DIY projects

It's been a while since I've wanted to do a DIY post. I particularly wanted to post about one of my own personal projects, a vertical garden DIY, until I realized I didn't document enough of it! This certainly thought me a lesson; take more pictures of whatever you do! So anyhow, I compiled some of my favorite finds in this following post. I hope you enjoy.

I've loved this hemp light from the moment I saw it, when I found a DIY for it, you can imagine how ecstatic I was! Especially since I love both saving and creating. You can find all the instructions on this lovely post by Graceful Whimsy.

A vase? A planter? A lantern? Maybe all three, that's how I would put this little gem to work. Check it out on Ruffled.

Finally, these candle holders are just perfect and really easy to make. Fossil Lifestyle Blog will tell you how to create them.

Ghibli

       Beautiful still from the Secret World of Arrietty..

Featured | Earth Designs

So here is our second edition of contemporary gardens. Another fascinating project from the London garden design company: Earth Designs. Don't forget to visit their blog that features up to date information about current projects they are working on as well as useful advice.  Now let's take a look at this week's design..

Client's needs

"This plot was a long urban garden and was almost completely bare, but for two large, established trees. The client was attempting to construct a pond in the near right corner using green slate boulders as decoration, and requested that this should be included in the design.

The interior of the house had a modern, contemporary feel fused with Victorian architecture. As the patio doors lead directly from the kitchen/diner into the garden, the garden becomes very much an extension of the house - as such the style of the interiorwas of particular consideration in the design the exterior space."

Before/During

Solution

"The final design created a low maintenance garden with a simple and contemporary feel. The area directly behind the house was laid with decking, running half way down the left side of the space. New wooden fences, to replace the existing worn out wire fences, were erected down the right of the garden, onto which a selection of clematis and everlasting sweet peas were trained.

The main area of the garden consisted of a tapered, oval shaped lawn, encircled by a raised bed following the same shape as the lawn. A smaller, tapered oval raised bed in the middle of the lawn served to slightly mask the bottom of the garden, breaking up the space and helping to create a sense of intrigue.

The simplicity of the borders was echoed in the planting, which consisted of white flowers and green foliage. Cool, crisp and elegant, a white planting scheme provides an air of harmony and tranquillity, and is well suited to the style of the garden and the interior of the house. An area devoted to graceful architectural ferns helped to accentuate the simplicity of the space and serves to provide a stunning and effective display throughout the year.

Re-designing the layout of the client's existing pond, using state boulders together with a powerful pump to produce an effective waterfall, helped to create a striking water feature. The pond and surrounding area was given life with the addition of water lilies and other aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. A bowed Cedrus libani (ssp.atlantica) 'Glauca', trailing branches in the water, presented the final flourish to the space."

Result

Montreal discoveries

Sometimes we tend to forget the little gems that our own city can hold. In my case, it's been a while since I've been out and about in Montreal to discover new things. On a sunny sunday afternoon while taking a walk on the very artsy Avenue Laurier, I stumbled upon this exceptional ceramic workshop/studio/boutique called Gaïa Céramique. 

The creations were displayed in a very museum-like setting which really emphasized the beauty of all the ceramic artwork.

Wish list friday

Let's end the week with February's first wish list.

1. littlebyrdvintage 2. BROOKLYNrehab 3. alyssaettinger 4. Hindsvik 5. EarthSeaWarrior 6. luxo

The pothole gardener

An interesting art/experiment project that highlights London's terrible road conditions in a very creative way. The talented artist Steve Wheen, turns the much hated pothole into something you actually want to stop and look at. The potholes that grace the streets of London are tastefully transformed into mini gardens that certainly don't fail to impress. The artist came up with this project as part of a university course. It gained much media and public attention over the time. 

These gardens are created on very quiet streets, dead end lanes or footpaths. He showcases all of his work and up to date information on his very visual blog. Definitely worth saving to your favorites! I hope to see more of these marvelous gardens.

Food adventures | Squash goodness

Another week, another new recipe with my good old pal Tammy. This week's theme: Squash! More precisely, butternut squash. We did crostinis and a thick delicious potage. For the butternut squash crostinis, the recipe is fairly simple.

Ingredients:


1 or 2 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
Lemon juice
Lime zest
1 Baguette cut into slices and toasted
1 Cup ricotta
3 Tablespoons of melted butter
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
Salt and pepper
Sage leaves

Firstly,  preheat oven at 425 degrees Celsius. Then, in a large bowl, put your squash, butter, sugar, oil, salt and pepper. Mix it up good and pop it in the oven for a good 25 minutes. During that time, prepare your ricotta in another bowl by simply adding some lemon zest to it and a little salt and pepper. Also, start toasting your baguette slices in a small oven or even along your squash. For the sage leaves simply fry them in olive oil in a small pan for 2 minutes. Scoop them up. They should be a little crunchy. Finally, spread the ricotta on the baguette slices, add your squash cubes,  1 or 2 sage leaves on each slice and drizzle some lemon juice and voila!

For the yummy potage you can find the complete recipe here! I hope we can turn these food rendez-vous into a weekly thing! 

Inventory Blowout Sale at Stanton Home Furnishings - February 13-25

The blowout sale at Stanton Home Furnishings will run from February 13- 25, with a minimum of 30% off store wide!!

Below, two recent rooms designed by Jimmy Stanton from Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, photos by Erica George Dines:

Featured | Earth Designs

Today's post will be the first of a series that will feature contemporary and modern landscape projects that merit much attention. These posts will appear weekly or bi-monthly. To start off the thread, HLDF will feature a number of works by Earth Designs, a London based landscape architecture company created and managed by Katrina Wells. Their creations offer a unique approach when it comes to use of space since they commonly turn a backyard into an outdoor room, an extension of the house, rather than just a pretty garden. This method is both functional and aesthetic and showcases a backyard's true potential.

The spaces that Earth Designs work with are in urban settings and we all know what the challenges are when it comes to gardens in the city. Lack of privacy, small spaces and often poor soils are just a few of the problems to deal with. They tackle these obstacles head on and deliver beautiful and functional results that never fail to impress.

________________________________Featured project___________________________________

        Client's needs and before pictures:

"The clients have lived in the house for a number of years and have two young children and two very active Jack Russell dogs. The property was extended a few years ago. Emma is a keen vegetable gardener and has a plot in an allotment very close to their property. The children rarely use the garden, so the clients are happy to make its principal purpose entertaining friends. The clients would like a contemporary garden design that complements the interior of the house. However, the garden should be practical enough to cope with the demands of an energetic family. The only feature of the current garden to be retained is the shed in the bottom right corner."

          Solution:

"The garden was split into 3 distinct areas. The first section, directly outside the back door, features a fixed bench seating area comprising decked bench seats backed by rendered block planters containing low lavender hedge. A large decked table and a trestle-type bench (which can be stowed away under the fixed bench when not in use) give ample space for outdoor dining. When formal dining is not required the table and trestle bench can be combined with the fixed benches (the table is height adjustable) to form a huge double bed lounger for all the family to relax upon.

The floor in this section was laid with Indian sandstone paving in a stretcher pattern. Acrylic planters containing architectural copper grasses line the left boundary. A Yellow Balau hardwood decking path cuts through the paving and leads to the second section of the garden.

The second section consists of two large planting beds bisected by the decking paths. The beds were planted prairie-style, interspersed with a selection of Perspex and stainless steel mesh screens of varying heights and sizes to create drama and structure to this area. The central triangle of the space is framed with two stainless steel cubes 50cm square. Each bed was edged to create definition and retain a pea shingle mulch. The central segment of area was mulched with Scottish cobbles.

The final section of the garden was designed for comfort and relaxation. It features a large outdoor rattan suite, a giant stainless steel planter containing a tall silver birch tree and two series of 3 colourful acrylic planters, all set against a backdrop of a stainless steel mesh screen straddling the width of the garden. This screen, interwoven with fragrant climbing jasmine, masks the shed and utility area at the bottom of the garden."

       Result:

You can easily follow what Earth Designs is up to with their blog that features up to date information about projects they are currently working on as well as other interesting news, advice and information. Check it out here!

Featured | Brickell Collection

Remember my last Etsy wishlist featuring this contemporary looking chair? Well, the shop also has an e-store and website that offers plenty to look at for any modern furniture enthousiast. Brickell Collection offers contemporary and modern pieces at accesible prices and free nationwide shipping throughout the States. For international shipping you must inquire.

What I like most about their website is that they have a 'Lookbook' section that incorporates their pieces in beautiful spaces. Like the example below.

Here are a few of my personal favorites that I found while browsing their collection. You can find the links for every piece at the end of the post.

Lookbook   A. Samurai Bench B. Stacked Coffee Table C. It's A Fact Table D. Bateman Sofa

Cathedral Antiques Show February 2-4, 2012

About the Cathedral Antiques Show The Cathedral Antiques Show is Atlanta’s oldest and most prestigious antiques show, and is a major outreach project sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women of The Cathedral of St. Philip. With the help of hundreds of volunteers and support from the church, antique dealers, corporate sponsors and patrons, the Antiques Show has raised over $3 million for Atlanta-area non-profits since its inception in 1969. Truly a Passion for a Purpose. The event attracts participants and attendees from around the country who enjoy art, design, decorating and learning about antiques. It is held at The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30305. This year’s Cathedral Antiques Show will benefit AADD (All About Developmental Disabilities), Atlanta’s foremost provider of support services to families with developmental disabilities. AADD is one place where people with developmental disabilities can turn to achieve personal empowerment, family stability and community participation. To view the website click here.