Dramatic backyard furniture makeover with cushions

Does your backyard furniture need a facelift?

I have a super simple way to update your furniture. It involves an investment but it can be well worth it.

Here's the answer: Change out your cushions.

It sounds simple enough but the dramatic change it can bring is often overlooked.

Here's my example:

Our brown wicker furniture is in fine shape. But the cushions are looking a little blah. They are somewhat faded and just not as fluffy and perky as they were when I purchased them around 2011 or 2012...so already that is four to five years ago. Yes, time can fly. Time to update these cushions.

Before

After

 

Big difference, right?

I found these new cushions on sale at Pier 1.  Shop through Ebates and you can get a total of 2% cashback on your entire purchase. These cushions are treated for protection from ultra violet rays and can be used indoors or outdoors. 

As for me, I'm thrilled with the bright colors after having the muted turquoise cushions for so long.

Decorating with birdhouses inside and out

Stroll through the aisles of any nursery, florist or even stores like Hobby Lobby and you'll be struck by the number of beautiful birdhouses that are on the market. There are even more if you venture online to specialty stores or handmade outlets like Etsy.

With so many beautiful birdhouses to choose from, you may disappointed if you live in a high-rise or don't have a place to hang a birdhouse outdoors. But hey, don't limit yourself to just displaying a birdhouse outside. Birdhouses make great accents around the house both indoors and out.

With so many birdhouses to choose from, don't limit yourself to keeping them only outside. Here's just a sampling of birdhouses I found at Hobby Lobby recently. Too cute, right?

I use birdhouses inside and out...but mostly indoors. I have them scattered around the house because I think they are just to pretty to expose them to the elements. Here's a sampling that I have displayed in a window transom in my sunroom.

I have hung them around the house and set them on top of my china cabinet in the dining room. There is no area that is off-limits for a birdhouse. Some I made with my son; others I bought.

Outside, I hang them in all the usual spots...from trees and Shepard hooks and even from a trellis.

This birdhouse was designed as a tribute to Victorian architecture. It is mounted on a pole and sits in a cozy spot in the garden.

When two old trees had to come down in our yard, we saved the stumps and dressed them up with birdhouses. This one is from Nature Creations and is handcrafted from recycled wood and metal from old bars and homes in southeastern Illinois. I purchased mine at Alsip Home & Nursery in Frankfort, Illinois. I love the heavy slate room on this model and the stone fireplace/chimney.

Here's another birdhouse form Nature Creations. This one has a metal room and stone chimney. It is only crooked because the stump isn't exactly level but the odd angle, to me, just makes the birdhouse more whimsical. I love the idea that it is made of repurposed materials that can be as many as 100 years old.

Turns out, my neighbor is into birdhouses, too. She has her collection on display along the exterior wall of her garage.

Do you decorate with birdhouses? If so, send me your photos.

8 creative architectural features to add to your backyard

If you are looking to raise the bar on your backyard this year, try adding an architectural feature like a water feature, light feature or hardscape.

Here are a few ideas I picked up from the recent Chicago Flower & Garden Show.

1. This is an enormous water feature but you won't have to go that big if you didn't have the space or the budget. Just take a portion of this idea as your inspiration and go form there. The takeaway here is that you have a large fountain that pours water into a large bowl that overflows into another, etc. You can use use one portion of the idea and create a nice waterscape in your yard.

2. Here is an innovative take on a fire pit. It is almost a hardscape sculpture garden combined with a fire pit, so let's call it a firescape. Small, creative and not too difficult or pricey to replicate.

3. If you have a tiered yard or a raised flower bed or planting bed, you can create this water feature without too much difficulty.

4. We all have seen people climb rock walls, but how about using a real rock wall as an outdoor "room divider"? Perhaps you want to block off unsightly garbage cans from the rest of the yard or perhaps you want to have a backdrop to your grilling area or bar. If so, consider creating a rock wall using chicken wire and large river rock. 

5. Raised flower beds and decks. The two just go together beautifully. This example isn't on a deck, but it could be. Flower beds are easily added to deck designs and when you integrate a bench, you create a cozy, tranquil setting.

6. You usually use wood chips, like above, pea gravel or pavers for garden or backyard walkways, but when I saw this treatment of faux split logs, I loved it. They are faux logs so they will last a long time but they look like a rustic wooden walkway.

7. Here's another war feature that is big on plants and rocks. The water feature is actually quite minimal in this example. Can you imagine this in your backyard?

8. Whether you have a large yard or a small one, remember to use light to your advantage. Colored lights, color-changing lights, spotlights or strung party lights can all create a wonderful ambience in your yard for evening entertaining.

Here you can see how a very large water feature uses light to create a different atmosphere.

Please share your ideas for creative backyard architectural features.

13 inspirational fairy gardens you can plant

Fairy gardens are fun to plant each spring. They are not only a good activity to do with your kids, but they are beautiful and add an air of enchantment to your outdoor decor.

I attended the Chicago Flower & Garden Show earlier this year and I discovered some beautiful fairy gardens that really push the limits of the imagination.

Most are created directly within a flower bed or landscaped area. If you don't have that kind of space, it doesn't matter; many of these ideas can be replicated in planters. In fact, a few of the ideas are shown in window boxes. Personally, I plant my fairy garden in a large planter. I feel that I can contain the size of the plants better that way. For tips on planting a fairy garden, click here.

Check them out. Which is your favorite?