Arbors date back to early Egyptian and Roman gardens and were used throughout Europe by the late 16th century. The term arbor, or arbour, is an English word, believed to be derived from the Old French herbere or Anglo-French herbe, meaning herb or grass. Residential…
Window Boxes Putting up exterior window treatments such as shutters and window boxes can beautify your home while adding some practical benefits. On top of curb appeal (both through flowers and paint colors), awnings and closable shutters can help keep…
Fall in love with your yard again with a pergola. For homeowners, beautiful landscaping can make a significant difference. While lush plants and verdant lawns are common outdoor features, adding a structure to complement the greenery in your backyard is a popular…
Often the appearance of your home depends upon the arrangement and placement of your things. Most of the time people concentrate on the decor of their homes, but forget that arranging stuff you own in a certain manner also matter that…
One of the most important design elements in a garden is structure. It’s easy (with a little bit of work!) to add structure by adding paths and garden walkways and certainly the sidewalk coming to your front door. They give…
One in four Americans with two-car garages don’t have room to park their cars inside of them, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The main reason? Clutter. Your garage should be much more than a place to park cars: it’s…
Properly placed trees can add value to your property. They can provide shade to keep cooling costs down in the summer and provide a windbreak to keep heating costs down in the winter. Trees can provide privacy and year-round interest…
Old farm equipment adds a rustic touch to decor for the backyard, garden, front porch — or even inside, in moderation. Everything from wagon wheels to a wooden wheelbarrow may be repurposed into decor around the garden; in some cases,…
An unfinished basement, with its concrete floor and exposed joists, may seem dreary and cold. But in reality, it is an enormous blank canvas just waiting for your inspired ideas and artistic vision. The fact is, you don’t really need…
One of the most popular trends still going strong 20 years after the term was coined. A distressed and timeworn look is the epitome of shabby chic decorating. Contemporary but classic, it has become a popular and universal style. The…
Have you ever driven by a home that you had to take a second look? From the brick the house is made of, to the color of the front door, to the landscaping in front of the porch. It all…
Planting a tree is a long-term investment. Besides adding beauty to your landscape, a tree helps the environment by taking up carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that is such a big driver in climate change. It can provide shade to…
Kitchens from the late 40s through the 50s, smooth colorful easy-to-clean surfaces reigned supreme. Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall post-modern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially…
We all have old vintage frames left by our grandmothers and mother. It is a real shame to throw them and that is why we found great ideas how to repurpose them. You can put family pictures in the vintage…
Had a phone call about foreclosures and short sales in another town. They were wondering if these are bargains. Short sales and foreclosures are often not the deals they appear to be, especially for inexperienced buyers. In this market, even…