When we lived in a little house over in the Eastmoreland area of Portland about eight years ago, I had to come up with a landscape plan that didn’t involve grass! We had moved from a property that had a lot of grass and my husband was so allergic to it that he couldn’t even go outside to mow our lawn. That meant either I had to do it, or we had to hire a lawn service! In our next house, we had to get creative.
I never really thought of myself as having much interest in gardening or landscape design, but I had the best time designing a new paver patio and several planting areas in our small backyard that I could maintain myself. Once our landscape was completed, I enjoyed many hours outside digging in the dirt tending to my plants and flowers. Out of necessity, I discovered a whole new side to myself, I actually enjoy gardening!
In our last house we didn’t have grass either, but we also didn’t have any real garden or landscape areas. I had to spend so much time on the interior of that house I never got around to gardening or landscaping. I’ve missed that experience so much.
Even though my husband discovered Claritin, which helps him manage his allergy symptoms (thank goodness), I still feel the urge to create a garden area that is more fun to maintain than grass!
My new house is another blank slate so I am tossing around a few ideas about what to do with a yard with no trees and real no structure to work with. I am a big fan of small patios, so this week I found some photos to inspire me to get out and create a livable space! Enjoy!
edited to add: I should have shared my own patio from 8 years ago, so here you go (below)! Excuse the pre-blogging photo, don’t you wish you could go back and redo your photos from back in the day?
If you are an allergy sufferer, spring might be a time when you avoid going outside! Thanks to Claritin for making spring happier for allergy sufferers and for sponsoring The Inspired Room.
What has Claritin enabled you to do – from the everyday to the extraordinary? Submit your video entry at LivingClear for a chance to win $10,000 and a starring role in an online commercial. In case you were wondering, no purchase is necessary! All the rules are at LivingClear.com.
It is time to share what YOU were inspired by this week!
Link up your posts or share in the comments!
Hi, I'm Melissa. This is where I share inspiration for creating a simple, authentic and beautiful home.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
My DH is a landscape manager and sadly, he’s so busy, our yard is the worst in the neighborhood. I’m hoping this year, we can get some work done of it.
Thanks for the inspiration!
~Liz
Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..Make Ahead Coffee Cake
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Wow! This is just one inspiring space after another.
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Oh gosh.. what lovely photos you shared in here.. very inspiring ones! love the idea.. now I know what to do with my small garden.. thanks for the idea!
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I can’t wait to get outside and work on my patio – spring weather hurry up!!
Thanks for hosting!
The Little Brown House´s last blog ..Frugal Friday – Black and White..
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i’m so excited to link up this week.
to be honest, i wanted to link up the 5 day series i did on our neighborhood this past week. but i didn’t, so don’t worry. i just linked the last post. it has been so rewarding & inspiring for me to capture the beauty where we live with spring. just focusing on the ‘real’ life beauty has had such a calming affect on me.
thanks for the party.
have a lovely weekend, planning your yard & patio space.
this blessed nest´s last blog ..Around My Neighborhood Day 5 ~ Underneath Our Old Oak Tree
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Lawn is so overrated. I know it was out of necessity, but good for you for going outside of the norm. The photos you posted are so lovely. They make me want to jazz up our courtyard!
Eileen´s last blog ..Be Still My Heart
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Melissa @ The Inspired Room Reply:
April 15th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Thanks. I realized I hadn’t shared a photo of what my backyard looked like so I added it to the post if you want to see!
Happy weekend,
Melissa
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I have been anxiously awaiting spring through all our little spring snow storms.
these porches are almost too much!
Stop by if you get a moment.
Thanks
Claudia
Claudia@DipityRoad´s last blog ..Spring Teasing – Friday~~Finding Beauty
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LOVE love love your little garden! I want to sit out at that table and just relax….(even though I know to keep a garden looking that good does not always leave a lot of time to relax). Allergy sufferer here too, but I still want to work in my yard. I think it is the “immediate gratification” that makes me like it so much. One of my favorite “sounds of summer” is the sound of the lawnmower running!
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Your old garden is gorgeous. Have fun doing up the new one. I also have a grass challenged backyard – mostly pool and deck with a small strip of grass running along one side of the yard about 2 feet wide. It’s coming out this year to be planted up with daylilies – just to soften the edges and bring some colour back there.
Heather @ what’s happening this week´s last blog ..Garden Bloggers Blooming Day April 2010
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Ohh there are so many possibilities for a lovely patio and it’s one of my favourite spaces to be with the family when the weather is nice. These patios all look very welcoming. I like how the chest of drawers looks outside but I guess it wouldn’t be very practical as it would soon get ruined under the rain.
Thanks for hosting Melissa and have a wonderful weekend!
Kifus´s last blog ..Lovely White House
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Thanks so much for sharing these inspiring patio photos! I’m so glad that you added the photo of your own patio! We’ve currently got our builder grade 8′x8′ slab of concrete, but I’m dreaming of a larger paver patio. Did you lay your patio yourself or have it installed by professionals? It looks fantastic either way! We’re thinking of doing our own paver patio to save some $$ (the quotes I’ve received are WAY out of budget), but I’m a little intimidated. I’ve heard it isn’t that difficult, just really time consuming. I’d love to hear more about how your patio came about!
Cara´s last blog ..Painting Our Master Bedroom: Updated
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Melissa @ The Inspired Room Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 7:15 am
Hi Cara. I actually did not lay that patio myself. It is very easy to do yourself, I’ve heard, but in my case my patio had a lot of curves. The yard was so small and rectangular I wanted something curvy to make it interesting! I wasn’t prepared for all that work myself. I saved money by designing it myself and then had the landscape contractor install and also they built that arbor and a little bridge for me. Plus, the reality was I had a toddler and just wanted it done before summer so he could play outside! I really miss that yard! It was heaven to me!
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I’m so glad you included a photo of your own garden. The others are beautiful, but completely unrealistic for real outdoor decorating (unless you haul all that wood furniture in and out of a garage every time you want to sit outside!) Your backyard is beautiful and REAL! I would be completely at home there, soaking up the rays of sun and smells of flowers. Thanks!
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So pretty, Melissa. What a lovely job you did with the landscaping and all by yourself? Incredible. And you’ve showcased such wonderful outdoor spaces. I am amused by the dresser outside…looks great, but it must not be damp or rainy where they are. (Reading all this business about Claritin makes me wish that I hadn’t made my hubby return it. I’ve had a rotten cold and thought that an allergy med wouldn’t help. Now I’m thinking it might have!)
Vee´s last blog ..Curly Tops
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ok. you’ve inspired me to go pick the weeds out of the brick patio. i’ve washed down the screen porch with the nasty pollen…now off to weed.
Pink and Polka Dot´s last blog ..Friday’s Featured Slipcovers
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Melissa, love all the inspired links, they are all wonderful!
Thanks for letting me add mine
Stephanie´s last blog ..Favorite Canvas Wedding Art, Trends in fingerprints, Paint your BUM
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Melissa, this week I have definitely been inspired by COLOR…wonderful, beautiful, awesome, brilliant, COLOR!
It is everywhere right now…and it certainly does INSPIRE me to take pictures, walk through gardens and drool over the wonderful blogs that are currently posting all of this beautiful SPRING COLOR!
I love your postings and pictures and all the effort you put into your blog…thank you for sharing with US!
Have a great Spring/Summer!
Suzy@thisblissfulife
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Oh, THANK you for this! We are moving in a few weeks, and the new place has a heavily manicured front area (that we can’t really change much) and in the back…a deck. A really. big. deck. There’s a strip of bark behind it, about 5′ wide, and some garden boxes on the side of the house. I’m not sure what I’m going to do back there…because I need to leave space for the kids to play, but I’m totally inspired by those GREEN backyards! I’m moving to the Pacific NW, so I know GREEN is going to be a big factor.
Aunt LoL´s last blog ..LoLo Tute: Toddler Dress from Dad’s Old Button Down
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These patios are lovely! I love how you did yours, it’s definitely charming!
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OH MY WORD THAT CHANDELIER! I want it!! I’m such a fan of chandeliers, but never thought of the patio!! I’m on a mission now! lol
~melody~
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Oh Melissa,
What lovely choices! I always enjoy reading. The way you connect your pictures and ideas to personal experience is captivating. Enjoy the weekend. (In a while I am going to share my inspirations, too!)
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I live in Seattle, and always wonder when I see these beautiful patio photos ~ how does the furniture hold up to the rain?
I am fortunate to have half of my patio covered ~ so my wicker furniture is ok outside.
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I’m so, so in love with you blog right now. Just had to tell you.
Christie´s last blog ..Quiet Time…
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Thank you for the patio ideas – we are in the process of making big changes in ours. We have a lot of lawn and that makes it easier for my sweetheart to handle. We want to step up the planting areas a notch and add some personality to the patio and other areas of our backyard. First has to be the design and completion of a small patio off of our bedroom (just installed new patio doors in our room!). That’s where our little hot tub will go and a bistro table and chairs for two. Then we can focus on the rest of the big patio and surroundings. I LOVE the photo of your ‘old’ patio area – it actually gave me some ideas for our spaces.
~Adrienne~
Adrienne´s last blog ..Grandma’s Brag Book
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it was so hard to scroll down to comment without clicking on so many of those links. Off to check them out now…
crush.´s last blog ..inspired by :: Beki
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ps. we have a hand stamped necklace up for grabs this weekend…
http://crushblog10.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-do-april-showers-bring.html
crush.´s last blog ..inspired by :: Beki
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I am a big gardener, in fact the past 3 days I have been planting flowers in our 9 window boxes and in pots and in the yard. 169 flowers planted so far!!! Today we spent mulching and have a long way to go. It is HARD WORK, but so rewarding!!!! I LOVE to be outside as much as I can!!! YOUR patio was beautiful!!! I only have decks and would LOVE to have a patio area! XO, Pinky
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I’ve had that first picture you posted bookmarked for awhile now… it’s my inspiration for the patio I want in our backyard. I love everything about it!
Terri´s last blog ..A Lovely Space…
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Your patio is so charming and lovely, Melissa. All these pictures are so inspirational, and it’s always interesting to see how different themes and styles are interpreted in one’s personal environment.
We’re inspiring our fans to get into the patio/deck decorating spirit too! We want to help one lucky winner receive a dream patio makeover with our Chief Home Design Officer. http://www.kmart.com/winapatio
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those are beautiful photos i like the one with the floral furniture in white and the chandiler in the center so elegant
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I love these photos! Some of the patios look like they come from a storybook. The chandelier is simply gorgeous. Thank you for sharing these.
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