Outdoor Movie Night at the Country Cottage

Remember the fab DIY circular patio and firepit I shared last year? Well, it got a serious upgrade in the form of an outdoor movie theater set up this season.



You will have to excuse the less than stellar image. The truth is, we were having too much fun out here and I just never got around to taking a great photograph.  But I think you can get the idea.

It's not something they keep up permanently but rather bring it out when the situation calls for it.  I think Aggie's first viewing of the Wizard of Oz was certainly occasion enough.

For those that are curious about the details, the projector is a refurbished home theater projector.  I was really shocked how clean and crisp the picture was even with the ambient light around the patio in the form of the outdoor string lights.  The only downside to this projector is that the built in speaker isn't great so my brother uses a separate speaker instead which worked perfectly.

As for the screen I had just assumed they would hang a white sheet up between the trees.  Little did I know that a sheet just won't work very well b/c the light goes right through it so they were going to need something a bit more heavy duty. They used this portable projector screen, added heavy duty grommets to the edges and built a frame out of pvc pipe that was easy to put up and break down as needed.

With the fire roaring and everyone kicking back in the adirondack chairs, it's a pretty amazing set up.

Spring, can you hear me?

The weather has been nuts here but I'm over winter and ready to go outside.  Last year I got all the major furniture pieces all ready to go just in time to be forced back indoors by the Zika threat (since I was very pregnant at the time).  This year I'll just need to do some sprucing and planting and it will be spring ready.  Now if only the weather would cooperate!

I always struggle with accessories - I don't like a lot of clutter but I also want it to look finished. Anyone have some outdoor accessories they just love to share?

Our biggest problem back here is mosquitos.  You would think living in a big city would mitigate that but for reasons I don't quite understand, its mossy city back here.  I've tried all kinds of things but few things work for long.  What does everyone else use for bug control?  I'd rather not have to douse ourselves in bug spray every time we step outside.

Fall Friendly Ways to Keep your Patio Party Going through Fall {Sponsored Post}

Confession: I spend most of the summer quietly mumbling about the humidity and the mosquitos, longing for the cool breezes of autumn.  Just as the moisture leaves the air and a crisp air rolls through is exactly when I leave my air conditioning hibernation and want to spend time lounging outside.  Fall is fast approaching, so it seems like the perfect time to share some tips on how to extend your patio life for best time of year to actually enjoy it!

Since we got to design the country cottage patio from scratch (see the full before and after post here), lots of fall friendly elements were incorporated into this space so it makes the perfect example to illustrate.




Layout  When selecting and laying out outdoor furniture, think about how you really use the space.  Do you spend most of you time gathered around a table enjoying a good meal or do you focus more on lounging?  For example we knew lounging would be priority #1 so we created this patio space with a conversation area featuring cedar adirondack chairs all facing each other and the firepit. Directly behind it sits a zone for relaxing in a hammock as well as eating dinner at a picnic table in the grass.  Creating these zones make for great entertaining flow and function.

Lighting  With the long daylight hours of summer fading fast, you'll need to think about how to best light your outdoor space once the sun goes down. Whether eating meals with the whole family or just enjoying a glass of wine out back, you'll want to be able to see after sunset.  There are endless options but some of the easiest to install as well as most beautiful to look at are simple string lights. Since we wanted to be able to move them as needed, we strung these Allen + Roth White Plug in String Lights  from cedar branches set in cement bases but you could easily hang them from trees, a garage or a deck.  Their soft glow not only serves the function of lighting the patio but also makes for a great celebratory decoration when entertaining.  You can compliment the main lighting with ambient lighting accents like lanterns and candles.




Fire There are few things more primal or more entertaining than starting a raging fire. Enter the firepit - an activity that never seems to get old for our group no matter what the temperature. Not only does it keep everyone warm and toasty during a chilly night but gathering sticks and lighting it ablaze becomes a party in of itself with everyone lending a hand.  When the fire is roaring, everyone can gather around for some sweet s'mores.  We used this Flagstone Firepit Patio Block Kit to build this one and it works beautifully with the brick patio and was easy to install.



Serve This patio was built with friends and family in mind so having a spot to serve treats for young and old alike was key. Instead of a fixed piece of furniture, we used lumber, plumbing supply pipes and casters to build a moveable feasting cart.  Used here as a s'mores bar, we outfitted it with jars of chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows, lots of firewood and some apple cranberry cider wash it all down.  For different occasions, it can easily be used indoors or out as a rustic bar cart, firewood caddy or bbq food prep bar.  We also situated this wooden picnic table just off the side of the patio to serve as separate seating and serving space to use as needed.



Cozy Once all the key elements are in place, don't forget to add a few cozy touches to make our outdoor space feel just as comfortable as your indoor.  Outdoor striped pillows were used in each chair for both color and comfort. Add a few throw blankets (these can be the regular indoor kind, just be sure to bring them in after the evening is over) to snuggle under for extra warmth.

There are so many ways to make the most of your outdoor space this fall - those were just a few of them.  How many days til the start of fall?

Disclosure: This post is written in partnership with Lowe's Home Improvement.  Thanks to them and all my sponsors who help make the projects you see on Brooklyn Limestone a reality.  As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Source Project List
Red Charcoal Holland Concrete Patio Stone
Paver Base
Sand
Polymeric Jointing Sand
Landscape Fabric
Flagstone Firepit Project Kit
Adirondack Chairs
Picnic Table
Striped Pillows
5 gallon buckets
Quickcrete
Allen + Roth Lights

Country Cottage DIY Circular Firepit Patio

Woo-hoo!  The country cottage's circular fire pit patio is finally complete!  It was a bit of a battle as we had some obstacles in the form of bedrock at the patio site and an extra cold spring and rainy weekends but it got completed in July and I'm so happy to share it.

Let's start at the beginning.  This is the before:



After the spot was excavated, there was a fair bit of jackhammering and rock moving required to get that round hole dug deep enough to start laying the base. Once the prep was done, the rest went a bit easier and you could really see the outdoor area take shape. (I can take no credit for any of that backbreaking work as I was very much pregnant and fully okay with using that an excuse to just shout design suggestions from the sidelines.)  We used a layer of landscaping fabric to prevent weeds followed by pea gravel, sand, the stones and then polymetric jointing sand to hold the whole thing together.




Thanks to some super wet weather, we had to let that dry for several days before it felt stable enough to proceed but it did harden eventually.  Finally it was time for the firepit - the center of the action at any outdoor gathering with us!  My brother and sister in law smartly used some of the rock broken up from the excavation to lay a windy stone path from the house to the patio. Waste not, want not!



Once the hard work was behind us, the fun part of outfitting the patio with just the right pieces to make the most of this backyard space was ready to start.   In went Adirondack chairs - painted black to give it a more updated look.


After deciding we wanted to be able to move the lighting for different types of events, these allen + roth string lights were strung from cedar poles anchored into cement bases.



Lumber and pipes were used to make this s'mores fixings cart which I'm kind of obsessed with.  Once again, on wheels to make the most of it's function as BBQ cart, firewood caddy or outdoor bar cart as needed.



Finally off to the side we created another zone with a picnic table and a hammock for extra mingling and relaxing spots.



I just love this space so much! Maybe it's city life but the raging fire is the ultimate entertainment for all ages. I wish it were in my own backyard but I'll just have to plan to stop over a little more often.

Disclosure: This project was done in partnership with Lowes but all opinions expressed are my own. 

List of materials used for this project:
Red Charcoal Holland Concrete Patio Stone
Paver Base
Sand
Polymeric Jointing Sand
Landscape Fabric 
Flagstone Firepit Project Kit
Adirondack Chairs
Picnic Table
Striped Pillows
5 gallon buckets
Quickcrete 
Bulb String Lights

Take It Outside with Linda Facci | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Have you been inspired by all the outdoor goodness in beautiful backyard series?  I hope so!  I thought it would be perfect to wrap up with a space that just calls for the weekend!  This stone cottage from Facci Designs makes me want to drive up to the Catskills and take a long weekend right here.



Aside from that adorable stone path and water feature you can see in this photo, her backyard features a gazebo and a hammock.  This is summer!  Hop over to Facci Designs to see the full before and after.

Phew!  That's the lot of them.  I hope you've loved the series.  Thank you so much to everyone who shared their outdoor spaces.  In case you missed any, click over for a peek.

Eclectically Vintage crushed it with great upcycled projects to decorate

DIY Playbook knocked not one but two patios out of the park with style

That’s My Letter takes DIY to a whole new level in her gorgeous home

Life on Virginia Street has built a resort like backyard that demands a staycation

I shared my own backyard which is very much a work in progress

Primitive + Proper has a chicken coop. Need I say more?

Migonis Home brings simple classic style back in her inviting seating areas

House 214 Design has a green thumb to spare with her lush patio

Rambling Renovators relaxes on her stylish porch 

Take It Outside with House 214 Design | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Today's beautiful backyard comes from House 214 Design - I first discovered her beautiful home on instagram and then turned to her blog to see more.  She has amazing style so I wanted to know what her outdoor space looked like too!




As you can see, she has a green thumb (something this black thumb envies hard!) and has a great point on making the outdoors work with your indoors.

I love the time of year when the cooler days slowly turn into ones filled with open windows and dinners outside on the patio. The outside becomes another place to live and another place to feel home. We have a busy household with three children. The last thing I want to create in our home is unnecessary chaos. I choose design elements that are consistent both inside and outside our home to create a calming and predictable setting.  When I stay consistent with these elements, my home doesn’t feel disjointed when moving from room to room or inside to outside. It actually creates the opposite outcome and everything flows and connects.

Well isn't that smart?  I honestly never even think about my indoor style matching my outdoor style but it makes so much sense from a serenity point of view.  Thanks for the tip Melinda!  Want to see and hear much more? Head over to House 214 Design for the full tour.

Stop by tomorrow for some porch inspiration!

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Take It Outside with Migonis Home | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Today's beautiful backyard belongs to the lovely Jen of Migonis Home. Her outdoor space is a great illustration of how you can have an elegant but simple outdoor space with just a few elements.

Comfy seating? Check! Full landscaping? Check! Bar cart? Check! Who wouldn't want to sip lemonade out here with Jen? Here is what she had to say about it:

We moved into this home almost exactly a year ago today and it has been amazing to have such a gorgeous spot for a backyard. In our previous home we were surrounded on every side so we never felt like we had privacy and this space gives us exactly that. I love feeling like we can host our weekly summer dinner parties in a beautiful space that we have created to be an extension of our living area inside. It's comfortable and done in my favorite neutrals with a little bit of color with the hydrangeas we are slowly adding to the yard!

Want to see more?  Head over to Migonis Home for the full tour!

I'll see you back here tomorrow for more inspiring outdoor spaces.

Take it Outside with Primitive + Proper | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Another week, another 5 inspiring outdoor spaces coming up.  Today we are swinging by Primitive + Proper country backyard complete with veggie gardens and chicken coop.  She has chickens, people!  Chickens!  Something this city girl is super enamored and frightened of at the same time.  I love it!


Here is what Cassie had to say about it:

When Stefanie invited me to participate in her Beautiful Backyard series, I was thrilled, but also a little nervous.  After all, our backyard is not like the rest of our outdoor spaces which display a bit more of our style.  In the front yard we have curb appeal and a flower garden and fire pit.  We have a wraparound porch that serves as our family hangout and place to relax and read, or sip coffee or wine.  But our backyard?  Well to be quite honest, it's not what I would call beautiful, unless your idea of beauty is in functionality.  Our backyard is all about serving our family needs, and making use of our land.  We were thrilled to move out to the country 5 years ago and gain much more land in that move.  We have almost 2 acres, and we are doing our best to make use while teaching our children important life skills.  Way back behind our garage and up on a hill was a grassy open area.  We've turned that into our vegetable garden and plan to extend it next year, and add rows of cutting flowers to attract more bees and fill our vases.  Directly behind our house we've fenced in a large area, initially for our old beagle who is no longer with us.  Our current 3 dogs would much rather be anywhere we are than out roaming, so while the fence isn't needed for them as much, it has recently come in handy as we've added a chicken coop; our hens are able to free range in our fenced in back yard.  With my father's help, my husband and I built the coop ourselves over several weekends.  We were so excited to finally put it to use and more recently gather our first eggs!  A friend suggested a shelter in the middle of the yard to protect the hens even more (we have several trees for protection) from hawks.  My kids had also been asking for a trampoline, so I thought I'd kill two birds (this pun seems oh so wrong here!) with one stone; our new trampoline has the kids jumping for joy, and the hens safely under shelter.  Our backyard is by no means a well designed or manicured space, but it is a reflection of our happy and beautiful life.

Anyone else craving a fresh egg omelette right about now?  Never mind that, head over to Primitive + Proper to see more of this free range loveliness.

And in case you missed it, here is a round up of the outdoor spaces shared last week.

Eclectically Vintage crushed it with great upcycled projects to decorate

DIY Playbook knocked not one but two patios out of the park with style

That’s My Letter takes DIY to a whole new level in her gorgeous home

Life on Virginia Street has built a resort like backyard that demands a staycation

I shared my own backyard which is very much a work in progress

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Take It Outside with Brooklyn Limestone | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Have you enjoyed all the backyard eye candy shared this week?  Huge thanks to Eclectically Vintage, DIY Playbook, That's My Letter and Life on Virginia Street for sharing their amazing backyards. Want more?  Yeah!  Because I have 5 more inspiring outdoor spaces for you coming up next week. But before we get there, I figured it was only fair I shared our personal concrete jungle that is the Brooklyn Limestone backyard.




While our space is not in the same league as the lovely ladies above, the transformation from the "before" is pretty drastic so it's worth a mention.  Ok enough blabber...let's get down to it.  Let's start with the before...

Yea, it was that bad! And now the after...



Our backyard is pretty small by most people standards but a good size for city life.  When we moved in it was an absolute disaster with a few feet of garbage hidden by a jungle of weeds. We replaced that with pavers, a small raised garden and deck. To make it work best for us, we have it broken up into unofficial zones. Starting with our raised deck, we make the most of the limited square footage by going vertical.  Then down the steps to the street level we have ample seating in one area, a playhouse, an outdoor magnetic chalkboard, a kids table and a potting bench that serves as a workbench/buffet tucked under the staircase.  And I can't forget those edison string lights I wanted for 7 years and finally hung last year (and left up all through the winter without any issues - knock wood!) We've tried to squeeze as much use we can out of this small area while also keeping it low maintenance  (and who am I kidding? I have a black thumb so a lush garden was never in the cards)

It's been a slow work in progress but I'm happy with how it looks now.  Now if only the weather would cooperate so we could actually enjoy some quality time back here. It's too darn hot for me right now.  Autumn can't get here soon enough!




For the curious, here is a complete source list:
Trestle Dining table & Bench from World Market
Playhouse by Kidkraft from Wayfair  (before being pimped out)
Outdoor Magnetic Chalkboard is DIY 
Children's Picnic Table by Ikea but now discontinued - this one is similar
String Lights by Birch Lane 
Marble Bistro Table scored secondhand
Wicker Chairs by World Market 
Striped pillows by Lowes 
Succulent planter DIY 


Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  See you back here next week with 5 more fabulous outdoor spaces to inspire!  Want to share your own beautiful backyard?  Drop me a line or tag your insta photos with #beautifulbloggerbackyard

Take It Outside with Life On Virginia Street | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Today's Beautiful Blogger Backyard series feature is a little bit of a different scale than the others. Think personal hotel resort complete with water feature, pool and sun recliners and you'll have exactly what Sara of Life On Virginia Street just completed.




Even more impressive when you see the before state was literally just a grassy open area.  I can only imagine the fun she will have with her family this year and many years to come. Here is what she had to say about it:

My husband and I recently completed our dream backyard renovation. What started as a boring, grassy hill has quickly turned into our own little slice of paradise. I have documented the 20-week renovation process weekly on the blog and it fun to see how quickly the space was transformed. Our inspiration was California meets Cabo and it's the perfect little getaway for us in the dead-center of the Midwest!

Isn't it lovely?  Go right now to Life on Virginia Street to see lots more of this transformation.

Miss a post?  Check out days 1-3 in this series with Eclectically Vintage, DIY Playbook and That's My Letter to catch up.  And stay tuned tomorrow for more outdoor oasis inspiration tomorrow!

Have you been inspired to share your own backyard beauty?  Post a photo to instagram with the tag #beautifulbloggerbackyard to be featured!

Take It Outside with That's My Letter | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

Today's beautiful blogger backyard feature is all about charm.  If you can drag your eyes away from that amazing red shingled home, you'll find an inviting outdoor space with just the right mix of old world and modern convenience. And it's no surprise because this is where Jaime of That's My Letter lives.  She is already a DIY maven who shares her talents by sharing her build plans for just about everything - so it's no surprise she has built almost everything herself.  Love that!

Jaime described her space as follows:

Our backyard space triples the square footage of playable area for my kids run wild.  In the Spring when the snow melts we are gifted with an outdoor space that is open but still private and has almost everything a kid could ask for (minus the treehouse with zip line but I have to draw the line somewhere).  The pool and trampoline are their favorites but there is also a whole slew of DIY projects out there that I have completed over the last three summers: the dining table, adirondack chairs, see saw, hose hiding planter and swinging bench just to name a few.  And to be honest we spend most weekends at the beach so this backyard space serves as our summer weekday entertainment when the kids are not at sporadic camps.  It’s a great entertaining space complete with the original well to our 1740 antique home.  The well sits centered prominently in the middle of the backyard as a constant reminder of days long gone by and the daily hardships those farmers must have endured.  We often think about how lucky we are to be able to enjoy and relax in this beautiful space while hundreds of years ago there was probably no relaxing going on at Samuel Brown’s farm.  Please enjoy this space as we do and if you’re ever in Westchester County, NY feel free to stop by!

I love how she has created discreet zones for relaxing, entertaining and playing.  But don't take my word for it - pop over to That's My Letter for a more complete tour of this charming outdoor oasis.

Have your own beautiful outdoor space to share?  Tag your insta snaps with #beautifulbloggerbackyard to be featured.  Stay tuned for another beauty tomorrow!

Take It Outside with DIY Playbook | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

It's Day 2 of the Beautiful Blogger Backyard series (Didn't you just love Eclectically Vintage's outdoor space?) and I have double the inspiration today thanks to Bridget and Casey of DIY Playbook.




Casey's patio is the perfect illustration of how you can be short on space and long on style. I love everything about this fabulous outdoor space but especially the mix of black and white and green (a personal outdoor color scheme fav). She maximized the space beautifully adding in every element you would see in a larger outdoor seating area without it feeling overwhelming.  Bravo!  Who wouldn't want to party out here?  Here is what she had to say about it:

My husband and I live in downtown Chicago where outdoor space is a hot commodity. Even though we have a small, strangely-shaped back balcony, we've made the most of the space this summer. We added lots of flowers, a lounging area, and garden stools for even more seating.  We love spending time out here grilling, playing games, and sipping on cocktails in the evening. It just goes to show that you don't need to have a large backyard to enjoy the outdoors! 

Bridget's patio is another great example of using what you have to your advantage. Check out that striking brick wall she used as the backdrop of her relaxing and feminine outdoor space.  She added touches of whimsy (hello little gnome!) and brass and pastels in such a lovely way.  If only summer could last forever!

My husband and I live in a suburb just outside of Chicago and are fortunate to have a patio and a backyard to call our own. We added a big 'ole grill and lots of comfortable seating to this space so we can entertain family and friends as much as possible. My husband and I are both teachers and are both off for the summer so we are really trying hard to get out and enjoy this colorful and relaxing space as much as possible... even if it means the to-do list isn't completely done for the day. Before we know it, the summer will be over and we'll be hauling furniture back inside before Chicago's winter so making the most of this relaxing space NOW is top on our priority list.

Want to see more?  Pop over to DIY Playbook to see more photos and details of both of these wonderful exteriors.

More outdoor inspiration on tap for tomorrow - see you then!

Take it Outside with Eclectically Vintage | Beautiful Blogger Backyard Series

The dog days of summer are on us so it's the perfect time to kick off a new series: Beautiful Blogger Backyards!

I tend to carefully stalk follow stalk my favorite bloggers so I practically know the interiors of their homes by heart but outdoor spaces are sometimes a mystery.  What can I say? I'm nosy curious! There is so much inspiration for not only backyards but interior projects in these outdoor spaces, I can't wait to share.

First up is Kelly of Eclectically Vintage.  Her patriotic backyard is just the right mix of bold colors, greenery and soft seating.  Aside from that fabulous flag she made with fencing, she also used an old dresser as a planter, used an vintage cooler as a side table and a giant shell as centerpiece.  You know how much I love a good upcycle.  A woman after my own heart. Makes me want to run over there and share a pitcher of sangria with her! Here is a little peek but hop over to Eclectically Vintage to see so much more!

Ready for more?  Every day for the next 2 weeks I'll be sharing the outdoor goodness.  Stop by tomorrow for a two-fer!

Potting Bench Buy Over Build

If you remember this post, I was debating the whole buy vs. build decision for a potting bench/outdoor buffet.  A build would have been really ideal because of the awkward space and the way I wanted to incorporate a hidden cooler but the reality of life stepped in and convinced me to go with a more affordable and much less time consuming buy option.



I feel like I compared every ready made potting bench on the market and narrowed it down to these three: modern style teak with a steel top,  a cheaper version with cabinet + drawer or this simple mid priced all cedar unit. Ultimately I went with option 3 thinking it would last the longest outside and be most versatile.



Now I have it, I don't know how I did without it. It's a great little workspace and makes that spot under the stairs so much more functional than the pile o' junk storage I was using it for before this arrived.  Of course I can't just leave well enough alone so I whipped up a quick farmer's market inspired sign with some scrap wood I had laying around to fill some of the dead space to make it a little more personal.  Right now it's doing its intended duty as potting bench but I can't wait to have our next outdoor BBQ so we can use it as a bar/buffet.

I thought about painting it or cutting a hole out to make room for a large bucket to serve as a drink cooler as well as a few other upgrades but I think I'm going to leave it just as it is right now. Maybe its the heat of summer or the general malaise of the 9th month of pregnancy but I'm feel the need to simplify lately and not put quite so much pressure on myself for everything to be just so. It's definitely a struggle for this control freak but I'm trying. Anyone with me?

Potting Bench / Outdoor Bar : Buy or Build?

The idea of a potting bench (okay, really an outdoor bar) has totally haunted me ever since we built one during last year's Lowe's Backyard Makeover

I've really wanted to make something similar for the space under my deck stairs that is currently used as a catch all but I'm torn about buy vs. build.  If we build, we can make it fit the space better and perhaps save a tiny bit of money but of course its a lot more work and the outcome might not be as finished as I like.

What do you think?

Build....


via BHG / the picket fence

or buy...

via amazon / amazon

I'd love to get some opinions!