Category Archives:
Taking the mud out of mudroom: designing a mudroom that works
Pinterest-worthy mudrooms score high on the looks scale but often get failing marks for practicality. Designing a better, more efficient space can help the area stay clean and welcoming. Family members often enter through the mudroom area. Encountering – or encouraging – a mess when first returning home can be disheartening. Keeping it organized and
https://ephenry.com/taking-the-mud-out-of-mudroom-designing-a-mudroom-that-works/A Welcoming, Rustic Christmas
Almost any style of decor can incorporate a few down-home, rustic elements for the holidays. Adding a bit of rustic elements to your holidays will charm guests and lend a touch of warmth to your decor. Farmhouse decor gives us that cozy feeling we love for the holidays. Concentrating on three key spaces will help
https://ephenry.com/a-welcoming-rustic-christmas/Skinny spaces: Games and ideas for narrow outdoor areas
We all have those little strips of yard or patio that are too small to be decked out but too big to be ignored. Don’t despair. There’s hope for those skinny spaces. Here are a few ideas to turn those neglected spaces into destination spots. A shuffleboard court is a fun addition to any outdoor
https://ephenry.com/skinny-spaces-games-and-ideas-for-narrow-outdoor-areas/Embrace a new color for 2019
A trendy new hue for your outdoor decor has been named. Here’s how to welcome it into your summer patio plans. Living Coral, 2019 The Pantone Color of the Year for 2019 is called “Living Coral.” The Pantone Color Institute is a color-matching and trend forecasting company that caters to the fashion, marketing and branding
https://ephenry.com/embrace-a-new-color-for-2019/4 ways a creative garden wall can make a cookie-cutter landscape unique
A new home in a new development is an exciting prospect. But in a neighborhood of similar home models, how does a homeowner make their house stand out? With a little creativity and perhaps the help of a landscape designer, adding a simple garden wall to your front landscape can change the entire look of
https://ephenry.com/4-ways-a-creative-garden-wall-can-make-a-cookie-cutter-landscape-unique/Patio styles from the 1950s to today
Everything from hemlines and haircuts, architecture and art are subject to the whims of fashion. Patios are no exception. A few distinct styles have emerged over the years, but some parts of patio design will always be timeless. Let’s look at different patio styles over the past few decades. The 1950s “mid-century” look was popular
https://ephenry.com/patio-styles-from-the-1950s-to-today/Patio fun for fall: fires, caramel apples and more
The crisp fall days are here. Relish the four seasons by getting outside to enjoy that patio. Here are a few fall favorites to get your ideas churning for a dreamy autumn patio day. Cozy blankets There’s something comforting in being covered up. Keep several wool throw blankets handy out on the patio. Have one
https://ephenry.com/patio-fun-for-fall-fires-caramel-apples-and-more/Hardscape project timelines: What’s realistic?
Hint: once you come up with the idea, it’s never too early to contact a contractor When we decide to move forward on a major upgrade to our Hardscape, we can’t get started quickly enough. Dreams of lounging by the new pool or grilling in the outdoor kitchen are so close to becoming real that
https://ephenry.com/hardscape-project-timelines-whats-realistic/Elements of Industrial Design
Exposed brick, concrete countertops, tile and stone floors are chic decor elements with a hardened past. The first factories of the industrial revolution were built in the late 1700s. Forging steel, laundering fabrics, or glass-making involved very hot and often unwieldy fire. By the early 1900s the onset of unreliable electrical wiring added to the
https://ephenry.com/elements-of-industrial-design/Let it rain: A garden for the good of the planet
A rain garden helps nature help itself by capturing and filtering rain water. Landscapes bring us some of the simplest but purest pleasures: feeling our bare toes in lush green grass; picking fresh peas from growing gardens; eating blueberries straight from the bush. Our backyards give us the long summer nights around a fire or
https://ephenry.com/let-it-rain-a-garden-for-the-good-of-the-planet/