The backyard was one of the main features that attracted us to the house and the area I have been the most excited about updating. We started working on the backyard in 2017 but last two summers we made some great progress!
Scroll to the bottom for all of our furniture selections!
Scroll to the bottom for all of our furniture selections!
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HOW DID WE GET HERE ?!
DEMO
Sadly one of the first steps we had to take was to remove a few trees.
Fast growing roots headed towards the house wasn't worth the risk!
Awnings were only held up by two nails, which made removal easy!
The trees were another story. To save some money my husband spent a full weekend tediously
sawing the roots so they could be removed and ground quickly by a professional crew.
Sadly one of the first steps we had to take was to remove a few trees.
Fast growing roots headed towards the house wasn't worth the risk!
Awnings were only held up by two nails, which made removal easy!
The trees were another story. To save some money my husband spent a full weekend tediously
sawing the roots so they could be removed and ground quickly by a professional crew.
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PREP
Once the trees were removed and scraps of the awning were recycled, prep for sod and mulch began. The ground was leveled and the tree roots were ground and placed through the yard as fertilizer. Again to save, my husband rented a rototiller from a local shop to do the work himself.
(think his arms are still tired!)
We sectioned off the areas we wanted sod and laid weed barrier where we wanted plantings. Sod was laid Memorial Day weekend 2017 and besides the spots from the new additional of a dog to the family, sod is doing great!
With our base set, we could start adding in some finishes!
We wanted some outdoor seating so we placed 12 x 24 pavers at the end of the grass, creating a focal point for our outdoor dining table. We also extend those pavers to the existing concrete creating a path the leads you through the backyard.
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JEFF'S HE SHED :-)
a nice space for him to store all of the tools he needs for the home reno work. The shed was purchased from Home Depot and assembled by Jeff and his coworker (Thanks Tim H!) Cabinets on the back wall were purchased from Habitat for Humanity and the open shelving on the side were site built by Jeff.
a nice space for him to store all of the tools he needs for the home reno work. The shed was purchased from Home Depot and assembled by Jeff and his coworker (Thanks Tim H!) Cabinets on the back wall were purchased from Habitat for Humanity and the open shelving on the side were site built by Jeff.
PERGOLA
And the best for last, the pergola! Jeff knocked this out in just a few days... by himself. Impressed? Back off ladies (and gentlemen) he's mine ;-) All the material and hardware was purchased from Jordan's Building Center here in Wheatridge.
Time for some beautification with the finer details to our backyard!
LANDSCAPE LIGHTING
Landscape lighting can not only help you safely walk through your yard, but it is visually pleasing. Who wouldn't want to look at this out their window while you are cooking dinner!? We have chosen to, of course, light paths for safety but we are also highlighting the plants. This extends our living space from inside to outside, creating a warm and comfortable exterior room. A little ambience can go a long way! Lighting purchased from The Home Depot
Landscape lighting can not only help you safely walk through your yard, but it is visually pleasing. Who wouldn't want to look at this out their window while you are cooking dinner!? We have chosen to, of course, light paths for safety but we are also highlighting the plants. This extends our living space from inside to outside, creating a warm and comfortable exterior room. A little ambience can go a long way! Lighting purchased from The Home Depot
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PLANTS
With a pick up full of plants it was time to bring a little more color to the yard. The main reason for selecting the plants was for structure and color. When in bloom the majority of the plants are pink or white.
Think if Jeff would have known that the pink would end being the inspiration for all the furniture "we" ended up selecting, he might have chosen differently :-)
All the plants were purchased from Echter's Garden in Arvada and The Tree Farm in Longmont.
With a pick up full of plants it was time to bring a little more color to the yard. The main reason for selecting the plants was for structure and color. When in bloom the majority of the plants are pink or white.
Think if Jeff would have known that the pink would end being the inspiration for all the furniture "we" ended up selecting, he might have chosen differently :-)
All the plants were purchased from Echter's Garden in Arvada and The Tree Farm in Longmont.
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You can see why I mentioned above that the colors in our roses are what
inspired the outdoor furniture. Great pop of color to our neutral backdrop.
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Plant Selections
Maiden Grass
Spirea, Little Princess Pink
Spirea, Goldmound Pink
Rose,Livin' Easy
Dogwood, Ivory Halo
Maiden Grass
Spirea, Little Princess Pink
Spirea, Goldmound Pink
Rose,Livin' Easy
Dogwood, Ivory Halo
OUTDOOR FURNITURE
Just like outdoor lighting, patio furniture can be an extension of your interior living space.
With a mix of high and low costs we tried to keep costs down but also wanted durable pieces.
CLICK HERE for a full furniture break down
Just like outdoor lighting, patio furniture can be an extension of your interior living space.
With a mix of high and low costs we tried to keep costs down but also wanted durable pieces.
CLICK HERE for a full furniture break down
Tips for purchasing:
I always start by looking for furniture at yard sales, Craig's List, Facebook market, Habitat for Humanity, or local antique shops.
Some repair work might be needed but reusing can save you money and is also more sustainable.
If you do need to purchase new its best to wait till the end of July or August for the best sales as fall starts to approach.
I always start by looking for furniture at yard sales, Craig's List, Facebook market, Habitat for Humanity, or local antique shops.
Some repair work might be needed but reusing can save you money and is also more sustainable.
If you do need to purchase new its best to wait till the end of July or August for the best sales as fall starts to approach.
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1. Outdoor sofa - We wanted a sofa that was clean, simple and made of wood. This sofa from Hayneedle fit our space perfectly. 2. Seat cushions - the cushion color that came with the sofa didn't work with our overall color pallet so we purchased separate cushions from Target. 3. Lanterns - are added for additional soft lighting, IKEA 4. Planters - These IKEA planters are hung with planter hooks from Crate and Barrel, giving us the availability to change out the color of the annuals we plant in them ever year. NOTE: We had to drill holes in the bottom of these for the water to drain. And because of our weather climate you have to remove the soil and store them in the winter or the paint will chip. 5. Side table - There are a lot of outdoor white tables but this one from Target was clean, simple, and had the best price for our budget, 6. Bistro Table - we wanted different types of areas to sit. This table is great for a more intimate seating arrangement. - Hayneedle 7. Outdoor Throw Pillows - PINK, for some color! - Target 8. Lanterns - Pink lanterns were purchased to carry the color through the space. The pink lanterns I purchased unfortunately aren't available anymore but Pier 1 as some great modern options. 9. Side Chairs - My favorite purchase for our backyard are these pink chairs from Anthropologie. 10. Outdoor curtains - outdoor curtains are added to soft the space and create additional privacy from the neighbors. - Target 11. Mosaic Tile - this will be used for a future project to carry some of the orange color through the space. - Amazon. 12. Side Table - Another of my favorite purchases! Mostly because of the color. Unfortunately also not available anymore but Anthropologie has other great options for side tables. 13. Outdoor Throw Pillows - YELLOW for more color! - Target 14. Vase - Target 15. Outdoor plates - Pier 1 |