Landscaping

Add a Fountain as your Focal Point in the Landscape!

Although outdoor water fountains have recently exploded in popularity, people around the world have been enjoying them for hundreds of years. Not so long ago, they were considered to be art for the elite, as they were placed politely in front of castles and mansions. Today, they come in every size, shape, material, theme and price range imaginable, so everyone can enjoy the many benefits that they offer. Whether you buy them at Walmart, Runnings, or some where else or build one, fountains add more than just looks.

Promote Good Health

Since outdoor fountains create such a relaxing environment, they immediately calm the nerves and relive stress. As most are well-aware, stress contributes to a long list of health complications and often dictates poor sleeping and eating habits. A simple fountain can help relieve some of the daily stress and anxiety that accumulates on your shoulders.

Focal Point

It is as important to have a focal point in your outdoor living space as it is inside your home. When you enter a space, your eyes scan the surroundings; it is very exhausting when they do not have a place to come to rest. This is very comforting for your guests as well, especially those coming to your home for the first time.

Noise Barrier

Do you have neighbors that play their music just a little too loud, or is there a dog next door that seems to bark all day long? Water fountains can drown out these obnoxious noises. Although they are certainly not loud themselves, the sound of running water is an exceptional noise barrier.

Plants and Wildlife

When outdoor water features are placed in your garden or flower beds, they offer a number of benefits to both plants and wildlife. The moisture that is released will help keep your flowers from wilting away on a hot day and the water itself will invite birds, butterflies, bees and dragonflies to your garden. The bees and butterflies will help with pollination while the dragonflies keep your mosquito population to a minimum.

DIY Projects

Kitchen Island Ideas

Here are some ideas to consider before installing an island in your kitchen.

A kitchen with an island should have at least 42 inches of clearance on each side of the island. Why so much? It is meant to be a work area. If you were only walking past it, 36 inches would suffice. But you’re not installing an island in your kitchen, so you can simply pass it by. So, 42 inches is minimum.

When answering the question, “kitchen island or not,” consider your budget. Adding a kitchen island adds costs for cabinetry and countertop, plus any appliance or sink and fixtures you’re considering. Using custom cabinets will save you money from the outset, but still—you need to crunch the numbers and see if you have room in your budget, in addition to room in your room, for a kitchen island.

The advantages to a kitchen island are many: You get more counter space, more storage, an eating area, and possibly room for an appliance or small work sink. In short, you can easily convert an L-shaped kitchen into a U-shaped one with the addition of an island! With an open concept plan, you also get to interact with people not in the kitchen with you while you’re cooking or keep an eye on kids doing homework while seated at the island.

There are ways to add some of the functionality and design elements of an island without incurring the cost or messing with your mojo while cooking. You could use a table instead. With a table, you get additional cooking surface, plus it becomes an eating area that everyone can use. With an island, you only have seating on one side so there’s less togetherness about the meal. Also, a table can get moved out of the way and pushed up against the wall, if necessary. Another alternative is a cart on wheels. With the cart, you get a work surface plus storage and—as with the table—you can push it out of the way. Or you can use a piece of furniture that wasn’t meant to be used in the kitchen but looks glorious there in the middle of your room, adding fashion and flair as well as a place to get dinner ready.

Landscaping

Country People Landscaping Art (I am one)

First of all not all country people are rednecks. They’re people that don’t give a damn about high society. I have seen some that do sport mullets, wear the plaid shirts with the cut off sleeves, have their cars upon blocks, eats from cool whip bowls and live in trailers. Whats wrong with that? They are mostly good down-to-earth people. They express themselves in their own backyard art.