How to add color to your outdoor spaces

With the arrival of April I am dreaming of sitting out on my front patio which I call my 'Summer Heaven' and chilling with my favorite book and some iced tea. While trolling Domaine I found some pretty cool spaces that inspire me to add more color into my patio decor. Here are two spaces that I completely fell for.........

Home of Jen Atkin celebrity Stylist which was decorated by Domaine creative director Mat Sanders and Interior Designer Brandon Quattrone:

Those patterned cement tiles......

Always thought art on the exterior walls is uber cool !

Really liked how they have created different zones in one space

This rug and that moroccan table....

The green foliage on the vertical walls is a pretty unique idea

You can see the full article here.

The other outdoor space that inspired me was the home of Diana Agron from the TV series Glee. It's bohemian vibe and bright colors make the space so inviting and cozy. This home too was decorated by Mat Sanders of Domaine

The blue of these cushions is so eye catching

 

Love the idea of a shelving stand holding pottery as opposed to plants

These peacock chairs..............I have always wanted one

You can see the full article here.

Well yesterday I did dress up my front patio as I had some girlfriends over. I was desperate for a coffee table on the patio and you have to see what D made for me..............in the next post !

Check out our PINTEREST Boards for more outdoor inspiration.

Hugs
Lynda

The Trials and Tribulations of building a Garage - Part 1

In the summer of 2008, I started building a shed to replace the crappy metal shed that came with the house. I was assisted by my Father who was visiting at the time and he gave me creative input and reined in my flights of fancy. See the entire build here.

The shed served me well for the first couple of years, then slowly became a repository for my ever expanding collection of tools. Then I got busy doing work everywhere else but in my own home and the shed slowly became a dumping ground in between jobs. This winter put things into stark perspective. I have some of my equipment under tarpaulins and some just dumped in the overhang near the shed.

A recent job necessitated the manufacture of cabinet doors (on which I hope to do a more comprehensive post) which I was forced to do in one of my customer's place. I would've preferred to do them in a more controlled environment.

Therefore - I need me a Garage / Wood shop / Workshop. Stat!!!!

In the city of Brampton, one is allowed an accessory structure 10' x 10' without the need of a permit so long as it meets with all zoning requirements. The general ones are 2' from neighbouring property lines, maintain access to all easements for Hydro/Bell etc.

Since I want more floor space and would like to have a sub panel installed so as to have sufficient power to make adequate amount of sawdust, I would have to apply for a permit to build said Workshop. I would also like said workshop to have some source of heating. Wood would be the first choice, but again zoning issues are thrown into play.

My initial plan was to have the workshop in the side yard just behind the window on the second level and projecting 7' proud of the house's rear wall. This would allow me a workspace of 12 feet wide x 24 feet long while still maintaining 2' from our shared fence. The workshop would have garage door at the front and rear, enabling me to store trailers (Can you say 'Airstream') in the rear yard. The gate that I built in 2008, also with Dad, will have to go to allow access to the garage. I'll rework that at a later date.

This is the plans that I drew up for the Garage at the side of the house.

Armed with this drawing and a framing plan, I approached the City of Brampton's Building Department to seek out more information regarding this.

That's when I hit the first wall. Hard.

I cannot build the garage ate the side as per my plan. (Though multiple homes in the A,B,C & D section of Bramalea have such a garage at the side their house)
a. New zoning regulations require a clear 3 feet from the property line
b. It cannot be attached to the house. I must have a 3 ft. clearance between the house and the proposed garage.

I did however get the following clarifications. And they seem to be good.
A. I can build a Two Car Garage at the rear of the house.
B. I can have utilities connected to it.
C. I can build to 500 sq. ft. and That I like!!!

There is one catch however. My address falls under the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority on account of the Green Area / Creek / Storm runoff at the rear of the house. The TRCA is somewhere in York and I will have to pay them a visit as time allows.

And that's where I am at now.

More to follow..............

Dhiraj

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