Pétanque!

Italians play bocce. The French play Pétanque, with metal boules (balls), smaller than bocce balls so they fit well in your hand, making it easier to throw hard and blast your opponent’s balls out of the court. Or you can lob your boule with backspin so it lands to gently roll up and kiss the small,Continue reading “Pétanque!”

The ultimate pool house!

This is the pool house that’s got it all: entertainment, dining table, bar counter, storage space, showers, and restroom. The kitchen boasts a wine conditioner, beer taps, warming drawers, a gas grill and lots of storage. There’s radiant heating for cold nights and a ceiling fan for warm days. Not to mention a great view ofContinue reading “The ultimate pool house!”

Art in the Garden!

Sac Open Studios has been a fun event. On the first day, people walked through the gardens, friends stopped by and other friends chipped in to keep things organized and greet visitors. Yesterday started ominous with thunder and a bit of rain – even though every weather app we viewed said, “it’s sunny and beautiful!”.Continue reading “Art in the Garden!”

New Concepts for a sloping front yard

The current synthetic deck is disintegrating, there’s not enough space for a table, and some excitement in the landscape will be welcome. This solution removes a major stairway (there’s an alternate path), clears out tall vegetation near the house and terraces the slope to extend the patio area, adding a (very) contemporary shade structure, aContinue reading “New Concepts for a sloping front yard”

Front yard living

There wasn’t much space for a patio in the back, the neighbors are friendly, so why not create a living space in the front yard? Hello, everyone! While adults dine on the deck, they can watch the kids play on swings under the tree. The wood is unstained sustainable Fijian mahogany, left to go grayContinue reading “Front yard living”

Where should the outdoor kitchen go, anyway?

There seem to be two schools of thought for outdoor kitchens: they should either supplement the indoor kitchen, or they should duplicate it. In the supplement option, the kitchen moves smoky or messy functions outside. This obviously applies to grills and barbecues, but can also work with wok rings, wood fired ovens, and other equipmentContinue reading “Where should the outdoor kitchen go, anyway?”