I took a few pictures while visiting a local new home landscaping project today. I thought maybe I’d share a few of those ideas with you here. But be warned, you might catch Landscape Fever like I have.

Integrating Hardscape Into Landscape Design

Hardscape is a term sometimes used in different ways. To me, it’s really best used for things other than the main structure itself (the house).

Things like walks, fences, retaining walls, trellises or arbors, etc. are all “hardscape”. The best landscape jobs integrate fixed, often man-made, elements into the design.

The house in the photos above and below is brand new, so the landscaping hasn’t had time to mature, but even at this stage it looks great. Here are a couple of ideas I noticed when I was walking around.

1. Boulders Make Great Focal Points

I’ve integrated the use of large boulders into a number of projects I’ve been involved in over the years and it always makes such an impact. Just be prepared to move it around!

If you’re a proud owner of a hot-rod landscape tractor, like the ones I fell in love with at The Home Depot last month, you could probably use that to get this big rock into place. (better spring for the John Deere trailer though!) Otherwise, you might want to hire the folks who sell you the giant rock to deliver it and put it in place!

2. Accent Fences Add Interest and Structure

This particular house has a number of metal accents throughout the interior and exterior. Just in this picture you can see the wrought iron inspired coach lights (beside the garage door) and the little copper roof section over the window bump-out. (hard to call that a bay window)

This use of metal throughout the design makes the small section of short fencing a perfect accessory to the main structure and will look even cooler as the landscaping matures.

3. Think Of Pattern as Design When Using Pavers

The picture below shows a great looking marble paver walkway. (yes, I said marble pavers, these are tumbled natural marble stones) The same design principles at play here can be used with concrete pavers available everywhere.

What caught my eye was the way the way the walkway flares out as it approaches the steps, which is a nice touch. I also thought the pattern of the pavers ended-up looking pretty sharp the way it’s done.

I would finish this off with some potted flowers on the steps to make it blend with the landscape and look great.

4. Add Lots and Lots of Color!

While the top picture does show that some bougainvilla were used in this design — which will grow-up to look like these:

I would have to do a major run on The Home Depot Garden Center where I took all these pictures while wandering around dreaming of ideas…

I think all the landscape design for this new home needs to make it really rock is some flowers! There are plenty to choose from!

In fact, I think I’m starting to get Landscape Fever a little bit (or a lot). I’ll be heading back out to store very soon to stock-up and do some planting.

My travels today inspired me to do some landscaping this weekend. I hope the pictures inspire you!

- RG

Thanks to Arthur Rutenburg Homes in Punta Gorda, the builder of the fine home above.

One of my favorite things to do when I see a picture that makes me say “wow” (which is scientifically proven to be the most sought-after word in residential design) is to look more deeply and make a list of the details behind that “wow”.

This house from CoastalLiving.com makes me say more than just wow and the list of details on this exterior is impressive!

In no particular order:

1. Casement Windows

One of the first things I notice on this house is the abundance of glass. Immediately thereafter, I notice how much I like the traditional lite pattern. Then I notice the key lack of a solid bar across the center of each window which is common with single-hung and double-hung windows (windows that slide up-and-down). These are casement windows, which open out, like a door, usually by the use of a crank mechanism.

2. Really Great Shutters

The shutters really consist of a number of details that make them awesome.

• They’re operable, if you look close you can see the hardware which in-and-of itself is a great detail.
• They used separate shutters for the small transom windows on the second floor. Cool.
• The upstairs shutters appear to be made differently than the downstairs shutters. It looks like the upstairs shutters are louvered, whilst the downstairs are solid.

3. Horizontal Balcony Railing

This is a neat touch that I’ve seen more and more. It’s something that can be included on any home and can even be a weekend job to retrofit an existing deck or balcony. I think it’s a nice change from the standard vertical balusters and, since it’s probably made of 2×4′s, it is most likely exceedingly strong which is a nice safety feature.

4. False Structural Elements Exposed

The main patio on the second floor (the main living floor in this waterfront home due to flood zone issues) has a great looking detail that looks just like a real piece of traditional structure.

It’s not likely that these are really holding anything up, but they look great!

5. Using the Downspouts in the Design

You have to look back at the full picture to see this, but the raingutter downspouts, which are usually something you try to hide, are used as a design element. They’re placed symmetrically and at equal distances from windows and openings to create something vaguely similar to the exposed timbers you might see on a Tudor style home.

6. Not a Straight Line in the Roof!

This is not a roof design for the faint of budget! This entire roof makes use of curves in various directions.

The roof shape is probably the most attention grabbing and memorable feature in this design.

This kind of roof is very difficult to build and is likely a combination of wood shaped and cut on-site, wood components made in a factory, and maybe even a few steel beams.

Remember The Exterior Details When You Remodel!

Remember that “wow” is the most sought after word in residential design and then add this to the thought. The person from whom that wow is most important is you! Exterior details have the power to put a smile on your face and a gleam in your eye every single time you come around the corner and get that first glance at your house. There is untold value in that feeling! Go for it!

Of all the rooms I’ve built, the coolest one of all (literally) was an amazing wine “cellar”. Cellar is kind of a misnomer though. This is Florida. No, this room was right in the middle of the house and it was originally a dining room and a huge laundry room. We turned it into a wine cellar.

Without building a stitch of structure, the tab was about $200,000.00. I said it was the coolest room I’ve done. I wish I had pictures (I’m sure I do in some old floppy disk digital camera). In substitution I’ve searched online for similar stuff. This picture below is close. Bigger, but not as cool.

I wasn’t actually looking for wine cellars when I came across this picture at a blog called Love and Splendor (cool name), but I did find a few.

What I was actually searching for was pictures of the one thing that I think made that room. The thing I dream about. The thing that keeps me up at night. It’s Those real brick floors. I can still remember the way they felt, the way they smelled, and the way they looked. Wow!

We bought pallets of solid used Old Chicago brick and cut them down to thin tiles. When everything went well, we were able to get two faces from each brick and the center was recycled. But often one face would break due to the very fragile nature of a 100 year old brick being sliced to 1″ thick in a huge wet saw.

The secret to installing the brick was a very thick bed of tile setting mortar and one seriously great tile installer. He was painstakingly able to get each piece installed in a herringbone pattern like shown in the photo above from HistoricalBricks.com and, thanks to the thick mortar bed, was able to keep them relatively flat. Hard to do because they each varied somewhat in thickness.

The picture below from AcadianBrick.com shows a similar color to what we used, though when used indoors and sealed with about five coats of stone floor sealer (flat) the finished floor appeared much darker than this. It was a wine cellar after all.

Great for Patios Too!

We did these floors outdoors a number of times. It’s much easier outside because you can just use the full thickness brick.

Inside that wreaks all sorts of havoc on doorways, and transitions with other floors.

Difficult, but worth it!

Hard to install, hard to clean, expensive to buy…

Yes, a real brick floor is all of these things. But not much looks more amazing in the right setting.

If you ever get a chance to give it a try, I recommend it highly! (Old Chicago is still my favorite)

The cover of a House Beautiful magazine on the table next to me asks “Is small the new big?”.

If I say yes, can we all agree on 40 being the new 30?

I was led from said magazine to the website, HouseBeautiful.com, where I stumbled upon this picture. I usually flip through the pictures pretty fast waiting for something to jump out and give me pause, which this one did.

It was the vines on the wall that got me. Hello.

I’ve always wanted vines like that. Isn’t that incredible looking? Can I do that in Florida?

Courtyards Rock

Once I stopped staring at the vines on the wall, I noticed the rest of the courtyard. I did a brick floor like this a few years back on the otherwise wasted side yard of a home. It turned out fantastic and I feel the same way about the floor in the picture. (notice that this brick uses thick grout joints like a brick wall)

The fountains, the cool little awning roof over the door, the wrought-iron hinges on the working shutters…it all just works. It creates a secluded little outdoor room that becomes every bit a part of your home as any other room. Admittedly, I’m a Florida boy, but my thought is that the addition of a firepit, chimenea, or other heat source makes it workable for at least three seasons almost anywhere.

I’ll be on the lookout for more cool courtyards. My guess is they’ll be easier and easier to find as the “small is the new big” movement rolls on.

Yesterday, I threw a shed together with materials I had laying around. I used a raised planter box as the foundation and made pretty quick work out of it, breaking most of the rules of good construction as I went along. You can see the wrong way to build a shed quick here.

I thought I’d get a little feedback, but apparantly nobody was all that impressed. Well, maybe you’ll be impressed with the way Kim and I finished it off today, but even if you’re not, I know I am! Take a look:

Now that’s a shed!

I just happened to have a bunch of bamboo left over from some earlier projects and we decided to use it to cover the wall we’ll look at most. It’s not the easiest material in the world to work with, but it sure looks awesome!

I had to rip all the poles in half so I could put a flat side against the wall and shoot it on with finish nails, with a screw here or there for added strength. I mixed in various diameter bamboo and I really felt like that bumped the look up a notch or two.

We had that old window sash laying around too and Kim did a quick bit of spraypaint art to add some color and pizazz behind the glass. Our youngest son got a kick out of it. He said “So, you’re making it look like there is an ocean and a sunset inside your shed?”. Who asked him, anyway?

So there you go, our little Island Shed built in just two days. I spent about as much time with the bamboo as I did building the rest and I’ve still got a few details to complete, but it’s full of stuff already and we’re so thankful for the much needed space.

The little addition to our tropical hideaway feel was just an added bonus.

Have a great week!

See what I mean? Wow!

Custom Wood Shutters Are The Finishing Touch

This is one of those pictures that makes me feel a little bit like something is wrong with me! As I stare at my keyboard I’m the equivalent of the high-school kid who was just introduced to the prettiest girl he’s ever seen. I’m in the same state of shock. It makes me shutter! (ha!..get it?)

This beautiful home has so much going for it I could write ten posts about it, but when I look at it, my experience tells me that 9 out of 10 people who try to duplicate this look will leave out the true key. Those amazing custom shutters.

It’s hard to believe that something as simple and timeless as wooden shutters can make such an impact, but try this…imagine the photo without them. It’s totally not the same thing, not by a long shot.

What Makes These Shutters Special?

Look closely at some details here, because there are a few pointers to pick up for use when you get ready to make your own shutters like these!

• Obviously, they work – working shutters are much more visually appealing than their “for looks only” counterparts. Little things, like the hinges and hardware, come into play to make it look (overused internet word warning) authentic!
• The arch top – If you have some arch top windows that need some love, I’m telling you what: this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. The look of arch top shutters open against the wall next to a matching window…hot!
• They are aligned – probably the most subtle, but most important visual detail, is that the solid rails of the shutters align with the wood in the independently amazing French Doors. Many a top-dollar custom shutter job is done without catching this.

The Functional Purpose of Exterior Shutters

These things aren’t just for looks, no sirree Bob. In the event of a storm, a summertime trip to the South of France, or an invasion of paparazzi (if you live here, you have paparazzi) you can just, well, SHUT them! Hence the name, I gather.

Seriously, though, good solidly made custom wood shutters really do provide a substantial layer of protection. This allows the use of extensive amounts of glass in the design which is a great asset in any home, no matter the local, the weather, or the lack of mobs and crowds!

Quick Overview of Other Details

Don’t miss:

• The easy to duplicate panel pattern on the posts.
• The round downspout on the copper gutters!
• The cool three lite pattern on the French Doors. (love that)
• Oh… I guess the landscaping ain’t too shabby either.

In fact, the landscaping was what they were talking about at the wonderful online magazine, CoastalLiving.com which is really one of my favorite sites.

ANOTHER of my most favorite sites, The Inspired Room, is having an inspiring blog party and I had to ask myself… can you be inspired by shutters? ABSOLUTELY!

Don’t miss a post full of great shutter pictures from the Florida Keys!

I’m going to show you in some very short, basic steps how to build a white picket fence (my very fast and easy way, of course…other ways do exist).

This method will result in the posts being visible between sections of fencing.  This looks great when you add some character to the top of the post with a finial.

Step One – You Can Dig This

Install 4×4 posts made out of pressure treated pine.

• Use posthole diggers or a power auger to create holes about 24″ deep, four feet apart.
• Determine how tall you want your fence (usually between 24″ and 42″) and add just over two feet to that. (you’ll go back and cut the tops off level later)
• Set the posts, plumb and square to the line of your fence, and set the base in concrete.

Step 2 – Hanging Out

Once the posts are all set and the concrete has dried. Run A level string line along all your posts at a level one inch below the post height you want. Use a “line level”, a water level, or a regular level and a helper to make sure your string line is level.

Mark each post at the height of the string. That is the height of the TOP of a standard 2×4 joist hanger, available from your local building supply store. Since the fence will be completely painted white, I don’t worry about that little bit of metal that will still be showing. Using the hangers makes the job much faster.

Step 3 – On The Level, but board.

Run pressure treated 2×4 boards from hanger to hanger, between the posts. If you did your string line right, there is never a need to bring out the level again. And the hangers will give you some lattitude with your cuts. A little short is okay as long as it is well seated in the joist hanger.

Measure down from the top hanger and set all of your bottom hangers at the same distance down. Approximately 6″ above the ground to the bottom of the hanger.

Step 4 – Slat Happy

Cut slats out of pressure treated 1×4′s. I would place a board directly against each post (to cover much of the metal hanger), then measure between them and figure out even spacing. Don’t worry too much. If you have to “rip” a board because your spacing gets out of whack, it’s not a big deal. Life goes on.

You can either screw these on or nail them with a nail gun. You really can’t nail them on with a hammer very easily because of the bouncing and shaking around. If you decide to use screws you have to decide if you want to go from the front or the back.

If you have a helper, you can screw it from the back side and not see any fastners from the front, but it takes two people because the board has to be pressed firmly in place.

The easy way… air nailer. Bam. Bam. Bam… about that fast. It’s over in no time.

Remember, you can get totally creative with the top of the pickets!  And you can top-off each of the post with a pre-made decorative finial type thingy-majig from Home Depot, Lowes, etc.  They are made out of pressure treated lumber and have a lag bolt embedded.  You just drill a hole in the top of the post and screw them down.  Finishes off the post nicely.

Step Cinco – I’m Drawing a Blank

Pintura la valla blanco.

Let’s depart slightly from the world of design and pretty today to talk about the more functional (and arguably as important) side of your house. Let’s talk about roofing.

I’m writing this post from my truck in front of a roofing job we’re doing today. When this job is done, if you look at it from the ground, there won’t be anything remarkable. It will just look like another shingle roof. But there are two special things about this roof. Things that won’t really show any value right away. Unless we have a hurricane tomorrow that is.

Using Peel And Stick Underlayment Makes A Better Roof

Until recently, all shingle roofs had the same type of underlayment. They all used rolled asphalt/felt material commonly referred to as “tar paper”. The only way to improve the quality of the underlayment was to make it thicker or add another layer. You may have heard of 15 pound felt and 30 pound felt, the two most common thicknesses of that material.

But on this job, and most jobs we do now, we’re using a newer product that is really much better. We’re using a material that is not only thicker, but has an adhesive applied to the back at the factory. You peel off the backing as the material is rolled out, and stick it on. Like a giant roll of duct tape! (And we all know that duct tape fixes anything)

Two-Fold Advantage of Self-Adhesive Underlayment

The problems we experienced with the old method of using a felt underlayment came at two points in the life of the roof (only one for most roofs).

1. During Installation – When a roof is replaced completely (rather than roof-over) the house is exposed to the elements for some time. Depending on the size of the house and the roofing crew this could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days or even weeks. The rolled felt would fail during this time as a result of either or both of the following problems:
   • Being torn and worn-out by traffic on the roof (the crew)
   • A medium to strong wind event tearing the paper off
2. Serious Windstorm – Once the shingles are installed, the roof is generally water tight and secure. At that point the underlayment is a “secondary” barrier for any small amount of water that might find its way through the shingles. But in the event of a serious windstorm, such as a tornado or hurricane, the shingles often blow off. With a felt underlayment, both layers blow off and the wood deck is exposed. This is the cause of a large portion of the loss in a hurricane. Water just pours in.

Peel-And-Stick Sticks

Peel and stick underlayment is stuck to the plywood with a strong adhesive on every square inch of the surface. In all but the most severe conditions, it stays down. Once the adhesive has set, it’s very difficult to remove even intentionally.

In the above photo you can see the white backing that has been removed from the underlayment. You’ll also notice the lack of nails that you would see with rolled asphalt/felt.

This strength goes great lengths to resolve both of the above concerns. A roof with this type of underlayment could be left at the “dry-in” stage for weeks or months without leaking (thought this is not a permanent roof alone – it can’t stand-up to the sun). Foot traffic doesn’t do as much damage and windstorms are considerably less of a concern.

So much so that many insurance companies will offer a substantial discount if your home has a properly installed peel-and-stick (self-adhesive) underlayment.

It’s worth it.

50 Year Shingles

I said there were two things about this roof that were special. The other is the thickness of the shingles themselves. On this particular job we’re using a top-of-the-line 50 year shingle from Tamko.

Between the two upgrades, the roof we’re putting on today is significantly better and worth the extra cost.

Have you ever heard of Azek?

If you plan to do any outdoor projects this spring, you might want to look into it.

Azek is an essentially weatherproof PVC product that comes in sheets and planks.

I thought of it while looking at some materials for decks. I’ve used Azek on some docks and decks in the past.

Some of the potential uses are really pretty incredible. I’ve used Azek for exterior trim, exterior beadboard ceilings, and for framing trellises and pergolas. If you stick with the colors it comes in, you don’t even have to paint it. The color goes all the way through so even your cuts are finished.

Something like these curved pieces can be made easily out of a sheet of Azek.

When you’re working with something that is impervious to weather and bugs, plus has color all the way though, you can get crazy with your ideas:

How cool is that?

Beadboard

We talk about beadboard a lot. Usually we’re discussing the wooden kind that you’re going to have to paint, but if you’re working outside, the Azek Beadboard might be worth the extra cost, which is pretty substantial.

Even for indoor areas that might get wet, such as a kitchen wall splash, Azek works great!

Remember… no need to paint. That’s a huge plus.

You can get Azek at most building supply centers. They have a dealer locator on the website.

If you do a project with it, be sure to let me know how it worked for you!

~ RG

This is more of a home improvement blog. I was given orders a long time ago to stay away from the “decorator-ey” stuff. I guess somebody was scared I’d take over!

But, despite my efforts at hiding my feminine side, sometimes I just have to run with it! Like now…

Check out this GOURDjus flower arrangement!

Isn’t that cool! Talk about eco-friendly! I never even knew there were “Swan Gourds”. I was never in that crowd. But I like railings, and so does this Gourd, so we’re hanging out. Ha. Made myself chuckle.

Not all Gourd decorating should be publicized. Some is just painful. Check this out:

Gourd help me! This is just too much for me. Maybe this is why I can’t be an official member of the Fab 5 (there could be other reasons). I just don’t have the eye. All I see here is a horrible, heart-wrenching, display of butchered architecture! I’d bet my pink toolbelt that there were decent years left in those balusters.

But, when they died, they got to sit next to Gourd!

For more gourds, see this BHG.com article and for some beautiful white pumpkin decor, check out Kim’s post on Forever…Wherever!!!.