Whether you want to host family nights or entertain guests with a rousing game of ping-pong, a game area is a great place for letting loose in your property. If you feel like your house’s layout doesn’t have the space for this space, there could be a location you’ve overlooked: the attic. A transformation on […]
Author: Wiliat
Fantastic Design Plant: Chinese Pistache
This is a very dependable tree with one true gift — sort of a Susan Boyle of the arboreal world. That gift is brilliant autumn color: orange, red, sometimes yellow. For the majority of the year, Chinese pistache is so understated and well behaved (no messy fruit, broken branches, foliage drop) that no one notices […]
Light Is Ideal for a Modern German Home
When cookbook author, blogger and designer Lisa Nieschlag bought the home she shares with her husband and child in Münster, Germany, she was greeted with little rooms, tiny windows and five types of wallpaper. “It had been dark and depressing. We needed to extend our imaginations to think of the home for a place in […]
A Mod Nursery Has Twice the Appeal
Interior designer Emily Mughannam’s clients needed their kids to share 1 space in their San Francisco home, but the kids’ different ages made for a layout challenge: The nursery needed to be stimulating enough for a toddler while being serene sufficient for a 5-month-old. The end result is an area that’s fun, exciting and appealing […]
Great Design Plant: Kintzley's Ghost Honeysuckle
Silvery-blue foliage is a must in the summer backyard; its own calming coolness soothes just like water. Kintzley’s Ghost honeysuckle (Lonicera reticulata)not only includes amazing “ghosted” blue bracts (technical leaves), but its own vining habit makes it useful for providing shade and privacy in the garden too. Jocelyn H. Chilvers Botanical name: Lonicera reticulata ‘Kintzley’s […]
Pacific Northwest Gardener: What to Do in July
July’s garden is coming into its own, with hot temperatures which invite you outdoors along with plenty of blossoms to enjoy. Obviously, all that colour needs a little bit of care to continue looking great throughout the summer season. Removing spent flowers from roses, dahlias and lavenders is a significant step in maintaining these plants […]
An Architect's Calling Cards: Part 2
Hello, I’m an architect. I understand you’ve probably seen me around. I’m typically sulking about in the corners of the party, looking uncomfortable and intense at the identical moment. I understand you’d love to strike up a conversation with me, but I’m always gazing out the window deep in my thoughts, slowly shifting my single […]
DIY Home: Insert Open-Shelf Storage for Less Than $40
However many cupboards we have or how big our cabinet is, my husband and I never seem to have enough kitchen storage. Things end up jammed into the cabinets with little business — or perhaps worse, there is a cluttered mess on our counters observable to all. We needed a budget-friendly solution to controlling our […]
Gazebo
A gazebo is an open construction with a roof, similar to a summer house or a pavilion, with open sides for taking in the spectacle of the garden. Aquascape A great structure with a pond view, this gazebo has screened walls to keep the mosquitoes out. Fifthroom.com This gazebo is shingled and has a cupola […]
Garden Design Essentials: Emphasis and Focal Points
When you see a beautiful room, where does your eye break? It’s usually on something special that commands your attention, such as a piece of art above the fireplace or a dramatic floral arrangement onto a coffee table. Placing a strong visual component for impact is a classic designer’s trick. It uses the principle of […]