Question: We’re adding a deck and are thinking of either a NanaWall (retractable window wall) or going with more traditional French windows. The basic idea is to integrate the outdoor and indoor spaces. Have you had any experience with such construction and/or any tips on what approach is preferable? The NanaWalls are certainly more money.…
Question: We are preparing to install a cover on our courtyard and want to use fiberglass columns as the corner braces. Do we need to attach these to our pavers (and how?) or will the weight of the attached cover be sufficient? Answer: From Pamela Berstler of Flower to the People: For this answer, I…
Check out this story to find out how Twila Wolfe turned a ragged, wretched Mission Viejo backyard into a natural-looking grotto on a small budget. Here is her secret: “I never pay full price for anything. Never.” Read Twila’s story See more remodels See more outdoors (Photo: KEN HIVELY / Los Angeles Times)
Question: We want to build a deck this summer, but now we are confused about what to use: wood or a composite product such as Trex. Any suggestions? Answer: From Pamela Berstler of Flower to the People, a Los Angeles landscaping company known for being environmentally sensitive: Composite wood materials have come a very long…
When Chantal Dussouchaud and Harry Dolman bought this Hollywood Hills home, they had one major objection to it: the massive driveway that dominated the entire front of the house. Part of the couple’s reaction stemmed from the fact that they had been living in Paris (they are both European natives), where the car culture is…
When Chantal Dussouchaud and Harry Dolman bought this Hollywood Hills home, they had one major objection to it: the massive driveway that dominated the entire front of the house. Part of the couple’s reaction stemmed from the fact that they had been living in Paris (they are both European natives), where the car culture is…
I honestly don’t know about fake grass. In person, it looks terrific. But chewed up tires? Yuck! Here’s how Flower to the People‘s Pamela Berstler, designer of the cool little SoCal yard you see here, explains it: There are a lot of eco-pros and cons to using synthetic turf. In this particular situation, where the…
There’s a lot to like about Trex or other composite decking materials. They don’t splinter, split, rot or need painting or staining. And they’re made from cast-off stuff like milk jugs and wood pallets. In fact, Trex claims it uses 50 percent of the grocery bags we recycle in the U.S., and that every year…
I know this house is not in So Cal, but it should be. On my property! What is it about this remodel that has me so enchanted? The limestone pathways? The sustainably grown ipe wood benches? (The owner tells me those benches are great launch pads for her young kids to spring from.) Is it…
According to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report, investment in a deck brings almost a total return on investment when you sell your home . . . if you live in the West, that is. The return on investment for a deck is 91.1 percent for homes in the West, with the average cost…