So you’re considering taking on a remodeling project or a design project of some kind for your home. Maybe its an entire kitchen remodel, or maybe it’s more modest like re configuring some of your landscape beds, or buying furniture and home decor. That’s great! Next question though - how to make a budget for it, and if its a larger project like that dream kitchen or bath, how to fund your remodel?
Read MoreSpring is almost here, and I know parts of my home could stand some refreshing for spring, especially the living room fireplace area. It's no secret T.J. Maxx is one of my favorite online haunts. Why? Because you can find some seriously great stuff deeply discounted! Plus, it seems like they put their more high-end merchandise online - you don't have to dig through stuff like you do in the stores. Here are some of my favorite TJ Maxx hang outs:
Read MoreThanksgiving is upon us, and for many of us that means lots of travel, family, and food. I know I’ll be some of each.
Before we hit Turkey Time though, I wanted to bring you a holiday gift guide from one of my favorite haunts - TJ Maxx. My sis and I are big fans. Why? Because you can find some seriously great stuff deeply discounted!
While scavenging for bargains in-store has been a traditional sister-bonding pastime for us, 😁 during lockdown she introduced me to their online shopping.
It's even better than the store because there's nearly so much "sifting" to do - they seem to put their better merchandise online.
Read MoreLabor Day weekend is upon us. Kids are back in school, and it signals the end of summer. With that are lots of Labor Day, End of Summer sales to be had, and I’ve put together a lengthy list for you. I know I plan to score a few deals over the long weekend - I’ve hardly shopped for anything this summer, and my wardrobe could use a refresh. So check out the sales, and enjoy the long weekend!
Read MoreLooking to create your own backyard oasis complete with an outdoor living room? Great goal! But then you go shopping for outdoor sofas and furniture and you have serious sticker shock. Here’s a solution - with a little resourcefulness and elbow grease, you can DIY it! Source a sofa or daybed for cheap that can work outdoors and create a stylish statement-making piece for way less.
Read MoreI don’t know about you, but I get really excited about seeing some of my favorite indoor tropical plants growing and thriving outdoors. Besides just the novelty of seeing a plant many of us think of as a “houseplant” growing outside, it’s also interesting to observe how their growth habits differ in a natural environment.
Backstory - I just took my boys on a vacation to Puerto Rico. We were thrilled to learn it’s home to El Yunque National Forest, the only rainforest in the US National Forest Service.
In the capital city of San Juan as well, there were many “indoor plants” we saw growing as stunning landscape plants. (Including our favorite FLFs!) It was spectacular, and I want to share with you some of the botanical wonders we saw there.
Read MoreIt’s time to reveal the Mediterranean inspired garden so long in the making! It’s my outdoor oasis here in Napa California & I love it, especially after living with the sad state of garden affairs for so long. To get ideas for my landscape design process, I referenced lots of historic gardens from Spain, France, and Italy. It's now finished with patio, bocce court, stonework, & lots of lavender.
Read MoreIt’s Amazon Prime days and there are deals galore! Take a look and see what suits your fancy. I’m going for a mesh WIFI system since we have serious coverage issues in my house, a Kindle Paperwhite - it's $50 bucks off and my sis insists it’s a must have, some shelter mags like Elle Decor, and who knows what all else - the day(s) are still young! :) Prime Day runs now through tomorrow, so don't dilly-dally!
Read MoreI undertook a major landscape redesign project last spring of the side garden of my home. Now that it’s grown in some, I want to show you how it turned out, which I’ll do soon. Today, I want to show you my garden “mood board.” It’s not a mood board in the traditional sense, but a collection of imagery from Pinterest that helped me pull together design ideas before starting actual design work.
Read MoreMemorial Day Weekend Sales! Memorial Day weekend is upon us - can you believe? Along with it are lots of big sales! I’ve put together a lengthy list of plants, décor, and fashion for your perusal. I know I plan to score a few deals over the long weekend - I especially want to see what’s available for outdoor cushions, fun home accessories, and of course, the Nordy 1/2 yearly sale! Happy shopping!
Read MoreTo say 2020 was an unprecedented year is an understatement. 2020 was also year one for Greenhouse Studio, having just celebrated it’s one year anniversary.
A lot has happened over the course of one year, and it was fun to look back to see what was most popular. I had no idea what would resonate with readers and what wouldn’t. I had never blogged before, and I was seriously winging it for at least a couple quarters. Mostly just writing what I felt I needed to get off my chest both plant and design-wise.
It was gratifying to see that many of my posts did connect with people, and it made me glad that I gave myself space to organically write what I wanted instead of trying to be more strategic and methodical, which would be an easy default for me, but I think would have been stifling too. So without further ado, here’s the Greenhouse Studio top 10 posts!
Read MoreDuring the holidays, many of us anticipate the spectacular blooms of Christmas cactus - a favorite indoor winter-flowering succulent! Read on to learn all about how to care for Schlumbergera, Zygocactus, and other holiday cactus growing indoors. The post covers how to water Christmas cactus, pruning, fertilizer, holiday cactus problems, pests, and disease, and how to propagate and re-bloom Christmas cacti.
Read MoreEver bring home a new favorite plant (just. one. more. I swear.) but then you realize you don’t have a good pot for it? If you’re anything like me, you’re not happy with your new plant sitting in it’s plastic nursery liner for long.
I want my plants in a pot that looks great with my home decor, and a collection of plastic nursery pots doesn’t cut it. So I’m always on the lookout for attractive and reasonably priced planters, pots, containers - whatever you want to call them, for my ever-expanding plant collection.
Let’s look at some great pots that are all reasonably priced and will beautifully showcase your favorite fronds. (In fact, most come in sets of two!)
Then we can talk about how to pick the right pot according to how you like to water your plants, plus pot workaround tips.
Read MoreStock tank pools are an outdoor trend I came across just recently and I have to say, I’m feeling like I’ve been living under a rock. Just in case you’ve been under one too, a stock tank pool is a galvanized tank normally used to water livestock that’s repurposed into a small, backyard pool - typically around 8’ diameter and 2’ to 3’ deep. It’s a budget-friendly backyard trend with legs, and they’re many creative, industrious people out there who’ve made them into total Insta-worthy assets for their own outdoor oases.
Where’s this trend coming from? They say necessity is the mother of invention, and I think families are getting pretty desperate for some outdoor fun (and to maintain their sanity) for their requisite stay-cations right now. Now that they’re on my radar, I feel like stock tank pools are cropping up everywhere like mushrooms, from Instagram to articles in major media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
This is such a great idea for outdoor fun that looks good with out spending a fortune. Let’s take a look at traditional pool options and then explore this summer-style trend that just might be the perfect addition for your patio or backyard!
Read MoreCistanthe grandiflora, a.k.a. Calandrinia spectabilis or Rock Purslane is what I call a "Super Succulent." It blooms for months straight, is cold hardy (frost tolerant) to 15 F, has succulent blue-green foliage, and is drought tolerant. It's also really easy to grow in the garden and propagate from cuttings making it a fun and rewarding plant for even a novice plant parent or gardener.
Read MoreHot Summer Sales! (best home decor scores online) 4th of July is almost here. This year things aren’t the same in the way of looking forward to big fireworks and BBQs, so how about some retail therapy as consolation prize. Who’s with me?!
I nearly finished the internet looking for decent sales for indoor and outdoor decor and found a few to share with you. Summer savings drum roll please!
Read MoreFire is a natural design choice for outdoor entertaining and family enjoyment. It creates a warm, cozy atmosphere, enticing friends and family to stay and hang out, especially on chilly nights. We all love to gather around a crackling fire; as humans we're naturally drawn to it . So let's take a look at some options including fire pits, fire tables, and outdoor fireplaces.
Read MoreLooking for some inspiration to fuel your outdoor oasis dreams? It’s that time of year again - the weather is warming up, and soon we’ll want to be outside enjoying it all. Time to plan our outdoor living space so we can enjoy with friends and family. I’m finishing up my own backyard garden re-design and I’ve been looking at lots of images and inspiration, so I thought it would be fun to share.
Read MoreContainer gardening is fun and satisfying, giving you fresh picked herbs any time to add to your favorite dishes and drinks. We'll go through some planter ideas as well as a step by step process for putting together a winning herb pot combo that’s both delicious and ornamental. If you're new to container gardening, rest assured with a little effort (not much!) you'll grow great results.
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