PLAYGROUND COTTAGES HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Creating Your Own Garden OfficePosted by admin on May 20th, 2011

Whereas before a garden office can only be built by rich people, these days even the ordinary household can afford to buy or build one. Companies like Atelier, which did the impressive garden office you see on the picture, has an amazing gallery of designs for their portfolio. They modular garden offices which can be delivered to your home and installed in just three days!

But before you have one built, here are some considerations you need to think about carefully first:

1. Be sure of the location where you are going to have it built. Carefully positioning where your garden office will help you make most of the natural light and scenery your garden has to offer. It can also be situated close enough to the main house so you don’t have to walk far to get it and be close for any emergencies but far enough that you can work in peace and have some privacy. You can also decide to place it where it will not be as hot when it is summer time.

2. Choose the amenities you want it to have. The best thing about garden offices is that it can serve many purposes. It can serve as your office during the day and entertain guests at night. It can also serve as a room if someone needs a place to stay. It can be insulated and have double or triple glazing and it can have all the services you need to give yourself a proper office, which will be just as good as anything you might rent. It can even have its own bathroom, internet and phone connections!

3. You choose only the appliances and pieces of furniture that will help you focus on working and not the other way around. It might not be a good idea to have a television set in the garden office or a bed that might lure to just relax and sleep. Pick pieces of furniture that will help you work.

4. Work around with what your garden and nature have to offer. Take advantage of it. For example, gardens or the outdoors will give the best natural light to allow you to work. Most of these offices are designed with natural lighting in mind. They will have glass doors, large windows, and allow for ample natural sunlight to enter and illuminate the building. While this makes working at night a different story, there is still the capacity to add in artificial light if the room does not seem bright enough.

Amazing BackYardPosted by admin on July 6th, 2010

I want to learn how to sew, knit, crochet and even be a handyman so I can fix our electric fans, TV and replace our bulbs without having to rely on someone to do it. Or worse, pay someone to fix small things. I wish I can be crafty and nifty in the house than being useful in computers. I was reading about an alli review I had to comment on when I decided to check some home inspiration sites I frequent and I saw this amazing transformation:

Arent you shocked and amazed? It makes me want to rip out my little yard. But then again, this isn’t ours so I better not test my skills.

Backyard PoolPosted by admin on May 18th, 2010

I just got off the phone with an old colleague. She and her family recently migrated to the US. She shared that they are doing fine. Her new workmates are very helpful and cooperative. The kids are also adjusting well in school and they have found new friends already. They currently live in a dainty house with a big backyard and a pool. Her husband is now busy fixing the old pool with the contractors because summer is just around the corner. They want their first summer there to be very memorable, is why. Out of excitement, my friend mentioned about swimming pool filter cartridges, above ground pool filters, and pool filter replacement cartridges too fast she almost lost her breath! All these things are new to the husband so they needed to hire professionals to help them start. Just basing on her stories, maintaining a pool is really not an easy task, especially if their kids’ friends will be coming over to take a dip. One nightmare of every parent would be their kids catching bacteria or some skin diseases in pools. So I understand why my former colleague is also making sure everything is safe and ready. I know my friends are responsible parents so I am certain their pool project will be perfect just in time for summer.

Cushions for Outdoor FurniturePosted by admin on May 5th, 2010

With the beautiful weather we are having (despite of the heat), people are naturally drawn to the outdoors, where they can lounge comfortably in their chairs. If they are lucky, there just might be a pool nearby or a beach where they can hear the waves lapping.

If you have a nice lawn or backyard, it would be nice to invest on quality outdoor furniture so you can enjoy your time outside. It can be a great place for meditation, some quiet time and even parties. 

What I believe is great about outdoor furniture is you can always have a mix of styles and interchange them up a bit every now and then. And do you know how? By replacing their cushions! When you think about it, it’s really the cushions that set the color and styles for your patio chairs, isn’t it? Sure they can have a plastic, resin, metal or wood base that gives a foundation color and theme of the piece of furniture, but its those cushions and whatever design or colors they hold that set the color and style you’re looking for to dress up your backyard.

Rocking Chair Cushions make children and elderly people more comfortable in rocking chairs. You can even say it can serve as a sleeping location outdoors. Adirondack Chair Cushions spice up the beach chairs, as I’d like to call it. You can always opt to have it bare when it is near the pool and there would be swimming involved. An Outdoor Bench Cushion would be nice too.

At CustomCushions.net, you can have a cushion custom-made for your furniture! You just need to know the size and the fabric that you want, it comes in many different styles too!

I personally would like cushions in outdoor furniture. It would make guests more comfortable. And since it can be removed, it can get cleaned more often too!

Planning for an Outdoor ShedPosted by admin on April 21st, 2010

I hate clutter at home. I am a clutterer, I have to admit. Isn’t that ironic? I try and declutter every month to make sure we don’t make monsters from all our clutter, but it always keep coming back.

An outdoor storage shed may be the perfect solution to storage problems in the home. They are also more convenient and secure than other options, especially if you own expensive gardening or landscaping equipment that must be locked away.

A Duramax shed is perfect for gardening tools. It also can withstand snow, so you can set up lights and shelves in this shed and it will become a storage for your gardening tools and maybe some of your husband’s tools as well. I know there are also families who prefer to keep their pets in these sheds, with their own bed, for a dual purpose, to keep pets safe (especially in cruel weather) and to keep their valuables safe too. Choosing vinyl sheds over metal sheds would also be a wise decision. Outdoor vinyl sheds are about as durable as you can get when it comes to outdoor storage. They do not require painting and are generally tougher than plastic and metal sheds. Maintenance is kept at a minimum; periodical cleaning (brushing) is all it needs to keep your shed in tip-top condition.

What you see above reminds me of big tents in the dessert, like the ones the US Army would use in Iraq. Portable garages are used in many camp sites and areas with more fields. Families nowadays need and have more cars that they do not have enough space for their garage. Big vehicles, like an RV for example, one that you as a family do not use very often, can use portable garages like this. It is made of weather-resistant polyethylene fabric. This rip-stop fabric is fade-resistant and creates a carport garage with waterproof seams so your car, boat, or farm equipment is protected even during harsh weather.

Beautifying your Garden With ChimesPosted by admin on March 9th, 2010

A sprawling lawn with beautifully landscaped gardens and trees can be your own paradise right in the confines of your home. This is one of the reasons why most couples with kids prefer to invest on a house and lot than a condo unit. Surrounding yourself in open air, with greens around the house is not only therapeutic, it can make a refreshing and peaceful view.

A cousin of mine recently had their built and they decided to keep the huge mango tree in the middle of their lot. They built their house on the side and had the rest landscaped. We go there for picnics all the time. The tree has been a huge relief during summer and heat is unbearable. During Christmas, it is adorned with Christmas lights and lanterns. They even bought wind chimes to make the tree more attractive. Garden wind chimes are an excellent way to provide character and charisma to outdoor spaces. Not only are they pleasing to the eyes and music to the ears, they are considerably cheaper than most garden accessories. For example, bamboo wind chimes are very cheap because of the material used. Yet they remain to the be the most popular choice among wind chimes because the bamboo provides a great accent and blends with garden surroundings.

But if you would like to invest on them you should consider getting metal or aluminum wind chimes. They produce more harmonious sounds (some are even programmed to produce certain keys or notes) and metal ones do not rust, a plus when placed outdoors where they will be subject to extreme weather conditions.

In summary, having your patch of green right inside your house is not only eco-friendly, it is aesthetically pleasing and refreshing to the senses. Adding one more visible element, the element of air through wind chimes, is just icing on the cake.

Lighting the YardPosted by admin on March 2nd, 2010

Our yard is quite small compared to a sprawling lawn. We only have a small thatch of land where we grow peppers and onions for our kitchen and a row of thin bushes for flowers. However, over our fence is vast amount of cornfield and trees. At night, I quite worry that animals (friendly or otherwise) might trespass our property. I don’t think our porch light would be enough at night. My husband suggested we use a rope light along the fence to add more light, mainly to the shrubberies. The rope lights would be better than regular light bulbs as the lights are inside a tubing so it will be safer against hazards (such as fire). Plus, these rope lighting fixtures can make a nice decoration during the holiday season too! We can use a rope light glue just to make sure it stays in place. I have been reading on how to install them and it seems easy, even I myself can do it!

Free Standing GrillsPosted by admin on February 23rd, 2010

I am sure when you have a patio or deck in your backyard, chances are you also have a BBQ grill – it is a staple when entertaining guests at home outdoors. It makes your life easier as well because cooking food at BBQ grills is so easy that you have time to mingle with your guests. And anybody can take over to watch the food grilling too!

If you are serious about grilling, ask ask around and you will get the same answer which brand is considered to be the best there is – lynx grills. I know not all could afford it though so I made some research on other recommended grills. I specifically looked for free standing ones because I love the portability it can give – plus the cook for the day wont need to be so far away when entertaining.

The free standing fire magic grills lets you have a party anywhere in your backyard. You have a virtual bistro/grilling station in your shady deck or sunny pool patio!

If you want the free standing grill, you can get the E790s Freestanding Echelon Fire Magic Grill with Rotisserie.It has a rotisserie on its back burners, a wood chip smoker drawer, advanced meat temperature probe and two 110V electrical outlets!

You can have the choice of installing a power hood, infrared burners, use natural gas or propane, a flush mounted single side burner or double side burner, a solar grill and a magic view window. What is great about Fire Magic outdoor grills is that they have advanced heat zone separators that discreetly divide BBQ grills into areas of greater or lesser heat – imagine all the food you can cook in its entire 792 square inches! If you are selective with grills because of the taste it gives (some people prefer charcoal grills because it produces more flavored good than gas or electric ones), fire magic grills have echelon patio grills that have wood chip smoker drawers with dedicated burners, to satisfy friends and family with homemade smoked delicacies.

Eco-RoofsPosted by admin on February 18th, 2010

Have you seen the garden in the roof of Reese Witherspoon’s San Francisco apartment in the movie Just Like Heaven? That is the trend nowadays of modern houses, they encourage the building of ecoroofs.

The environment is in shambles and everyone is scared and stressed about it (probably the reason why most people need deep wrinkle treatment as early as late twenties!), and the ecoroof is one of the little ways to help out. Plus your house won’t be as hot during the summer – a totally win-win situation!

An ecoroof is a vegetated roof system used in place of a conventional roof. Ecoroofs are comprised of several layers that include a root barrier, waterproof membrane, drainage, soil system, and plants. Similar to landscaping your yard, the viability of any ecoroof is dependent on many variables such as climate, exposure, soil and plant type, and initial maintenance. With those variables in mind, there are many design opportunities to transform a conventional roof into a beautiful, functional and beneficial space.

Spa RoomPosted by admin on February 6th, 2010

I clearly remember the house where I celebrated my 18th birthday. It was massive rest house complete with its own swimming pool and spa room with a hot tub and jacuzzi! It was a really nice place. I fell in love with the place that’s why when I got married, I chose to prepare in that place as well. Now it’s up for sale and I wish I had the amount of money to buy the house; it holds a lot of memories for me.

When we were there, we only got to try the swimming pool as the jacuzzi/hot tub was closed with a hot tub cover and the housekeeper did not know how to open it as it was the house boy who did the maintenance on the outdoors. (It was located down the garden). The cover was not your usual stretched out cover but it looked something like this:

It turns out that spa covers like the picture above makes lifting covers a lot more easier. All you need to do is these:

1. Raise and open support arms.
2. Fold the spa cover in half and slide onto support arms.
3. Push the spa cover downward into it’s stored position.

Of course, these spa cover lifters would be a lot more convenient since it lifts by itself – it has gas springs for effortless movement and high grade powder coated aluminum construction for durability.

Selecting the Right Patio Furniture for Your House.Posted by admin on February 4th, 2010

There is a reason why I do not like to live in plus condominium units. A house for me always equates spacious lawns and gardens for my kids to play with and to entertain house guests and company. Whenever I dream of the home I would like to buy, having a spacious patio out back with a great pool or jacuzzi always comes to mind. My husband loves to entertain at home and the patio would be a great place for parties. I have always envisioned our patio to extend into a pool or jacuzzi. Part of it will be covered and another part will stretch into a green lawn with great landscaping. That is why there will be two types of  furniture involved – both indoor and outdoor patio furniture sets.

Traditional patio sets made of wicker or metal have been outdated with different kinds like plastic, aluminum, wrought iron or teak. You can choose any type of patio furniture for you, but you need to consider budget and two important things: durability and weather-resistance. Since it’s going to be outdoors, it’s going to be exposed to a lot of extreme weather conditions. Some say that teak wood furniture would make the best outdoor furniture as it is one of the hardest type of wood in the world and is resistant to rotting. 

I personally like patio dining sets that are comfortable and have glass as tables. It makes it easier to clean. But I particularly fell in love with the Cromwell Sling patio furniture collection I saw at Outdora.com:

The conversation sets made of wicker remind me of perfect places to lounge around and talk all day with great company too.

These types of furniture would work best in an indoor patio though. I love the middle image so much – it is perfect for the dream house in my head!

The Effect of the Deep Freeze in 2010 to PeoplePosted by admin on January 22nd, 2010

What was before a fleeting concern for everyone has become a global crisis wherein nations’ leaders are pressured to act, and act swiftly. Climate change has impacted the whole world and seasons and temperature changes, which has always been predictable, are now erratic. Droughts are followed by flash floods and what is supposed to summer has been plagued with constant rains. The CBS News has called this season’s winter as the Deep Freeze in 2010 wherein most US states have experienced record-breaking sub zero temperatures. Florida, which doesn’t usually experience snow, has them and Chicago has 29 inches of snow already, which is the average snowfall during the whole of winter in recent years.

It has been predicted that due to the change of weather, prices of crops will increase. Snow has been very damaging to the soil and has hampered the schedule of planting. Can you imagine how one will toil frozen ground?

Even gardening has taken a toll. My grandmother has a great garden out back in her home. Now she cannot even toil the soil to let it breath. Lawn Aerators do the trick for her now. Since she also has great rose beds that she worked hard on all year, she uses frost blankets to keep them from wind and frost damage.  She is a very avid gardener and would often spend hours in the garden. Now she cannot even go out for so long. She uses a cold frame on her vegetations as well, a tip she got from a Cold weather Gardening tips article.

Outdoor Fire PitsPosted by admin on January 22nd, 2010

We are right in the middle of the dead of winter. And in other places, rainstorms and tornadoes are threatening communities which have never experienced one. Almost everybody is wishing for spring to come sooner and even more summer! Summer is one of the seasons when families travel a lot and get together and enjoy beaches.

One my most cherished memories during summer is campfires by the beach. In fact, investing on an outdoor fireplace is going to be one of the greatest decisions a family can make especially if they have a great backyard in their homes. An outdoor fire pit is one of the best ways to enjoy a beautiful summer night. For one thing, having cook-outs in the yard is a great way to spend time with family and friends, and food and great company results in time well spent.

However, do no restrict your outdoor fire pits to grill parties and cook-outs, you can always spend time with your significant other in front of the fire, underneath the stars, to make a romantic evening. It is also an opportunity for you to meditate.

Since outdoor fits can have wheels and are most likely portable, you can bring them anywhere with you! Imagine how easy it would be to build fires with it.

If you still would like to have the “feel” of making fire from scratch, be wise enough to have a boundary for it like fire rings. It will contain the fire and prevent it from spreading, plus you can enjoy a more intense fire.

Why do you need to invest on fire pits?

Safety and precaution is the most important thing in mind when fire pits were designed. Aside from being more pleasurable and easy on the eyes, it is easier to cook because you have a place flat and stable enough for grills but wide enough to have socialization take place, as what happens in camping.