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Making the Most of Your Backyard June 2010
Welcome to our first newsletter of the summer! This month we share ideas about the latest trends in backyard design. Whether your backyard is a spot where you cultivate a garden, spend time with family or do a little of both, we hope our review will leave you feeling inspired as you consider how to transform your backyard into your own private oasis. |
The Latest in Backyard Design
Most homeowners are aware of the standard options when it comes to backyard design. When considering reworking their backyards, they often mull over the traditional options: whether to install a patio, whether a garden or landscaping makes sense, whether some sort of water feature is feasible, where to put the grill, what type of furniture arrangement would work, and whether a fire pit is in order. Now, however, with the advent of the green movement, developments in outdoor textiles and lighting, and the emphasis on natural settings, the options are much more extensive. Before you start planning your backyard transformation, begin your journey by assessing which of these emerging backyard design trends are a good fit for your vision and then work with a professional to incorporate them into your design.
The Native, Sustainable Yard. Across the country homeowners are going "native" as they move toward a more relaxed style of gardening and landscaping that requires less water. Low-water gardens, drought-tolerant plants and less turf grass have become the norm in landscape design. Homeowners now assume sustainable design will be a major part of the plan - both for economic and environmental reasons. This  trend has taken hold due to the rise in eco-friendly awareness, promoted in large part by home improvement centers that offer more diverse plant materials.
According to HGTV, this movement is possibly the most profound design trend we've encountered in outdoor design in some time. A decade ago when designers talked about using native plant material in gardens, the image that appeared in everyone's head was a mangy, ugly garden. Now many natives have been tamed just enough to thrive in cultivated spaces, and using those plants in our garden benefits the entire neighborhood by using fewer resources to remain beautiful. This means that water-intensive, grass lawns are a thing of the past. Whether it's a recapturing of the front yard, in which a perennial bed takes over some space previously devoted to lawn, or the introduction of a hardscape surface in the backyard for a dining room where grass used to struggle under a huge ash tree, the thirsty, resource-dependent turf lawn is being replaced.
The Outdoor Kitchen. Just as the kitchen inside the home provides the central gathering place for families and friends, the outdoor kitchen has become the heart of the garden. Appliances and finishes that used to be available only for interior applications have been perfected to stand up to the elements, so people are building significantly more elaborate and useful outdoor kitchen areas. Cooking outside actually becomes part of the entertainment, with rotisserie grills, outdoor taps and pizza ovens taking center stage.
Edibles, Come Front and Center. Blended gardens that incorporate edibles and ornamentals do double duty, giving gardeners a bountiful harvest of fruit, vegetables and herbs and an alternative to turf grass.
The Spa Retreat. One of the fastest growing design trends is integrating a private bathing experience into the garden, whether it's a beautiful cedar Japanese soaking tub or a small outdoor shower. One easy way to create a more intimate feeling is to situate a spa within a garden setting instead of placing it in the more traditional public space adjacent to the swimming pool. For those on a modest budget, place a freestanding claw-foot bathtub in a private area near a bedroom and run hot/cold water to the faucet for a unique and romantic bathing experience. Two technological advances have contributed to the wider acceptance of these private outdoor bathing areas. First, above-ground spas have come a very long way, both aesthetically and functionally. Second, radiant floor heating, once used only indoors or to thaw driveways in freeze zones, has contributed to the growth of this trend.
Nature is In, Bling is Out. As a result of the economic downturn over the past few years, over-the-top, showy landscapes are out. Now, homeowners prefer to invest in high-quality, natural materials.
Want to explore some of these trends in your own backyard? Give us a call. We'll put you in touch with one or more of our preferred vendors who specialize in backyard transformations. And, once you complete the design of your new backyard, we can help complete the transformation with the outdoor fabrics, furniture and other furnishings that will make your new space come alive. Contact us today at 703-714-7343 or info@decorbydenise.com to find out how to get started. |
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Shelter Chic Before & After
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Local Shelter Makeover
Over the past few months, Decor by Denise, along with several other local interior design firms, has been working on the redesign of the Bethany House Women's Shelter. This shelter helps protect women and children who find themselves in violent circumstances. Many of us take for granted our peaceful home environments. But, these women and children don't have that luxury. They must seek refuge in the doors of the shelter to not only protect them, but also, in some cases, to save their lives.
We have been honored to work with a team of talented and caring professionals in transforming the shelter and in providing these women and children a safe haven that is also soothing to the soul. Our work at the shelter wrapped up on Friday, May 14, 2010. Below are some photos of the finished play room and TV viewing space we worked on:
Below are two before images of the space, which captures our major design dilemmas: lack of TV storage, dark furniture and flooring, outdated upholstery fabrics, bright wall and window treatments (that had to stay as-is) and poor furniture arrangement.
 
We were tasked with transforming this TV viewing and kids' playroom using thrift store items, donations and lots of creativity. Below are the after shots. On the left, we have a shot of the TV viewing area which shows a brighter room (we painted and reupholstered the existing couches), a wonderful TV storage solution (thanks to The Closet Factory), and a new rug (thank you Covey's Carpets). We also rearranged the furniture to make the room a more inviting space. By moving the TV to the adjacent wall we were able to create a more functional space for those who relax here. In addition, since we couldn't change the paint colors or window treatments, we decided to add a little decoration above the chair rail. We bought a cookie cutter at Dollar Tree and used it to paint cute little floating starts around the room. Please note that the fireplace firebox had to be blocked due to Bethany House safety rules. So, that is why you will see a white material blocking the firebox in our photos.
On the right we created a kids' play area to die for, complete with a dress up area and custom made mirror with frame to match the drapes (thanks to Art & Frame of Falls Church)!
Again, we want to take this opportunity to thank all our vendors and other donors who helped make our efforts possible:
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Already Covered, Chris Rodriguez
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General Contracting, Martin Stupak
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Christine Harvey, Coveys Carpets
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Bev Rocco, Art and Frame
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Deb Broockerd, The Closet Factory
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Suzanne Manlove, Arlington Home Interiors
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Anh Nguyen, State Farm Insurance
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Laurie Schaefer-Boiardi, Arbonne
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And, Individual Donors: Frank & Rindy O'Brien, Connie & Jeff Morgan and Donna & Bob Siegle
To see more before and after photos of the other parts of the house that were transformed, please visit our blog at www.DreamDesignLive.com.
If you would like to find out how you can help Bethany House and its many shelters in the DC area, please visit their website at: http://bhnv.org/ |
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 Denise Willard is a professional interior decorator with over a decade of experience working with clients in the DC metro area. Her work has been showcased in Home & Design Magazine, Washington Home & Garden, The Washingtonian, Elan and The Washington Post. Denise also writes a regular design column in Viva Tysons Magazine. Denise and her team specialize in creating simple, but elegant transitional and contemporary interiors that are reflective of their clients' personalities and lifestyles.
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If you are a member of the trade and are interested in participating in our collaborative marketing efforts, please contact Denise at dwillard@decorbydenise.com.
We look forward to hearing from you! | |
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