing travel spending for your loved ones is the greatest gift you can give, especially during the holiday season.

Using a cabana or a pool house as a private guest house is an easy, customizable, and affordable option.  Designing your structure online, you can personalize the tiniest details and choose a size that works for your lifestyle.  The world of garden structures is a lot bigger than open-air gazebos and pergolas, fully insulated backyard cabanas and pool houses are serving as guest houses, home offices, and extra home spaces.

Instead of throwing together a room in our homes with random items, we typically spend days considering the options. From there, we analyze, debate, ask opinions, and finally, come up with what we think best represents us. The same amount of thought should go into designing the interior of our outdoor gazebo. Often times with outdoor spaces however, it’s hard to know where to start.

In most cases, there are a few ideas to try on for size in order to best direct your attention. The first begins with the type of space you’d like to create based on the size of your backyard gazebo.

To get the feel of an austere, rustic style of a gazebo, you may want to outfit it in light, natural wood tones that appear untreated. An example of this might be opting for whole log White Pine or White Cedar outdoor furniture collections. Typically, you’ll find these styles in matching patio chairs, garden benches, and porch  swings that can be purchased individually, based on the size of your gazebo.

If you value the old-fashioned feel of a log cabin with a slightly polished finish, the Red Cedar Adirondack chair or Cypress Adirondack chairs and garden benches offer a traditional approach. Their vertical, slatted backrests come in a variety of finishes from light and natural to shades as dark as night. A quintessential choice for gazebo and patio arrangements, Red Cedar and Cypress Adirondack designs are as recognizable to the world of outdoor seating as Abe Lincoln is to American history.

For a less rustic or traditional spin on wood furnishings, set your sights on a modern set of Teak wood chairs or an Outdoor Dining Set. Each of these lend themselves to a more luxurious feel while still retaining the forest vernacular. Since Teak is known for being hearty and self-reliant, complete your modern gazebo with a deep seating collection and coordinating cushions. Maybe even finish it with set of outdoor lamps to perfect the ambiance. Besides using Teak, the other way to create a modern outdoor gazebo is by creating a dining room. The use of an outdoor dining set or cedar picnic table in various shapes and sizes is another way to make your normal meal a beautiful, outdoor experience.

Gazebos should be designed the way you feel most comfortable enjoying the great outdoors. With that, live vicariously through the rustic or traditional designs inspired by the past, or bring the present into your outdoor space with modern comforts and dining.

Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a realist, choosing the right backyard gazebo to fit your
lifestyle is a key to unlocking the magic of an outdoor space. Before diving into the hunt -
deciding on which roof, size, material, location, and shape – there are a few guiding
characteristics that you should know about the various backyard structures on the market.

Recognized as a classic shape for roofed outdoor spaces far and wide, the Octagon gazebo is
tradtional and romantic. Seen in residential gardens, community spaces and public parks all
around the world, they can often be accessed at more than just one of its eight angles.

Creating a completely different perspective is the Rectangular gazebo. Without as many turns as
the many-sided gazebos, the solid quadrilateral architecture of a rectangle offers a standard space
design ideal for those who want to recreate an indoor space outdoors. In addition to the wall area
simulating a large picture window, the rectangular shape is recommendable for those who
entertain more often since it fits a large dining room table or lengthy seating arrangements with
ease.

The Belle Roof gazebo – also known as a Hexagon Gazebo – demonstrates a similar, yet distinct
appearance when compared with the other outdoor spaces. Similar in plentiful sides to the
Octagon and Dodecagon gazebos but without the typical roof style, the Belle Roof of this sixsided structure sets it apart with a more fluid descent that resembles a large bell. Often described as unique and eye-catching, this option is ideal for those interested in creating a more luxurious or upscale effect.

No need to feel overwhelmed with structural decision-making once you’re informed of these
three popular shapes of gazebos. Consider the space you have as offering a relaxing room away
from home with the decorating scheme you’re shooting for. After that, let the Octagon, the
Rectangle, and the Belle Roof gazebos take the reins and show you that creating your perfect
outdoor area is as easy as counting to four, six, and eight.

Looking out on your backyard, you’ve decided to take the plunge into fabulous outdoor living with the addition of a gazebo.  Fantastic. But, the dreaming is the easy part.  Planning for size, style, material, and customizations can require a lot of thought.

Determining the approximate size of your gazebo is a great first step.  Even if you haven’t fully decided on an octagon gazebo or a rectangle gazebo, you can still get an idea of what kind of parameters you’re working with.

Most people determine the best gazebo size for them in a three-step process.

How Much Space Do You Have?: If you have acres and acres of land, this doesn’t affect you as much.  But, for those with smaller areas, it’s important to measure your space.  I’ve seen Belle Roof gazebos fit into tiny DC courtyards, so never think you simply don’t have enough room! Knowing your square footage and perimeters is the best first step to choosing the right size gazebo.

How Much Space Are You Comfortable Filling?: If you have the majority of your backyard dedicated to a gorgeous flower and vegetable garden, installing a gazebo may mean rearranging some plots.  Be realistic about how much space you need for outdoor living and how much space you need for other outdoor activities.  But, if you’re someone who cringes at the site of a lawnmower, replacing much of your landscape with a maintenance-free gazebo might be the perfect solution!

How Much Can You Afford:  This is the true reality-check! If you have 10 acres that you hate to maintain and want a 50 ft gazebo, budgeting may be an important step to take.  On the flip side, don’t skimp on size just to save a few bucks.  Having a large enough space to accommodate outdoor entertaining and family get-togethers will be well worth it in the end.  Many manufacturers offer layaway plans and extended payment options, so you can get what you really need.

Planning for the size of your gazebo will help you make the rest of your design decisions with confidence.  There’s no need to be overwhelmed with the addition of a fabulous outdoor living space.  You can’t fit a 20 ft gazebo on a 10 ft patio, so take your time and choose a size that works for your space, your needs, and your budget!

Have Fun!

Hazel.

Weathervanes are truly fascinating.  Once, vital tools for tracking weather conditions, they are now, for the most part, rooftop accessories.  Still, that doesn’t mean that they don’t serve important purposes.  No-o!  Just as fashion accessories can turn a nice outfit into a smashing ensemble, the smallest home accents, such as weathervanes, can make the biggest impact on outdoor décor.  Of course, besides their roles as eye-catching ornaments on the roofs and cupolas of houses, barns, garages, garden  sheds, gazebos, cabanas, and many other buildings, weathervanes still do their jobs to perfection.

Sure, they may not be the first sources that most people check when they want to know the, uh, current conditions, but some do, indeed, consult them from time to time.  Another great trait of theirs is that they can be used as expressions of people’s personalities, hobbies, lifestyles, and even their geographical locations.  Furthermore, it seems that this has always been the case.

For example, as I mentioned, the first known specimen, a bronze weathervane, is thought to have been crafted in 48 b.c., by the Greek astronomer, Andronicus.  It was forged in the shape of the Greek god, Triton, who was a merman, and was between four, and eight, feet long.  It was erected on top of the Tower of Winds, an octagonal structure, in Athens, which featured the likeness of a different wind deity on each side.  So, with every change in wind direction, Triton’s trident would point to the god who was, supposedly, in control of the weather that day.

References to weathervanes have also been found in writings of Mesopotamia that are over 3,500 years old, and China, where strings or flags were used to read wind directions, as far back as the 2^nd century, b.c.  After evolving for several hundred years, weathervanes changed significantly in Europe, during the 18^th and 19^th centuries.  They were being made from many different materials; and, in the Victorian era, new and fanciful designs were being introduced, which included mythical creatures, and various animals.

Naturally, the European settlers eventually brought them to America, and relied heavily upon them to predict the weather, and to help them to improve their farming methods.  In the early colonies, the best weathervanes were imported from Europe: and some, dating back to the 17^th century, still exist today.

Over the years, they continued to increase in popularity, and people began to create original and unusual designs.  Those living on the coasts would have nautical-themed weathervanes, made into forms that included ships, sea creatures, lighthouses, sea gulls, and anchors, while those in rural areas had horses, roosters, cows, eagles, and pigs.  It was, and still is, the same way with decorative mailboxes, which also reflect people’s interests.

Today, it’s not surprising that weathervanes are still as cherished as ever.  After all, they make head-turning embellishments for homes, garages, and garden structures; and, as birthday, holiday, anniversary, and housewarming gifts, they can’t be topped.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

As I mentioned, this is the perfect time of the year to start feeding the birds; and it’s important to place birdfeeders in spots where they will have shelter from the wind, and refuge from predators.  Although shrubs and trees are ideal, garden structures, such as arbors, trellises, pergolas, and gazebos can do the job as well.  Multi-paneled garden screens will provide good coverage, too, as will gated arbors, and arbors with extensions.

Another alternative is to create a makeshift row of hedges, by getting some planters, and filling them with small evergreens; even artificial ones will work.  You can also use planter trellises, or planter benches with lattice backs.  Anything is better than nothing; in fact, if you’re not going to store your patio furniture in the garden shed during the winter, protect it with some mildew-resistant, easy-to-clean outdoor furniture covers, and let the birds use it to shield themselves from the elements.

As for the birdfeeders, there are many types to choose from, including tube, platform, hopper, fly-through, post-mounted, and hanging.  Whichever you select, make sure that it will keep the food dry, so that it will not become moldy.

When you’re shopping for food, keep in mind that sunflower seeds appeal to the widest variety of birds.  Black-oil sunflower seeds are the favorites, and are enjoyed by every kind of backyard, seed-eating bird.  Their rich oil content makes them a high-energy food, and their thin shells make them easy to crack.  Although striped sunflower seeds are also great, they have heavier shells, which are tough for smaller birds to open.

You can also get sunflower seeds that have been mechanically hulled; and, while they cost a little more, there will be no waste, and no mess.  On the other hand, with in-shell sunflower seeds, the hulls account for up to 45% of the product weight, and will be left lying around on the ground.

Nyjer seeds, which are tiny and black, draw all sorts of finches; and, because of their high oil content, they make wonderful winter food.  Imported from Africa and Southeast Asia, they are slightly expensive; but a bag of them will last awhile.  Moreover, nyjer seeds leave absolutely no waste; and, because they’re steril­ized at all U.S. ports of entry, they will not germinate.  Cracked corn and millet are quite affordable, and will attract many ground-feeding and game birds.

Always read the labels on bags of bird food, and avoid brands that have large amounts of milo (sorghum), wheat, or oats.  Although they may be cheaper, these ingredients are merely fillers, which most birds won’t eat; so, buying products that contain them will be a waste, in more ways than one.

Suet, which is loved by all kinds of birds, comes in an assortment of flavors.  Naturally, birds are wild about nuts, too, particularly peanuts, walnuts, and almonds; and, luckily, these are available in many high-quality bird foods these days.

Of course, you may pay a bit more for these mixes, but, believe me, if you’re nuts about birds, it’s worth it.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

For much of the country, the outdoor living season is coming to an end.  But, for the millions of people enjoying warm weather all year long, it is prime time to get started on a fantastic outdoor living area.  Plus, for those that are already hankering for the dawn of spring… now is the time to begin planning large scale outdoor structure projects.  Saving your logistics and design considerations for spring will mean that projects may not be completed until the season is already well underway.

When looking to create a vacation at home, great inspiration can be drawn from hotels, resorts, and destination spots.  After all, they’re the experts in crafting spaces that exude the luxury of a summer holiday.  Whether or not you live in the tropics, you can design an outdoor space fit for relaxation retreats.

Recently, a Bermuda resort created a combined pool structure using a gazebo and two pergolas. The 14x 18 treated pine rectangular double roof gazebo was simplified by removing the floor and railings while larger custom posts were added to create drama.  Two attached treated pine pergolas expand the space while adding a dynamic architectural element to the gazebo. The perfect blend of shade and style, a similar structure would do very well poolside in a residential home as well.  The resort created a small grilling and cooking area, but it could easily be expanded to a full outdoor kitchen.

The resort decked out their structure with an outdoor dining set, two chaise lounges, and some extra patio chairs.  However, adding a swingbed, porch swing, and a deep seating collection would add another level of relaxation for entertaining.

If you’re interested in creating an at-home oasis, don’t be afraid to take tips from the professionals.  Plus, start planning, designing, and thinking now when many outdoor furniture retailers are running discounts and sales so you can start the first warm day of spring in your retreat!

Have Fun!

Hazel