I want to present to you my work on the design of the infield, which brought me great pleasure.
When ordering a landscape project, mutual understanding between the customer and the contractor at a glance is of great importance. In this case, this understanding was almost subconscious. A young family, my neighbors, built a house. One winter, over a friendly tea party, as if in jest, a neighbor offered me a job. As if jokingly, I agreed, only warned that I would demand the strict implementation of all the planned ideas. Shook hands and parted ... until spring.
In the spring, a neighbor reminded me of our contract, I had to quickly get down to work and do the project.
I have noticed for a long time: when you do work for a person who appeals to you, the work goes easily and quickly. A few days later, the project was ready and agreed with the neighbor.
The area of the plot is 5 acres, the house of a rather impressive size did not leave much room for all sorts of designer things. Moreover, the hostess of the house categorically demanded to allocate part of the territory for the garden.
We made part of the plot in front of the house in a classic style, having arranged a raised flower bed, in the design of which we used stone. Conifers, roses and stonecrops were planted on the flowerbed. It will be necessary to work on the design of the flower bed, since I did not really like its summer version. But this is already a task for the fall and next spring.
The material for the fence was a stone. The neighbor, like me, has a weakness for stones, and not only for precious ones. Such a strategic reserve has been collected near the house that it is possible to build not only a fence, but also the Great Wall of China. The owner took over the masonry, he really likes this work. He picks up stone to stone with such enthusiasm that he reminds me of a child who collects puzzles. Therefore, the completion of the fence can be expected in the distant future.
The area behind the house was decided to be decorated in country style. This is where my design imagination roamed!
The highlight of the program and the main decoration of this part of the site is the terrace. The material for it was wood. The terrace is adjacent to the back wall of the house. There is a door and a kitchen window on it, which is very convenient for the hostess when there are guests. A large oak table and nice comfortable benches were placed on the terrace.
The interior of the terrace in a rural style can be estimated from the photo. Many antiques from rural life were used to decorate it. All of them have taken a worthy place, and sometimes even quite unexpected application.
Lush petunias in containers and unusual pots have successfully complemented and decorated the terrace.
In front of the terrace, a beautiful, rather unusually arranged flower bed was placed, which is guarded by a gnome. In my opinion, it turned out great.
An unusual sandbox house was arranged for the little girl, where she plays for hours.
After righteous labors in the garden, the hostess of the house can sit on a bench (which, by the way, was also made by the owner of the house with his own hands) and soak up the rays of the sun receding beyond the horizon. The terrace is nice. And how nice it is to sit on it on a warm summer evening!
This was not the end of our joint work. It is planned for the next year:
a) construction of an outdoor fireplace. It will be located next to the terrace, in the place where the firewood is now;
b) a fence made of birch poles, such as a bench. He will separate the vegetable garden from the rest of the territory. A scarecrow should take its rightful place in the garden;
c) arrangement of a lawn and an artificial reservoir and an alpine slide;
d) arrangement of a flower garden at the entrance area.
A lot of work. You can do the kind of work that brings pleasure all your life.
Winter classic. Bleached pine cones and other pine cone ideas
Everything related to pine cones is more than relevant to me now) Sister Melissa collected a whole bag of them for me, knowing how I lamented about their absence last year. I found an idea that interested me very much: bleaching cones in liquid household bleach or bleach. I will definitely try and share my impressions one of these days) In the meantime, I suggest you look through a few ideas for using cones to decorate an autumn and winter interior. Below you will find two photos of a master class on creating Christmas trees from cones. Happy viewing)
First I want to show you this fabulous house, I really liked it. The house is made of cardboard, with decoupage imitating wood, and the roofs of the pitched roofs here are made of pine cones
And these bumps are not bleached, but covered with gold spray paint. A very stylish option, suitable for any interior, for any furniture, it will look great both in the living room and in the office, at least put it on the safe) By the way, you can buy a safe and any metal furniture in the PROMETS store. Here you will find a wide range of safes, which are divided into several categories: burglar-resistant, fire-resistant, and so on. For your convenience, the website of the online store has a unique search system for the specified parameters, including: price, size, weight, type of lock, type of key, presence or absence of a cash register, warranty and manufacturer ... Wow!)
But I will definitely make such deer!
White cones have a more aesthetic appearance, but not as rich as in the gold version. And although ... depending on what kind of interior is in the house
This is how bleached buds look, before and after. And also ... it turns out that a closed cone can be placed in the oven, and it will open. I somehow didn't think about it ...)
When decorating a home, it is difficult to find the right balance between functionality, comfort and style. No matter how much money we spend on decent furniture, rooms are always lacking, and as a result, they don't look like the ideal apartments we see in magazines as a result.
Sometimes a situation can be solved with the help of small tricks that take only a few minutes of your time and do not require any money at all. Read the following tips to find out how you can make your home more stylish and cozy with minimal effort.
1. Take care of the front door
Do not forget about the front door, even if you live in an apartment building, as it is this door that creates the first impression of your home. Take care of it in the same way as for the interior doors. Place some flower pots, hang a seasonal wreath or decorations, update your license plate, or paint your door a bright color.
2. Arrange items according to the "three" rule
As with many fields and disciplines, the threesome rule is used extensively in decoration and styling. The trio of items looks more visually appealing and more balanced, especially when it comes to dimensions, heights and materials.
Start small and decorate a small corner in your living room or table. For example, place a vase of flowers, a basket of books, and a clock. You will see how cute and cozy this composition looks. But don't oversaturate the room with such decorative details, otherwise the effect will be misread.
3. Spread carpets in several layers
Place a small, thick rug on top of a large, more neutral rug. It's also a great way to test how you feel about daring interior design experiments, and a design move like this will make the room feel cozier and more stylish. Thanks to this tip, you can divide the space into zones or emphasize the necessary places.
4. Arrange books in alternative ways
A vertical or slightly tilted stack of books is a canon for a classic interior. The alternative seating is bold and contemporary. Try alternating the shelves, placing the books vertically and horizontally. Horizontal lines will break the vertical line pattern and attract attention. You can place additional items on the bookshelves. Just make sure the placement order is random, as the rigid layout is very conspicuous.
5. Display things that have stories to tell.
This advice is a little more complicated than it sounds, because not every person wants to demonstrate things that are dear to their hearts and realize that no one else is impressed by them except themselves.
In order to grab people's attention, your favorite things must stand out from the environment and immediately catch the eye. Remember that you don't have to cross the ocean to find an item worth sharing with others. As long as you have a dear memory associated with a thing, you can captivate your guest with this topic.
6. Make a cute thing from an old bottle
Next time, when you have a beautiful bottle of alcohol, milk or perfume, do not be ridiculous to throw it away. Save it and use it as a container for liquid soap or a vase. Alternatively, fill it with beads and tie a twine bow. But first, soak the bottle in warm, soapy water until all labels are easily washed off. The transparent vessel looks very stylish and futuristic.
7. Wipe off dust often
Nothing kills style like dust. Maybe you just cleaned up yesterday, but the dust will quickly find its way back. Take a closer look to find the surfaces on which it is most visible in daylight, and be sure to wipe these areas between "general cleanings". Thus, you will be able to enjoy clean air and not worry when guests come unexpectedly.
8. Arrange the flowers at random
When you receive bouquets, place them somewhere in the corner of the room, never in a central place. Bonus points if they are wildflowers or garden flowers. Random placement creates the feeling that flowers are an integral part of your home, and you are not trying to show off or impress others.
9. Move furniture between rooms
We are used to moving things around within the same confined space, and it is not natural to move furniture from room to room. In fact, things can look much better in a new space, or they can serve more functionally. When you don't have the time or budget to buy new home furnishings, the quickest way to freshen up any room in your home is to rearrange the furniture.
10. Store white towels in the bathroom.
It is a personal choice for everyone, but the white color of the towel gives the feeling of freshness and cleanliness. Plus, having more than one towel in your bathroom adds a laid-back hospitality and attention to detail.
11. Always keep a few books on the coffee table
Books add instant style and entertainment to guests. Be sure to include your favorite book and several works of different genres. You can put only books or mix them with magazines and photos. This is the perfect place to apply the threesome rule and combine books with decorative items and small items.
12. Serve water in a jug
It doesn't matter if you drink tap water or bottled water, store it in a jug. There is nothing sweeter than putting it on the table for lunch with your family or dinner with guests. If it's a clear jug, you can add cucumber or lemon slices to the water.
Leave the pitcher on your bedside table to humidify the air and add some style points at the same time.
13. Paint some things the same color as the walls or decoration
Most often, things in an apartment do not fit well with each other due to different styles, colors and finishes. Paint some pieces of furniture the same color as the walls, or match curtains / carpet / pillows to match exactly. This will create a kind of unity of space. These items should be scattered throughout the room, not too close to each other. There is no need to repaint everything - even a small dose will help create a harmonious composition.
14. Keep napkins on the table, even if you are not eating anything.
It may sound counterintuitive, but it actually creates the illusion of cleanliness in the home and order in the family (especially if you have children). Napkins are also a great way to add color and pattern to your kitchen decor. They can be inexpensive, plastic, rubber, or paper. You can also make your own napkins by cutting the fabric into small squares. The main thing is to take into account the color scheme.
15. Decorate your home with variations of the same element
Choose one type of product that you have enough of. For example, fruits, and the brighter the color, the better. You can also use some kind of vegetable or simple elements that are found in nature, such as stones or wood.
Place them in a vase or bowl and place them in a prominent place, but not in the center. The goal is to grab attention, so the vase should be simple in shape and in regular material.
16. Group the candles
Collect all the candles you have and arrange them in small groups throughout the apartment. The living room is the first place. Lighting candles in groups is much more effective than individually as they provide more light, ideal for an evening with guests.
When shopping for candles, avoid fancy designs and scents. Best of all are classic white candles which are perfect for grouping.
17. Add houseplants
Plants not only bring freshness and color to the room, but are also an important decorative element. Place them near large pieces of furniture, or use them to fill in empty corners. Small plants can be mixed in the composition, guided by the "three" rule.
18. Remove some accessories
If you are a fan of small knick-knacks, decorative objects, artwork, carpets, pillows, your home most likely resembles a folk art museum. Minimalism in a home interior looks much better than an abundance of unnecessary things. Try to remove some accessories, replace them, add something else, until you are happy with the result. It is best to decorate the house with one kind of decorative items. It looks stylish and cozy.
19. Keep a small blanket on the couch
A lightweight duvet not only creates coziness, but also allows you to add texture and color to a fairly flat or neutral room. If you only want to add one bright touch, make sure that the blanket is not folded neatly, but casually thrown over the back.
20. Arrange baskets around the house.
The basket is a lifeline when you need to clean up clutter before guests arrive or move things from room to room. They seem much more expensive and exotic than they really are. Baskets can be of different sizes and shapes, but they should be made from the same material or have a common color so as not to create too much chaos. They can become a completely unique and loud spot in the neutral space of your room. If your home is decorated in light colors, choose baskets in darker shades, and vice versa.
21. Store food in containers
This is the best way to organize your kitchen space and add a stylish touch to your interior. Store cereals, spices, cookies, and other foods in containers. Glass containers look nice, but they can get expensive. Use inexpensive options. The point is not to have the whole set. The key is to keep the containers in the same material and color to create a clean and orderly look in your kitchen or pantry.
22. Hang things on the walls
Many people avoid decorating walls because they don't have enough funds for expensive artwork. But you don't need fancy pictures, because anything can be art as long as it awakens feelings in you. Hang magazine pages, photos, and your own drawings in a chaotic manner to add speakers to the wall. Change the images from time to time to update the interior a little.
23. Display your hobby
Feel free to show your hobby openly. First, it will be a topic for interesting discussions. Secondly, you can hang the results of your labor on the walls, or randomly place them on the shelves, or simply leave them on the floor. This is guaranteed to add a unique touch to your home.
24. Use unnecessary things in unexpected ways
Whether it's a fireplace, an old piano, large furniture, appliances, empty corners ... Place books, vases, plants there, and unnecessary items will instantly turn into stylish interior elements.
25. Let Your Home Reflect Your Personality
Most of the stylish homes are adorned with photographs of their tenants. But houses from real life, in which interesting personalities live, are filled with things that the owners like. Musical instruments, books, old cassettes ... After all, the easiest and most reliable way to make your home more stylish is to add more information about who you are and what you like.
Take the time and turn your home into not only a stylish, but also the most beloved place on Earth!
Each owner wants to make his summer cottage special and unique. But there are not always unlimited material opportunities for expensive landscape design. This does not mean at all that stylish, modern and original dacha beauty with your own hands is impossible. With a minimum of cost, it is quite possible to create a paradise for relaxation and get the maximum pleasure not only from the result, but also from the creative process.
Getting started with the design, it is advisable to immediately determine the style of the proposed decor. To be in line with the latest fashion trends in landscape design, and to choose an original and unusual garden decor, let's pay attention to the options for the most recent popular styles of decor for suburban areas.
Popular landscape design styles
How to make a dacha beautiful with your own hands, without the services of expensive specialists, and is it possible? Popular trends in garden design allow you to create a miracle at a minimum cost even without special construction skills.
The rustic style can be found in almost any dacha, but you want something original and modern. And if you try to refresh your knowledge of geography and design a site in the style of a corner of our planet, which you dreamed of visiting, but, unfortunately, there was no opportunity?
Variations on the theme of "country" or, we travel without leaving home
Depending on the architecture of the country house and the relief of the site, you can choose a rustic style in the spirit of a particular country.
What features are typical for the most popular and fashionable ones:
- Refined "Provence" - is distinguished by refined simplicity and characteristic lavender, blue gamut with all shades of white. The use of natural materials is encouraged - wood, stone, sandstone.
Advice. The French countryside is characterized by the use of a wide variety of antiques.
Isn't it creative in the country with your own hands - an old buffet, converted into a flower bed and painted in white and blue tones?
- Cowboy ranch - the features of the decor will emphasize the attributes from the life of the shepherds of the Wild West (horse harness, an old wooden wheel, a bright flower bed in an old wooden cart or barrel). All farmers in South America preferred whites and browns, played in contrast. Style features - deliberate simplicity and functionality;
- Warm breath of the Adriatic - Mediterranean style is characterized by the use of natural light stone or warm sandstone in landscape decoration. They can be laid out paths and the base of the gazebos. As the main accent, you can use a statue or a decorative "antique" stone fountain. An abundance of tropical greenery or stylization "like palm trees" and evergreen cypresses is encouraged;
- Making a dacha with your own hands in the Slavic style does not present any difficulty at all. It is enough to erect a vine wattle, decorated with bright sunflowers and inexpensive ceramics and break several round flower beds with bright summer flowers.
Advice. Any old utensil painted in bright, cheerful colors, which can serve as a universal flower bed, is suitable for a beautiful decor.
Minimalist Asian design
In recent years, landscape design in a very symbolic Japanese and Chinese style, distinguished by restrained simplicity and deep content, has been very popular. Interestingly, for all its simplicity and uncomplicated nature, this decor requires careful thoughtfulness of every detail.
This design is ideal for plots located in the southern regions or for gardens with poor sandy or clay soils. It is ideal to place Japanese gardens on an uneven, hilly landscape, which can be interestingly played in an original composition from scrap materials, the price of which is minimal.
Filled with meaning and peace, a beautiful do-it-yourself dacha in the Japanese style necessarily implies the following landscape elements:
- Dry stream - water, one of the four main elements of Eastern philosophy, therefore, must be present in the design of the garden. But if it is not possible to organize a small pond or fountain, then the exit is a dry stream. This composition is performed on the surface covered with river sand, imitating ripples on the water surface using wavy lines.
Advice. A dry stream or a pond looks very interesting in combination with evergreen trees, decorated in the spirit of "Bonsai".
- The rock garden is a fun creative activity on hot summer days. The stones in the garden are located from left to right, according to the principle of any artistic composition, and the architecture of the garden depends only on the imagination of the author;
- The basic principle of the Japanese style is asymmetry and sinuous lines that merge into a single harmonious composition;
- Country houses made of block containers can be easily stylized as an oriental pagoda in restrained brown and white tones;
- A hedge or arch for curly bamboo flowers will emphasize the style features;
- All lines in the design of fences, paths, flower beds and lawns are distinguished by the absence of strict symmetry and rectangular shapes. Ovals, circles, whimsically curved lines are welcome.
Advice. Plants for the oriental garden do not require special care, since they are mainly conifers and shrubs, ideally evergreens (pine, spruce, cypress, juniper).
Herbs - calamus, rosemary, all plants with small white-blue or light pink flowers.
Simplicity and naturalness of harsh Scandinavia
If the owner of the site prefers the strict simplicity of the classics, appreciates comfort with minimal use of decor, then the style of severe Scandinavia will suit perfectly. Especially this design will appeal to people who do not have the opportunity and time to take care of the site for a long time.
Scandinavian dacha do-it-yourself landscaping:
- Strict correct geometry of flower beds and lawns, strict delimitation of the recreation area and the garden;
- A minimum of plastic, metal modern decor attributes;
- , mostly conifers;
- Paved smooth paths, covered with gravel or decorated with natural stone in gray tones;
- As the main accent, you can use an alpine slide made of stones or one large boulder;
- Instead of wooden fences and picket fences, green hedges of evergreen shrubs are used, which are formed in rigid geometric proportions with sharp angles;
- How can you decorate a summer cottage with your own hands in a Scandinavian style - to set up a small garden of unpretentious heather with one square or rectangular flower bed.
Advice. For northern latitudes, planting flower beds is characteristic not in flower beds, but in pots or flowerpots, which is due to the harsh climate.
Such plantings can be easily brought into a warm place with the onset of cold weather, and it is much easier to care for them.
Original exotic
It is really possible to travel to distant hot countries for the weekend in the Moscow region and Sakhalin. It is enough to create the Garden of Eden at the summer cottage in an exotic way.
It's not difficult to do it yourself:
- Materials that are always at hand - stone, rubble, sand, dark wood (can be darkened with stain), whimsically curved roots and branches covered with varnish, African dolls for giving with their own hands or totems of wild African tribes;
- Vegetation and flower gardens should be arranged in tiers, as in a real jungle, giving preference to climbing vines and bright exotics, for which you will still need to rent a diesel generator for a summer residence for the winter;
- Fences and metal fences are excluded, only living, wildly blooming thickets, which are formed chaotically;
- Homemade figurines of bright southern birds and unusual animals, which can be created from ordinary wood or even straw, are welcome;
- Color combinations are bright and contrasting.
Important. The exotic style of decor does not accept strict lines and "traces of cultivation" of nature.
Only natural jungle habitat.
Unstoppable, rebellious high-tech
A modern, fast-paced and technological style of decor that will appeal to people under thirty, and children will simply be delighted with it. This design also does not recognize any rules and restrictions, but has its own nuances.
How to decorate a dacha with your own hands in a modern fashionable and shocking style:
- Combination of the incompatible - a combination of the most unexpected materials (plastic - glass - wood, metal - stone - an old computer case, tin - glass);
- As the main accent, you can invent your own metal architectural composition from scraps of tin at your leisure, and build a fantastic lunar landscape around it;
- Plants must also be in keeping with the spirit of Art Nouveau. Unusual shape of leaves, curved trunks, preferably cold blue and white shades of flowers;
- There is practically no limit to experiments in this direction.
Important. You cannot combine modern decor with rustic accessories or romantic carvings.
Only unexpected asymmetrical lines and original designs.
Where to start creative handicrafts for a summer residence with your own hands, and what criteria for choosing a design style should be guided in this or that case.
- In order for the decor to look harmonious, it is important to think over the entire design concept in detail, a preliminary plan is useful for this - a sketch... All objects can be optimally positioned on the plan, depicting the whole picture as a whole;
- When choosing a design option, it is important to take into account the terrain, the composition of the soil and the average temperature regime in the region.... Depending primarily on the relief, the style of design is also chosen. Almost any design is suitable for flat terrain, but for a plot on a hillock it is better to choose a decor in a Japanese or Mediterranean style;
- To make the garden look harmonious, there is a method of "choosing the main axis"... We need to direct the viewer's gaze to the desired object or the central element of the composition. For this, the center of the composition is selected, for example, a fountain or sculpture, and with the help of cobbled paths, borders and hedges, we direct attention to the center;
- Symmetrical paths, flower beds and decor items allow you to streamline the overall composition... Symmetry is most often used in the classic English version of the site design;
- Undesirable shape of the area, for example narrow, can be visually corrected... If plants of the same shape and color are planted along a straight path, the area will appear wider. If you plant bright, colorful plants at the end of the alley, they will seem much closer and this will also expand the alley;
- Don't be afraid to experiment... Sometimes it is the lack of funds for the purchase of expensive decor that allows you to create true works of art from improvised means, as can be seen in the photo;
- When choosing a style, it is important to focus on natural features that can be emphasized... For example, a small pond can become the center of the entire composition. Even a summer house located on a slope can be played like a Sicilian ranch, with spectacular Mediterranean-style terraces.
Advice. If a certain design style is chosen, then it is worth sticking to it, without mixing decor options that are opposite in meaning.
For example, a wattle fence with ceramic jars will look ridiculous in a Japanese garden.
Conclusion
There is nothing more pleasant than becoming a real Creator and Creator on your six hundred square meters. There would be a desire, and family vacations will become much more interesting if each of the household members takes part in organizing the living space in the country. The video presented in this article will acquaint the reader with some original ideas in landscape design.
