Gather Your Family Around a Fire Pit

Autumn is one of my favorite times to gather my family together, and I have found that fire pits are one of the best ways to bring us all-together. A bonfire can create the perfect venue for story-telling, marshmallow-roasting, and song-singing. It’s also a great place to just enjoy some good old-fashioned conversation. Why sit mindlessly and silently staring at a television set, when a fire pit allows you to spend some quality time with your family and really get to know them better?
A fire pit is a safe way to create the warmth and smell of campfire right in your own backyard. There is just something that feels peaceful, serene, and almost magical about the aroma and beauty of a bonfire. I know for me, it brings back memories of my childhood and quality time I spent with my family around a fire pit. These are traditions and memories that I definitely want to pass on to the next generation. I hope my children will someday have the same reaction every time they smell a bonfire or watch a flame engulf a log.
Long story short, putting a fire pit in your backyard is a great way to bond with your family and create lasting and meaningful memories. Life is way too short to waste your family night watching a movie.

Why You Need a Potting Bench

Any gardener who is serious about their work knows how complicated the process can be. It can be almost impossible to sustain your garden in a well-organized manner. As you get older, or if you have back problems, it can also be agonizing to spend a long time down on your knees while you dig in the dirt to keep your garden up to par.
For these reasons and more, a cedar potting bench is an excellent improvement to every garden. Not only does a potting table add a different and striking element to your patio or yard, but it also is very prudent and quite adaptable as well.
By making use of a potting bench, you will be able to keep all of your seeds, pots, and other gardening utensils within easy reach. You can store objects such as potting soil, pots, and planters on the lower shelf. A potting bench can also be used as a carving area, a work table, or even for serving drinks to your friends.
A potting bench is also an excellent place to transplant, prune, root, and cut your plants. You can save your back from needless injury by carrying out these activities on your potting bench instead of on your knees in the garden.

Improve Your Yard by Adding a Bridge

Your backyard should be your getaway from the daily stress of life; a haven in which you can escape. Unfortunately, no backyard is perfect. There are always flaws and problems which can make your backyard less accessible or even unusable. These problems can include uneven terrain, small streams, rocky areas, and even swampy ground. Luckily, all of these issues can be easily solved with the installation of a wooden garden bridge.
A wooden garden bridge can be ordered to traverse many different lengths, so you can be sure to find the bridge that is the perfect size for you. A bridge can even out even the most irregular and bumpy yard. In fact, it could make your yard wheelchair accessible if you have handicapped persons in your family. There’s no reason that being confined to a wheelchair should keep you from enjoying the outdoors!
Bridges will also work to help you easily cross ponds or creeks in your yard, allowing you simple access to areas of your yard that were difficult to reach before. You also will be able to traverse the muddy parts of your yard and keeping you from getting sucked into the mud and getting really dirty.
Make your backyard into a better place to which to escape by fixing its flaws with a garden bridge.

Keeping Your Yard Organized

Let’s face it; we all know a little too well how quickly items in your backyard or on your patio accumulate. Personally, I can hardly remember where half of the objects even came from. Unfortunately, this unsightly clutter detracts greatly from the natural beauty of your yard and the design scheme of your yard. It also makes it incredibly difficult to find anything and these free-floating items can even cause your kids to trip and fall. An excellent way to keep your backyard a safe place, while organizing all your junk at the same time is by investing in a cedar deck box or two.
You can place these boxes anywhere in your yard and on your patio. They also come in a plethora of sizes, so you’re bound to find the right size to contain the amount of clutter in your yard. Not only do deck boxes keep your stuff and your family safe by getting it off of the ground and storing it out of harm's way, but they also will protect it from the wind, rain, and snow as well. Plus, it will help you to get all your clutter organized. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find objects that you can get rid of or donate to charity as you sort through items to put in your cedar deck box.

Creating a Log Cabin Feel in Your Backyard

Few places on earth are more relaxing than a log cabin deep in the woods. A cabin can be an idyllic escape from your every day life. Unfortunately, you don’t always have the time to get away to the woods and stay in a real cabin. However, you can turn your backyard into a cabin-esque escape with the simple addition of a log dining set.
These dining sets are modeled off the simple and rustic design of a log cabin, featuring the natural beauty of white cedar logs. Although a log dining set will not transport you into the mountains, it can give your backyard a much more peaceful and natural look than other types of outdoor furniture. For example, it can be difficult to forget that you live in the city when you use cheap and artificial-looking plastic patio furniture in your backyard. But the natural appeal of wooden log outdoor furniture will not only whisk away your surroundings, but the worries of your day will melt away right with them!
If you are looking to create a peaceful, idyllic haven in your own backyard, all it takes is the easy addition of a log dining set or other outdoor furniture. You don’t have to travel all the way to a cabin in the woods to escape the everyday; just head to the log dining set in your backyard.

Staying Warm on Your Patio

Have you ever wanted to enjoy some time outdoors during the autumn, but could only stay outside for a few minutes because you got too cold? Are you tired of only being able to use your patio certain times of the year, because the weather is too chilly? I know that I certainly feel this way. I love being outside, and I hate that the weather often forces me to seek warmer quarters indoors when I’d rather be on my patio.
Luckily, there is a solution to this problem. It is called a table top patio heater. These portable heaters sit on top of your patio table and send out warmth to the rest of your porch. They are completely adjustable, and allow you to make use of your patio well into the colder months of autumn. By generating enough heat to keep you from freezing, table top patio heaters make your porch usable when you would otherwise would have had to retire indoors without it.
So if you’re sick and tired of missing out on your patio, simply because the weather has gotten too cold for you to be comfortable on it, you should definitely look into buying a table top patio heater. It will allow you to stay warm on your porch, even when it’s cold outside.

The History Behind the Chaise Lounge

Cedar chaise lounges are an excellent way to add comfort and sophistication to your backyard or patio. These chairs are a classic piece of furniture that has been a part of many cultures across the world for many eras.
The chaise lounge chair was formed by combining the day bed and the chair. The day bed was originally created in ancient Egypt, and was an inspiration to architects centuries later. In fact, many works of ancient Greek art illustrate gods and other rich and important people reclining in a chaise lounge. In Africa, chaise lounges were very simple and carved out of wood. An ancient Mexican culture called the Olmecs also enjoyed a version of the day bed.
The name “chaise lounge” comes from the French words “chaise” (chair) and “longue” (long). In other words, a chaise lounge means long chair. Over time, the French word “longue” evolved to the Englsih word “lounge” because they are so similar.
The chaise longue was a popular piece of furniture during the Rococo period. The Rococo style was noted for its asymmetry and contrasting unbalanced elements. This style is clearly reflected in the length of the chaise lounge.
Today, cedar chaise lounges are a popular piece of outdoor furniture. These long chairs have around for a very long time, and are still enjoyed by many people today.

Keep Your Poolside Organized With a Jefferson Storage Chest

If you have a pool in your backyard, you know how messy it can make your yard. All of your pool toys, rafts, beach balls, etc. can add clutter to your yard. If you don’t have a place to store these accessories, you increase their risk of accidentally being broken. You also increase the danger of someone tripping and injuring themselves.
Also, your pool requires maintenance and cleaning. These cleaning accessories need a place to be stored, or they too will be broken or potentially cause harm to your family or your guests.
A Jefferson storage chest is the perfect solution for all your swimming pool storage needs. These chests are large enough to store everything you need to make your pool fun, clean, and sanitary. They are made of teak, which is a very attractive and sophisticated-looking wood. It also is not easily damaged by water, so you can place it right next to your pool.
If you want to keep your backyard clutter-free and safe and your pool clean and sanitary, is essential to buy some sort of storage unit for your swimming pool accessories. A Jefferson storage chest will keep your yard neat and orderly, and your family injury-free.

Why Granite?

Clearly, the biggest appeal for choosing granite coffee tables is their beauty. However, I wanted to know if there was a functional value to granite as well, or if it was just all glitz and no substance. So I set out to do some research, and this is what I found.
• Granite is functional. Granite is a solid rock cut from mountainsides around the world. It is second to strength only to diamonds. It can take tons of use and abuse and still stand strong for years and years.
• Granite is low-maintenance. In order to keep granite shining and beautiful, the only daily care it requires is a quick rub down with mild soap and water. Every once in a while, wash it with stone cleaner, and your granite table will last for years to come.
• Granite is a good investment. It can virtually last forever, so you won’t have to keep buying replacement tables. And if you move, you can take your granite coffee table with you to beautify your next patio.
So, there definitely are more benefits to choosing to purchase a granite table than just aesthetics. Though even with all the practical benefits, I still think the best part of granite is how it looks.

Travel to Your Milan in Your Own Backyard

I love to travel; I love the different atmospheres found around the world. Unfortunately, I do not have thousands of dollars to spend traversing the globe. Especially in the current economy, a lot of us are being forced to cut back our vacation budgets.
One way to make up for the lack of travel in your life is by channeling the atmosphere of foreign cities in your own home. Pick your dream vacation destination spot, research the culture, architecture, and environment, and use that city as the inspiration for a room or patio. Then, roll up your sleeves and start decorating!
One place I would love to visit someday is Milan. As one of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan is incredibly sophisticated and trendy. However, this forward-focus combines with the history and classical architecture to create a completely unique atmosphere.
A Milan-inspired patio is pretty simple to create. Pick furniture that combines the modern with the classic that embodies the creativity and life of Milan. A Milan wicker patio set is one of the best ways to channel this vivacity. The traditional material of wicker takes on a modern twist in this Milano patio set. It is breathtaking a centerpiece around which you can design your patio.

Family Fun in Your Backyard

I don’t know if you’ve ever watched a small child try to sit in a “grown-up” chair, but it’s usually a disaster. Either the chair is too high and they can’t get up on it, or once they do get up, they are sliding all over the place because the seat is too big. This problem is especially common with an Adirondack chair, as the child’s little bottom will slide down to the back of the chair. Trying to sit in a chair that is too big is not only uncomfortable for you child, it is also dangerous and could result in injury.
The solution? Child-sized Adirondack chairs, of course! Many companies offer a mini-version of the patio furniture staple. Not only will these little chairs make sitting easy and safe for your kids, they also will make them feel special and want to enjoy the outdoors even more. Since the chair is made especially for them (and you obviously can’t sit in it), it will make them want to be outside more often in their own “special” chair. So the next time you read your children a story or have a glass of lemonade, why not enjoy your time together outdoors, with everyone safe and comfortable in their own, personal Adirondack chairs?

How to Plant the Perfect Planter

Nothing adds to the beauty of your backyard more than a well-maintained wooden planter box. However, if you mess up your planter box, it just makes your backyard look sloppy and immature. Here's a few tips I found to make your backyard into a relaxing getaway simply by planting some flowers.
• Shop smart! Buy small, potted plants at your local nursery. Make sure that they all have the same requirements for amount of sun. Also, be sure to pick flowers of varying heights.
• Before planting, place your planter in the position it will be viewed from. This way you can be sure to create the most aesthetically appealing arrangement from the angle it will be seen.
• Fill the planter with loose potting soil up to two inches from the top of the planter.
• Plan your arrangement with the plants still in their pots before planting anything. Make sure you have your whole planter designed before you take any plant out of its pot.
• Be sure to plant the tallest flowers in the back, put the smallest flowers in the front, and plant the medium plants in between. That way you can see all your flowers at the same time, and your view of the smaller flowers will not be obscured by big, tall plants!
• Start by planting the tall flowers in the middle of the back row of the planter, moving outwards and forwards as you plant. Then make indentations with your trowel around your taller plants and place the medium plants in those indentations. Keep working outwards, forwards, and smaller as you plant.
These are just a few helpful hints to making your planter the best it can be. Check out this website where I found these tips if you need more info!

Wicker Patio Furniture Doesn't Have to Look Like Your Grandma's House!

I don't know about you, but I have always had the idea that wicker patio furniture has to look old-fashioned and quaint. I just thought that rattan was something my grandma liked, but there was nothing modern or stylish about that. However, I have very recently been proved wrong about that.

While traditional wicker furniture definitely still exists on the market, many companies have branched out and created much more contemporary styles. This wicker patio furniture is a much closer weave than conventional rattan, and is often painted modern colors instead of the natural, wooden look of old-fashioned wicker.
Something I discovered today in my research is that wicker patio furniture is now also being made to mimic indoor furniture. These contemporary pieces of furniture come in sofas, loveseats, and chairs, and have the sophistication and comfort of indoor furniture. It’s like bringing your living room out onto your patio! I even found a wicker outdoor bar group and was completely shocked.

Needless to say, wicker patio furniture has greatly evolved since from my grandma’s rattan. In the past, I had never envisioned myself as a wicker person, but these contemporary takes on rattan has definitely caused me to change my mind. New modern wicker furniture can definitely transform your patio into a vacation spot in your own backyard.

Beautify a Wooded Hill with a Garden Bench

A garden bench is one way of beautifying a wooded hill in your backyard. In a previous home, we had such a hill in our backyard. At first, it was a tangled mess. But we didn’t want to get rid of it, either. It was part of the charm of the home.

If you’re faced with a similar situation, there are several things you can do. First, clear out selected brush and tangles. We left the mature trees but removed scrub and scraggly stalks. This one step made a tremendous improvement. It’s perhaps one of the most important things you can do to transform the look of your wooded hill.

Here are some other ways to embellish or beautify the hill further. Cut out a level spot halfway down, at the bottom, or anywhere in between. Install a garden bench in each spot that you clear. A garden bench provides a resting place from which you can catch glimpses of interesting wildlife.

Install stone steps. Use a large rock to create each step and mortar to secure them. Place the garden bench to the side of the stone stairway. If there is no natural ground cover, plant some. Or fill in the gaps. You can further emphasize each garden bench with some potted flowers on either end.

I Should Have Known about the Folding Teak Table

A folding teak table brings the old card table idea up a huge notch. Don’t get me wrong. I have used basic card tables for many functions, including extra seating at holiday dinners and easy seating while renovating a house. I have also used a card table on the back deck, for lack of better furniture at the time. Let me tell you, it took some effort to clean up and still didn’t look quite the same afterward. If I had known at the time about such a thing as the folding teak table? Well, I didn’t know.

I can think of multiple uses for a folding teak table in improving the quality of a staycation. It’s a great piece of furniture for small decks like mine. Whenever you want to get the table out of the way, you just fold it up and stow it.

It would also make a great accompaniment for a remote picnic somewhere. Have you ever sat on the ground where the grass was a little too tall, and walked away with chiggers or other insect problems? Well, I have. And if you haven’t experienced it, now is not the time to start. A small folding teak table fits in the trunk of most cars. Just tow the table along with you and pack a picnic lunch, and you’ve created a memorable afternoon for your family or special someone.

A folding teak table also becomes a handy tool for an outing in the park when the picnic table isn’t large enough to seat your family and hold your food. And, yes, I’ve had a few tight squeezes in this area, too. What better piece of furniture could there be for a staycation than a handy folding teak table?

How to Match Other Furniture to Your Mission Glider

A Mission glider follows the simple principles of mission-style architecture. This style emerged from the missions in California and the West. A Mission glider incorporates the straight lines, square corners, and flat slats and armrests common to this style of furniture. For a simple patio design, I think a mission glider is one of the best choices available.

Unless your patio is quite small, you might wish to place additional furniture around your mission glider. But not all Mission furniture looks the same. So how do we match other furniture to a Mission glider?

Here are a few areas I’ve compared among Mission furniture:

• Width of slats. Some pieces incorporate thin slats, while others use wide slats. If you attempt to match pieces with similar widths in the slats, the other furniture will look like it belongs with the Mission glider.
• Shape of armrests. Some pieces have perfectly rectangular armrests, while others offer armrests that flare on the hand ends. Use furniture with shaping that mimics your Mission glider.
• Cushions. If possible, purchase all cushions in the same style. These will help to hide differences between Mission pieces that you purchased separately.

When you pay attention to these key areas, I believe you’ll be more successful in matching additional furniture to your Mission glider.

An Auto Tilt Umbrella with Options: Made in the Shade

Relaxing in the outdoors is fun with an auto tilt umbrella. I don’t like to sweat when I’m trying to relax. This is why an auto tilt umbrella seems like a good choice to me, even better than a regular patio umbrella.

An auto tilt umbrella is about options, first and foremost. It allows the user to change the angle of the canopy to adjust to a moving sun throughout the day. I love options. Don’t you?

If you shop around online, you’ll find more than one auto tilt umbrella that comes with your choice of canopy colors. In fact, I’ve seen some that offer 30 choices, from solids to stripes to flecks to plaid-type patterns.

I can stay cool all day under an auto tilt umbrella that even fits whatever color scheme I want. That’s what I’m looking for. Made in the shade? I think that phrase definitely applies.

Remember to check the materials of the canopy to ensure that they will remain colorfast and resist fading. Any auto tilt umbrella that doesn’t have a good canopy isn’t worth the money we might have paid for it.

Organizing with Potting Tables

Let’s face it, no one wants to spend their vacation organizing. But this is one of the reasons people choose to stay at home during vacation, to finish projects around the house. Potting tables help gardeners to organize, but they offer some alternate uses for other types of organization, as well.

Potting tables provide work space and organizing aids. Some models include bins and shelves, others hooks and drawers. Because of the combination of work space and organizing tools, potting tables make great work stations for a number of other pursuits.

Crafters who don’t have space for crafting rooms often find their supplies strewn out all over the house. If you knit, crochet, sew, bead, scrapbook, or quilt, potting tables may offer the solution you need to get organized during your staycation—and actually enjoy part of it doing fun things. Potting tables offer crafters supply storage in the same location as the work space. And if you truly claim the table as your own, you can leave your work out on the top. No more cleaning up the supplies every time you take a break so they won’t be in someone’s way.

Potting tables are often designed not just for function but for beauty, as well. So you can use potting tables to organize indoor messes without someone saying, “Where did you get that ugly thing?” Use your vacation for organizing, and your family might be just as pleased as you.

Decorating Your Outdoor Swing and Private Getaway

If you plan to sit in your outdoor swing for very long, you will probably want to add cushions or pillows. Cushions transform your outdoor swing from an occasional place where you sit to a more luxurious place where you lounge in comfort. If you truly want to create a private getaway, you will want to coordinate your cushions with other accents. Think about color schemes, shapes, patterns—whatever elements you can repeat throughout the area as a theme.

Next, consider plants. You can add ground foliage, flowers, ornamental grass, or bushes to the area. You may plant directly in the ground, or you may gather potting soil and planters to create more portable arrangements of plant life. You might wish to buy outdoor swing cushions after you choose your plants. Sunlight levels in the area of the swing will affect which plants thrive there. (more information can be found in "Garden Teach You How")

You can also continue the design of your private getaway through other accents, such as water fountains, ponds, garden sculptures, or bird feeders. As you coordinate cushions, plants, and other accents, you’ll find a private getaway coming together with your outdoor swing as the centerpiece. Comfort, luxury, peace, and privacy, all rolled into one corner of your yard.

An Outdoor Swing Plus Shade Equal a Private Getaway

Bring home an outdoor swing, and you’ve got the main building block for your private getaway. The second building block is shade. Position the outdoor swing based on the available shade. It not only enhances your comfort on warm days but also shields you from damaging overexposure to the sun’s radiation. You have several options for positioning.

Of course, you can hang your outdoor swing from a joist in a porch roof. The overhang guards you from the sun and rain. You can also set up your swing under a tall tree in your yard if you buy a frame. But really, you can place an outdoor swing with a frame anywhere in your yard. Provide shade with a canopy or an offset umbrella.

Finally, you may construct an arbor or trellis on which to grow climbing vines and flowers. Depending on the size and positioning of the arbor, you can increase or decrease the amount of shade that falls on your outdoor swing. These plants could even form a natural privacy wall to increase your enjoyment of your private getaway.

Regardless of your method, once you’ve set up your outdoor swing and provided a sufficient amount of shade, you’ll have the basic things you need for your private getaway.

Outdoor Rocking Chairs: One of the Best Things for Relaxation

Your next vacation might be right outside your door. Literally. For years, outdoor rocking chairs have elicited a sense of peace and relaxation. Did you know there’s a physical cause behind this?

Several medical studies have drawn the conclusions that rocking physically encourages relaxation. It lowers blood pressure and breathing rates. Rocking chairs have even been used to treat lower back pain, shorten hospital stays after surgery, and reduce the amount of pain medication prescribed to patients. A couple outdoor rocking chairs on your porch might aid both your health and your ability to relax. And aren’t these two very good reasons for a vacation, or a staycation?

Outdoor rocking chairs also give you the benefit of interaction with nature and other people. You can observe animals in your yard, plants in your garden, neighbors on the street. Throw in a tall glass of lemonade or iced tea, and you’ve got all the makings for a lazy afternoon.