Deck Before and After

When Jacob and I bought our house 2.5 years ago we didn't realize what bad shape the deck was in.  Our house is only 6 years old but because the previous owners didn't properly stain it and it was built with nails the deck was a mess and was getting worse quickly.  

Here is the before....sorry the pictures are over exposed

And the after:



Let's go back to the lovely before.  The posts were all 4x4's, and had no post caps meaning it looked wimpy and plain.  When you stepped out onto the deck it wobbled and didn't feel safe even though it was structurally sound per several contractors.

This is the awful stain job we were dealing with.  Our neighbors told us the former owner painted it and his wife didn't like it so she tried to power wash it off......  It explained the spotty runny stain.  Awesome.

Let's get right to the afters!  We left the basic structure of the deck to save money and upgraded the posts to 6x6's with post caps for a little bling.  We also added detailed boards (not sure what those are called) and reinforced all the posts into the ground with concrete.  

You can see we added a metal roof under the deck to create another seating area.  The goal is to add pavers hopefully in the near future.  Because the back of our house is west facing it is impossible to be on the deck in the afternoon/evening.  The shade of the deck is invaluable to this Mama who needs to cool off after chasing her toddler around in the heat of the afternoon!

Ceiling fans keep the bugs away and are seriously necessary with the heat in the summer.  The roof is pitched and we are having a gutter installed and tied into our French drain.

The rock pile in the corner needs to go as soon as I get the motivation to put them around my flower bed. ;)  I have to brag on my mom because she sewed the red cushion covers and saved us a bundle.  All the furniture is hand-me-downs and I purchased the flower pillows for some color!

You can see the reinforced 4x4's with 6x6's.  We might eventually do rock around the 4 larger posts.

You can see my toy storage behind the sofa!  I am looking for a console but it works in the meantime.

You can see Miss M's play area.  Her Granny and Papa got her a swing set for her birthday!

This galvanized bucket is from my late grandpa's farm.  He used it to milk cows and I love that I now have it!

Our previous deck didn't have any lighting except the light beside the door you can see in the below pic.  We added stair lighting and post lighting.  We also plan to do do string lights under the deck eventually!

The stain we chose was Behr Tugboat and this picture is pretty accurate.  It is darker than we anticipated but I think it looks nice with the house and let's be honest....we aren't going to have it redone. ;)

We also chose to add a gate, which was a great idea.  We can lock kids in without worrying about them falling down the stairs.   I think we should have added one at the bottom too....which we may eventually do too.  See how the to-do list is still long.  Jacob loves it. :)

This is the area I don't know what do do with.  I kinda think we should have done bench seating.  Thoughts?

One more before and after??  Yes, please!

You can see our grass isn't that great hence the pavers and mulch around the play set in the future!

Kitchen Spruce Up

Hello!

We have a great nook in our kitchen that I have been meaning to makeover.  However, like many other things because it wasn't terrible I never got around to it.  Well, today was the day!  I stuck this plant on the ledge the day we closed on the house (ehem...1.5 years ago....) and it has been there ever since.  It loves the light so it has just gotten out of control.  My original plan for this sunny spot was herbs and I'm happy that I now have them!

Before:

After:

I love how the separate pots and overall how much cleaner it looks.  I have tried growing herbs outside and they just burned up so I'm hoping this will work out better.

I love it when you do something small and easy and yet it makes you so happy!

Decorating with Plants

Good morning!

One thing that I have always encompassed the decor of my own home is plants. I love plants and have been blessed with a green thumb. I know that I get it from my mom and my aunts who in turn got it from my grandma. I grew up weeding flower beds in the summer and planting flowers in the spring then come fall digging up bulbs and cutting off dead foliage.

It should be no surprise that even in college I had an ivy plant or two in my room. Now I have 5 indoor plants and about 6 out on our patio. There is something about adding greenery to a room that not only adds texture but it warrants a casual homey feel.

Here are a few rooms that I love that include plants:

Sometimes to fill a corner or an awkward space a plant is just what you need

I love the look of a cluster of plants

Or perhaps just one small one

Plants can compliment modern decor and still look sleek

A great way to bring the outdoors in

An orchid is so glamorous

PS-Homegoods sells very real looking fake orchids for $30-40

I love the dimension the plant adds to this vignette

Just like there are several ways you can incorporate plants into your home, there are several containers to choose from to compliment your decor. One being just planting them in pots, you could choose a sleek pot like the one pictured for a clean, fresh look. Or a galvanized pot for a more French country look as well as a wicker basket pot to bring in a coastal feel. The possibilities are endless.

Another idea is keeping plants in glass bottles. I love the breezy look this creates!

One plant I want to use in our home is succulents. They are small enough to fit in any room and to me are very charming. I love the idea of finding unique items at the thrift store and planting a small succulent in it like in the picture.

Do you have houseplants? What is your favorite?

Emily

Yes, please!

If you know me you know that I love plants. So another thing I want in our dream house is a potting area. I'll leave you with a few images I have saved as inspiration.

Have a great day!

Emily