Houzz // DIY Painting Project: A Colorful Front Door

Do you feel that?  That bite of cold looming in the air?  Temperatures are dropping and days are growing shorter - summer is definitely over!  I'm currently at that mourning stage - wishing we had a few more weeks of warm weather but I'm also welcoming the change....and the weather ain't the only thing changing around these parts.

Continuing on our quest for a little curb appeal I gave our front door a little makeover.  Our white

I've been on the hunt for the perfect orangey-red hue and was leaning towards a salmony-coral color like Behr's Chili Pepper which would have been a bit more modern.  And then while on a mission at Home Depot I came across a gallon of Oops paint in a gorgeous red and was sold.

Curb Appeal // Frame Your Porch With Easy Care Perennial Beds

Summertime, and the living is...work!  Our front yard is slowly coming together.  It's the only side of the house that is completely painted.  Well, I guess that's not exactly true...we still have to finish the trim.  A least the deck is stained and the columns are finished.  That's something, right?

Well this pregnant lady wasn't quite ready to call it good just yet - aside from new paint and a stained porch, beefed up columns and some pretty little container gardens, what this side of the house - the first impression side - needed was some more life.  During the summer no one in our town waters their grass (our water bill would be outrageous!) so everything goes brown until the fall, winter and spring rains begin.  Just about this time I am itching to get some colorful plants into the ground - and this year was no exception.  I was fully prepared (and equally poor) after a trip to our local nursery, Brimm's Farm & Garden, Home Depot and Fred Meyer.

I dug up each side - keeping as much of our soil as possible.  Before I plant anything in the ground, I always test out placement - moving them here and there until I'm happy with the arrangement.  And I always have it in the back of my head that nothing is permanent.  As plants mature and grow to full-size, like the hydrangeas, many plants will need to be moved so I try to plant a full bed knowing that things will change in the future.

Curb Appeal // Hanging Baskets & Container Gardens

Nothing says, "Hey, I'm a cute little cottage" like a few plants, right?  That being the impression I want this house to give, I needed to get my ever-expanding butt in gear.  With some nice weather on the forecast (AKA not raining) I set out to put my greenthumb to the test by adding some container plants to the front porch.  Hanging baskets and container gardens are an inexpensive way to boost your home's curb appeal while adding a pop of color.  All it takes are a few containers, plants, soil and water - so simple, the hardest part is remembering to water.

I'm not too scientific when I choose plants for my containers - I do look for plants that will perform well in similar conditions, are hardy and look good together. But nothing is ever set in stone - with the changing of the seasons I'll take a second look and transplant anything that isn't quite working or didn't make it.

For both the hanging & pot containers, I typically like to combine different heights with an overflowing element.

Give Your Outdoor Lighting A Fresh Update

Last week, while Josh was hard at work on the mudroom/nook/kitchen reno (or munoki??) I took advantage of the sunny weather and crossed off a few projects from my outdoor to-do list.  I didn't manage to fully complete them all (the house is just partially painted) but I did update our front porch light.

The light was a dirty white sconce that had seen better days. It's (barely) visible here in this listing photo of our home.

A Little Pathway Cleanup

I think I've mentioned this a time or two, but I'm not much of a gardener.  Things tend to find their demise at my hand and I'm not really fond of weeding.  So, when our pathway started sprouting grass I let it go so long that in a few spots you couldn't tell there was a pathway there at all.  I finally got motivated one sunny day last week to clean up our pathway of all that baneful grass.

 It looks so much better than that overgrown eyesore we were rocking.

Greenthumb: A Sunny Garden Bed

There are many places that need attention in our yard - our perimeter is nearly a blank canvas, aside from the shade garden that we planted this past weekend.  I'd love to plant large flowering shrubs and evergreen perennials all around it, but I'd also really not like to spend a million dollars in the process.  I'm pretty much a newbie when it comes to landscape design and I tend to fly by the seat of my pants rather than plan anything out so spending more than I'd like is always a problem.  Sticking to an actual garden plan like these would be helpful, but I'm just not organized enough to remember to bring the plan to the nursery with me.  So, I buy what I like and what I think will work which is exactly what I did for this sunny garden bed on the west side of our yard.

Once again, Josh helped by clearing out the flower bed from grass, weeds and bamboo while I lounged around soaking in some much needed vitamin D.  After he was finished, I laid out the plants where I thought they'd look best and started planting.  There were already two clematis plants growing, which I planted last year so I worked around those.  I thought I had killed the clematis when I forgot to water them for two weeks last summer, but I was happily surprised when I saw them full of life.

Greenthumb: A Tranquil Shade Garden

The space on the south side of our backyard is heavily shaded, which is to the left of the photo below.  With cover from our cedar, lilac and mystery trees plus the large boxwood and laurel hedges -  it's no surprise.  We've done little in this area and have let things pretty much grow wild which means that the pesky bamboo was taking over and it looked awful.

A Before photo from back in September before the out of control growth!

Greenthumb: Whipping The Yard Into Shape

We've seen our fair share of rainy days this year.  For months, I've sat staring out the windows, longingly - dreaming of all the ways our yard could be better this spring/summer.  Either I've been gone for a track meet or the weather has been too awful to actually get any work done outside - until this weekend, that is.  With temperatures in the 80s (that's like 120 degrees for us Washington coast peeps) and a free weekend, I was raring to throw off my layers and get the yard ready for bikini season.

With both of our schedules being so busy lately we've been slacking on the ol' lawn mowing.  The yard is pretty much dormant during the rainy season with little to no growth but with the first hint of sun the grass grows 2 feet.  So if we're not on top of it then we're dealing with a damn jungle.  Unfortunately, our lawn mower seized up partway through the process - with only one tiny strip left to mow.  At least I was able to get all of the main sections mowed so it looks much better.

Speaking of grass...remember that meandering pathway that we put in?  The one we took special care to layer with landscaping fabric to keep out those pesky weeds?  Yeah, well, this is how it looks now.  The weed barrier that I used was pretty much an utter failure - the grass grew right up through it.

GREEN THUMB - Spring Planting in February

While it's February and that means it is still winter in many parts of the world - here in my neck of the woods spring is right around the corner.  I have big plans for our yard that include a produce garden, a few new flower beds and new shrubs and trees.  We might not get to everything this year - especially since we're trying to do all this landscaping on a budget, but little by little we'll be checking items off our to do list starting this month.

We have a good base to start with and our yard has come a long way since we first moved in.  Just last year, we built a deck, installed a pea gravel pathway, built a garden arbor and added some flowers.  Then fall came calling and I dug up all the flowers I had planted around the trees and replanted them next to our arbor.

Here Comes The Rain Again

This past summer sure was lovely, wasn't it?  Well, at least for those of us in the PacNW coast.  We had lots and lots of sunshine.  No joke, there were weeks upon weeks of it straight into the beginning of October.  For anyone that lives in a place with a rainy fall, winter and spring - it's like crack.  We can't get enough of it.

Unfortunately for some of my plants - they didn't quite feel the same way.  Remember those pretty azaleas I planted back in April?

In a Laguna Beach flashback, they're done-zo.  I guess you have to water your plants for them to make it through the summer.  Who knew?  Poor little guys.  So with the indian summer coming to a close - I put in some work getting the yard ready for the rain.  First, I ran around picking up all the toys and outdoor furniture and stored them in our shed.  Then, I pulled all the potted plants indoors.

Houzz: Build a Modern Window Planter Box

Window planter boxes are a great way to add an architectural element and a boost of color to your home's exterior. There are a wide variety of styles out there; I chose to create a simple box style to reflect our 1900 cabin-style home and shed.

We recently built a shed to store all those items that we've been piling in our unfinished upstairs and that we're sure to need in the future — at least, that's what I tell my husband. But the shed's simple rectangular shape was needing some serious style help, especially given its visible position in our yard. We added a six-paned window, which gave it a little somethin' somethin', but it was still a blank slate. I wanted to add simple color and texture, and I thought a window planter box would be the perfect addition.

Other design by Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

Other design by Other Metro Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

Learn how to build your own simple window planter boxes by checking out my most recent Houzz Ideabook.

Build a Modern Window Planter Box

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Kitchen Products on Houzz- For Example:

Cookware And Bakeware · Kitchen Countertops · Kitchen Faucets · Kitchen Tile · Gas Ranges And Electric Ranges · Ovens · Refrigerators And Freezers · Coffee Makers And Tea Kettles ·

Have you built any window planter boxes of your own?  I'd love to see what style you built!




Disclaimer:  As a Contributor I have been compensated for any Ideabooks featured on Houzz, although I am not compensated for sharing Houzz ideabooks on Revamp Homegoods.  All opinions expressed here or that of the writer and are in no way influenced by Houzz.

Houzz: Frame Your Garden With a DIY Arbor

When the sun is out and shining (even when it hasn't been) we've been busy working outdoors sprucing up our yard with some a pea gravel pathway, hanging shelves, a brand new deck and now this beautiful garden arbor.  Does your yard need a little boost like ours did?

Other design by Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

This garden arbor is simple to build and has a beautiful end result — the best of both worlds for a do-it-yourselfer. The base of this arbor consists of a basic structure that can be as simple or as ornate as desired, and the piece can be used in many ways outdoors. Use it to showcase a walkway, create a transition from one place to another, cover a bench or gate, or frame a gorgeous view.

Check out all the details here:

Frame Your Garden With a DIY Arbor for $150

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Furniture on Houzz- For Example:

Armchairs · Bar Tables · Chairs · Coffee Tables · Day Beds And Chaises · Dining Chairs And Benches · Rocking Chairs · Sectional Sofas ·

Have you guys built any garden arbors of your own?  I'd love to see what you built!



Disclaimer:  As a Contributor I have been compensated for any Ideabooks featured on Houzz, although I am not compensated for sharing Houzz ideabooks on Revamp Homegoods.  All opinions expressed here or that of the writer and are in no way influenced by Houzz.

Houzz: Build A Beautiful Platform Deck

Have you thought about building a deck but just didn't think you could manage a project of that scale?  Well, think again!

Other design by Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

Other design by Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

Learn how to build this amazingly beautiful platform deck in my Houzz Ideabook.

Build a Beautiful Platform Deck in a Weekend

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Kids Products on Houzz- For Example:

Baby Bedding · Baby Toys · Cribs · Kids Bedding · Kids Beds · Kids Decor · Kids Tables · Kids Toys ·

Disclaimer:  As a Contributor I have been compensated for any Ideabooks featured on Houzz, although I am not compensated for sharing Houzz ideabooks on Revamp Homegoods.  All opinions expressed here or that of the writer and are in no way influenced by Houzz.

Houzz: DIY Backyard Hanging Shelves

If you're anything like me, you don't bat an eye at adorning your interior walls with colorful accessories. So why does your fence remain a blank slate? Take advantage of the vertical space your fence provides by enhancing it with potted plants. This simple DIY hanging shelf adds visual interest and color to your outdoor space without taking up prime real estate.

Other design by Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

Other design by Media And Blogs Meg Padgett

Not only is this a simple way to add some style to your backyard but it's also incredibly inexpensive.  For the full tutorial, jump on over to my Houzz ideabook.



Disclaimer:  As a Contributor for Houzz, I have been compensated for any Ideabooks featured on Houzz, although I am not compensated for sharing Houzz Ideabooks on Revamp Homegoods.  All opinions expressed here are that of the writer and are in no way influenced by Houzz.

Budget Friendly Landscaping: DIY Pea Gravel Pathway

For those of you that don't live in typically sunny locales, do you ever start looking over your shoulder when you've had a few sunny days in a row?  Like, the rain is your stalker and you have nowhere to hide?  No?  Just me?

Well, it's been absolutely beautiful since last Saturday.  We had a nice visit from my parents and put work on hold aside from hanging Luke's new swing which is a nice twist on the classic tire swing.  It is absolutely perfect for younger kids.  

DIY // A Spring Ready Yard Makeover

The weather the past few days has been pretty dang nice, which means that it wasn't raining...finally!  I swear, this year we've had the most rain in history.  That spells overly exhausted for this SAD sufferer.  Luckily, I was able to boost my mood and our curb appeal at the same time.

It wasn't much but I picked up two evergreen azaleas and three anemones at Costco yesterday.  Then we cleaned up the yard and dug out two flower beds, one around our pine tree and one around our oak-ish tree (still not sure what it is.  It might be a cherry? or dogwood?  I really have no freaking idea.)  I chose to plant all five of the plants under the pine since I wouldn't have to deal with any surface roots.  I also took the two creeping myrtles that I had planted in pots last year and re-planted them under the pine tree, as well as 4 dahlia bulbs.  I still need to add a few plants, but with the addition of the brick border (the bricks are from a patio we removed) this little flower bed is looking pretty damn good.

So, here's our before...

The pine tree is in the background.  The cherry(?) is in the foreground.

Pinterest Challenge Winter Edition: Tin Can Man

As I mentioned before, I'm at it again ~ it's Pinterest Challenge - Winter Edition time where all us Pinners finally start doing and stop pinning, for a little while at least. Thanks to the ladies over at Bower Power Blog,  Young House Love,  The Great Indoors and Hi Sugarplum for lighting the fire under all of us!

For those of you that aren't following me on Pinterest (and how dare you!) I have pins upon pins of awesome projects I want to complete, but this one beat out all the rest to become my Challenge project. And the reason?  I have been wanting to make one for YEARS.  But with no yard of our own, I just didn't see the point and never got around to it.  Until now!  I'm so happy to have our first piece of yard art.  Drum roll please....

Please allow me to introduce, Mr. Fancy Shoes.
{Anyone that can sport gold shoes is pretty awesome in my book.}

Pinterest Challenge: Winter Edition

Do you guys remember my Mason Jar Soap Dispenser for the Pinterest Challenge Fall Edition?  Well, those hilarious ladies over at Bower Power Blog & Young House Love are at it again and this time they've invited two more ladies along from The Great Indoors and Hi Sugarplum.  It's Pinterest Challenge time again - Winter style.  (Although it is looking a bit more like Spring 'round my parts.)

For those of you that aren't following me on Pinterest (and how dare you!), I've been pinning like crazy and most of the pins are focused around our home renovation, but there's always been some amazing crafts in there, too. Here's a little peek at some of my home DIY inspirations.

{1) Floating Wall Shelves  2)  Stenciled Floor  3) Glass Pendant Lights}

I can't wait to complete each of these, but with the current state of our home reno (replacing a foundation beam has taken precedence over our kitchen remodel), I've had to put each of these off.  So, to my craft section I go and just in time for National Craft Month!