Style Guide - Forever Green Plants

photo credit: abetterlookingtolandscaping2.com

When it comes to plant shopping, I really believe you have to go in with a plan otherwise you’ll end up spending a ton of money and time. You might love those peonies and want to fill your whole yard with fields of tulips. You’ll have a glorious 2-3 months every year but the reality is that 9-10 months out of the year you’ll be looking at dirt. My goal when it comes to landscaping is to go low maintenance and looking good all the time so my strategy is only evergreen plants. If you’re like me and have a weak moment when you see some gorgeous dahlias that you can’t resist, it’s okay as long as you have your evergreen garden in the backdrop.

When design and styling yard space, I treat it a lot like I would designing an interior space. Think big picture and in layers- different colors and different heights. Most evergreen plants by themselves are not very attractive but put together they can create a harmonious and elegant garden all year long.

Here is a list of beautiful evergreen plants that are easy to care for and would make a great addition to your growing evergreen garden. If you’re needing more guidance on putting together your evergreen garden message me!

(Tall) Evergreen trees and shrubs (Juniper, Azalea, Rhododendron, New Zealand Flax)

(Medium) Evergreens (Dusty Miller, Rosemary, Picturata Aucuba, Fatsia japonica)

(Small) Evergreen plants (Lambs ear, blue fescue, black mondo)

FYI: Here is the Pacific Northwest, we are in zone 8.

Pick up a shovel and see what you’re made of

As we're all spending more time in our houses and venturing as far out as our property lines reach, we're all looking at our current spaces and trying to figure out ways that we can reconfigure to fit our new needs. I am as well. Transitional spaces and home offices are needed more than ever. This is a great time to reorganize and redesign. Maybe you never thought yourself as a DIYer but this is moment to see what you're made of! 

I want to share with you my story. Back in 2010 during the Great Recession, I had just been laid off and had a mortgage on a house that needed a lot of work.  I was faced with the dilemma of little money but lots of at home time. With the help of my partner, we rolled up our sleeves and tackled fixing up our home room by room. By the summer of 2011, we transformed our ugly fixer house into a family home where we eventually raised our 2 babies and turned it into a high end vacation house rental by 2013. It was a lot of DIY, upcycling and strategic purchasing to keep costs low. People love the hand made touches we have done our homes. 

That experience has allowed me keep my philosophy of high style on a budget. I use those same strategies to help my clients in their everyday spaces. I encourage you to tackle your small and big house projects because you can do a lot more than you think. If you have a project that you're working on or thinking about send me a message and a photo of it, I'd love to offer thoughts and tips to help you plan.

The before & process photos

The After

It all starts with an #inspiration

For me, the inspiration was Tycho’s album Awake. The colors, the music, the vibes…. takes me away to another place. I wanted that same feeling inside my outdoor workspace. I color matched using paint samples from Sherwin Williams and was able to more than cover a 8x10 wall. When it comes to murals, I like them better than wallpaper (though I also LOVE wallpaper) because I try to go for a more loose philosophy. Lines aren’t perfectly straight…no problem! Initially I taped off but at the end I just winged with a paintbrush. #gotthatlovingfeeling

When it comes to paint on an accent wall, my suggestion is pick colors that are harmonious together and then create shapes with them. Or do what I did and borrow a color palette from someone else. #nooneownscolors

colors used: Sherwin Williams

amber wave sw6657, fire brick sw6335, burnt auburn sw3042, Violet royale sw1434, pretty purple sw1432, serenade sw1413, courtly blue sw2391, naval sw3351

HACK: backyard workshop and kids playhouse from a simple prefab shed kit

Why reinvent the wheel when there’s a perfectly good diy prefab shed kit available at Costco? Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good hack.

I’m not going to explain how we made the shed because the kit comes with all the materials and a step by step instruction manual but I will include the material list (scroll down to bottom) of on our add-ons that did not come with the kit. These extras are what I think made this shed so special.

**stay tuned for my next blog post about wall murals

*The most successful hacks are when you can adapt the design to your existing space- combining old with new. >>>>> If you have an outdoor project that you’re stumped on, send me a message with a snapshot of it. Sometimes you just need another set of 👀

Material List

start with Prefab Costco shed 10’x7.5’- link here $1,300

1. used french doors from local salvage shop (Second Use) $400

2. used slider windows x2 $100/each (from Second Use)

3. fixed window $50 (from Second Use)

4. Interior wood trim (for windows, doors, baseboard)

5. exterior wood trim

6. insulation batting x4 rolls

7. Drywall x14 sheets

8. PVC Drywall sealing paint 2 gallons

9. Interior paint & mural paints *see my follow up blog post about murals - Glidden Muslin White 82YY in eggshell finish 1 gallon

10. Exterior paint -Glidden Knight’s Armor 1001-6 in flat finish (for exterior siding) and satin finish (for exterior trim) 3 gallons/1 gallon

11. LVP 120 sq ft flooring $2/sq ft

12. used shop cabinet $75 (from Second Use)

13. Birch 4x8 plywood sheet cut down to 2x8 for a work tabletop and extra pieces for shelving and trim $60

14. roofing shingles x3 bundles

15. pine wood tongue and groove boards (for underside of roof)

16. deck wood -10’ cedar boards x40