DIY Organizing Ideas on Creating Fascinating Rooftop Garden Designs

Living in the city has a lot of perks, but one thing surely we all miss every once in a while is nature. Fortunately there’s an easy solution for all you green-thumbs out there: create your own rooftop garden as your urban escape. Don’t worry, if you start small and build your way up one step at a time such project is absolutely feasible even for a newbie gardener. Let us guide you through the process:

Start Small – The Succulents

Succulents are a great choice as it comes to planning your DIY rooftop garden project. In their majority they require little maintenance, they could create fascinating texture designs, and many species are sturdy enough to endure the winter cold. 

Succulents will help you easily create a vast green carpet on your rooftop for they tend to spread widely if given a chance. Succulents are known to thrive on scarce soil and water, so they are pretty low maintenance plants. However, they love warm weather and sunshine. 

Think of the Jade Plant or the Lucky Tree as some call it. It is a fine-looking succulent that you could prune as bonsai when it grows a bit. In the winter it flowers - its branches get heavy with delicate white blooms.

When going for succulents you should keep in mind that some of them like Echeveria are not tolerant to winter frost. Thus you should be able to cover them or take them inside, if necessary. 

My personal favorite would be Haworthia – these succulent looks really elegant with pointy leaves and white delicate spikes. You could dedicate a planter to each Haworthia or you could let them live a life of their own in raised beds, where they could quickly shape up overlapping colonies.

Spice It Up – The Herbs

Planting herbs is such a rewarding experience – you get the zen feeling of keeping in touch with nature and you end up with your own fresh spices to add to your salad dressings and homemade meals. 

Can you see the mint, parsley, oregano, cilantro pots bursting into think scented greenery? Thyme and dill, and the best of them all – lavender, can you really resist the temptation of dedicating a couple of containers for them?

Just like succulents herbs are pretty much self-growers. An exception would be that on occasions a week or two after planting the seeds you might need to thin your herbs, but that’s about all the involvement required on your part. 

Go Greener – The Veggies

You are looking for organic veggies to add to your healthy diet? Grow them yourself then! Cherry tomatoes could be grown in pots, just as cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli and lettuce. Container vegetable gardening is just as fun as the real gardening, and it’s much easier if you are a novice in this game. Carrots, radishes, peas – you can grow it all on your rooftop.

If your rooftop temperatures are high, consider adding organic mulch to the surface of your containers in order to slow down the water evaporation. 

Add hanging baskets to your rooftop exterior where you could grow strawberries – a fruity touch to your garden in the midst of the vegetable kingdom would add a refreshing touch to it. Consider introducing even more colors to your garden by planting peppers. They love heat, so don’t worry about exposing them to direct sunlight.

Color It Up – The Flowers

The first thing that comes to mind you say: “garden” usually is blooming colorful flowers, right? You cannot forget about those, turn your urban escape corner into a mesmerizing oasis of wild climbing roses. Let a sea of colorful petunias cascade down from a number of hanging baskets. Are you looking for a fairytale rooftop landscape, by all means grow tulips – there is an awful lot of hues to choose from, be brave and allow yourself to go for contrasting colors for a more dramatic look. 

Daffodils on the other hand will give a more serene feel to your rooftop garden, which would be a nice change after the energizing tulips-rich view. 

Liven It Up – The Birds, Bees and Butterflies

And you can’t have flora without fauna, right – they both go hand in hand. Welcome natural musical background by inviting birds in your rooftop garden. Take time to add a few bird feeders. If you add a decorative fountain they’d love it and there’s a great chance that they’ll use it for taking refreshing baths. Is there anything more relaxing and endearing than watching singing birds playing in rippling water?

The humming bees will also follow bird’s lead if you have planted flowers in your garden. Butterflies would prefer to rest on flowers that are protected from windy weather, so make sure you dedicate a spot for them in your garden as well. 

Does it sound like a fascinating project already? There surely is a lot to be done, but who says you need to hurry? Pace yourself, add a planter at a time. In the end your efforts will be rewarded and you’ll feel proud having your morning coffee or tea in the peaceful green heaven you’ve created at your rooftop!

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Renovating Your Bathroom

Making bathroom renovations can be a costly and time consuming process. It’s easier said than done,  but  if you want your bathroom to look as pristine and good shape as ever, then we can say that it’ll be a good investment in the long run. Besides, in this modern age, people are stepping up their game when it comes to refurbishing the interior of their homes, so why not join in the fun?

Before that however, we know that you’re already excited about the thought of creating a bathroom suited to your liking, but we need you to remember a few things that not many people share about when it comes to the overall renovations of your bathroom:

1. How much would it actually cost to remodel your bathroom?

You may think to yourself that remodelling a bathroom shouldn’t be that expensive, since you’re paying for just one section of the house and not the whole thing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. We’re telling you right now, even with basic renovations with cheap materials could still cost you  thousands of dollars. On average, it would still cost you between $5,000 to $25,000, while high quality renovations could go up to $30,000. 

There are a number of factors in renovating bathrooms that could possibly drive up its price. Depending on what you want to renovate and what you want to add inside, prices will always vary because of it. Plumbing is an example of some of those factors you need to take note of.  Luckily for you, Glenmore Park Plumbers offers cheap bathroom renovations that are budget-friendly and won’t trim down your savings too much. Rest assured, you can expect a wide range of quality services coupled with an affordable price suitable for you. So if you have time, check out their website now. 

2. Consider your overall design and style 

Setting up the look and feel of your bathroom is an important factor when pushing with the renovations. However, a bathroom shouldn’t just look aesthetically pleasing to look at. A proper layout must be made in order to get a glimpse of how the room will look once everything’s been put into place, and will help you visualize where exactly will your renovations lead to.  Having a good design ensures that your bathroom contains the appropriate fixtures and ambient, comfortable space for the people inside. With the correct design and careful selection of what to have inside, they can make up for a style that will match your own vision with the perfect amenities with a blend of practicality in between. 

3. Lighting is everything 

If you want your bathroom to look exquisite, then a few light bulbs here and there just isn’t going to cut it. As a homeowner, you should take careful consideration what type of lighting you want displayed in the bathroom. We’re talking about if you want a single ceiling light to illuminate everything, or if you’re the type of person who wants ambient lighting in the shower areas. Naturally, there are four types of lighting for bathrooms: task, decorative, accent, and sparkle. It’s up to you on how you want to mix and match these lighting types, but always remember to pick ones that best suit your bathroom routines and don’t go too overboard on it.

4. Have the right amount of storage space

A well functioning bathroom should also have the right amount of storage for all your toiletries, towels, and other bathroom nitty gritties that you’ll need. Bathrooms are one of the most used rooms inside a household, so be sure that you maximize the space inside your bathroom and find good places for storage.

With so many soaps, lotions, and skin care creams stored inside, it’s easy to get lost in all of them and even easier to make the place messy and untidy, especially if everyone in the family is using the same bathroom. Right now, the main goal is to make it as clean and simple as possible while not sacrificing the overall aesthetic that you want to uphold for the inside. This is something that you should first take note of when drawing up plans on how you want your bathroom’s remodeled design to look like.

5. Be creative and don’t be boring

Renovating your bathroom is a chance not many people get to remodel it for themselves and bring out their creative side in designing their homes. Having said that, we advise everyone to not stick by boring, old-school design and take the chance to make your bathroom look as splendid and elegant as possible. So change those old tiles, paint those torn walls, and start adding those necessary bathroom essentials that everyone’s been using lately, because now’s your chance  to build and design the bathroom you’ve always wanted.

12 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Outdoor Walls This Upcoming Season

We partnered with a home improvement company for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.

 It isn’t unusual for a home purchase to include an ugly feature like a neighbor’s fence on the lot line, a cement retaining wall or even a bare wall between widely-spaced windows. While not ideal, you can turn a negative feature into a very attractive feature. A little creativity and some thinking outside the box may result in unexpected positives. Sometimes, planting a few shrubs or climbing plants can make all the difference by just covering an eyesore.Other times, that negative can be repurposed into a feature. If you're facing the challenge of a concrete retaining wall, consider the creative potential of incorporating retaining wall sleepers. These specialized materials can be strategically used to not only enhance the wall's appearance but also to transform it into a unique focal point. Here are more suggestions to stimulate your creativity. 

1. Cover with Bamboo. If you can see your neighbors’ fence, try covering your wall with bamboo. Bamboo will fit into the landscape because it is a natural material. Bamboo will make a great backdrop for living plants or it can stand alone as an attractive yet inexpensive covering for an undesirable feature in your yard. Bamboo fencing comes in rolls and can be easily removed, so it is ideal if you are renting.

2. Try vertical planting. Add trellising to the wall and use it to produce food. Grow climbing plants like peas or cucumbers and turn an eyesore into a productive growing space. Amend the soil at the foot of the wall with compost and maybe fertilizer and plant your seeds. For very little work, you will harvest fresh vegetables all summer.

3. Paint your wall. If you have a less than attractive wall that forms part of your patio, paint it. You could choose a color that complements the siding and trim on the exterior of your house. That is a safe choice along with neutrals. However, you could take it up a notch and paint the exterior wall the same color as the interior living space leading to the outdoors. Use an exterior paint that your painter has matched to the interior color and the effect will be to visually connect the two spaces into one continuous room.

4. Try Espaliering. This is a method of growing fruit trees against a wall. The tree is regularly pruned to remove any branches that want to grow toward the wall or out from the wall. Fruit trees are especially adaptable to this method of growing and will produce more fruit than you might expect. Some non-fruiting trees can also be grown with this method. It is not difficult to learn how to prune these trees, but it does require more involvement than with a regular growing method. The effect is almost a piece of art.

5. Cover with vining flowers. These can be plants that are grown in the ground at the foot of the wall or you could top the wall with planters and allow the vines to hang downward. Climbing flowers like autumn clematis, vining hydrangea or climbing roses would all be beautiful and cover the ugly wall completely with foliage and stunning blooms each season.

6. Paint a mural. Cover your wall with a mural. Your mural could be about the nature around the wall and include flowers and birds and butterflies. You could use the wall to paint a scene of how the area your home is located in used to look. Give the illusion of distance by painting a field of sunflowers disappearing in the distance or distant hills. There are artists who specialize in painting murals or ask an artistic family member to take on this project to make it extra special.

7. Use a living wreath. Purchase an oversize wreath frame and fill it with sphagnum moss or other material that will hold water. Then, plant with succulents or other plants that will do well in the light conditions you have on your wall. This type of wreath will need regular watering throughout the season if there is not enough rainfall that soaks the wreath. You can immerse the wreath in water or regular gentle spraying with a hose will also work.

8. Incorporate a sculpture. Use your wall for a backdrop for a large sculpture or other feature. Choose a sculpture that complements the style of the home you live in. A large metal sculpture would look stunning against a contemporary home. If you live in an old farmhouse, you might want to feature an antique piece of farm equipment. You will definitely want lighting to highlight this feature against the wall.

9. Use multiple planters. Cover your wall with window box-type planters in different sizes. Fill them with all different types of flowers to produce a riot of color on your wall. Keep all the boxes the same color or paint them to be as diverse in color as the flowers. Be sure to use enriched soil in your boxes with compost added. Regular fertilizing or a slow-release fertilizer will give you continuous flowering throughout the season.

10. Make a projector wall. If you have a big enough wall, consider hosting outdoor movies. Even on a front wall of your house, post a sign to invite your neighborhood to a movie night. Everyone brings their own chair or a blanket to sit on and their own snacks. You can also purchase TVs that are made to be outdoors. Invite your friends over for the ball game, a new release movie or an old classic.

11. Incorporate a water feature. An empty wall is a great opportunity to add a water feature. You could use a free-standing fountain or mount the water feature on the wall itself. Not only will it be a stunning feature, but you will enjoy the sound of the water falling as well.

12. Utilize specimen plants. Plant a specimen tree or shrub in front of the wall. Choose a plant with an interesting leaf structure that will add interest. An Acer Japanese Maple would be a good choice. Light the tree so that its shadow adds to the impact of this stunning plant.

Take another look at that large wall or fence and maybe now you will see an opportunity instead.

Tired of That Blank Wall? Creative Ways to Display Wall Art in Your Home

Wall art is a great way to spruce up your walls and make a space feel more like your own. But there are so many ways to utilize artwork that it can be difficult to choose what works best for your space. Here are some creative ways that you can display wall art in your home.

Examine the Artwork You Already Have

If you have a few good pieces, you don’t have to go out and buy more art. To give your space a smart, artistic upgrade, gather all of the artwork in your home, garage, attic, or basement. Take a close look at each piece and take note of the designs. Would a piece work best as an accent piece or somewhere where people will pass by every day? Is it flashy and loud, or subtle and subdued? 

If you don't own any wall art yet, what kind of artwork do you want? Once you round up some artwork, you can start transforming rooms.

Use Wall Art to Create a Cohesive Theme

You can use wall art to create a theme either in just a room or two or throughout your home. Using wall art right will make a room feel more cohesive, which will make it more comfortable for anyone who lives there or who is visiting. You can use art to complement your decor in many different ways. For example, you might choose something that picks up on the architectural elements of your interior design, like wood grain or brick walls. Or you might choose artwork that complements the color of the paint, furniture, and decorations.

Use Wall Art as a Focal Point

The most striking way to display wall art is by making it the focal point of a room. This is especially good for pieces that are meant to make a statement or bring attention to something. For example, if you have an expensive painting or a piece you made, show it off proudly. This technique also works well for pieces that have a strong visual style, like abstract paintings or art with bold colors and contrast.

Hang Wall Art With Custom Framing

Whether you want to make your wall art pop or stay subtle, you can invest in some gorgeous custom framing. A custom frame around a piece of art can change the way that it looks, and even the mood of the artwork. Try choosing different custom frames to perk up your picture gallery. For a low-key look, you can choose custom frames that are wooden or metal and made. Another way to display wall art is to put it in a frame that is a similar shade to the wall. This gives the artwork room to breathe and stand out more, as opposed to having to compete with a bold wall color. You can also choose to use a frame that contrasts with the color of the artwork to make the art pop.

Hang Wall Art That Makes a Statement

Wall art that’s striking and modern can really make a statement. If you hang great artwork in a living room or another space where it can catch people’s attention, it can become a conversation piece. This technique does not require artwork to play by the rules. For this, choose wall art with bold color schemes that have an intense amount of contrast or patterning to them. This works well for pieces that have a strong visual style as well, since you want it to stand out from the rest of decor. If you have a strong opinion, then having a piece of art that shows it off in a way that people will notice is great for making your views known.

Some wall art works best when it’s the main focal point of a space, and other pieces work better to pull the whole space together. Depending on what your design goals are, you must determine where to place the wall art you have. Whether you want to perk up your living space or tone it down, the right wall art can help you reach your goal. Now that you know some creative ways to display wall art in your home, you can get started.