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the backyard reveal!
We had a few scheduling delays, but guys – the backyard is DONE. While Avery was down for a nap yesterday Kyle and I grabbed the baby monitor and quickly scurried to sweep the deck, round up the hoses, and shoot a few photos. Twenty minutes after we finished it started pouring and our deck was once again covered in itty bitty little fir cones (aka bane of my existence) from our neighbor’s tree.
Anyway. Let’s take a gander, shall we? [And if you need a sobering reminder of what our yard has been through and what the proposed design was, refresh here.]
Spiraea in front of the planter box, Brass Buttons and Speedwell as the ground cover.
Ahh, real grass (freshly striated from its inaugural mow)! As you can imagine, Bailey is ecstatic. The crew removed all the old grass/weeds with a sod cutter, laid down new compost, leveled it all and then rolled out this beautiful-ness. Having a big grassy area has never been a priority for us, but it is nice to have a little patch for Bailey and Avery.
In the great chair debate, we went with the ones from CB2. So far, so good. (By the way, that’s Creeping Jenny and Hebe in the south planter box.)
Instead of running the grass to the fence line, we decided to soften the edge with some low shrubs and plants (Bishop’s Hat, Evergreen Huckleberry, Lavender, Lenten Roses and a Red Flowering Currant). We kept the older Italian plum tree and transplanted the Katsura.
The evening light made it tricky to photograph the north side yard, but you get the idea – Kyle actually saw cut the existing sidewalk to create a pattern that would compose with the new pavers at the deck steps. (We still need to add a guardrail at the basement stair. Always something, y’know.) We kept the Winter Daphne (the only plant to survive 6+ years at chezerbey) and around it are more Huckleberries, Hydrangeas, a Vine Maple and Inside-Out Flowers as ground cover.
We decided to relocate the edibles to the strip in the middle of the driveway. This gives us 360 degree access and the plants aren’t as permanent in the event that we need to drive a car back there. (I’m so late to the tomato game, but hopefully buying starts that had actual tomatoes on them will work out.) A row of Little Gem Magnolia trees line the new north fence and will eventually create a bit more privacy. Orange Hummingbird Mint and Pt. Reyes Ceanothus help fill in the bottom.
Oh yeah – new fence, did we mention that? We knew at some point we wanted to replace the boards on the existing fence (it was done more recently, so not in too bad of shape but definitely some rotting boards) and figured we should do it now before access became an issue. The hope was to reuse the existing fence posts and footings but a few of the posts were rotting so a new fence it was. Fortunately, we split the project with our neighbors which saved on costs and labor. (Side story: they have chickens and during the construction process Bailey got into their yard while the chickens were out. There’s nothing quite like seeing a goofy and somewhat uncoordinated golden retriever attempt to catch a fleeing bird.)
We’re also happy with the new table from Crate&Barrel. The ipe deck has grayed out quite a bit since we installed it two years ago, but we’re planning on doing a fresh coat of Penofin next month. (Remember when we did the first coat?)
After letting the steel hang out (err…develop a patina) in our driveway for the last two years, Kyle finally got around to welding up the remaining planter boxes.
Along the south fence line is a row of bamboo that will provide privacy and a nice vegetative screen in a year or so.
This. Yes. If you saw my Pinterest spree of summer cocktail recipes a few weeks ago this is why. (We bought outdoor pillows for the Adirondacks from C&B.)
Kyle installed pressure-treated 4x’s at the base of the fence to compensate for the grade change between our yard and our neighbor’s. To hide the ugly PT wood, Kyle installed 1/4″ steel plates with countersunk flush brown-tip stainless steel trim head screws. (If you had any doubt that Kyle was a perfectionist, well…countersunk.flush.brown-tip.stainless steel.trim head.screws.)
Kyle also installed 1/4″x6″ steel edging between the grass and planted areas, welding the seams and corners.
Funny story – the one plant that we were a little unsure of were these somewhat tropical looking guys in the north planter box. Turns out, a minor typo was made to the latin name on the planting list and they were supposed to be California Fuchsias (which look quite different). We’ll probably transplant the existing plants to pots and pick up a few actual Fuchsias.
There are also pavers that connect the deck to the driveway and our trash/recycling/compost station on the north side of the house. We were a little concerned about all the sharp edges with the steel, so Kyle went back and rounded all the corners to make it slightly more kid-friendly (as much as raw steel can be I suppose).
Instead of extending the horizontal cedar boards to the front yard, we collaborated with our neighbors on the design and installation of hog wire panels that are attached to the 4×4 posts and covered in cedar trim boards. The idea is that the hog wire will become the structure for a future double espalier with our neighbors (there are panels on both sides). We’re not sure what we’ll plant just yet, but have been thinking of some type of edible. (Kyle’s vote is for hops.)
Finally, who’s got two teeth and is super excited about the backyard?
This girl.
Once again, a big thank you to Mark Garff at The Watershed Company for an incredible design and to the folks at JP Landscape Services for another quality installation. We love it now but also can’t wait to see what it looks like in a year when everything has had a chance to grow and fill in.
This weekend calls for sun and temps in the 80’s. I know where we’ll be.
backyard furniture
Work has been crazy lately so we decided to take a break and give ourselves a Sunday Funday. Turns out, a Zerbey Funday includes watching a little Arrested Development and going outdoor furniture shopping.
With our focus on the backyard this summer, we thought it might be time for a furniture upgrade. Our current table and chairs were purchased from IKEA five years ago. They’ve served us well but we didn’t take great care of them, leaving them out during the rainy season more than once (oops). The wood (acacia) is now dull and splintered and although it would be possible to sand and refinish, it would be a lot of work. We’ve also been wanting a larger table, one that can seat 6-8.
So, we bought this table from Crate&Barrel. (Thanks to a Memorial Day sale and our trade discount, we saved a good bit of money too.) It’s a dark gray powder-coated aluminum and seems very well made and durable. We plan on owning it for a long time. (We also bought a cover!)
As for dining chairs, we’re stumped. Ideally, we’d like something that is inexpensive and stackable. We’ve also talked about doing a bench on one or both of the long sides. Although we generally like to stick to neutral colors on big pieces, this could be an opportunity for some color.
Below, a collection of options:
1. IKEA Roxo chair, $20. I like the color and the price. I don’t know how comfortable it would be but our local IKEA is out of stock anyway and since it’s a seasonal item they likely won’t get any more. (Note to self: buy Christmas stuff in October and summer stuff in March.)
2. Room&Board Aruba chair, $119.00. We tested this one out in person and it’s fairly comfortable. It’s just not that fun and also more than we’d like to spend if we’re talking about getting multiples.
3. IKEA Reidar chair, $49.99. I’d actually be ok with this chair, but I’m not sure Kyle’s on board. (Does anyone have this chair? Is it comfortable enough?)
4. CB2 Lucinda chair, $69.95. I like this one too but we don’t have a CB2 store in Seattle so I’m hesitant to buy without trying it out first.
I feel like Kyle and I have scoured the interwebs, but maybe there’s another option we’re missing? I think we’d be ok with buying 4 chairs in conjunction with buying (building?) a bench or two. Our stopgap solution for the interim might be just to use our existing four chairs. Boring.
So, although we were not successful in purchasing new dining chairs, we did find some of the lounging style…
Adirondacks have been on our list for years. For a while Kyle wanted to design and build our own modern versions, but we found these FSC-certified teak chairs at Crate&Barrel and decided to just go for it. We actually started our Sunday Funday going to DWR and Room&Board, thinking we’d choose the no-maintenance adirondacks from Loll. Surprisingly though, they weren’t nearly as comfortable as the C&B ones.
Happy with our purchases, we decided to head home. But on our way back to the car I spied mini Adirondacks in front of Pottery Barn Kids. Moments later, this happened:
(Kyle bought her the new shades about 10 minutes earlier.) I voted for the white chair but Kyle insisted on pink. Plus the matching umbrella. (Also pink.) Then Avery started clapping and I caved. Not only were they on sale but I also got to finally use the Pottery Barn gift card that we received as a wedding gift nearly 8 years ago!
FUNDAY WIN FOR EVERYONE!
This weekend Kyle and our neighbor are building a new fence and landscaping is slated to start next week. Summmmmatimmmme!
summer project: the backyard
We’ve been chipping away at our backyard since we bought the house nearly (gulp) 7 years ago! Although the space hasn’t seen a lot of love yet, it has been a very useful staging area for all of the other projects we’ve taken on. This year, we decided to bite the bullet and make the backyard our summer project. And yes, we’re going to hire the same company that did our front yard install last year. (Woohoo!)
But first, let’s rewind to 2006 and review what’s been tackled so far.
Mmmhmm, the infamous before photos. Although it needed a lot of help, we were actually thrilled to have such a big backyard in Seattle. The detached garage/carport was an added luxury.
In 2007, Kyle replaced the two gates that separate the front yard from the back. This was a project of necessity as the yard was not very dog-proof. Bailey’s not usually one to flee, but after a neighbor found him running (well, it’s more like a waddle run) down a somewhat busy street we knew we had to do something.
In 2008 we finished the job we started the previous year and replaced the fence on the east and south sides. (No more white pickets!) This involved completely ripping out the old fence and posts and starting from scratch, but oh what a difference it made!
In 2009 we focused on the exterior of the house, so once again the backyard was a staging area and spent most of the summer covered in painting tarps.
2010 was the biggest year for our house (it’s when we remodeled most of the main floor) so the backyard was woefully neglected.
In 2011 we started to get excited about the potential of the backyard. We jackhammered out most of the concrete, built a deck and Kyle welded up a steel planter box.
2012 brought our focus back to the front yard, but we did manage to build the side yard roof (which mostly keeps rain from coming under the basement door).
And this is what we’re looking at for May of 2013. Weed fest.
Kyle rolled out his welder a couple of weekends ago and got to work on the second steel planter box on the south side of the deck. The steel panels had been spread out on the driveway, developing a 2-year patina. Like a nice wine y’know.
We ended up using a lot of the “temporary” pea gravel that we put down around the driveway for the foundation drain project. So, that area is looking extra fantastic now. (And yeah, weed barrier is a joke.)
Ugh, that carport. That whole structure befuddles us. We can’t come up with a good temporary fix (that doesn’t involve a gigantic tarp) and are unsure what the long-term plan will be (we have about 4 different scenarios that we rotate between).
All that to say…well, we’ve made some good progress but the backyard still needs a lot of work. Here’s a glimpse at the current plan (we made some revisions and substitutions since our first go around last year).
The goal is to have everything complete before Avery’s first birthday. Can you say backyard party? BACKYARD PARTY!
mirror, mirror on the door
Even though the sliding barn doors were installed several months ago, we still had a few tasks to complete.
First, door stops. A day or two before our big party we installed a stop inside the track above the bathroom door. This prevents the door from sliding too far in one direction, blocking access to the handle from inside the bathroom. In other words, it keeps people from getting trapped.
[Side note: what we should have done before the party was install a stop at the end of the flex room track. Rumor has it that in a moment of dance party exuberance, the door was accidentally pushed too far and almost flew off the track and into the stairwell below. I didn’t find out about the potential party foul until the next morning. Probably a good thing. We still haven’t added the stop yet.]
Anyhow, back to the bathroom door. We had the idea early on to add a full length mirror to the back of the door. Our house is small and we have so little wall space that the back of the door was the only place large enough for a mirror to go. Originally we thought about having a large mirror custom cut and even considered routering out the door so the mirror would be flush. Well, other tasks soon became a higher priority and we never got around to it.
Then, when Kyle’s family was in town in July they did some sightseeing at IKEA and Kyle came home with this $10 mirror.
First, we cleared off the island and covered it with an old sheet. Then we removed the bathroom door from the track and laid it down on the island.
Kyle used Liquid Nails as his glue of choice to adhere the mirror to the door.
A plastic lid was used to smooth out the adhesive and make sure the surface was evenly coated.
Before flipping it over, we measured and marked the four corners lightly with a pencil. A rolling-pin was used to ensure both surfaces were in contact with each other. After a quick wipe down, we were done. About 15 minutes total. I like those kind of projects.
Sure, it’s not as large as we originally imagined, but it gets the job done and is still plenty big for the space. Also, because the door has to clear the 1/2″ base trim at the bottom of the wall (on the kitchen side), the thickness of the mirror isn’t an issue.
So the moral of the story? Sometimes you can over think a design problem. Sometimes you just need to step back and wait for the $10 mirror.
the doors
After what feels like forever, the sliding doors are finally done!
After a failed attempt at welding our own frames, we opted for paint-grade solid-core doors. We explored color options in this post and ultimately decided that 2 colors in similar hues would work best. We chose “thunderbird” and “lakeside cabin”, both Benjamin Moore Natura in a semi-gloss finish.
When we want to use the flex room as a bedroom, we’ll simply slide the doors shut.
But otherwise we’ll keep them open. We designed the size of the opening so the doors would be composed against the wall in their open position. (Disregard our frumpy couch in the background. We have a love/hate relationship with “brown bear” because he’s permanently disheveled, but SO comfortable!)
Same idea with the bedroom and bathroom doors (read here for more detailed info on the first door).
The east flex room door slides between the loft ladder and wall. This was tricky because we needed to provide a wide enough gap while staying under the 4″ wide threshold required by code (since our ladder effectively acts like a guardrail).
Tectonic!
The doors and track bracket are centered on the exposed joist above…aww yeah!
And the intermediate track bracket is centered on the joist bay and cable lights above. Those 1910 joists never felt so fancy!
The main reason we chose to do sliding doors was because it gave us the flexibility to change the function and privacy of our spaces without pesky door swings getting in the way. The punch of color is an added bonus.
To install the large flex room doors (each are 3′-6″ wide) we had to heave them up from the basement stairs and through the open end of the track. That was not fun.
Like the other two doors, we cut out a recessed notch on the underside and then inserted an aluminum channel. The recessed channel in the door slides over a guide mounted to the floor, keeping the door from flapping around.
To create a better seal where the two flex room doors meet, Kyle routed out a small notch in the inside vertical face of each door, just enough to install a length of rubber weather-stripping. The two strips are slightly offset from each other, so when the doors meet they fit together snugly.
Because the doors have to clear the base trim at the floor, there’s a small gap between the door and the drywall. We’re going to experiment with a few ways to seal that gap, stay tuned.
Our poor art wall needs some art…soon!
Ok, truth be told, we still leave the bedroom and bathroom doors open most of the time. Remodel habits die hard.
I know we have a pretty distinctive color palette throughout our house, but we like it! Besides, we made a conscious effort to use color in areas that could be easily changed, just in case we’re all about fuscia and tangerine next year.
This is what the flex room looks like with the doors closed. It really does feel cozy and like a real bedroom, even with the large doors.
So I guess we’re done with the main floor? Kinda? Except for the media cabinet, some artwork and accessories, some new furniture… I mean, can’t you just picture two Eames LCW chairs opposite the coffee table? Unfortunately, they’re not in the budget anytime soon, but a girl can dream about a thrifting miracle, right?
