summer

Sweltering Style – Switching Up Your Patio For Summer Vibes

May 21, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

After the colder winter and the associated hibernation, many of us welcome the return to warmer climate through extended stays in outdoor entertaining areas.

If your home’s outdoor space is in need of a bit of a spruce-up, the following ideas may help you create a space which is ripe for summer enjoyment, right in the nick of time.

Gimme Shelter

Although the warmth of summer sun can be pleasant and relaxing, the full heat of Australian summer can also be both dangerous and uncomfortable. If you’re looking to get the more use and enjoyment from your outdoor entertaining area, it can be a good idea to install adequate shade and sun protection.

Outdoor blinds are an ideal way to block out direct light and to control the temperature and glare of an area. They’re also available in a wide range of designs and colours, meaning that you can find a solution for your patio which will enhance the area while providing you with much needed comfort.

Another excellent solution is shadecloth. Shadecloth can be directly installed to overhead wooden beams to partially block out overhead light and dim the area, without completely shading the space.

For a tailored and comfortable solution, combining methods of sun protection is a great way to ensure you get the most from your space.

Light It Up

Outdoor lighting is another key consideration if you’re in the process of revamping your outdoor entertainment area for summer. With longer evenings and warm nights, the temptation to entertain and remain outdoors grows, and so it becomes necessary to provide a source of outdoor lighting.

Solar lights provide a cheap and environmentally friendly way to illuminate your social occasions. They can be installed in a number of ways, including lanterns, spotlights and fairy lights – meaning that you can light the area in a way which suits your space and your occasion.

LED lights are another low cost alternative and are able to be installed to a level of brightness which suits your needs.

Consider providing a lightsource which will deter bugs and pests, such as a bug zapper or a citronella candle. These light sources can keep you comfortable throughout the mosquito prone months.

Taste The Outdoors

If you’re spending more time outdoors socially, it makes sense that you may be considering outdoor cooking facilities. The barbeque is a much loved and time tested outdoor cooking apparatus, and can be used in summer with great gusto.

For a high-quality change, consider installing a wood fired oven or an outdoor cooker to really create a foodie heaven. A wood fired oven can make more than delicious pizza. It can also cook cakes and roast meats and vegetables. An outdoor cooker is like an indoor stove – without the restriction of walls. These are great for preparing high dexterity and high heat dishes such as curries, stir fries and deep fried dishes.

Outdoor cooking solutions provide you with an extra way to cook at all times of year – even in the cooler months. You might find them particularly handy when cooking particularly pungent or less welcomed foods (eg; cabbage soup or kimchi).

Pump Up The Volume

Speakers. Music. Action! An outdoor entertaining area isn’t complete without a little bit of entertainment. An easy way to integrate some fun into your outdoor area is through the installation of speakers or a sound system.

Clever positioning of speakers will allow you to enjoy music outdoors without incurring the anger or wrath of any neighbours. It will also allow you to enjoy streamed indoor content or radio broadcasts without the need for a clunky, static-filled boombox.

Setting up your outdoor entertaining area for summer as easy as preparing in advance. Get your climate and shade sorted, figure out your cooking methodologies and choose a playlist. Then it’s time to get the party started!

The Summer Saviour: 6 Weather-Wise Ways to Prepare Your Garden for a Heatwave

November 13, 2017 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Summer is fast approaching, and what a time it is. Time off from work, spent at the beach or firing up the barbie with your nearest and dearest. Christmas presents and New Year’s Eve parties. Long evenings spent in the back yard, with a cool drink at hand and your garden growing lush around you. However, all that warm weather can be a green thumb’s mortal enemy. Let’s check out six ways you can summer-proof your garden.

Keep it Watered

Plants need water to survive. Rain is not the most common occurrence during the hotter months, and those direly needed showers can be few and far between. You need to ensure your garden stays wet and watered during summer. A sprinkler system can be a great way to do this. You can set it on a timer, so you don’t have to worry about wasting water or a giant water bill. If this isn’t your cup of tea, make sure you get out there with the hose every morning and night!

Keep Your Soil Cool and Moist

You want ideal growing conditions for your plant friends, and cool and moist soil is your best bet. But exactly how are you going to achieve that when the weather is so hot and dry? A good layer of mulch is a great place to start. You can pick up mulch from your local hardware chain, and you are spoiled for choice. There is pea straw, pebbles, pine bark or sugar cane, all of which function as a protective layer. An added plus here is that mulch helps keeps the weeds at bay, too, so you’ll save time down the track that you’d usually spend weeding.

Prepare in Spring

It’s ultra-important that you get the ball rolling in spring, so you’re not left high and dry in summer. Firstly, remove any dead flowers from your plants. If you leave these on, you run the risk of those plants going to seed.

Secondly, keep an eye out for pests and disease. If your plants come down with the sickness during summer, they can find it harder to bounce back. You want to identify and treat any conditions in spring, before it gets too hot.

Finally, apply some slow-release fertiliser to your smaller shrubs to give them a boost of energy during summer. If you have mature, established shrubs, skip this process.

Firm Boundaries

Some plants are a lot like schoolchildren, they need firm boundaries in order to flourish. We’re talking about those aggressive plants that like to take over the rest of the garden. Talk about pushy! Summer is a great time for these cheeky muffins, as they have more sunlight to power their growth. Take some action to restrict their movement.

One trick to achieve this is to pop them in a large pot, cut the bottom of the pot off then plant everything in the ground! Yes, including the pot. The plant will look like it’s growing from the ground, but the pot will contain the growth.

Prune, Prune, Prune

Spring is the best time to do some serious cutting back. Target your woody ornamental shrubs – such as rose bushes and hydrangeas. Ensure you use good quality gardening tools to do this, because you want a nice clean cut. Cut just above dominant buds, or close to the main trunk of the plant.

There You Are

Prune back certain shrubs, contain aggressively growing plants, do the majority of your prep work during springtime, install a sprinkler system and keep your soil cool and moist and your garden should survive the upcoming summer!

Summer Trends of 2014

June 3, 2014 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is a guest post…

With the return of the sun and temperatures nudging, numerous people will be hitting the stores for some summer essentials especially clothes. Here are some summer trends of 2014 that will freshen up the wardrobe.

Deluxe Denim

There is no doubt that denim has gone deluxe. Marc Jacobs confirmed this in his final show at Louis Vuitton. To keep up with this trend, you can purchase and wear sheer embellished tops, boyfriend jeans and heels or choose double denim. Alternatively, you can wear patchwork jeans and a denim shirt. Patchwork jeans are available at Karen Millen. Deluxe denim will do fine with patterned or white court shoes.

Sporty with Spice

Deluxe sportswear will continue trending into summer. This trend is among the most versatile as long as you concentrate on sportswear basics re-made in luxe materials. Some of the main pieces include silk bombers,
leather joggers, suede sporty shorts and any piece with shear panels. Suede sport shorts or dressy sweatpants, a grey marl tee and heels would make a perfect combination.

Pastels

It is not surprising that pastels are fashionable for summer. A blurred floral sweatshirt coupled with a pleated mini skirt will do just fine. Pastel botanical knits and pastel lace twinsets are also an awesome addition to your wardrobe for summer.

Tropical Florals

Tropical florals are always hot for summer. You can wear a tropical floral top-shirt with bright white culottes and you will look amazing. If anything, culottes are some of the coolest trousers of the season. On cooler days, tropical florals can be worn with loose-fit black blazers, flat slider sandals (preferably white in colour) or clashing top-shop heels. Dior has numerous tropical florals.

Art school

Art school is one of the most recognizable summer trends of 2014. Art school is seen at Celine, Prada and Chanel through their brush and colour-blocking strokes, and paint swirls. Art school is all about amazing prints and vibrant colours. Zara has a cool collection of art school including geometric print trousers.

You should reach for something that glitters this summer. Most fashion houses such as Miu Miu, Prada and Louis Vuitton are using sparkle, shimmer and costume jewellery fancies on collars, dresses, tops and any other inch of fabric they can get. They are some many fashionable old and new summer trends out there, the choice is yours. Some are simple and classy while others are quite complicated since fashion knows no limit.

UK Catalogues are a great place to find the latest Summer trends at great prices! You can even spread the cost with interest free credit if you so wish. For an in-depth guide to the UK’s catalogues check out Catalogues247.co.uk. They have unbiased reviews of the top UK clothing catalogues as well as the latest discount codes with up to 20% off!

Image Source: www.ealuxe.com