You Said It: ‘The Birds Will Thank You’ and More Houzz Quotables

This week Houzz stories provided a nice escape for me from, well, writing Houzz stories myself. Does that make sense? I love to catch up on what my fellow contributors are writing about, even if half the time it makes me slap myself on the forehead and moan, “Why didn’t I think of that?” I escaped into some fairy gardens; I took a trip down to Brazil; I thought about what I would get rid of if I were moving into a much smaller space. I must admit, what I fantasized about most of all was a claw-foot tub full of ice and beer in the backyard. Here are some highlights — some very practical, some more magical.

“Although they’re called fairy gardens, I don’t actually ever like to see fairy figurines placed in them. That’s too obvious for my taste — and, I’m happy to say, Eden feels the same.” — Alison Hodgson

What a fun activity to do with kids, and how great is this darling photo of Hodgson’s daughter Eden? Eden has an enamel vessel all ready to fill with a magical fairy garden. I’m with these ladies; we’re not supposed to see the fairies.

Full story: Gardening Fun: Plant a Fairy Garden


“During parties they use it as a large ice box.” — Mitchell Parker

Check out the most dramatic “before” and “after” shots on Houzz all week. This heroic Houston renovation was a story of patience; the homeowners stalked their favorite street for years before jumping on a dilapidated house within their budget. Making an offer without even seeing it, they got a lot of not-so-pleasant surprises, but they managed to find things they loved about the house. One of those things was this vintage claw-foot tub, which serves as a planter in the yard most of the time but is filled with ice and brews during parties. I love a claw-foot tub in the garden. Now could someone please check that kid’s ID?

Full story: Houzz Tour: From Shocker to Stunner in Houston


“Portraits ignite the imagination and populate a room with hidden stories — you can’t help but wonder what the subjects were thinking, feeling and doing.” — Laura Gaskill

I grew up with some antique heirloom portraits in my house. (I’m not sure if anyone knows who they are, but they are some seriously stoic-looking ancestors.) I’ve also enjoyed seeing the range of ways that people play around with portraits, whether it’s blogger sfgirlbybay’s playing with her thrift finds, Jonathan Adler’s adding silhouettes of the family dog or Brian Patrick Flynn’s covering up an entire wall with a fab old photo of his parents. Find great inspiration for how to display portraits in this ideabook, whether it’s photos of your kids or paintings of interesting-looking strangers.

Full story: Face Time: Creative Ideas for Decorating With Portraits


“What seems small to one person can feel like a palace to another.” — Mitchell Parker

Parker has rounded up homes ranging from microhouses to studio apatments to cottages; the smallest is only 68 square feet. No matter what the size of your home, the story is full of smart ways to store things, save space and live with less stuff. If you’re planning to downsize at any point, bookmark this roundup for when the time comes.

Full story: 28 Great Homes Smaller Than 1,000 Square Feet


“We aren’t afraid of getting the house dirty or to rough it up a little.” — homeowner Kristie Dowling

Dowling is talking about the earthy tones and durable surfaces in her family room. Living in fear of a juice stain or mucky shoes is no way to live. This tour shows how to have an inviting and attractive home that’s also friendly to kids and pets.

Full story: My Houzz: Traditional Meets Casual in a 1920s Florida Home


“What kinds of overhead costs are you paying for through these fees, and how do those benefit homeowners as well as contractors?” — Anne Higuera

I must admit a bias; I am the sister of a contractor. One thing I’ve learned from Clark, my brother, is never to jump on the lowest bid, because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and you’ll wind up getting what you pay for — a badly executed job. Higuera lists some of the primary costs included in the markup fees, which will make you feel infinitely better about spending the money. These expenses benefit you — they’re for things like well-trained and insured workers, and an organized and well-supported contractor who will be able to keep your project on schedule.

Full story: Contractor Fees, Demystified:


“His landscape designs followed the images of his abstract paintings and tapestries; he used landscape materials and plants to render them in three dimensions.” —Frank Organ

Has World Cup fever sparked an interest in Brazil for you? There is such a rich and unique design history there, and landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx’s work is a very important part of it. Organ shines a spotlight on his artistic approach in this inspiring tribute.

Full story: Artistic Planting Ideas From a Brazilian Superstar


“Why not take this opportunity to add a water feature to your landscape that your dog can access?” — Marianne Lipanovich

In summer’s heat it’s important that your pups have everything they need when they’re outside. Lipanovich shows us how to provide safety, shelter, shade, water, comfort and areas for play. At the same time, she shows us how to make all of these things attractive for us to look at.

Full story: 8 Backyard Ideas to Delight Your Dog


“The birds will thank you.” — Amy Renea

Now that we’ve landscaped for some of our furry friends, let’s turn to our feathered friends. Renea’s story, inspired by a trip to a bird-filled Costa Rican jungle, shows us all how we can bring a bit of that friendly environment to our own yards. The ways are as easy as choosing a new plant, creating a nest-friendly perch or adding a small watering hole or birdbath.

Full story: Bring on the Birds: Natural Habitat Ideas for Gardens of All Sizes


“The gravel surface is very forgiving of drips and spills, so no one has to fret about dripping s’mores.” —Bonnie Monte

I love everything about this landscape design, from the friendly front yard set up for gathering and making s’mores to the potting bench out back designed by the homeowner, landscape designer Sacha McCrae. She’s thought about space and fun activities for all ages. Her yard will inspire you to think beyond the typical front lawn.

Full story: Meet a Front Yard Designed for Gathering

Did a photo, idea, tip, quotation from a homeowner, comment from a Houzz user or story resonate with you this week? Please share it with us in the Comments section.

URL: You Said It: ‘The Birds Will Thank You’ and More Houzz Quotables http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24076.html