the curtis casa

Garden Tour: Cabell's Winding Backyard Garden

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:58:00 +0000

After walking through Cabell's lovely home, I want to show you one of my absolute favorite parts of the house: the back porch and garden. It's so peaceful here, you can't help but relax at the sight of a giant fireplace, right? There are plenty of places to sit and stay a while.

Cabell keeps all her garden tools close at hand. Containers, trowels, gloves, plant markers, fertilizer, vases, anything you can think of.

As you walk off the porch and into the garden, you're met with a perfect stone pathway to the left and stairs out to the right. The landscape is so natural, I just love it.

Cabell's potting bench is just to the left of the photo above. What an awesome place to re-pot a few plants. Cabell's artwork is everywhere around the house and the garden is no exception. And there's a funny story to go with this one... If you read Cabell's definition of "Garden" here you might notice one word has been misspelled. She is (admittedly) notorious for misspelling words in her artwork. So Cabell told us she was just working in the garden one day, and her husband, Mike, was sitting on the porch. She asked him what he was doing and his response... "Oh, just discov-ing life." She had no idea what he was talking about, but he told her she'd get it eventually. A while later, Cabell noticed the spelling error and remembered "disov-ing life!" - ha!

This is a simple story but it's one of my favorites. It takes on so much meaning because Cabell's husband, Mike, passed away a few years ago. I have re-written this sentence that comes after that sentence a few times now, and there's no way to properly express how heartbreaking the loss, but how Cabell's unwavering faith has kept her joyful. I will always be in awe of her.

Back to the garden.... columbine! A new favorite of mine, these are some of the funniest shaped flowers I've ever seen. In this shady corner, the flowers are elevated in a terra cotta pot, while the hosta and creeping jenny create a nice, green groundcover.

I love how these terra cotta pots have become such a part of the garden, they are grown over and half visible, sacrificing themselves for the vines and greenery. I love the sense of permanence this lends to a garden. Since getting back to my own garden after our visit to Cabell's, I'm looking around for perfect places to add trios of terra cotta.

As you walk up the path, there are birds chirping and bees buzzing everywhere. Not bad for what Cabell calls her "morning commute" to the studio...

Looking back at the porch from the studio is quite a lovely view.

Cabell laughed when she told us about the wisteria she's growing up the right side of the porch. I can't wait to see it take over!

Don't you just want to hop in and stay a while? I could have walked around the garden for hours. I can't wait to go back to see another season's blooms and what Cabell has added. It's a long process, gardening, but what a beautiful result.

Home Tour: Cabell's Artsy Haven in Rome, GA

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:48:00 +0000

Sometimes you walk into a beautiful, well-curated home, you're greeted by a lovely, let-me-take-your-bags hostess and you never want to leave. That's what happened last week when Jeanette, Bonnie and I (and baby Edith!) took a little road trip to Rome, GA to spend some time with Cabell Sweeney. Cabell is a pro at loving on people. She invited us up for an evening of rest and relaxation, and (a first for me) a tour of her gorgeous home and garden. Take a peek inside!

Cabell's bright green front door welcomes you into a comfortable, art-laden family room first. There is greenery everywhere, canvases and frames fill every vertical surface and the walls of bookshelves instantly give you a sense that Cabell has been collecting and curating for a long while.

This wall of various sized bookshelves is a sight to behold! Cabell pointed to specific shelves and told us that when she was a young girl in middle school her mother would give her a choice for the summers: work extra chores around the house or read. She obviously chose reading and has the books to prove it.

Every piece of artwork in this house has a story, a connection and a meaning. Cabell shared with us so many of these stories, it was hard to believe she could remember them all! Then again, the stories are so poignant, how could she not? The top two portraits in the wall below are Cabell's great-grandparents, their portraits done by John Singer Sargent. The originals are in the Boston Museum of Fine Art. How neat!

There are a couple of these small chairs placed around the house, holding coffee table books on museums, art, and history. I love each vignette.

To the right of the family room is the dining room, a large rectangular farmhouse table welcomes guests.

More bookshelves filled with books, art, and keepsakes....

Knowing that she wanted to feature this portrait of her grandmother, Cabell said she sketched out the wall of bookshelves pretty loosely, focusing on the larger areas. The small shelves fell into place for small stacks of books and pottery.

Another lovely chair and coffee tabel book vignette...

Cabell has a wildly successful pottery business - you can read about it here! - so it's easy to see why gorgeous hand-painted mugs, bowls and everyday china fill her kitchen to the brim.

Concrete countertops, a wall of white subway tile, open shelving, a picturesque window above the sink and copper accents all contribute to this lovely kitchen.

Cabell had fresh cut flowers everywhere....

This hallway leads to a few bedrooms and bathrooms and opens up to my favorite part of the house.... the back porch and garden. Come back tomorrow to see the lovely cottage-style garden and Cabell's "commute" to the art studio in her backyard. You won't want to miss it.

Kitchenette Redo

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

In case you haven't heard yet, The Curtis Casa is getting a new roommate! My sister, Anna, is moving in with us in June! Anna just graduated from college and is finding her footing in the real world. We've got plenty of space (more than the two of us have needed for the past three years!) and are thrilled to welcome my sis into our home.

Our basement was listed as an "in-law suite" when we bought the house, it's a large family room, one bedroom, one bathroom and a kitchenette. Cool, huh! Here's what we've done with it. First, we made it a man cave: dark colors, big tv, beer posters. Sometimes we toyed with the idea of renting it out. Mostly we just had movie nights down there. It just became a sad space we never used. With my sister moving in, I'm super excited to re-think and give the space a little love. First up for a little refreshing, the kitchenette! Fair warning... This is a pretty sad "before" state. I jokingly say that the previous owner had a moose theme going on and he left all of his moose-paraphernalia here when he moved out. We threw it away but the vibe is still moose lodge-esque, I think.

Just look at these countertops... It's a leaf motif. I've been trying to get rid of it since we moved in, I've just never had a good reason.

The cabinets themselves are actually great quality - better than our kitchen upstairs. They have the thick hinges that close slowly and all the drawers slide evenly like they're supposed to. The green color is actually not bad. It's an interesting, soft, earthy tone that's surprisingly nice when you remove it from this area. Why the green, wood and leaf motif all together? I'll never know.

(Now, the brown paint color I take full responsibility for. We were painting a man cave, I love neutrals and browns and I didn't know what I was doing so I picked this color. It's also actually an okay color on it's own. But man, all together... yuck-o-la.)

So here's our plan to fix up this tiny kitchenette for my sister. Finally, an excuse to get that leaf motif out of here! I'm thrilled to be adding a little butcher block to the mix, from the fine folks over at J. Aaron Wood Countertops. (More on them coming soon!) Butcher block, green, brass, pops of color, lots of white, maybe a backsplash... All good things! I can't wait to get started.

butcher block counter / brass hardware / ceramic produce basket / enamel coffee pot / kilim rug

Garden Inspiration, Vol. 11

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:18:00 +0000

Good morning, friends! How is everyone? I took an unexpected long weekend after a quick road trip last week with girlfriends, a sick weekend, followed by a fun visit with my sister, Anna, and her friend, Kendall. (They're about to start a post-college cross country road trip and they're starting it with a few days with me in Atlanta. Fun!)

Anyway, on our road trip to Rome, GA last week I spotted a few unusual combinations of flowers and lots of interesting vessels. Now I'm on the hunt to incorporate some more unique vessels into my home and garden landscape. Here's a little inspiration to get me started.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

PS - Thank you all for the sweet comments and encouragements on my new column with Better Homes & Gardens! I'm thrilled to be working with the BHG garden team and I've got a lot of fun garden stuff ready to share!

Better Homes & Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hello friends! I've got some fun news for this Thursday morning. Starting today I'll be over on the Better Homes & Gardens Everyday Gardener blog every week sharing gardening inspiration and helpful tips and tricks! Today I'm sharing a bit about my love of gardening and the three women who've influenced my green thumb. Check it out!

I asked Allen to snap a quick picture of me in the garden for the post. Birch had to investigate what we were up to... He did not understand why I was sitting on the ground and why he couldn't sit in my lap.

Then Allen snapped this funny sequence as Birch found a (huge!) stick and ran circles around me... You can tell by my face I could hear him coming! Ha!

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Mother's Day Arrangements with Grocery Store Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:34:00 +0000

If you need a quick centerpiece arrangement or just need to drop off a little Happy Mother's Day bouquet for a friend, grab a few flowers from your local grocery or farmer's market. I got these ranunculus and hyacinths from Trader Joe's, I always seem to get lucky with flowers there! Here are a few tips for creating a simple, beautiful arrangement for a Mom in your life!

Start with the hyacinth (or other short, thick flower) to create a strong base and add ranunculus around the outside. Cut the stems at different lengths and place the ranunculus at various heights. Use a rubberband to hold the arrangement together at the base. Add extras from your garden or your neighbors garden! I added a little maidenhair fern and the one purple anemone I had from my blooms to add a little pop.

I placed a few ranunculus blooms and some maidenhair fern in your vase to create a base and fluff up the arrangement. You can do this before or after you add the arrangement, I did a bit of both.

Voila! Treat Mom to a lovely Mother's Day arrangement and she'll enjoy it all week long!

All The Spaces, Home Depot Style Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Have you been checking in on the HD Style Challenge this past month? It's so interesting to see how all the style challengers designed their spaces. Some design elements popped up in more than one space - string lights, anyone? And I spotted some really awesome and unique DIY projects, of course. I've compiled all the spaces here so you can see them all in one place! There are links to the Style Challenge posts on Home Depot and to the challengers blogs as well. Take a look around... You will be inspired, I promise!

Outdoor Entertaining from Brittany, BrittanyMakes

Oh, there's moi! (More here, here and here.)

Urban Balcony Ideas from Mandy, Fabric Paper Glue

Small Patio Decorating Ideas from Kelly, View Along The Way

Brick Patio Makeover from Bryn, Bryn Alexandra

Decorating with Color from Kristen, The Hunted Interior

Chic Outdoor Entertaining from Chassity, Look Linger Love

Small Patio Ideas from Courtney, Courtney Out Loud

Family Friendly Patio from Erika, BluLabel Bungalow

Poolside Patio Ideas from Cassie, Hi Sugarplum!

Colorful Balcony Ideas from Alex, Things That Sparkle

Front Porch Ideas from Grace, A Storied Style

Casual Eclectic Patio from Tobe, Because It's Awesome

Natural Patio Ideas from Erin, House of Earnest

Contemporary Backyard Patio by Lauren, Pure Style Home

Charming Courtyard Ideas from Hannah, Maple & Shade

Family Friendly Patio from Dana, House*Tweaking

Congratulations, Sis!

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:16:00 +0000

This past weekend was a fun one! My little sister, Anna, graduated from Furman University! It was a whirlwind of friends, tears, memories and ceremonies. I'm sure all the graduates are reeling today after graduation on Saturday and moving out of their apartments yesterday. I feel for them! Furman is such a special place and it's hard to leave, or more accurately, be ripped from the community you've known and loved for the past four years! I remember it vividly.

We love you, Anna, and are so proud of you!

Isn't she the cutest little graduate you've ever seen!

PS - As I was taking the top photo on the steps of the Furman Chapel, it hit me that so many important moments in my life, Anna's life, and therefore the lives of our families have happened on those steps. It was a heavy, happy thought!

PPS - I teased about this a few weeks ago, but Anna is coming to live with us next month! Look out for a whole slew of decorating projects since we're turning the basement into Anna's "Sister Suite" over the next few weeks.

Staghorn Ferns

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:54:00 +0000

I spotted my most recent garden obsession in a local garden center while Mom and I were walking around looking for inspiration and talking about ideas for the deck. It didn't make sense on our deck, but for a few days the staghorn fern was all I could think about! I called back later and the one I liked had already sold. But I'm still on the hunt to find one of these beauties. Where I'll put it, I have no idea. But I have to have one.

The uniquely shaped fronds obviously give staghorn ferns (also known as Platycerium) their name. Isn't it such a unique shape? I love how it attaches itself to such a small area, how does it do that?!

Would you ever hang one of these funny ferns in your house? Are there any other garden obsessions you've seen lately? I'd love to know.

PS - There's also a Staghorn fern in the background behind this sweet vizsla. Did you spot it?

images via flora grubb gardens / terrain / / design*sponge

Spring Swimsuit Refresh

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:21:00 +0000

I haven't been bathing suit shopping in like 3 summers... gasp! I think it's finally time to retire my trusty old orange seersucker and yellow polkadots. Here are a few J.Crew suits I've got my eye on for this summer. The green punk floral and red ruffles are my favorites. I'm hoping to hit up the neighborhood pool more often this spring and summer!

Shop these looks!

knot bandeau byzantine blue one piece / Ratti electric kiwi print top & bottom / Lomellina ruffled french top & bottom / Punk floral top & bottom / twist bandeau tropical guava one piece / polka dot bikini top & bottom

Baby Fever

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:40:00 +0000

I'll admit it... I think I've been feeling a bit of baby fever lately. When I see babies out in public I can't stop staring. My friend Jeanette and her precious daughter, Edith, are on my mind all the time. Sometimes when Claire and I are chatting about future babies, we wonder if the stars will align and we'll get pregnant around the same time.

images via Paul and Paula, Freshly Picked and The Alison Show

I vividly remember on my 25th birthday last year, I felt some kind of weird baby-twinge that I hadn't ever felt before. My Mom had me at 25 and I always figured that's what I'd do, too. It really got to me for some reason! Anyway, I turned 26 last week and I feel really great about this year. My husband, our careers, our home, our life together and eventually, starting a family. We're not quiiiiite ready so for now, I'll just keep going goo-goo-eyed every time I spot a chunky 6-month-old and sleep deprived mom at Starbucks.

flower printed dress / stripe bathing suit / boys t-shirt / green suede moccasins

PS - It probably doesn't help that every time I log onto Facebook, I see one or two pregnancy announcements and sonograms. One day last week I saw three in one day!

The Gibsons' Kitchen Renovation

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:08:00 +0000

For the past month or so, my best friend Claire, and her husband, Patrick, have been eating take-out and staying with family and friends. Their mostly DIY kitchen renovation is finally complete and I know Claire is happy to have a brand new, wood floor, clean grout, bright white kitchen! Claire loves to cook, so this was an appropriate reno for the sweet, little house they've lived in for 2 years in Nashville, TN. (Psst, here's there whole Home Tour.) Take a peek inside their brand new kitchen!

Here's Claire hilarious post when she live-blogged the demolition day!

And their precious vizsla pup, Cooper, was sniffing around every step of the way! (He looks just like our vizsla, Birch! They are related after all.)

And now... Hello, bright white! Subway tile, marble countertop, apron sink, fresh paint, can lighting, pendant light and new appliances! Claire details all the juicy details here.

Great job and congratulations on surviving your first renovation, Gibsons! We can't wait to come see it in person! We love y'all.

Garden Inspiration, Vol. 10

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:06:00 +0000

Happy Monday morning, friends! It was a mostly rainy weekend where we are. So that means we lazed around and watched a movie in the middle of the day (finally, Lincoln!) and a little too much tv. The rain also means that all the plants are fat and happy. A few plants still in their pots and not yet in the ground are ready to be planted. I've got paths on the brain because our backyard garden is taking shape, winding around the old pebble path that was basically the only thing in the yard when we moved in. We've added two areas to make it a circle and it's feeling really cozy. I'll snap a few photos when my late spring and summer blooms open up! In the meantime, here are a few things I'm loving.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Mother's Day Gift Ideas from Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:15:00 +0000

Mother's Day is right around the corner (Sunday, May 12th!) and I'm thinking up a few creative ways to wish all the moms in my life a very Happy Mother's Day! I was perusing Etsy for some unique gift ideas and these items made the top of my list. A vintage French bread basket? Yes, please. Paper flowers for happiness that won't fade? Thank you. And tiny colorful handmade vases from my friend Emily, The Object Enthusiast? Definitely.

PS - Emily is running a special coupon in honor of Mother’s Day, enter code LOVEMOM at checkout and save $5 off of your order of $20 or more!

1 / Vintage French Bread Basket

2 / Heart Shaped Serving Tray

3 / Paper Flowers

4 / Mint and Copper Ball Vase

5 / White Porcelain Salt Dish

DIY Concrete Table

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:50:00 +0000

One of my favorite diy projects from our deck is the concrete table that my father-in-law built. He builds a lot of things around The Curtis Casa, if you haven't noticed. Read on and I'll show you how he did it!

I had this old table frame and rotten top... I loved the shape and height of the base, it just needed a new surface. We thought about a few things, granite, wood, etc. But I really wanted to try a concrete project, since the Curtis men love concrete, and I love the sleek, gray look of it.

It was easy to unscrew the wood from the base (I did that part!) and be able to use the old tabletop as a form and size guide for the new tabletop.

Here's where Charles worked some handyman magic to build the frame.

Step 1: Trace the old shape.

Step 2: Build the walls of the frame.

Step 3: Connect the frame to MDF board or something similar. MDF board is pretty slick on one side, so we thought it would be a good surface.

Step 4: Caulk the corners to prevent the concrete from running through.

Step 5: Mix the concrete. (Here's where it helps to have someone who is familiar with concrete!)

Step 6: Spread vegetable oil all around, on all sides of your form.
Step 7: Pour in the concrete.

Step 8: Use a 2x4 or piece of wood to level out the top of the form. The "top" while it's in the form will actually be the underneath side of the tabletop when it's finished.

Step 9. Do this a few times, in all directions.

Another tip from a concrete pro: Lightly knock the sides of the form with a hammer or tool to vibrate the concrete and get rid of air bubbles.

We let the concrete harden in the garage for about 4 days before we took the form off, and another 2 or 3 days of hardening without the form. I wanted to make sure it was fully cured and strong and wouldn't break when we placed it in the table base! We set it on top of the base to get a feel for the size, and we only needed to sand of a few irregular edges to get a perfect fit!

The concrete block is about 2 inches thick and once it's in the base about 1 inch is visible. I love the look! The best part is that the concrete can take a lot of wear and tear, so I don't feel bad leaving it out in the rain or getting dirt all over it. I love it!

Happy Birthday to Me!

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:00:00 +0000

I enjoyed a fabulous birthday today! Complete with morning coffee with my husband, another quick coffee with a dear friend, a roadtrip to one of my favorite cities (Greenville, SC), four hours in the car to chat with one of my best friends, plus more coffee, visiting my sister at Furman on her last day of class (she graduates next week! ah!), and wrapping up with my favorite fish tacos and margaritas on Canton Street with my husband. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world and I know 26 is going to be a great year. Thank you guys for all the love and birthday wishes today!

Background image via Natalie Stopka

Custom Iron Posts

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Today I'm sharing a little more detail on the custom iron posts that we had made for our deck project! I've told you about our awesome friend, Noah, who makes really awesome things out of iron. He made the C's for our wedding and I just got an awesome shelf for the extended kitchen area - you know, for phone charging, pretty flower arrangements, and laptop storage for my grad school husband. (Photos coming!)

These iron posts for the lights were my fabulous Mom's idea. Aren't they awesome?!

We previously had the lights strung on the railing as you can see in the photo below, but wanted to step it up a notch for the style challenge!

I love everything about these iron structures...

Allen measured the center of the top of the railing posts and screwed them in with long screws. I thought they were deck screws but Allen corrected me yesterday that they're not specifically deck screws - just really long ones. We couldn't find flat top screws (whatever they're called) that would fit so we ended up using round ones that will rust a little bit, which I kind of like.

We started first with just one strand of lights and it looked good, but needed a little something more. So we added a second strand for the final look!

PS - Here's the whole space we did for the Home Depot Style Challenge!

BOSTON

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:15:00 +0000

I have only been to Boston once. I was there for only about 24 hours, two years ago, for work. I have only run a few races, a few 5K runs, a handful of 10Ks, and one half-marathon. And with only these small connections, I long to connect with Boston today. We all do. Doesn't that say something remarkable about the human spirit? That we feel the pain of others, we hurt for them and we long to connect? I was talking with two dear friends, Caroline and Danielle, today while we were glued to the television, about this very subject. Dear friends and deep conversations are a comfort during dark days like this.

It doesn't feel right to post a normal, happy-go-lucky, look-at-this-pretty-picture blog post today. My conversations with Caroline and Danielle and our heavy hearts reminded me of that. Praying for peace and comfort for those in Massachusetts.

Painting Watching Trees by Clare Elsaesser on Etsy

Home Tour: The Browns' Well-Lit High Rise in Atlanta, GA

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

When our friends Collins and Cassidy told us they'd be moving out of their comfortable, concrete high rise in midtown, Cassidy and I hurried up and planned the photoshoot we'd been talking about. I love this home tour. The way Cassidy warmed up the concrete walls and floors is impressive! Keep reading to see how she did it.

With an eye for layering and detail, Cassidy masterfully created this living space around the wall of windows that lets in so much wonderful light. I love the way Cassidy filled the wall on the left with curvy, antique furniture (and lots and lots of books!) to contrast with the concrete walls.

I love how Cassidy layered three rugs on top of one another, as you can see in the photo below. She's got a high pile on the bottom, a light kilim in the middle and a furry sheepskin on top. Talk about cozy.

When you enter the apartment, there's a long hallway before you enter the open kitchen and living area. Cassidy created two great galleries of special artwork, including a chalkboard where the couple keeps a running list of things they're thankful for. Cassidy said the giraffe head is her favorite part! She got it at West Elm for super cheap because it was damaged, his little ear had fallen off, but she just glued it right back on. Voila.

They also have this warning as you walk in the door. Only hugs, smiles and warm fuzzy feelings allowed in their house! Awesome.

And the next time I need a little bar cart styling, I know who I'm going to ask for help... Cassidy easily spread out her kitchen and bar storage with two tall bakers racks turned bar carts. What a fabulous idea!

The dining area blends so well with the rest of the space. I love the mixed up chairs and the mix of iron and wood. Their massive dining table is a really special family heirloom, and I love the heavy wood look next to those concrete walls.

Collins and my husband were roommates in college (and childhood friends!) and I remember one thing about Collins' side of the apartment. It was messy. Just kidding. But really, I remember Collins having lots and lots of books! And it looks like his book-worm tendency is still in full force, the Browns made a whole library out of the long window sill.

Thank you, Brown family, for letting me photograph and share your lovely home! We can't wait to see what you create in your next place. Housewarming party, anyone?!

Oh and the view of Atlanta from the Browns' top floor apartment is awesome. It was a bit overcast the day I was there, but you can just see some of the Buckhead skyline in the distance. Plus, that old brick smokestack is one of my favorite landmarks in Atlanta!

PS - See more of my friends' featured home tours here.

Grill Corner

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

One of our favorite parts of the deck project with Home Depot is our new grill. If there's a grill involved, you know the man of the house is super pumped! We got a Charbroil Classic with foldable side shelves and a cabinet door to protect (and cover up) the propane tank. If y'all are looking for a new grill for summer parties and cookouts, we definitely recommend this one. We've been using it non-stop!

The Gro-Vert vertical garden is also a fun addition to the deck. I filled it with herbs for easy access while grilling, but you can totally plant it with flowers or succulents or whatever strikes your fancy.

We struggled with how and where to attach the planter - on the house might have been a little too slanted, the siding is slanted, ya know. So we remembered a linen closet door that we had taken off a closet in the basement. I loved the contrast of the white and that it's now a mobile vertical garden! Allen attached the vertical garden and we leaned it up against the house in the "grill corner" - I love it!

Charbroil Classis 22G1 Grill c/o CharBroil & The Home Depot, Gro-Vert Vertical garden c/o The Home Depot. Blue and white napkins (left) from West Elm.

The Deck Project Video

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:08:00 +0000

Thank you all for your excitement about the little deck project we did with the help of The Home Depot. If you haven't seen it yet, you can see the full post here, I'd love for you to leave a comment and share it on Facebook! And the detail on all the plants and flowers we chose is here. I shot some footage of the process (and the five trips to HD!) on my iPhone and put together this video. It's my first one, and it was so fun to put together!

Video footage shot with my iPhone. Music by Trimountaine licensed from With Etiquette. Porch furniture c/o The Home Depot, Neutral + multi-colored dot pillows from Ikea, Embroidered puebla pillow from West Elm, Outdoor rug from World Market.

PS - Thanks Jenner Brown and The Alison Show for the video tips at Alt!

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The Deck + The Plants

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:21:00 +0000

Here's the breakdown on the plants we chose for our deck project with The Home Depot! I'm kind of a green thumb, so we spent a lot of time and budget on this part of the design.

Weeping Yoshino Cherry Tree: Since we wanted a colorful bohemian vibe, the weeping yoshino cherry tree was a really whimsical choice that felt great in the space. The weeping branches fall into the seating area for a really romantic look.

Paddle Plant: This giant succulent is a really neat structural addition. I just love the color and shape. Oh and that's a DIY aged terra cotta pot it's in!

White Geranium: I haven't always loved geraniums, but I really fell in love with the shape of these leaves!

White Hydrangea: Who doesn't love a traditional, white hydrangea? We added a mound of moss to top off the dirt that I think really makes it pop. Just a little trick to make it look like the hydrangea's been there a while.

Marguerite Daisy (left) & Pot Carnation (right): These two fuchsia plants were little additions to accent the color of the rug and feature these great Burl Craig pots belonged to my grandmother and are over 100 years old.

Boxwood & Angelina Stonecrop: I have a couple of boxwoods in my backyard garden that are doing really well, so I knew another boxwood would do well. In this bright blue container they look great paired with the chartreuse of the angelina stonecrop. (This one has just exploded in the recent warm spring weather we've been having in Atlanta!)

The Deck, Home Depot Style Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:59:00 +0000

Today is the day, my friends! I'm so excited to show you the deck makeover we did with The Home Depot. We had a great time putting all the details together. And a HUGE thank you to my wonderful Mom who spent hours and hours with me on this! Head over to The Home Depot blog to see the full space!

Porch furniture c/o The Home Depot, Neutral + multi-colored dot pillows from Ikea, Embroidered puebla pillow from West Elm, Outdoor rug from World Market.

PS - Lots and lots of details to come in the days and weeks to come!

DIY Bowl Planter

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:42:00 +0000

A few factors made this a super easy DIY for me to knock out in a day - the easiest is that my fabulous Father-in-law did the hard part! Read on to see how I made this bowl planter from a wok pan, inspired by this pretty pin!

I bought a cheap wok pan a while ago, (for the one asian dish that I make - pad thai!) and the base started peeling. Bummer. The bigger bummer is that it also started catching fire! See those red areas hitting right at the gas flame? Yeah. That's definitely dangerous. I asked Allen if I could throw it away in the normal trash and he's so smart, he said "Why don't you make something out of it?" Duh. I immediately knew what I wanted to do - I grabbed my succulent wreath and made sure it fit...

Turns out those handles are pretty securely attached. I couldn't budge them so I called in the big guns - Charles, my father-in-law.

He took the wok pan to his basement workshop and figured out how to remove the handles and drilled a hole in the bottom for drainage.

I wanted to spray paint the exterior so Charles suggested some metal sandpaper. I roughed up the outside just enough to take the sheen off and spray painted it teal.

My diy succulent wreath has been the centerpiece on our dining table for months while its roots grew in, (I'll show you what it looked like hanging too!) so I was ready to switch it out. The wreath wide fit perfectly in the wok plan, so I just filled the center with soil and planted a few extra succulents I had around the house. (From this planter and this one.)

The bowl shape is really pretty for a garden planter and the holes around the sides are neat to show that it wasn't always just a bowl. Keep an eye out at your favorite thrift stores for old pans and bowls!

PS - Iris the kitty-cat didn't realize she was such a model! Here's her story. She would never let me hold her like that now.

Deck Project, Sneak Peek #2

noreply@blogger.com (whitney @ thecurtiscasa) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:12:00 +0000

Oh, I can hardly wait to show you all the space we pulled together for The Home Depot Style Challenge! (Here's sneak peek #1.) I love love love what we came up with and can't wait to see what y'all think. It's way colorful and outside my normal neutral comfort zone, but I'm in love with it. Here's just one sneak peek to tide you over! The full post miiiight just be going up at the end of this week. Check back to see the full reveal!

PS - I'm part of The Home Depot Style Challenge. Patio furniture c/o The Home Depot.

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