@abasket our bedroom is like that too, with the addition of a French door that goes to nowhere! We thought there was a sleeping porch originally but we found the plans with no porch!
In my experience, hiring an architect/landscape architect is usually money well spent.
My favorite HGTV show of all time is Curb Appeal, because it showed interesting before and afters of projects that always combined architecture and gardening. I wish theyād bring it backā¦
We landscaped the bare .8 acre grounds around our House1 OURSELVES, both the front and the back yards. We did hire a crew to took down the dead Douglas fir and the guy who shredded the leftover stump that was too much for Mr. to handle. It took us forever, but the results were so awesome people would ask us who did the design. 
@BunsenBurner I had not thought about swapping out a pump. That might work.
I spent way too much money last summer digging up my entire front yard rebuilding the front walks and adding a tiny little patio under the cherry tree. But now Iām very thankful that thereās relatively little that needs doing this year except watch it take form.
Lots of 1920s houses around here have sleeping porches, though most have been enclosed. Our house had a room off our master bedroom that always mystified us. It was about ten feet wide and five feet deep. But it never had lots of windows. It had one window. We use it as a closet, but it wasnāt set up that way and there was another closet in the room. I think it might have been an infant nursery.
I enjoy working in my gardens, but I have my landscape guy make new beds for me. Iām supposed to have a new bed (around 50 ft long/15-20 ft wide put in between my house and a neighborās this spring. Itās got to be built up - so a huge amount of garden top soil and mulch brought in.
But, might have to stay bare of shrubs/plants until fall or next spring.
My sister helped me design the first bed I did years ago. She is a certified landscape designer. But, once she taught me a few general ārulesā Iāve designed them all.
I do a lot of repeating of specific plants throughout all my beds as I donāt like hodgepodge look.
My climbing rose has new shoots! Iām so excited and hope that in a year or so I can start training it into a bower over the patio. Still mulling over the perfect way to do this. The patio gets a lot of shade from the trees in the morning but can get blazing hot in the afternoon.
Sadly, the 3 packets of seeds that I was expecting to receive in the mail this week have all been lost. I had great plans as we are predicted to have perfect gardening weather this weekend.
Itās a bit suspicious that all of them have been mislaid. I hate to think that someone stole them but I donāt know what else to assume ?
ETA: accidentally posted before I was done typing.
We have a pretty great outdoor set up. Weāve got a big deck that winds around the back of our house and into a covered breezeway between our house and attached garage.
Weāve got a sofa/conversation set arranged under the roofed area, complete with large potted plants, string lights and an assortment of wall hangings from our various travels. It really is the coolest, coziest little hangout spot (perfect for reading and napping or entertaining a small group).
Out on the open part of the deck, weāve got a large sectional and coffee table and another chair or two for a larger conversation area. The two areas are just a few feet apart, so when we entertain larger groups, they function like two parts of a big room.
We have a small patio right off the deck where we keep our firepit and a couple of Adirondack chairs. This gets used much less frequently than the other spots, though my teens like hanging out there with their friends.
The only thing we are really missing out there is a spot for outdoor dining. Years ago we had a set up for it, but I found it to be a pain to haul everything outside and then back inside after a meal, so we rarely used it.
Eating outside (without the bother of bugs) is one of my greatest joys in life! Whether itās here on our deck or on a picnic table overlooking the lake as the sun starts to go down it is my idea of life at its best.
My other related pleasure once the weather is warm enough is to eat breakfast outside on the weekends. I get up , exercise , shower and then make a good breakfast. My H is not one to join so these days I love the coolness of the summer mornings out there and itās the perfect way to start the day.
Yes to all of this.
Iād really appreciate your collective input on outdoor space. My neighbor uses their outdoor fire pit every night. I cannot be outside at all during this time, and really miss the beautiful nights in my outdoor space. I canāt even open my windows. Evidently I have a reaction to the smoke. Eyes water. Throat gets quite irritated. Is it too much to ask him to potentially only use it a limited number of days? One of those awkward neighbor issues.
@greenwitch We have bells from Acrosanti too. I have them on a deck off the master bedroom. I love the sound.
@kjofkw thatās an awkward situation for you. Honestly, I have to wonder why they are burning nightly. Are they burning wood? - must be for it to bother your eyes.
I donāt know, I feel like I would try and address it with them somehow. Do you get along with them? If they started it later in the evening would that help you?
We have a fire pit but honestly itās limited nights we use it. Definitely not more than once a week.
We added a screen porch a few years ago and it was the best decision ever. Last year we expanded the deck and added a patio with a firepit. Now I wish weād sprung for a propane firepit but at the time, the costs just kept escalating so we tried to economize there.
The SIP has a sectional and 2 chairs and a table that seats 4 of us for dinner. It is our favorite place to hang out in the afternoons. Sometimes I even work out there.
I just ordered an elevated garden bed. I think this year instead of planting herbs in pots I will do them in the bed and maybe have room for more. I do not garden, am not good at it and do not enjoy it. Except for looking at photos and saying āyes, I like that.ā
I will order some annuals, pretty basic, and put them in pots for color. That is the extent of what I can do on my own!
^^^ That sounds very lovely and plenty of effort!
Put together our adirondack chairs this morning, easy peasy! Great color and quality. I being picky though and donāt want to put them out until itās a nice day - not this cool, gray day!!
Mr. assembled my new planters! Yay. Our deck is slowly being transformed into a garden.
H is really expanding the outside garden. Awaiting soil for some pots. Can you believe some okra seeds that were at least 10 years old grew? I told him it was the dry climate here that kept them usable. Also waiting in a few days for a hydroponics garden that will go in the attached greenhouse.
Loving the deck furniture we have but may need to replace the seats. Last year replaced some with Costco sunbrella pads and they are great.
Painted the outside table and 2 chairs Santa Fe blue and bought odd size pads from wayfair. Unfortunately, the gnats and flies are out now and the mosquitoes will follow. It really is too windy to add a screened in porch.
I love my little statues I have in the back yard and would like to expand that. Any ideas where to get online?
^^ Not sure about statues! They would probably be heavy to ship???
Finished spraying all our wrought iron deck furniture. I told my H to pat me on the back because I do this every other year or so and 20+ years later it still looks great and I still love our furniture.
I trashed dived earlier in the week by finding a wood adirondack chair on my walk someone had at the curb. It had one bad seat board but the rest was fine - even cute! - narrower back slats and though solid not as enormous and heavy as some adirondack chairs. D2 sanded it , primed it and painted it today and will take it back to her apt for her front porch - it looks fantastic!
We put some of our deck and patio furniture out yesterday. That made me very happy.
Unfortunately, after today, our forecast is dreadful for the next week or so.
Iāve picked up quite a few āfindsā on my walks over the years.
Iām typing from my new reading nook on my sunporch! I rearranged the furniture and brought down a chaise that was in our bedroom. I also disguised the ugly broken radiator with white washed shutters that were sitting in our basement and a pretty dish towel. Iām sooooo happy!
I also painted the exterior vent of the radiator with left over outdoor paint that was in the basement. I sponge painted a blue base and then turned the vent openings into sunflowers. Such a nice improvement!
Itās supposed to get cold again tomorrow but Iām happy to have today!