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Save Water This Summer

August 2nd, 2010

We are all aware of the country’s dire need for clean water. The summer months are especially tough for dry southern areas, including southern California and the entire southwest. A few simple changes can affect your overall water use immensely. This summer, make the most of your water consumption with the following tips on water conservation.

  • Turn off the faucet – Whether you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or cooking, simply turning the water off when you’re not directly using it can save untold gallons.

  • Reuse where you can – Catch the water your shower wastes while you’re waiting for the temperature to warm up. This water can be reused to water houseplants or for pets.
  • Go natural – Collect rain. Water collection units are a great way to catch and store 40-80 gallons of water at a time. Additionally, these units can serve as decorative accents and are easily camouflaged so they will not ruin your outdoor aesthetic.

  • Work with nature, not against it – Water the lawn early in the morning. By getting up a few minutes earlier, you cash in on the help provided by natural dew that accumulates on grass and other plants and can save up to 25 gallons of water a day.
  • Wait – Only wash full loads of laundry or dishes. By just waiting for enough dirty items to accumulate you can save 15 to 50 gallons of water per load.

  • Get in and get out – Shortening showers by only one minute saves up to 5 gallons a day.
  • Sweep - Use a broom to clean off sidewalks and driveways. Hosing them down just wastes water that can be used for the lawn or washing the car. It also adds more sewage to storm drains which ultimately flow into the ocean. Sweeping helps save water and prevents water pollution.

  • Fake is great – Install artificial grass. With ever expanding technology, artificial turf looks better and feels more natural than ever before. Plus, it goes without saying that it requires absolutely zero watering to maintain its color and quality.

  • Take a page from Mother Nature’s playbook – Use native plants in your outdoor landscaping. Plants that are indigenous to your area typically require little care and water. Save yourself time and save the community some water while still maintaining a natural outdoor feel in your backyard or patio.

  • Take up space - Decorative fountains can be a great centerpiece for a patio or lawn and can take up space where grass might normally be needed. While fountains do require some water initially, they require little refilling and provide aesthetic appeal and soothing tones while not wasting water.

 

To be sure, one individual or household is not expected to take advantage of 100% of this advice. However, if everyone does a little to help conserve water, we will all be doing ourselves, our communities and our planet a big favor. Do your share this summer to ensure that our water sources are around for generations to come.

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Posted in Home and Garden Ideas, Outdoor, Uncategorized, going green | No Comments »

Hide Anything in Your Backyard

July 19th, 2010

Do you ever look out into your backyard and wish that that unsightly eyesore ruining your perfect landscape would magically disappear? Artificial rocks are a perfect to solution to any visual conundrum. With both natural looking and aesthetically appealing they are also durable, sturdy and ready for anything. As they come in a variety of shapes and colors, the ideal fit is not difficult to find. Here are some ideas for how to take your backyard or walkway from an eyesore to eye candy.

Hide Outdoor Plumbing
Use a rock to hide ugly centrifugal pumps, irrigation valves or septic lids or cleanouts. These outdoor necessities definitely have their purpose in our lives and we probably would miss them if they were gone; however, we don’t necessarily have them in sight for them to do their job. Not only do they take away from the visual purity of our landscapes, but they can also be dangerous if located in a busy walking area or if small children play near them. A low to the ground rock is an easy solution. Not only does it eliminate the eye sore, but it can also completely change the focal point of your landscape. Now, instead of wishing the traces of indoor plumbing would disappear, you can easily forget about them.

Address Plaques
Do people visiting your home ever complain that they can’t read the faded address number spray painted on the curb or can’t find the numbers hung next to the garage? Make things easier for everyone by installing an address plaque rock. The unique flat surface lends itself nicely to the addition of numbers or characters while the size, shape and color of the rock still look and feel like the real thing. Add a solar powered lighting source next to the rock and never hear a guest complain about driving aimlessly up and down the street looking for your house again.

Pool equipment
We all love our backyard pools…or our neighbor’s pools. Again though, there are certain upkeep and plumbing realities that may spoil the aesthetic beauty we’ve tried so hard to achieve in our backyards. Pool filters, pump equipment and even large wells can be completely hidden from view with some of the larger rock models. So instead of trying to camoflague unattractive hardware with a good imagination, simply cover the whole thing up with a easy-to-install and readily relocated rock.

Hoses
Rocks aren’t the only way to hide all those things you’d rather not look at. A unique turtle or frog shaped hose hider makes outdoor clean-up a snap while cleverly disguising clutter and potentially dangerous gardening tools and hoses. Stop looking at shovels, picks, trowels and hoses strewn about the yard and hide them nicely, neatly and cleanly under a cute little garden animal.

Sometimes you just need to change the flavor of your backyard, or decorate an empty space. A rock can be an understated accent to a garden scene or a flower bed that will not take away from the natural beauty. The authentic colors and real life shapes make these rocks perfect additions to any patio, backyard or walkway and can be easily moved as easily and as often as you change your mind.

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Featured in Outdoor Rooms Magazine

May 18th, 2010

Although temperatures may be warming and it may feel like summer’s upon us, the official day of summer isn’t until June 21st, which gives you just enough time to give your backyard that new look.  Outdoor Rooms is a Better Homes and Gardens special interest publication and their theme for this months magazine is “Take a Vacation in Your Own Backyard.” Throughout this issue, they are giving readers a “Passport to Style” through different types of backyards and since Backyard X-Scapes is all about helping you to “Create Your Great Escape,” they featured many of our products.

Jane Austin McKeon (Outdoor Rooms Editor) describes the essence of summer entertaining and backyard enjoyment perfectly.
““My favorite time of year to entertain is summer.  A barefoot and blue jeans sort of girl, I would much rather wave the neighbors over for a spur-of-the-moment glass of wine on the front porch or serve a picnic-style supper for my family on the deck than put a lot of planning and primping into a fancy dining room affair. Backyards cater to impromptu entertaining.”

Tropical flare and that “Polynesian Pop” never goes out of style.  Outdoor rooms showed that with some colorful elements, playful arrangements and various lively foliage, you can create a vibrant island getaway right in your backyard.  Some of the products used included Tiki Signs, Bamboo Signs, an African Thatch umbrella kit, a stainless steel BBQ island, tiki statues, and a pool table for easy entertaining.

Some key components in creating your outdoor island paradise include:
Water: The sounds of falling water create a relaxing ambiance while also visually adding movement to your still backyard.
Structure: Umbrella kits, awnings and Tiki Bars, provide more than just shade to the elements.  They are the physical focal points that instantly transform your backyard into the desired theme, while also creating a gathering location for entertaining.
Artwork: Paintings can create dimension, set a theme, and act like windows in opening or containing certain spaces.  If you happen to live in a climate that cannot grow certain tropical plants, trying hanging up artwork that includes the same texture and color qualities.
Decor: One of the hardest things in re-decorating is sticking to one consistent theme.  While some items can work with multiple themes, such as bamboo can be used for an Asian infused garden or a Tropical Paradise, others may not be so versatile.  For the tropical look, decorate with tiki masks or tiki statues. If you have an old fence that doesn’t compliment your desired theme, bamboo fencing can be an inexpensive solution that doesn’t require that much investment or commitment.

Continuing with the tropical theme, also featured were our products that can help to “Tiki-ify” your backyard.  Products shown include our 12″ Tiki Statue, African Thatch umbrella kit, Tiki Signs and a bamboo bench.

To see all of the wonderful backyard ideas and more of how our products were used, pick up the summer issue of Outdoor Rooms magazine.

Posted in Home and Garden Ideas, Outdoor, Press, Uncategorized, bamboo | No Comments »

The Many Ways You Can Use Bamboo Fencing

January 11th, 2010

The trend of eco-friendly living has spawned the positive trend of using Bamboo and a building material.  Incredibly versatile, bamboo is being used commercially to produce everything from roofing and bridges to towels, bedsheets and cutting boards.  What makes bamboo “green” is it’s ability to grow incredibly fast, unlike  traditional woods.

We wanted to focus on one specific product that can be versatile to use in an infinite amount of ways.  Here are 5 different ways in which Bamboo fencing can be used.

In Place of Traditional Fencing

Rather than going through the hassle and costly efforts of replacing an old fence, bamboo fencing is a cost effective way to give your old chain link fence or brick wall a brand new look.  The rolled bamboo fencing is connected by a sturdy galvanized wire, so bending it and customizing it to match various landscape terrains is easy.  Installation takes a fraction of the time that installing a new fence would, and bamboo offers a unique look which is different from the traditional planked wood fencing.

Accenting Your Patio

Your front or backyard patio serves as a place for you to escape from the rest of the world and relax on those beautiful Sunday mornings or after a hectic day at work.  Rather than the typical white picket fencing, try adding a bit of tropical flare by using bamboo as fencing for your front porch, or even as a roof for your patio.  Typical awnings and wood floorings are not only expensive but can be costly and time consuming to replace or maintain as well.

Adding Feng Shui to Your Home or Garden

Although many of us cannot take off at a moment’s notice for an across the world getaway, you can create a place of Zen at home.  It is said when enhancing the Feng Shui in your home, that bamboo and water have both healing and energy balancing properties.  Simple elements such as live bamboo plants, a pond or rock garden and bamboo fencing to enclose your garden, can instantly create an exotic place for you to escape to.

Decorating Walls

The common misconception is that bamboo fencing is meant for outdoor use.  The magic of bamboo is it’s versatile ability to enhance and adapt to any decor.  Rather than committing to a color of paint and spending a day prepping your walls, try accenting with various colors of bamboo fencing and hanging your favorite artwork.  In addition to adding a new look to your room, you’ll also be adding a textural dimension to your walls.

Using Your Imagination

As we mentioned earlier, bamboo can be used for an infinite amount of things.  When you purchase a roll of bamboo fencing, you are not limited to just outdoor fencing uses.  Our bamboo fencing can be used in place of driveway gates, as room dividers, accenting ends of a baby crib or even as decorative roofing.

No matter your decorating style, modern, industrial, classic or contemporary, by incorporating bamboo, you are infusing a unique and tropical look while also promoting the use of a renewable resource.

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Posted in Home and Garden Ideas, bamboo, going green | 1 Comment »

Creating a Tropical Look Indoors

November 6th, 2009

One of the most frequent questions we get asked on a daily basis is “can I use your tropical decor for indoors?”  Although our popular bamboo products, pottery and thatch items are built to be able to handle the outdoor environment, their function is just as versatile indoors.  Here are some tips on how to create that tropical flare to any room.

Color and Texture
In our past articles we’ve mentioned that one of the first things before decorating anything or anywhere, you want to establish a color scheme.  Since your aim is a tropical look, you will want natural tones that exist in items such as bamboo, thatch or bamboo rugs and contrast them with bright and bold island colors such as red, yellow, pinks and blues.  Keep in mind that this does not mean to use every bright color palette available, it’s best to select a couple and work in variations of each.  Flowers, pottery, and fountains have a magical way of adding color without being overbearing.  Items such as bamboo poles and slats can add texture by acting as moldings along your ceilings and floor.  You can even turn your entire room into one big Tiki hut, by lining a runner roll of thatch along the wall ceilings.

Remember that since you are using neutral tones in your bamboo and thatch, that you want to use a contrasting paint color for your walls.  Dark chocolate browns, blues and greens work wonderfully against neutral tones.

Accents and Details

The easiest way to infuse tropical flare into a room, is through an array of accessories such as Tiki Signs or Tiki Statues.  Although the general idea is to bring out an island look to the space, you want to think about the feeling you want to get from this area.  Various tiki statues promote everything from love, luck, happiness to even protection.  Some individuals prefer to have a relaxing peaceful area that they can escape to in order to have a stay at home vacation.  Others may enjoy a lively room that will play music and entertain company.  Depending on your purpose, your decorating will follow accordingly.

Bamboo panels for your wall with additions of indoor palm trees will help provide that relaxing atmosphere.  For a lively fun area that screams “entertainment”, you may want to hang up some Polynesian wall art or tiki signs with fun slogans such as “Tiki Bar, Island Bar, Surf’s Up or even Clothing Optional.”

So the next time you’re in our store or surfing through our website and shopping to create that backyard paradise, have an extra look at items that will help you bring that paradise indoors as well.

Mahalo!

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Posted in Home and Garden Ideas | 3 Comments »

“Hard to Kill Plants” for Your Home and Garden

September 16th, 2009

In our recent articles “How to Create Your Own Backyard Tropical Paradise” and “Decorating a Small Space” we discussed how plants add life, color and deep textures to a space or landscape. Just like in any design or landscaping project, planting and gardening also presents many challenges and elements to consider. The myth is that plants need only water and sunlight to survive, which depending on the light is very untrue. Many plants are more sensitive to their habitats than others. Nutrients, amount of sunlight, types of water, climate and pests are all factors that affect the health of your garden. Another aspect is that many new home owners or residents in studios or apartments may not have a “green thumb” or know the basics on how to care for plants.

All of these factors often leave people thinking that they are unlucky with plants or do not have the time and patience to tend to them, when it could just be inadequate sunlight or improper climate for the particular plant they are raising. There are many plants for the home and garden that are classified as “hard to kill”, “low maintenance” or “easy plants”. These plants are often of the toughest species that are durable and can endure varying climate changes, sporadic watering, and even lack of sunlight. The following plants can help bloom life into your home and garden and still survive on days where you may be occupied with other tasks.

Baby’s Breath
babys-breath-web
Often dried for potpourri or used to accent bouquets of flowers, these small white flowers can handle sunny conditions and dry to even sandy soil. When planted with other greenery or in bunches, the white clusters of flowers add quite the delicate accent.

Aloe

aloe_vera

Often seen in hand lotions and sunblock, Aloe is quite known for it’s healing properties in which it possesses within it’s leaves.  Easy to maintain, Aloe grows with thick leaves that are reminiscent of the textures on cactus.  Having this plant not only adds a visual dynamic to any space, but it also provides a convenient source for Aloe Vera to treat cuts, burns and scrapes.

Ivy (English, Persian, Irish)

english-ivy

Ivy is one of the easiest plants to grow and take care of.  There are many types of Ivy that vary in color, vine thickness and leaf texture but the most popular ones are have the “bird footed” style leaf.  Add a trellis or structure to have your Ivy grow along it.  The best thing about Ivy is that it does not need that much water, so don’t over water it, and it thrives in low sunlight.

Marsh Marigolds

marsh_m

Vibrant in color, these beautiful flowers love swampy, wet and boggy areas.  For climates in which have plentiful rainfall or constant ground moisture, these plants are perfectly suited for ditches, streams or even in a garden pond.

Globe Thistle

2114-echinops-ritro-globe-thistle

These unique plants bloom a flowers that are striking in color and texture and can instantly add life to any backyard.  Their ideal environment has plenty of sun.  One of the benefits of this plant is how strong it roots into the ground, gardeners often plant the Globe Thistle to combat soil erosion.  So once planted and rooted, these beauties will prove resilient against wind.

Wood Fern

wood_fern

This lush fern will add bountiful texture to your backyard, and instantly livens up any landscape.  Highly versatile, this plant adapts to most environments and grows vibrantly in shade and dry soil.

Cacti

cacti

There is a frequent misconception that Cacti are only still trunks covered prickly spikes, but many bloom flowers and have beautiful structures.  These plants can live with very little water and in extremely dry or hot settings.  For those that live in areas that lack rainfall, these drought resistant plants will give you a green and textured landscape and save you money on watering.

The California Poppy

california_poppy_eschscholzia_californica

For such a delicate and elegant flower, it is amazing that these flowers can thrive in poor soils, extreme sun and heat.  Typically seen in meadows, because of their vibrant color, they can also add a tropical and exotic element to any backyard.

Although all plants have tendencies and things they require to be grow healthy, these among many other plants are easy to tend for and still deliver a beautiful element to your home and garden.

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Posted in Home and Garden Ideas | 8 Comments »

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