New Arbors and Other Happenings 'Round the Garden

Hello, all!  Thank you for popping in.  Today, I want to share with you some decorative elements I have added to the garden, as well as other happenings.  Won't you join me?  I do hope you enjoy!

Just a sparse few weeks ago, I decided to add a few more decorative elements to the garden.  As this will be my foray into the second season of what I deem to be true gardening (meaning I am actually trying to cultivate a real garden with beauty and purpose), I continue to marvel at what a difference a few weeks make!

First, I added an arbor over the statue in my favorite corner of the garden.  The arbor is a coordinating piece from the Plow and Hearth Montebello Collection.  You may view it on the Wayfair website here.

It is from the same collection of the garden gate I added when I initially built my garden.  You may view that post here.

The grape vines on my property return faithfully every season, so here, it was no surprise to me how lush they would become.  This is a look when I first added the arbor,

and some shots of the progress over a just a few short weeks (four to five).

A couple of shots by one of my daughters:

I cannot wait until the Summer fruit comes in, and there are already signs!

I am elated the arbor is almost completely filled in!   I had to train the vines and anchor them to the arbor with ties, so it did require a bit of finagling, but I am ecstatic with how it is coming along.

I also decided I wanted to add another trellising arbor on the small path at the rear of the garden.  Again, the arbor is from the Plow and Hearth Montebello Collection.  You can view it at Wayfair here.

Here is a look at my roses, how they typically show each year.  

Here is how the path looked before I gave it a refresh.  The roses were just about to start blooming here.

It looks much more romantic with a freshened path and the addition of the arbor!  Here are a few shots over a couple of weeks' progress:

The roses are trellising wonderfully!

My next step will be the deadheading process to promote more growth.

Now, onto the other happenings!

If you have been here before, you may have read in this post how I planted Heirloom White Eden Roses on either side of the gate/trellis at the entry of the garden.  Here is a look at the beginning of this Spring when they were just starting to climb.

A few weeks on, and the roses have practically exploded!!

The roses have bloomed so much, I am contemplating cutting them back!  I am hoping they will climb more...time will tell.

Right now however, I am taking it all in.

Here's a lovely shot my daughter caught one recent evening.

The hydrangeas in my hand-built planters are coming along nicely, but I usually don't see blooms until later in the Summer.

Hello, little friend!

The fruit trees have gone from near barren,

to blossoms galore...

to early signs of fruit,

to pretties almost perfect for picking.

My Plumbago never disappoint, always starting with pretty white blooms,

and then bursting with a combination of both blue and white.

Just like the grapes and Plumbago, the Bougainvillea has returned,

as have the Mexican Petunias.

Even the Birds of Paradise have done well this year. 

Do you tinker in the garden?

Hope to see you soon,

--Y

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Old World Charm: Brilliant Brass, Wrought Iron, and Pretty Details in the Kitchen

Hello, bloggy pals and beyond!  I hope everyone is enjoying the final leg of winter as we get closer to the beauty of Spring!

Recently, I was reading and came across a few design articles which stated mixed metals in kitchens are all the rage for 2025.  I typically don't subscribe to any stringent décor specifics per se, (ie: if you have French décor, you MUST have grain sacks) because it can become a bit cliché; I feel if your space makes you happy, then go for it!  However, mixing metals and other decorative elements is definitely a trend I can get behind!

Some time ago, I shared that we had begun the long, arduous task of remodeling our kitchen (and doing the work ourselves, yikes).  In this post, I shared that over several months, I had amassed numerous pieces of antique hardware for the cabinetry.  We also used a combination of metals such as brass, wrought and/or cast iron, and oil-rubbed bronze when we made over our kitchen, and reading those articles made me realize that I had never shared how we added all of the decorative elements when we did the remodel. In today's post, I hope you will come along as I show you my process.  

When I initially set out to redo the kitchen, I wanted the space to not only be functional (I do love to cook), but to exude comfort with a feeling of classicism I really enjoy.  In my kitchen, I wanted the clean lines of a modern kitchen, but I also wanted the aesthetic of an old-world or European sensibility.  The addition of antique hardware, an ornate backsplash insert, mixed metals, and other decorative features made this transition a seamless one.

One of the first items we settled on was the cabinetry.  The cabinets we chose were from Ikea, and we did so because of the ease of self-installation.  The cabinets literally come formed like boxes that click together with the simplicity of a puzzle!  They are also incredibly cost-efficient! 

Here is a peek at the cabinets we chose (as featured in others' kitchens):

The Ikea Lidingo:

The Ikea Ramsjo:





We decided to use a combination of these two Ikea collections in our remodel.

On our kitchen island, we installed the Ramsjo.  We chose the black-brown, which was a rich espresso color.  I wanted the island to resemble a piece of antique furniture rather than something sleek and contemporary.  The use of vintage brass pulls helped me to achieve that aesthetic.  I decided to add and match the hardware according to the size and/or shape of each drawer.

 



Here is a shot of the front of the cabinets and drawers on the larger side of the island, showcasing 

brass hardware, just to the right of the mini fridge.

Closeup of the detail on the right side of the island.  Most of the antique pulls I have used are Chippendale or very similar replicas...all the pulls shown here resemble the Chippendale Batwing Brass pull.  The top two pulls are Amerock Chippendale pulls.  The lower four are unknown.

Closeup of the drawers and pulls immediately to the left of the mini fridge on the left side of the island.  The top pull is similar to the pierced Queen Anne Chippendale pull, and most similar to these modern pulls on Etsy.  I believe they are made by KBC (Keeler Brass Company).  I absolutely love them.  I also used them in my powder room makeover.  The lower two pulls are also by an unknown maker.

All the way on the left-hand side of the island to the left of the beverage refrigerator, I again used the Chippendale Queen Anne-adjacent KBC pull, and on the bottom, I used antique Amerock England French Lilies pulls with thumb pull.

Here is a shot of the shorter side of the island that faces the cooktop area.  These antique drop bail pulls are 1930s Chippendale also by KBC (Keeler Brass Company) I believe, or a similar replica.

For the rest of the cabinets in the kitchen, we chose Ikea's Lidingo collection.  We opted for the white; I liked this particular white because it wasn't too stark and it had warm undertones, almost like a French crème.  

On these upper cabinets, I used antique Amerock England French Lilies pulls.  This is above the counter-depth refrigerator.  

Closer look of one of the upper cabinets.

Mimicking the choices I used on the lower cabinet doors on the island, for all of the remaining standard-sized lower cabinets, I again used antique Amerock England French Lilies pulls, with thumb pull.

Under the microwave.  I use this large drawer for baking sheets and those of similar ilk.  This drawer pull is French provincial I believe from the Mid Century era.

Photo of the large drawers beneath the cooktop.  This is where my cooking pots are housed.  This elongated drawer called for a much larger pull.

Closeup.  I love, love this ornate detail.  Unknown maker.

This drawer below the double oven is where I keep my aprons.  Here I have repeated the Chippendale-esque batwing pull.

Next to the apron sink.  The small drawers and panel-front dishwasher again feature a pull similar to the 1930s Chippendale KBC model.

 A shot of the corner, where the larger items such as stock pots, large roasting pans, et cetera are housed.

The top pull is an antique brass pull I believe from the 1920s, but I am not sure.

Above the sink, I have again used antique Amerock England French Lilies pulls.

Closer look.

Over the cooktop, we added a hood with ornate detail and corbels.

The cabinets above the cooktop were adorned with these pierced pulls of unknown origin.

The large apron sink was outfitted with an oil rubbed bronze faucet from Pfizer.

Closer look.  I also added complimentary decorative soap and lotion receptacles in oil-rubbed bronze.

On the cabinets below the apron sink, again I have used antique Amerock England French Lilies pulls, with the thumb pull.

The faucet compliments the pot filler we have added over the cooktop in the kitchen.  We also added an ornate backsplash insert.  This beautiful insert was aged by yours truly with paint followed by gel stain and polyurethane for protection.

I used the same tried-and-true method that I used when I aged this plaster insert on my DIY outdoor double-sided Spanish style fireplace (see post in the archives here)

or this method I used when I created bed crowns for over my daughters' beds (see that post in the archives here).

For a fresh spring element, I added a large stone French styled jardinière full of pretty blooms.  It is situated next to a lovely fleur-de-lis cast iron plate holder.




Closer look.  The plate holder came from SteinMart and the jardinière was a brilliant find at Home Goods. It's very heavy stone and one of my most beloved pieces!

Finally, I added a wall-mounted decorative dinner bell I found at a local antique.  I think it added the perfect finishing touch, granting the kitchen a welcoming ambiance.  It is also made of cast iron.  I usually adorn it with a ribbon, coordinating with the season or my seasonal décor.

Are you ready for the springtime?

Until our paths cross again,

--Y

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤