Landscaping a Pool

My good friend and Lawyer asked me if I would help her landscape her pool area. Since I have been toying with the idea of consulting in garden design......I agreed.
Her pool is a geometric shape with a free form patio around it. I will post some pictures once it stops raining. There was one request....nothing with flowers...NO BEES! The budget is $1,000. and I  have total control over the plantings. If you have ever bought shrubs, trees, groundcover and specimen plants for a large area, then you know that this is a tight budget.
Here are some of the natural designs I'm using for inspiration

Woodburn & Company

 

Creative Design Construction

DeCavitte Properties

Keith Willig Landscape

Betz Pools

This project should go fast. Do you have a favorite outdoor plant....that doesn't flower?

3 Giveaway's

I think this is the perfect midweek pick me up.You know I love a giveaway. Do you know what's better than a giveaway? 

Three giveaway's.

The first one is on Mary Ann's blog, Classic Casual Home. This beautifully colored bracelet is actually supporting a worthy cause. Please go read all about this....women helping women.

The next giveaway is on Kim's blog. She is giving away this Moen shower head. It would make the perfect Father's Day gift. You can enter it here.

The final giveaway is over at Lindsay's blog, Sadie & Stella. Lindsay has a $100 store credit for Lulu & George. 

Now go get clicking!

Coastal Decor...yeah or nay?

This weekend was unbearably hot in New Jersey. Our spring was four days long, and now we are into the hot summer weather. I actually checked, and we were having the same weather as Florida. I wonder if they will ever have winter's like us?
All this heat makes me think of the beach. Actually, I dream about the beach fairly often. I love homes that feel eternally summer. I guess I'm not the only one... have you noticed how retailer's are mass producing "beach decor". Have they gone to far?  Yeah or Nay?

World Market

World Market

World Market

One Kings Lane

One Kings Lane

Wisteria

Wisteria

What do you think?

Real House Hunting (part 2)

Hello, my friends. I hope I didn't leave you hanging on the part 2 of my house hunting. I was trying to find the images online so you could see them for yourself. I really need to emphasize that these homes were shown to us to help narrow down our home style. The prices were all above our range. It was not that important that we went into homes in our range during this visit because we are not ready to buy....and these homes will be long gone by then. 
The first up was this hybrid of a ranch home turned two-story Mediterranean-ish?   It was a much brighter pink in person.

We weren't quite sure if the frog came with the property.

The inside was a nice surprise. An open floor plan with doors that disappear into the wall.

Looking back at the front door, you can see where the addition is obvious. The ceiling line near the stairs is awkward.

The back yard is perfect.

This is a beautiful shot.

More open concept, the kitchen.

And then the upstairs got a bit weird. They are calling this area a bedroom?!

Moving on....not our style...not our home.

Another strange pink hybrid. I am starting to think everyone paints their home pink. 

This is a really good example of how the photo's on line are really deceiving. 

What you can't see in the pictures, is how choppy the floor plan is. 

A big kitchen that is not open to anything.

Awkwardly placed bedrooms. 

No shower doors?

Moving on, again....not our style.
Now this is just perfect.

This home is a spec house. A builder tore down the small original home, and built this beautiful home. It is staged to perfection. 

 A lovely understated kitchen.

 Those doors open all the way and slide into the wall.

 Ready for entertaining.

 The choices on finishes are really high end.

A large back yard by downtown standards.

The purpose of this home was to show us the quality of the builder. We could replicate this home further away at a more affordable price. I'm the only one who wants to build.
The next home was really deceiving. Beautiful, right? What do you think the inside looks like?

Notice the beadboard wainscoting on the wall. I was told that the owners like the New England look.

In a Mediterranean arched home?

With a Tuscan inspired ceiling.

And a Bahama meets cabin? 

An island feeling bedroom. 

the agent told me that a couple came through and wanted to have the cabinets pained white, and change the counters to carrara marble. If that happens, then there will obviously be people in the area I would want to be friends with.

The pool is beautiful, but there is absolutely no grass. The yard is the smallest one so far.

My immediate thought was that the builder's home was the perfect house. Now that I have had a chance to reflect on this, I actually think that the last home was the best investment. Although, the interior design needed a lot of changing, it was a lot of house and the floor plan was great.

I think we need a few more trips back before we can consider ourselves educated on the area. The next trip will probably be during the winter 'the season' to experience that part of the Naples lifestyle. 

Did you have a favorite home? 

House Hunting, For Real (part 1)

Hey Everyone....how was your long weekend? I hope it included friends and fun. We headed south for the weekend....to Naples. This was our first of many trips down before we decide on our next zip code.
Last week sometime, I was in touch with our new Realtor. Actually, we have a team and I'm starting to think we need an army. I am about to drive Rick and Jeff completely nuts! 

On Friday, we (husband and kids) met Rick and Jeff at their office. We received so much information about Naples, I was sure there was going to be a test later.  I was right about that one. If you know what is at the end of 111th Ave, you did better than I.
For the next four hours, we drove a pattern similar to this one.

The purpose was to make us nuts see what type of neighborhoods we liked as well as house styles. 

We drove through gated communities

planned communities, beach communities and gulf communities.

We got out of the car twice. Once, to go out on the Naples Pier

The view looking back from the pier

I should tell you that some of you were dead right....I love it here.

The next time we got out of the car was at the Bonita Bay Club.

This is a private beach club available only to the residents of this area ...for a fee.

By the end of the road trip, there was only one area that I absolutely fell in love with. These two sections.

It is the most beautiful area with mature trees, gorgeous homes, and walking distance to the downtown areas. 

Did I mention that the home prices are so expensive, I would need to spend more than I could get for my current home for a lot less home and property? With a daughter going off to college soon, I'm not sure that would be the best decision.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you how it went when we went into some of these homes. 

Have you ever lived in a planned or gated community? Did you like it?

Naples Real Estate

I love stalking looking at real estate, in general. Since we have a move in our future, I had a reason to virtually tour homes I can't afford.
At just under 7 million, in Naples FL...you can live like this.

I'm going to keep my eye on this one. Who knows, maybe they will drop the price by many, many, many, millions. To view more of this property, you can go here. 
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend!