Today’s blog features a bit of home inspiration for you…straight from OUR homes! Living in Las Vegas means you have to enjoy some time taking advantage of the beautiful Spring and Fall weather. We have each taken a turn describing some of our personal style when it comes to building a backyard atmosphere.
I absolutely love being in the backyard. I grew up enjoying meals on the front porch or back patio and loving the alfresco aspect.  When my husband and I moved to our house the backyard was a dustbowl of disaster. It was full of dirt, dead trees and disappointment. After some time at the nursery with the landscaper we created a plan to incorporate more greenery and less desert style. I had palm trees ripped out and replaced with a green leafy option. White roses and yellow flowering vines cover the back of the yard.  A row of boxwood will eventually grow into a large hedge. I wanted to counter all of the Las Vegas heat influenced warm tones with a cool feeling so I used one of my favorite color combos of navy and white in mismatched patterns of stripes, trellis and ikat. It’s a perfect retreat for reading a book, hosting family and friends and soaking in some sun rays. On Sunday nights, you can find us out there while I beat my husband at board games or horseshoes (don’t tell him I said that, he likes to think he can beat me!). We have a special citrus tree that grows lemons, limes and oranges…all from the same tree! Future plans include an herb and vegetable garden along the side of the house. If you have any gardening tips, please send them my way, I need all the help I can get! XOXO, Rissa
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Being from Kansas, we had large backyards filled with [real] green grass and huge trees and spending the summer evenings outside was awesome. My backyard is anything but huge, however, I do absolutely love my desert landscaped backyard and mostly because I recently had bistro lighting installed  to create more of an intimate feeling to my backyard (something that I have always wanted!). I adore being able to sit outside with my laptop and a good glass of wine, while lasting to music and working under the lights. My backyard is also a place I go to relax and even maybe watch a TV show on my iPad on that comfy chaise lounge. One day I will have the area that lines the wall of my backyard filled with beautiful flowers to add pops of color to all the red stone and gravel throughout (…also maybe you can help me persuade my lovely fiancé to spring for a projection screen so we can watch movies outside!) I am looking forward to the weather cooling down in the Las Vegas Valley, having friends over for a few games of “bags” [aka corn hole] and creating lasting memories. XOXO, Traci
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When my husband and I were looking for our first home together we included a large backyard at the top of our list. We enjoy hosting parties and love the idea of having an oasis for our family and friends to enjoy. Our backyard has been a work in progress, but we’re looking forward to having it complete within the next couple of months. Gabriel and I have been working off this sketch I threw together. I’m from California, hence all the palm trees! Gabriel got his built in BBQ with a bar and I got an amazing lounge area under a covered patio complete with a striped navy and white rug, comfy seating and cute nautical accessories. It was the right choice to reach out to these guys after all. Additional seating around a fire pit is next on the list followed by a dining table and lounge chairs around the pool. Best of both seasons! Off to the left you’ll find fruit trees we have been nurturing for a year. It’s tough in 120 degree weather, but they’re staying strong. I hope to top everything off with a grass area for picnics and movies in the backyard. Party at Gabriel and Tara’s real soon! XOXO, Tara
Backyard Inspiration
Backyard Inspiration