"Ambiance" x "Under The Ladder" ENJOY :)
haweha
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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Complete landscaping of back yard.
Comments (15)You can spend a lot of money on plants, garden features, etc. With a designer you may avoid transplanting or replacing plants after your project is finished, which can prove to be cost effective. That said, tackling a project like this can be a source of real satisfaction. The garden truly reflects the personality of its owner. Below are some thoughts to consider: Decide if you want to amend the sandy soil you mention. Having the soil tested by a cooperative extension group can help you decide how to amend your soil. It is less expensive and bothersome to take this step now rather than later. Your plants will be happier, too. Adding paths to your plans can help visitors walk through the garden and lend itself to the garden “rooms” you are designing. It also helps you to reach areas that may need maintenance, too. It looks like your plan outlines straight beds. This is a structure that lends itself to a formal garden. Creating the foundation or structure of the garden is an essential first step in designing. Do you want a formal garden? Think about the view you want to see from windows or outside rooms. There is nothing more calming than pleasant view of a garden from the warmth of a house. The process also helps with the selection of plants that show in seasons not ideal for outside gardening. You mention a pool. What about a water feature? A glazed urn with water spilling over located near a patio or deck lends a feeling of calm and interest. An inexpensive approach might be to use a glazed urn over a dry rock, sink with a circulating pump. When planting, keep the mature size of shrubs in mind. This step enhances the look of the garden—and is easier on the wallet. In the first year of planting, the beds look “skimpy.” However, it is surprising how quickly planting beds fill out. In the end, plants have more room to show their natural form--and you will have more time to enjoy rather than transplant and prune. What the heck! It is easier to add plants rather than dig them out. Look at the mature shape of your plants. Are their forms closer to a triangle, square, oval or round shape? Use the shapes to design a bed that forms a pleasing composition. Consider trees, shrubs and plants that provide horizontal and vertical interest. When you visit nurseries, watch out for shrubs that are “pruned” into shapes that are not their natural form—unless you like to prune—a lot. This project is a lot of work but a lot of fun, too. Enjoy! And please do post pictures of your project as you progress....See MoreBath Makeover--I Found the Right Glass Tile!
Comments (33)Really looks awesome love the blue LED lighting under the vanity mirror, very warm looking bathroom. Nice...See MoreHow to design a "thruway" den...
Comments (10)First, let me express appreciation for all of these gracious replies to our design dilemma! It has been a difficult room for us to figure out, and well, it feels good to hear from others. Miranda Rose -- this room got pulled into our remodel as an afterthought, mostly due to the flooring change. We don't have much of a budget, can do some furniture, paint and window coverings, (3k-ish) but don't have the $$ right now to change the doors (pocket) or slider. We could do this as part of our next project probably in about 2 years though. Would appreciate short term ideas, that aren't throw away with a longer term idea. Felix Pradas-Bergnes - I like your idea, but am sad we'd lose the seating looking outside. Maybe the chairs could be swivels. Do you think it would be strange to end the built in shelving short of the corners? As luck has it, that's where the light switches are. MiaCometLady - this is the layout we originally had, and is sort of our default.... we don't love it but it works at a basic level. All - If we toss out the TV as a needed feature, and focus more on reading, relaxing does this open up more design ideas? Again, thanks everyone!...See MoreTake Out the Fire Place and Chimney?
Comments (149)We remove these all the time during renovations. And we then put the fireplace (direct vent unit) whereever we want in the design. The only things to consider are: (and likely not too relevant for you in Florida but very relevant for cold climes - minus 30C this weekend!!!) 1) Is the chimney being used to vent a furnace or does the house have a direct vent furnace (vent out an exterior wall). You cannot remove if chimney being used by furnace, unless you get a high efficiency furnace. 2) The 'structure' of the brickwork - does it span more than 1 level. In Canada, we have basements and typically these structures on the main floor have another in the basement, same position on the floor plan. We remove all items normally and remove the external chimney. When we are re-purposing these fireplaces, we sometimes just remove the brick veneer and then install a direct vent fireplace. 3) What is the 'feature' in that room? Where should it be located? Generally, every room needs a feature wall, however the feature doesn't have to take up the entire wall. It depends on the furniture layout as well as other factors. 4) Consider your palette for the overall house - or the level of house where the fireplace now occupies. Some people want that industrial vibe of brick (painted or not) but many of our clients want something a bit more expressive of their unique personality. Establish a palette, then look at materials that support that palette. For instance, with the client select 3 main 'colourways' for the main palette: black, silver, walnut, in this example. We create a to-scale layout showing how tiles will be installed (We never spec a tile size that is too large or too small for the application as we are very aware that tile cuts that fall disturb the eye are not ideal. Therefore, we look for the right sized tile to fit the layout (or cut a slab to the sizes) or we don't use the tile at all - even if we love that specific tile. We spend a lot of time, creating a number of feature wall/material layouts to -scale, in elevation view, combined with floor plan view of the room to show how the furniture will fit around the feature (whether it's a FP or a TV.) First we use pencil on tissue paper showing the proposed 'design' (we show at least 3 options) sitting over top of the existing house in floor plan view and then we do a pencil sketch elevation to show all is working space-wise and aesthetically.. Then we move on to the colour renderings in a semi-photo format (we also do photo renderings of specific materials when clients wish). Hope these guidelines help you get the success you deserve with your project. Take the time to think out all posibilities and design a few options to consider. It never hurts to do your homework! Ask us for our design process list and we will send it by email to help!...See Morehaweha
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