Indoor Living Spaces, Innovative Solutions

Fresh Idea: Decorate Indoor Spaces With Outdoor Curtains

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Outdoor Curtains Indoors

Today’s outdoor curtains and drapes look as good as indoor ones and offer superior performance, so why wouldn’t you choose outdoor curtains for your indoor spaces?  Here are a few reasons why outdoor curtains are a good idea:

  • Indoor fabrics fade — The beautiful curtains you had custom made for your sunny living room may not look so beautiful in a couple of years as the sun’s UV rays do their darndest to fade the curtain’s colors.  Because outdoor curtains are intended for outdoor use, they are constructed with fabrics that resist those harmful UV rays and keep fading at a bare minimum.  Your curtains will look just as vibrant in ten years as they do when you first install them.

  • Protect indoor furnishings — Those same UV rays that fade your lovely indoor curtains can also do some serious damage over time to your other indoor furnishings.  Upholstered furniture, artwork, fabrics, carpets, and more are at the mercy of the sun’s UV rays.  Over time, these indoor treasures can fade, weaken, crack, and become otherwise damaged as a result of prolonged sun exposure.  The best quality outdoor curtains have a UV protection factor of 98%, so they block the bulk of the harmful rays that threaten to damage your indoor furnishings.

  • Durability and versatility — Outdoor curtains are made with beautiful, but rugged, fabrics that can take the worst of outdoor weather.  By using outdoor curtains inside, you can feel confident that they’ll stand up to everyday, and not so everyday, abuses.  Outdoor curtains make any room of the house look good, but, because they are so easy to clean, they are especially ideal for the busiest of rooms, like the kitchen, family room, kids’ rooms, play room, and laundry room.
Backyard Fun, Healthy Ideas

Make Your Children Happy AND Healthy!

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Wooden Swing Set

 

While wooden swing set kits are amazing, they are not for everyone. You might not have the room, or the money, to dedicate to a solid wooden frame. If that is the case, I have got the perfect metal swing set for you! The BrittanyAll Inclusive Wood Playset is a great option that is designed for safety and fun. It has everything your kids will need – climbing ladders, trapeze, climbing rope and swings! It even has an slide. It is the perfect backyard accessory to exercise both mind and body of your children. It will provide hours of climbing, swinging, and sliding exercise that will provide a fun and healthy workout for little ones. It supports up to 300 lbs. and if great for all kids 3 and up! Constructed to last for years, this swing set is perfect for multiple generations of loved ones!

Environmentally Friendly Ideas, Garden Tools & Tips

How to Compost Autumn Leaves For Late Spring Use

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Compost Bins

Composting your autumn leaves is the best way to dispose of them.  Not only do you keep those leaves out of the landfill, but composting allows you to create nutrient-rich “black gold” that your garden plants will love.  Here are a few tips on preparing your autumn leaves for the compost bin:

  • Don’t bother shredding your leaves before you put them into the compost bin; whole leaves are better for compost.
  • Autumn leaves are high in carbon, but low in nitrogen; for balance, add to your compost bin two parts fresh, green grass clippings or other green organic matter to one part leaves.
  • Moisture is important for decomposition; be sure to add water to your compost initially, and then periodically check the moisture content to make sure that your compost is moist, but not soggy.  Add water as needed.

Turning autumn leaves into spring compost doesn’t require much time or effort.  If you prepare your compost properly, and check on it periodically over the late autumn and winter months, you should be able to look forward to using that compost when it comes time to plant your garden in late spring.

Overall, making your own compost is not only good for the environment, it’s good for your wallet because it saves you from having to buy compost from the local garden center.

Find out more about what can be put into the compost bin, and what should be left out:  Composting Basics.

Backyard Fun, Garden Tools & Tips, Storage Solutions

Cedar Greenhouse Kits

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Cedar Greenhouse Kit

 

If you enjoy gardening year round, a greenhouse is a great investment to make. While many people think of a greenhouse as a metal and glass eyesore, they are some beautiful options available. Cedar greenhouse kits are a charming alternative to traditional greenhouses and will add beauty to any landscape. The building comes complete with built-in benches for your plant storage. The high performance thermoplastic windows transmit up to 90% of visible light, while filtering out harmful ultraviolet light. It is also equipped with a functional dutch door and rear window which ensures air circulation while you are working hard inside. The red cedar is sturdy and pleasing to the eyes, ensuring you will love it for years to come. These greenhouses also make a perfect work space for artists and backyard warriors who build, repair, and relax outdoors every weekend.

Garden Tools & Tips, Holidays & Gift Ideas

Unique Gift Ideas For the Backyard Gardener To Fit Every Budget

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Solar Lighted Planter

You want to get a gift for that special person in your life, but the hard part is deciding what to buy.  Gift cards are an easy solution, but they tend to be a bit impersonal.  To find a unique gift that your friend will love and appreciate, spend a few minutes thinking about that person and who he or she is.  What does your special person do for fun?  How does he or she spend spare time?  What activities bring joy or contentment to your friend’s life?

Is gardening a favorite activity of your special person?  If so, here are a few unique gift ideas that would please any backyard gardener, and they won’t break your budget:

  • Garden Tools — Every gardener has a set of gardening tools, but having a spare set of tools on hand is a goodGarden Tool Set idea.  A unique twist on the gift of gardening tools is a gift that encompasses more.  A garden tool set that comes with a handy storage tote and sturdy folding seat offers multiple uses and adds value for the gardener.

 

  • Decorative planters — Every gardener has a stash of planters tucked away for use when necessary, but choosing a unique decorative planter for your gardener will ensure that it stays filled with beautiful flowers and plants year round.  Lighted planters are one example of a decorative planter that is affordable and serves more than one purpose — not only are lighted planters used to display flowers and plants, but they provide a soft, comforting glow at night.  Lighted planters are available in solar-powered or electric varieties.

 

  • Potting Bench — Does your gardener have a dedicated space for re-potting, transplanting, or working with plants and flowers? If he or she uses a random table top or even the ground to do this work, then a proper potting bench would make the perfect gift.  Choose a potting bench constructed of a hardy, weather-resistant wood, such as Western Red Cedar.  It should also have at least two shelves for storing potting soil and extra pots, and hooks for hanging gardening tools.  A feature much appreciated by gardeners is a lip that goes around the sides and back of the potting bench — this keeps the soil on the table top and makes it easier to clean up that spilled soil when potting is done.

Finding just the right gift for your special person really is possible.  With a little thought, the gift you choose can not only be unique, but affordable and practical, too.

Potting Bench