A Simple DIY Outdoor Plant Shelf To Disguise Ugly Utility Boxes

by Posted in Home Renovation

When we shared pictures of our front porch last fall, we said that our decorating strategy out here was basically “plants and more plants.” It helps visually connect the porch to all of the greenery surrounding our house and – as we’ll show you today – it’s also helping us hide some less-than-pretty parts of this outdoor area. Let’s call them wall warts. Three large rectangular wall warts. But more on that in a second.

white fluted planter | outdoor ceiling fan |wicker storage box | larger white planter | similar egg chair

First let’s travel back in time to what this all looked like last February when we put an offer in on this house (that’s our realtor in the photo below)

As you can see, we’ve already come quite a long way (you can read more about the exterior updates we did in this area herehere).

Continue reading A Simple DIY Outdoor Plant Shelf To Disguise Ugly Utility Boxes at Young House Love.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=390

Our Bedroom Ten Months In (Houston, We Have A Closet!)

by Posted in Home Improvement

Long story short, instead of having 8 doors that lead outside in our bedroom (yes, we really had that many), we now have 6. And spoiler alert: it’s still plenty. We really just use the middle set along this huge wall of doors to go in and out, but the view and the light that the other doors let in is truly a room-making detail. We love the view in here and all of the brightness that shines in, and the addition of the fence for our own little private courtyard out there has been so nice. It not only makes the yard feel more private, it makes the bedroom feel more nestled and private too (more on that fence/courtyard area here).

rug | similar lamps | bed frame | headboard | similar bench | ottoman | curtains | curtain rod | similar tablewood chairs | door knobs

The exciting thing about eliminating that last set of double doors (which used to be where our left nightstand and the left half of our bed are in the photo below), is that we could then move our bed into that cozy nook that was created:

rug | similar lamps | bed frame | headboard | similar bench | ottoman | curtains | curtain rod | similar tablewood chairs | door knobs

As a reminder, this is what the room looked like when we bought our house (and the two-door area that’s half open in the photo below is what we drywalled over and we now have our bed along that wall).

Continue reading Our Bedroom Ten Months In (Houston, We Have A Closet!) at Young House Love.

How We Created A Cozy Fire Pit Area In Our Formerly Boring Side Yard

by Posted in Home Design

We’ve been enjoying this fire pit hangout spot for months now, but it hasn’t been on the blog… until today. This is basically a lesson in how a fence can make a HUGE difference in defining an area, which can lead to adding some simple outdoor furnishings (in this case, it was four adirondak chairs and a fire pit – which hit the ground and instantly created an entirely new “outdoor room” for our whole family to enjoy).

We hang out here and make s’mores at least once a week (and sometimes a lot more than that), so it has been a very welcome addition. Especially during a time when everyone is spending A LOT of time at home, so something novel and new like this bonus hangout zone feels extra special We even made s’mores for dessert on Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, so it’s quickly becoming quite the family tradition.

Continue reading How We Created A Cozy Fire Pit Area In Our Formerly Boring Side Yard at Young House Love.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=388

Weekend Reading 11.14.21

by Posted in Home Improvement

We’ve had misty mornings with thick fog for over a week and there’s something so wonderful about wearing a winter coat and taking an early morning stroll in those conditions, like something out of a classic novel. 🙂 This week I’m opening up the Christmas closet and pulling out some favorites. I’ll start with the mantel, then decorate the staircase. I like to do it slow, and in sections, it feels better to take time to decorate slowly and I enjoy it much more.

I like carefully digging through my bins and pulling out objects that resonate with me each season, placing them here and there around the house. I have a lot of decor tucked away in giant bins and each year I donate things that I don’t love and add just a few new things that I do. This year I’m in the mood for natural textures with a dash of whimsy. I’ll share holiday images soon!

Favorite links from the week:

Find many beautiful design ideas in this builder home portfolio.

Blue, white, and bright: this home with coastal style in Queensland decorated for Christmas.

What a difference an arch makes: this kitchen transformation.

Impressive: give and old stove a high end look.

A variety of laundry room shelving ideas.

What happens to your body over time when you…. sit for long periods or stop eating sugar.

Reasons why your fears of what other people think are not worth your mental energy.

Fifty quotes on the subject of kindness.

Vacation destination of the week: these stunning villas in Greece.

Ha ha so good: marketing the Icelandverse.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=387