We are in the pre-construction phase of our garage addition project and we made our first big material selection decision a couple weeks ago, the garage doors. Lead times are crazy so we needed to get the garage doors ordered so they don’t hold us up later. Our permit has been issued and we are waiting for work to start any day!

Choosing Garage Doors

In the drafting phase of our project, we knew we wanted to upgrade our garage doors to a carriage-style look. Our contractor recommended Clopay Coachman doors. Clopay makes a variety of style doors. Their Coachman line is made to look like old-fashioned wooden swing-out carriage house doors. There are several design options to choose from.

I immediately gravitated toward series 1. I didn’t want the cross design you see in series 2. I love the idea of vertical boards on the garage doors to complement the board and batten on the exterior of our home. The breezeway will also be board and batten so it will repeat that look, making it all look like it goes together.… Read more

I’m so excited! It’s the final week of the One Room Challenge and time to REVEAL our rustic modern backyard patio design! This challenge was more difficult than last years guest room makeover. We were down to the wire this time around and the landscaping really took a lot out of us! But, alas, it was so worth it. We’ve been enjoying the patio more than ever and have already put the space to good use.

If you’d like to see the weekly progress updates, check them out here: week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4 and week 5.

Here it is! Our rustic modern backyard patio design! All the sources are at the end of the post.

The pallet board ceiling really makes an impact in the space! It adds warmth, texture and a dose of rustic which I offset with the modern, clean-lined furniture.

I am so glad I decided to paint the exterior of all those doors! The sage green is so calming and pops nicely off the white brick. Speaking of, I did a blog post on the amazing product that made painting these doors super easy.… Read more

For our One Room Challenge patio makeover, we started landscaping along the house. If you recall from our 2018 project list, landscaping was something we planned to get to this year. We assumed we’d hire out but when the One Room Challenge forced us to get a move on the nasty weed beds beside the patio, we DIYed it and it wasn’t so bad…well, besides shoveling all those heavy rocks out of the truck. That was bad. Nonetheless, we successfully started our DIY rock landscaping so I today I’m sharing all the details.

First things first, I am not a fan of mulch and we prefer rocks. While I love flowers, I prefer a simplistic landscaping look that doesn’t include a lot of flowers. Here are a couple inspiration images to give you an idea.

Via / Via

Here is where we started! The “flower beds” had been washed out and overrun with weeds.

The first task in our DIY rock landscaping journey was to get rid of all those weeds.

Next, we had to add some topsoil and mulch.… Read more

Our One Room Challenge patio has come so far since last week! If you follow me on Instagram, then you know we’ve been super busy and that the space is actually done and we photographed it yesterday! I’ll have to wait for the reveal images until next week but for now, here’s what we’ve accomplished since the last update.

First of all, we finally cleared all of hubby’s tools out and pressure washed the cement floor. I was hoping the pressure washing would remove the stains but that wasn’t the case so we ended up having to paint the floor, which was an extra step we didn’t plan for. 

First, we sealed the floor and then painted it with concrete paint. Like I mentioned before, we have plans to eventually add a pool off of the patio so we’ll cover the patio floor in whatever pavers we install around the pool so that it’s a seamless transition. For now, I decided to keep the concrete floor clean and simple. 

Painting the floor made a huge difference and even though it was an extra step we didn’t anticipate, it was totally necessary and worth it.… Read more

It’s week 4 of the One Room Challenge! Only 2 more weeks until the big reveal…which basically means less than one week to work on the space before we photograph it on Wednesday! EEEEEEK!!

Patio Ceiling Paneling

I’m happy to report that our progress report is better this week than it was last week.

We (by we I mean hubby) finished the patio ceiling paneling and it really changed the feel of the space! I was debating painting it, but I am going to leave it raw.  I like the character it gives the space, it really warms it up and provides a nice contrast to the white brick.

I love the rustic vibe the patio ceiling paneling provides, which I will couple with modern, streamline elements. Speaking of modern elements, the hanging chair is up and the remainder of the patio furniture will be here this week.

Over the weekend I decided to do something fun in the space that I haven’t discussed yet and that is paint the exterior of the doors that go out to the space.… Read more

Well, guys, we get a D- for this week’s One Room Challenge progress report becuase we haven’t accomplished anything in the space since last week because…LIFE! I’m not too worried. Last time we did the One Room Challenge we had a lull about half-way through and we turned out ok! Hah. But have no fear, we’re back at it this weekend so I expect we’ll finish the wood paneling on the ceiling that I shared last week and start getting the space cleaned out to make way for the new furniture!! Speaking of furniture, it’s starting to trickle in and I’m so pumped!

Mood Board Update

Since I changed the furniture selections a bit, I thought I’d include a revised version of the mood board. I like to keep it updated as I’m working on the space so I can visualize everything and reference it while I’m out and about shopping for accessories.

The outdoor sofa and chair should be here next week. They’re both 20% off right now if you’re in the market for outdoor furniture! The coffee table and side tables are here (from West Elm) and I’ve had the hanging chair for a while now.… Read more

It’s week 2 of the One Room Challenge and our back patio project is coming along! After sharing the design plan and inspiration last week, we jumped right in. A few of the furnishing and decor options have changed, but I think I have everything finalized now.

Back Patio Project: Week 2 Progress

The first thing we did in our back patio project was install our new outdoor sconces. I love the copper finish against the white brick.

We also got our new ceiling fans in so we removed the ugly warped ones and hung these industrial style bronze ceiling fans.

We also decided to add a feature to our patio that I didn’t tell you guys about yet because hubby just decided to go for it over the weekend and that is wood paneling on the ceiling!

We’re installing these pallet boards right over the existing drywall. I am considering painting it white but I’ll decide after I see it finished. That hook you see is for the hanging chair that’s going up! I’m also debating painting the french doors.… Read more

So check it out. Remember when I mentioned my plan to turn our hot mess patio into a rustic modern back patio?  Well, progress has been nonexistent so I decided to join in on the One Room Challenge to help motivate me to get it done. My mamma always said I performed well under pressure, so here goes! If you’re not familiar, the One Room Challenge is a biannual event hosted by Linda with Calling It Home in which featured and guest designers and bloggers makeover a room in 6 weeks, blogging weekly updates with the grand finale reveal in the final week. Last year, I successfully completed our modern boho guest bedroom as part of my first One Room Challenge and loved it so I’m looking forward to participating again this year with my plan for a rustic modern back patio! Let’s jump in!

The Design Plan

Overall, I am going for a rustic modern back patio. I want to keep the patio mostly neutral and incorporate textures and pattern with pops of muted colors. I have a lot of one-of-a-kind and vintage pieces I plan to incorporate like a custom farm table and vintage tub (which makes a great drink bin) and I want to do a reclaimed architectural salvage piece as wall art.… Read more