Inspiration photo
Via Pinterest from Roses and Rust
I fell in love with this
gorgeous courtyard on
Pinterest. How could I not? With its
French vibe (It’s actually located in South Africa!)
And Here’s what I love about it: The luscious light colored
gravel, white washed pots & ‘chippy’
white door (Searching for a door like this!)…
worn wooden berry tray, brimming with
freshly clipped herbs, olive
trees in white olive jar pots, rosemary &
rust. My mission: Give our courtyard
a little white washed, French inspired, makeover,
all in a day’s work. It’s early Monday morning. In just a few
short days…
I will have the ladies over for another ‘Girls Night
IN at Monica’s’…no room for error…no pressure!
With the materials on site,
the day begins with
12 tons of gravel and
a whole lot of muscle, thanks to
the fantastic crew from
Jefferson Landscaping.
The guys dig up
our existing front lawn
and rake up the
existing rainbow colored
gravel, moving it to another
side of the house.
We clear out plants
that have seen better days…
and then it was time to put down
the new white washed
gravel, plant an abundance of rosemary
and accessorize.
Here’s our Courtyard after…
its one-day makeover.
Gorgeous light gravel replaces the
upper lawn…which was always
boggy.
I brought in this new,
white washed
pot. It’s a cross
between an
olive jar and an antique
amphora. We planted it with a handsome
Tuscan Blue rosemary bush that will soon be
covered in fragrant blue blooms.
We flanked the pot with our old & a bit rusty,
obelisks. (I still plan to add miniature
boxwood, planted in a decorative pattern.)
Down below, fragrant Rosemary now frames the
fountain…
set off by the light colored gravel.
(I’ll be making a lot of my rosemary chicken!)
I brought in this white washed
metal tub with
thick rope handles (love) and planted it with
strawberries & herbs.
I hauled out my old wooden
berry tray…
Found a new home for our
Antique French zinc
baby bassinet.
Love how dull & worn it is.
We planted our existing olive jar pots
with tall, spare, olive trees. The trees now flank
the dining room doors adding symmetry.
The pots don’t match but
they have
similar shapes and
lovely
handles.
Continuing to restyle what I have, we
created cosy little seating areas
within the courtyard…
Can’t wait to relax out here when the
weather warms.
And I can’t help playing & dressing things up,
especially when my dear &
wickedly creative friend,
Janice, surprises me
with this…
gorgeous pillow!!!
I just love it…
Thank you Janice!
Even our teenage son stopped,
stared and said, “whoa!”
(If you have a teen-aged son, you know that’s saying something!)
Yes, when the weather warms, I’ll bring out
our beautiful new La Famiglia Design
plush down pillow and perhaps light our
‘Girls Night In’ Chocolat
Rendezvous Soy candle,
from Haley’s Cottage,
sit back and enjoy
our French Inspired,
white washed,
courtyard makeover….
All in a days work,
with a few new pieces & restyling of the old,
12 tons of gravel and
a whole lot of muscle!
One lucky girl,
Monica
A huge thank you to Jeff & the fantastic crew from
Janice Nason
And Cindy & Haley from ~ Haley’s cottage & Rendezvous Soy Candles
Monica,
It looks amazing! I have been playing with ripping up our boggy lawn…wow, this is inspiring!
xoxo,
Chelsea
Thank you Chelsea…so nice to hear from you! More courtyard fun to come!
Monica
The white door you saw at the antique store–we need to go back and get it!!!!
….and don’t think I haven’t thought about it :)