Viktoria's Profile

Beautiful plant ideas to steal from this makeover! I have no idea what they all are, but I am saving the pictures to get some garden center people to look at them in the hopes they will help identify some. I need them for my porch!

This is also a great example of how one can make a garden that is easy to care for, needs little water yet looks totally alive (I feel like taking a bite of some of those plants).

I don't think these are mere trends - these are rather general design principles that work well for kitchens. That is why they will never fade away.

Natural materials (butcher block, wood cabinets, marble) and clean palettes (white, grey, black, wood) are classic for all rooms, and don't wonder why. White tile cannot harm a kichen, no matter the shape. Open shelving, although a bit messier than cupboards, puts cooking supplies into hand's reach. White rooms always feel clean, calm and happy, an ideal environment to cook. These are all design choices that make sense. Therefore, they cannot be fashionable, and therefore, they will never go out of style.

I am building a new kitchen in a few months. It will have dark wood base cabinets, white uppers, some open shelving, some quartz and an island topped with butcher block. I chose these materials because they make sense, not because they are fashionable.

The room doesn't have much natural light, so the uppers had to be luminous. I didn't want an entirely white kitchen, and since the kitchen is in an open concept living room which is also the first room when you enter the house, the dark base cabinets will not contrast with the clutter in the foreground as much as white base cabinets would have. I have oak floors and the butcher block on the island and the open shelving will match that. I love the warmth of wood and I love wood countertops, but I also wanted my main work area to have a carefree surface, so the cabinets along the wall will have a quartz countertop. I might go with a pale green backpainted glass backsplash, but subway tile, because it matches so nicely with my design, is a close second (I might need a source for coloured subway tile).

I made these design choices not because they are trendy, but because they match my specific needs. I don't care if my kitchen is fashionable or not, I just want to have a good time using it. And I have a hunch it is not going to scare away potential buyers when the time comes, even if only in a decade.

All those people telling you to pick your plants carefully... they are misleading you. Plants are the least of your worries!

First things first. That yard didn't get that way in a year, and what you make of it will not happen in a year, either. Redoing a yard takes a minimum of three years (by redoing, I only mean fixing it so it does what you want it to and ensuring that the final result is something you can keep clean, pretty and functional).

First, do a thorough cleanup. Do an inventory of the plants you have. Sketch the existing layout as suggested by most readers. Then, look at your plants and separate the weed from the chaff. Rip out any plant that looks bad - don't waste time and money on plants that have good chances of never rewarding you for it. You can keep a couple that you truly believe you can nudge back into shape, but trash the rest. As for healthy plants, especially the slow growing kind, they are happy where they are, so unless you really don't like them, leave them alone and care for them. Do maintenance on plants that deserve it, and relocate those that only seem to have a problem with the place they live in (doing this in fall is best, as suggested by others).

THE FIRST YEAR

There is no garden without soil. It is really the foundation of everything else. If you skip this, you are asking for trouble. Determine how much of your yard will be lawn, borders, edible plants, hard surface, etc., and then start defining the type of soil needed for that purpose (resist planting big patches of lawn - they require more maintenance than any other plant and eventually get weedy no matter what you do; they are also environmentally insane). Investigate alternative lawns, it is worth it.

Then, test your soil, amend it and mulch it. It takes some time before amendments achieve the desired result, so you need to get started early. Sandy soil is greatly improved within a year by mixing in compost and/or sphagnum/peat moss and mulching it with a natural, breathable mulch - like fir needles! Needles nourish the soil, let it breathe and absorb water and are the longest lasting natural mulch - replenishing every three years is usually sufficient. Or you might check if it wouldn't be faster, easier and cheaper to just keep the sandy soil and use plants that like dry conditions. Rhododendrons need water, a bit of shade and acid soil (needles make soil acid). Needles also deter slugs and snails who don't like the texture and squirrels who give up long before they could pierce through a layer of tamped down needles. Thus, both your hostas and your bulbs will be better off with needle mulch. Needles also have a beautiful natural look and smell great. Needles really are the best mulch you could ever use, if you don't mind a soil that is a little on the acid side. If not, leaf mold is a close second, and once it starts degrading, it actually looks great. Avoid wood chips like the plague, they smother the soil.

Also during the first year, check your yard carefully to determine where you will need electrical outlets and water spigots, plan your watering system and get electrical and plumbing work done. Once you are done with all this, you should cover any soil left uncovered by planting living mulch. Lamium maculatum is my all-time favourite. They spread and fill in fast, require practically no maintenance, they bloom for quite some time, are easy to remove and they are content with pretty much any condition (although prefer part shade if they can get it). Plant each plant two feet from each other in any direction to get a uniform carpet within a single season. Living mulch protects against weeds and keeps water from evaporating from the soil. Finally, think safety and eliminate any risks before starting to build your yard.

SECOND YEAR

Do all your hardscaping. Build fences, trellises, compost bins, etc. Also build sidewalks, alleys and decks. Now that your structures are up, you have created microclimates and can better define light, temperature and humidity conditions for each of them.

Time to pick and plant your large plants as well as plants that take a long time to grow. It is also time to plant your favourite plants, the ones you can't imagine not having. Plant them where you like them, taking into account that the spot you plant them in has to be right for them (ideally, you will have planned planting these before even amending your soil). Most of what you plant the second year will be foliage plants, don't worry if you don't have much colour besides green. If you want colour and don't mind the extra money and effort, fill in gaps using annuals.

THIRD YEAR

Check that all your plants are happy. Keep caring for those that are and get rid of or relocate those that aren't.

Modify or fix hardscaping that ended up wrong, not quite the right size or doesn't quite contribute to what you would like your yard to generally feel like.

Now that the plants you planted last year are sizing up, you have a better idea of what else you can plant around them. If some of them ended up too large, now is the time to relocate them.

Carefully start picking out your perennials and plant them. Leave enough room around each plant to allow them to fill in later and to plant smaller plants between them later. They will look formal at first, but as they fill in (starting next year), you will find them much more handsome. At this point, place your watering system around your plants, ideally between the soil and the mulch for soaker hoses. Do this before plants fill in - it will be a headache if you do this later.

For large borders, lay a flat stone in strategic spots that will provide you with a surface to stand/kneel on when you do plant maintenance to avoid stepping on plants. When not in use, the stone can support a large pot of some plant to fill the hole - or a statue or a pretty rock or a bird bath.

Any space left bare is filled at this point with annuals. Annuals bloom almost all season long continually, some do bloom from May to frost. Annuals will take up a larger part of your budget in the long term, but they are totally worth it. They are instant plants in that you buy them at full size or near full size, and they bloom not long after you plant them. Many of them reseed, so you can count on more of them next year even if the actual plants die with frost. Annuals also allow you to change the look of your yard each year without delay and with minimal care. An established garden should contain about 20-25% annuals, more if you are fine with that.

In any case, plan your yard in a way that:
- water is always readily available where you need it and plants always get enough water
- plants are native to the extent possible - they always fare better
- plants are carefree enough that you always have the required free time to care for them

My single favourite advice is to not be afraid of using very common plants. There is a reason why so many people grow them. Virginia creeper, hostas, daffodils and geraniums are the easiest, most satisfying garden plants, and they are beautiful in their own right. In the long run, they will help you keep a beautiful garden without breaking your back over it.

Remember, a yard is mostly made up of living beings. Let them do their thing, they WILL eventually do something unexpected, which might turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Each yaer, p,ants get removed and new plants take up their spots. Your yard is organic and will never be "ready". Enjoy the fleeting beauty while it lasts!

The first "Enter House Tour" link is broken.

This kitchen needs a major overhaul, but it IS kind of nice and reminiscent of times where life, as far as I am concerned, was just so much nicer. I would therefore renovate with a spirit of keeping the cheerful, cozy 60s look. Instead of renovating, I would really be doing conservation.

I would totally keep the cabinetry, especially since that would be THE big ticket and this project would already be costly enough without changing the cabinetry. I would sand and paint with milk paint, using a cheerful but clean colour, probably yellow. Obviously, I would change the shelving inside and change the drawers, and while I am at it, I would repair anything inside that isn't quite in good shape.

For the floor, since you can save big money on installing it, I would change it myself. I would probaly use black and white tile and would not get the expensive tile either. If it is simple black and white, no need to use the classy stuff as that timeless style comes from the look, not the quality of the materials used.

I would entirely forego the backsplash, that would only mess up the lovely sixties look. But I would totally replace the wallpaper, even though it could look much better once the kitchen is updated. The thing is, even on the pictures it shows that this wallpaper has lived beyond its normal life expectancy, is fairly used and it is time for it to retire. I would probably just paint the whole room the same colour with something everything-proof and then use a funky but simple geometric pattern using stencils (I am crazy about playful polka dots right now).

I would buy a new stove and put it where the cooktop is. I don't find the cooktop's location awkward - where else could you put it? I would NOT buy stainless appliances as they would ruin the look - I would just use white appliances, with a glossy finish.

I would also not demolish the dining room wall, although I might make the doorway a bit larger. I can't stand kitchen islands, they eat up a lot of space for nothing and chip away at room that could be used for gatherings. Besides, an island would not work with the sixties look. I would instead change the dining room furniture, place it farther from the wall so it is more central in the room and that is where I would go wild with colours. Cherry red upholstered leatherette chairs would look awesome! A big, chunky light fixture above the dining room table would complete the look.

To make a long story short:

- I would save money by keeping and only updating the cabinetry and by installing my own, cost-efficient flooring
- I would keep as many elements from the original look as possible to pay homage to this cozy look from an era when kitchens really were the heart of the home
- I would forego the backsplash
- I would replace the cooktop and oven by a stove

I think it is more important to make this kitchen functional, durable and reliable than to go into a frenzy of out with the old and in with the new. It has great bones with lots of decorating possibilities, and you don't need to spend a fortune trying to make it look good. Choice of colours is key here, and that alone can make or break this kitchen.

What's the big deal with Fisher-Paykel refrigerators? People talk about them like they are the bomb, but I am totally unimpressed with them. My sister has one, and considering the features, the efficiency and especially the total lack of space in it, I find it is really expensive for nothing. To me, they are among the low-range machines.

I just went shopping for a refrigerator (got an 18 cu. ft. KitchenAid bottom freezer) and noticed that none of the Fisher-Paykel are EnergyStar rated. Considering they take up as much room as other refrigerators, they are really shallow and can't store nearly as much stuff as others. They also have full width shelves instead of half-width ones, which means you don't have as much freedom to set up space efficiently and best suited to your own use as with other refrigerators, thus wasting valuable space.

I think downgrading will be easier than expected. I find the bigger the machine, the more stuff gets lost in it until it gets smelly. Lots of food waste as a result, which is not worth it.

I think the key is to grocery shop more often in smaller quantities. Also check carefully how the room inside is divided to make sure you can still fit a watermelon or a turkey in there.

Beautiful place, nice taste. It is cool – but small?! I don't think 900 square feet for a couple can be considered small. We have 600 square feet and I don't even consider that small...

I think a freezer inventory is best kept as close to the freezer as possible so it is handy when you are looking in the freezer or adding stuff to it. Mine is on the side of the fridge by way of a magnet.

I grew up on unsalted butter and it is only when I moved to Canada that I ever saw salted butter. Needless to say, I am still puzzled by its existence and cannot find a reason to use it in anything.

To me, salted butter tastes more like vinegary butter. I don't believe salted butter is actually made of salt and butter. I use salt on unsalted butter when I feel like a slice of crusty bread, and there is a world of difference.

I would put an orange curtain around the sink and maybe some kind of shelving. Do you realize how much storage space is just begging to be utilized there?

Having said that, this is not that much a makeover as it is the bare difference between a kitchen in a house nobody lives in and a kitchen in a house somebody lives in. It does feel much better than the before, but then again, I would have liked to see the before in use. Even if the person had bad taste, the after would have looked much better.