Jeff and I have been busy with home projects the last couple of months here at our small home in Southern California!
We redesigned our side front yard into an outdoor room with a raised terrace!
Jeff did all off the construction, single handed!From removal of the grassregrading the spaceand an addition of a rock terrace!
I brought in a new furniture set and potted plants for the terraceand
voilaa perfect setting for Jeff and I to enjoy sunset cocktails!
Here in Southern Californiaoutdoor space is at a premiumso we are intent in maximizing all of ours!
Last summer's project was the installation of a raised garden bed on the other side of our driveway.I wanted a spot to grow herbs and cut flowers,
We took out a section of grass that we didn't useand replaced it with a highly effective raised planter.
Jeff did this project on his own as wellall the way from design to execution.
This spring everything is absolutely thriving!
Especially my beloved sweet peas!I have tried off and on for yearsto have a crop so plentiful for interior cut flowers!I get excited every morning I see the blooms!
We still use the other side of our front yard for weekendmorning coffeeon our other raised terracewe put in years ago.
We took out the lower surrounding front grass last year as welland replaced it with succulents and rockfor an updated landscape.
Our coffee terrace is always my favorite spot for morning coffee with Jeff!
Inside the gate is our courtyardthat I updated this seasonwith a new rug and pillowsas well as freshening my potted plantings.
Last summer we did potted privets all along the exterior courtyard wallfor a green screen for in the courtyard.I dote on the privets with weekly careand they too are presently thriving!
On a shelf in the cornerI gathered some cacti fromEllis and Elliot's weddingthree years ago.I had been growing them in pots in the backyard.This year I pulled them to a place of visual honor and mixed them in withother potted succulents.
On the window shelf I pulled together vintage lanterns to mix into my plantings.
Inside this spring/summerI decided to go with an all neutral color palette.I love how the colors and textures play so wonderfully togetherto create a serenely calm space.
I echoed the serenity vibe with a calm centerpiece of large pillar candlesin a wooden trough filled with pinto beans.The macrame runner finishes the look.
Taking out one candleI replaced it with some of my home grown sweet peas!
It's the perfect and easy way to change up the centerpiece weekly!
To really help update the dining room we changed out our old chandelier for this new one!
Our media room also got some updates to pull it all together!
One of my very favorite inside updates is my hat wall!
I took down all of the pictures that I had up for so many yearsand replaced them with my collection of straw hats!I love decorating with personal items that I love!
I edited the shelves under the stairs aggressivelytaking away almost half of what was there.The edit breathed new calm energy into the vignettes.
After I edited the bottom shelfI added a new lamp for a little bit updating.
Well that includes my little tour around our house and garden updates.
Now that the front yard is completeyou can find Jeff and I in the backyardduring the weekends this summer.We have a whole list of new updates to freshen up our back spaces!
Are you doing any home updating?If you areI'd love to hear all about them!
As always my friends
I wish you love and joyas you style your life
