Spring has Sprung

I haven't been writing for a while as the design business has been busy, however today offers some time.  As I look out to the beautiful sunny day I really feel that spring is finally here.  As we approach a long weekend many will be opening pools, going to open their summer homes or purchasing and planting our summer flowers and tending to our gardens.  As soon as it is possible I am outside with a throw and some heat, enjoying the outdoors which comes and goes much too quickly for my taste.  As we have been cooped up indoors it is a welcome change to be outdoors.  My own deck awaits me.

As we freshen up the outdoors we need to think of inside our homes and freshen them up as well.  I like to change up my colour scheme with accessories.  You can put new cushion covers on your toss cushions; change up your throws from heavy to something light and bright. This the time to take up any heavy and dark area rugs and mats and perhaps replace with summery sisal ones.  Pull back any heavy draperies and let the sunshine in. Wash and open your windows for some fresh air. Bringing in some flowers adds to the summer theme.

Outdoor Living - Creating your Outdoor Kitchen

Creating your Outdoor Kitchen

When we think of an outdoor kitchen we should think about our indoor kitchen.  What do we like or not like about the indoor kitchen which can be related to how you create your outdoor kitchen.  An outdoor kitchen takes a lot of planning.  You need to think about many factors including the type of cooking you will do – charcoal, smokers, pizza ovens, gas/propane and then the other aspects; chilling – will you want a refrigerator, ice makers, water, counter top for preparation, bar, seating, and storage.

Ultimately the look is important and how all of the elements fit together and of course your budget. As in creating your indoor space, you should select one element/area to be the focal point and build around it.  Keep in mind the following – Fence lines and setbacks; the type of greenery; lighting, landscape currently in place; accessories.  Also keep the location of your barbecue so that the smoke does not drift into the seating area.  Don’t block views when you select your location as the view and surrounding floral and greenery add to the ambience.

Create this outdoor space with attention to details and incorporate appropriate furniture.  Will you have a roof over your kitchen? What type of flooring will you want?  Think about your indoor kitchen and try to incorporate some of the best features of it to your outdoor kitchen. 

The addition of the outdoor kitchen and appropriate sitting area to your home will give you many years of enjoyment.  Outdoor kitchens, when done right can add to the value of your home.

Outdoor Lighting and AV

Outdoor Lighting and AV

A great presentation by Moonstruck Lighting left me incredibly inspired.  A beautiful garden is lost at night without proper lighting.  There was a lot of technical information but I will focus on general information that will help you when lighting your outdoor space. LED has come a long way and you no longer are limited with the cool blue light. 

When you decide to light your outdoor space there are factors to consider that will affect the performance.  Look at the surfaces you wish to light; is there texture; is the finish smooth; or is there colour?  Lighting will direct the eye to where you wish it to go. Something many people may not realize is that you require a permit unless the lighting is self-contained or low voltage plug in.

There are many lighting techniques; some of which I will describe.  

Up lighting is the most common which provides a focal point.  When lighting a large tree it is more balanced if you have three lights around so it doesn’t look flat.  

Try down lighting on floral plantings while angle lighting is very effective on textured materials.  

Path lighting is usually no more than 18” and is a safety option.  When lighting stairs try lighting from above so you do not have the shadows presented if you light from below the step.  A very beautiful technique is to light water and sculptures.  Some other types of lighting include shadow lighting, silhouette lighting; sign lighting but one of the most important lighting options is to have light that highlights your house numbers.  Overall it is better to have several types of lighting rather than only one very bright source.  It is important to have balance in your lighting system.

In the end it is important to consider hiring a professional to do this for you as they have the skill needed to create a favourable lighting scheme for your home.

Outdoor AV has become much more mainstream these days as people are using their outdoor spaces for longer periods of time.  They are now the outdoor version of the living/dining room.  There are a full range of outdoor speakers available that can be hidden among your plantings for a better ascetic.  You can have one full range speaker or component speakers spreading the sound more evenly.  There are now outdoor Televisions available that are waterproof; have anti-glare glass and some have a built in fan or heater.  When you get into a sophisticated system it is best to consult with the professionals.

Accessorizing your back garden, deck or patio

A trip to Homesense will surely get you in the mood to decorate and accessorize your outdoor spaces.

Beautiful Outdoor Spaces

Now that we are starting to enjoy some nice weather it is time to get our outdoor spaces ready for some relaxing and entertaining in the coming months.  Whether you have a small balcony, a deck, patio, pool or complete oasis you can take some inspiration from the photos below to bring some excitement into your own space

 

Making a new Patio Table

One day this spring I ventured outside to my patio to sit for a minute and enjoy my coffee, only to find that my lovely glass patio table was now a pile of glass shards.  Not sure how this happened but I would not toss it.  It was longer than what I could find out there these days and the chairs were fine and most of these come as a set so I decided to remake it over using cedar fence boards cut to the correct size.  I couldn't find the colour of stain I wanted so I made my own.  I love mixing colour.

Below is what my table looked like prior to the crash!

Below is the new tabletop with the unstained cedar boards

 Running boards in the opposite direction on the underside adds stability and keeps boards from shifting

The finished result.  

National Home Show, Part 2

Well I went, I saw and now I am writing.....  I also took many photos and then made a HUGE  mistake and deleted them somehow.  Hate taking photos with my phone but when I arrived with my trusty camera in hand it turned out that the battery was dead?  Yikes.

So unfortunately all the wonderful booths I visited and photos I took are gone.  I have a few from the Canada Blooms exhibits

 How about this 'Bed of Flowers'

 Not a bad size koy