tiny.k is a blog devoted to interiors, photography, and anything else I find inspiring. I'm a freelance web developer by day and scour the internet for beautiful things by night. I live in the midwest (nope, not all farmland) with my husband, our daughter, and two dogs.
Photo of our dog, Bird, is by Jay Fram. Check him out, he's awesome!
Photo on left, Lisa Hubbard; right, Patrick Cline via Lonny Mag
Hello Autumn. So nice for you to drop by. Here are some cozy porches for a little Wednesday eye-candy. Fall is by far my favorite season and I cannot wait to sit out on our porch and drink coffee and hot chocolate by day, and a nice glass of wine by evening. Ahh… Fall.
The heat index yesterday was around 117 so we thought it would be a good time for an outdoor project. Really, the weather was exceptionally nice a few weeks ago and that’s when the idea popped into our heads but we’ve already dug up half our yard so it’s onward and upward from here. :)
Since we have lots and lots left to do on our house (basement, 2nd floor, backyard, paint the exterior, landscape, and so on) we needed a smaller project to help get us motivated for all that’s remaining. Conveniently enough it happens to be summer and we thought this would be a nice project where Ada can be outside “helping out,” which she loves. :)
Nathan’s been doing all of the manual labor while I watch Ada, and since he had a brief stint working with a stone mason for a year, he actually has more of the necessary skills for this project anyway, so I only feel half-as-guilty.
For the materials we are using blue stone for the patio, crushed gravel for the sidewalk, and limestone for the curbs. Everything has been dug out, the french drain is in, and the gravel base is (mostly) in! It feels good to be working on the house again—I have such an addiction for this kind of work!
The only somewhat “off” thing about this project is that it’s a patio for the front of our house. I find very few houses with a patio in front but for some reason it feels right with this house. The front patio was never in style but we’re bringing it back anyway!
Photo on left by Jonny Valiant via Apostrophe; Right by John Laurie
Nathan and I are desperately needing a vacation—the kind where you relax and recharge, eat well, and take a step back from life. I would love nothing more than to stay in a modern, relaxing house like the below residence (lovely photos by Misha Gravenor), or especially in the place photographed by Leslie Williamson.
Photos by Misha Gravenor via Apostrophe
Photo by Leslie Williamson
As a side note, while I love the idea of this little guy floating on a lake, I am vehemently against swimming in water that I cannot see my toes in (this includes, but is not limited to: lakes, murky rivers, or muddy oceans), so the houseboat idea may be out. Houseboat photo by Magnus Selander.
Photo by Magnus Selander
Photo on left by Jennifer Cawley; right by Ngoc Minh Ngo
This winter has been a particularly long one for me. Could it be having a toddler who only wants to be outside, cooped up all day? The overload of snow, freezing rain, and ice we’ve seemed to be a magnet for? Or… maybe it’s having a new house to fix up and wanting to desperately address the exterior before anyone comes over?
Photo by Kira Brandt, via My Scandinavian Retreat
Either way, I’m in a serious black-phase and have been considering painting the exterior really dark. The only problem is we have an older stucco house, so I’m sure it’ll come out looking charred. Not. Good.
I just found out that I love camping… in a cabin. For years I grew up going camping in a pop-up camper every summer, and while I liked it as a kid, as an adult I have grown to love the comforts of a private bathroom, shower, and a bed. Couple of pictures from our trip.
