Winter gardening this past weekend

Such a gloomy weekend, I could stop napping when I tried to figure out another seed purchase. 

New ideas for side yard!

So this is our current side yard. Actually it looks worse than that because we took down some of that fence and used to get the frontloader in and out and then put up an 8 foot section of old fence to keep it enclosed in the meantime. Also Pat was throwing stuff out that window as he works on inside. So it's way uglier there now.

The red in this picture is soooooooooooo deep and lush and oooooooh la la. Wow. I'd like to look at that all day long.

Hopefully the new tree in front yard will look like this as it grows. I definitely want to keep the multi-trunk look on the bottom.

This is exactly the size and look I was thinking along that side yard. Without the big trees. Imagine this with Japanese maples where these large tree trunks are. And actually a little wider space.

I would love to have room for an area like this as well to be my serenity place for doing yoga when weather alows. Some water  dripping into a bowl from a bamboo pipe and such.















The cherry tree (I think that's what it is) also such a beautiful combination

And all that went together to form this-->

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh another perfect happy place.

Coming Along

OK Angel I need some feedback when you sit on deck what do you want to look at?

How about this?

Angel's Backyard progress

I added an herb garden, firepit with stonework, cotinus obavatus (purple smoke tree), and worked on expanding deck. Can't find a right sized pergola so may have to leave as is. BUT so cool so far!

Talked with Angel today and she mentioned wanting a patio block area and firepit. So hopefully she'll give me some feedback on the spacing or location here soon (hint hint).

Another Collage.... this time for Angel's Backyard

Angel asked me awhile ago to do her backyard as collage. At the time I was having collager's block. But can't sleep tonight so maybe something will come to me.

Started by merging two pictures to have full back of house and width of backyard in one picture. Now if only I could remember what her thoughts were about deck?

So here's some deck options. They are still fairly roughed in but you get the idea.

Obvioiusly the pergola needs work or just one at least on the latter.

Storage Ottoman

I'm a little nervous about jumping right into the Island project so I think I will ask for him to make storage Ottoman first.  Found great plans through  this old house via pinterest.

DIY Storage Ottoman

from THIS OLD HOUSE

It drives me crazy how I have to go from page to page to follow all the steps and they don't have a nice downloadable PDF with all the instructions. So I always end up copying and pasting them myself into one nice file. 

Or maybe I'll buy one on clearance now at Target? Not sure. I'm a little busy right now for a project such as this.

Back in Business... First Project! Kitchen Island

So this is where the design idea left off. Now I've been told to start working on ideas for the Island. Actually he said make the drawings. huh.... Make the drawings? Oki Doki! So I really like the look of the above. Originally I toyed with the island being a different color, 2 tiered, etc. but I think I'd like it more simple. Now the above island is probably bigger than possible. We figured a 48" by 72" was the max (countertop) and smaller footprint. And the seating probably on living room side.

I wonder if he ever saw the floorplans where I rotated it? I also tried to put in dinette. Not really what I pictured so would have to play with it.


Original Plan with Island as Discussed and Dinette

So here I did an addition again. I keep going back to an addition because it's so hard to have the layout otherwise include all the componets we discussed without stuff on top of each other. But I also then totally moved the back wall of kitchen forward a few feet which would be bad idea because of all the plumbing there. And didn't even put bathroom stuff back in place. BUT I added a portico which I still insist is a MUST (I am alone on that one I think). It also enables us to put a real fireplace in with the lovely stonework on the outside that would really add to the look of the house.

Plan with addition to swap LR and DR. Turned Island and Added wall of cabinets
 

 Here's the 3d rendering mostly to get a feel for the kitchen. See all the bookcases we both talked about. That's why I added another room so it would still feel open otherwise it might feel like a very small room in a library.

Ok I fixed the floating bathroom fixtures and a few other issues: Still can't get stairways to not being up in air. Apparently you can't do a negative elevation. Here's the 3D: