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Decorating and Home, Our Home, Tutorials

Barn Makeover | Landscaping

June 12, 2020

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See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

Are you ready for an update on the barn makeover I started a few weeks ago? She was looking pretty cute after getting painted and trimming out the door, but I still wanted to add some finishing touches like landscaping around the space to make it feel complete. I wanted to start with something simple and easy to maintain, and here is what I ended up with…

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

As a reminder, this is what the barn looked like when I started! You can read all about how I prepped and painted the barn and the trim details I added to the barn door here.

An old barn gets new life with a fresh coat of paint and some added trim details. See more of this gorgeous barn makeover at LoveGrowsWild.com

I absolutely loved the chippy look of this barn for almost 8 years now, and I know some of you felt the same way. But with all the updates I’ve made to the house and adding a deck here in the backyard last summer, I wanted the barn to have a cleaner, more polished look. And also, I’m not sure exactly what year the barn was built (the house was late 1940’s), but the wood was deteriorating more and more being exposed to the elements and not protected. The only way to prevent the barn from further damage was to get it properly painted to maintain this sweet, little structure for as long as possible.

Even with the barn being painted, you can still see the age of the wood, the holes from years of nails and old barn door hinges, the rusty metal roof, and all the beautiful character an old barn should have.

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

After paint was finished, I had to decide how I wanted to landscape around the barn. My imagination came up with large, elaborate curved garden beds with gorgeous flowering bushes, but my more sensible side reeled my mind back in knowing the short extent of my gardening and landscaping capabilities. Weeds like to grow around the outside of the barn, so I decided to create about a 1 foot perimeter of mulch to give it a more finished look and to make mowing around the barn easier. I dug out any weeds that were growing and created a nice edge on each side for the mulch bed.

Is there anything better than freshly-laid mulch? This area looks so much better now, and if I decide to try planting some flowers or bushes around the barn in the future I’ll already have a nice clean space to work with.

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

As I was dreaming up ideas for the space, I kept imagining a sweet little stepping stone pathway leading out to the barn door. I wanted to keep this makeover as budget-friendly as possible, so I didn’t want to lay stones all the way from the house out here, but I thought a small walkway right at the entrance would be perfect. I picked up these concrete stones from Lowe’s and followed these steps to create the walkway:

HOW TO CREATE A STONE WALKWAY

MATERIALS:

long-handled garden spade or trowel
stepping stones or stone pavers
level
paver base or sand
rubber mallet (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Decide where you want your walkway, and lay the stones down to determine the exact placement. Use a garden spade or trowel to trace a line into the ground around each stone.

STEP 2: Move the stones and dig out the sod underneath making sure to completely remove all roots. You want the dirt to be as level as possible and just slightly deeper than the depth of the stone.

STEP 3: Spread a layer of sand or paver base, packing it down and making it as level as possible. This will help keep the stone from sinking over a long period of time. Place the stepping stones so they sit just above the surface of the ground. This will give them a little bit of room to settle, but still be low enough that you can safely mow over your walkway. Add a little more paver base around the stones to give some added support. Then tap the stone with a rubber mallet (or stand/jump on it) to help set it in place. If desired, add mulch or landscaping rocks around the stones for a decorative look.

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

Since I bought new planters to go on my front porch this year, I needed to find a new spot for the pretty cedar planters I built last year. They were out in the elements all winter and held up beautifully, and I love the way the cedar is starting to weather and age! I moved the cedar boxes to flank either side of the barn door, and I love the warmth and charm they add here. Sometimes my mind goes wild with big ideas, but in the end I always come back to simple is best!

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

I picked out dwarf butterfly bushes for the planters that I plan to hopefully replant somewhere in the yard after this summer. So far they are doing well!

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

I have one last landscaping idea that I may do on one of the long sides of the barn, but for now I set one of my old outdoor wooden benches here to give the kids somewhere to sit when they’re out playing in the yard. Simple. Sweet. And very Liz.

See the transformation as this old barn gets a beautiful makeover! details at LoveGrowsWild.co

What do you think? I’m enjoying these outdoor projects so much this year, and I can’t wait to share a few more I have up my sleeve soon. Here are a few from past years! Thanks so much for stopping by today… xoxo Liz

Outdoor Projects from LoveGrowsWild.com

How to Build an Outdoor Console Table
DIY Outdoor Cedar Planter
Deck Reveal: Our New Outdoor Living Space
DIY Potting Bench with Decorative Roof


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Exterior
by Liz Fourez 
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About Liz Fourez

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PREVIOUS: Introducing: The Armstrong House
NEXT: Deck Addition

Comments

  1. linda of no.cal. says: June 12, 2020 at 2:37 pm

    It LOOOOOKS so good…you are so creative AND clever.
    It’s the ‘details’ ❣️ linda of no.cal. le.gans

    Reply
  2. Cynthia Johnson says: June 12, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    Beautiful and clean!

    Reply
  3. Par says: June 13, 2020 at 11:15 pm

    Love, love, love it!

    Reply

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W E L C O M E

Welcome, sweet friends! My name is Liz, and I started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.
Here you’ll find simple project tutorials, holiday and entertaining ideas, and my journey renovating a 1940’s farmhouse that I live in with my two boys and French bulldog.
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Liz Fourez started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.  From simple project tutorials, to holiday and entertaining ideas, to her journey renovating a 1940’s farmhouse, Liz demonstrates how to create a beautiful and inviting home with a handmade touch. She turned her signature cozy, neutral style into a best-selling book in 2016 and continues to inspire readers with her captivating photography and easy decorating ideas. Read more about Liz > > > >

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Did you know that I started blogging almost 9 year Did you know that I started blogging almost 9 years ago? It’s crazy to think I started building this little brand of mine almost a decade ago, but in 2017 I began wanting to share more than just online inspiration and reach people in a more personal way. 

That summer I opened a small retail shop in my favorite antique store in my home state of Indiana and filled it with items that I love and decorate my own home with.  Opening this little shop has been a natural extension of what I create on my blog and in my home and allows people to find my favorite things and decorating ideas all in one place.

My hope is that one day I can offer online shopping & ship items to your door all over the country, but for now if you are ever in the Midwest, I would love for you to come visit this beautiful historic building and browse the many items I handpicked for your home.

We are open Monday-Saturday 10-5 pm & Sunday 12-5 pm inside @originaltreasuremart at 1201 E. Vaile Avenue in Kokomo, IN. You can call (765) 459-3148 for more information. 

I’d love to hear from you... have you visited @lovegrowswildmarket before, and what was your favorite purchase? Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting small businesses like mine. 🤍
We made it to Friday, friend 🙌🏻 I’m curio We made it to Friday, friend 🙌🏻

I’m curious... what’s your big cleaning/catch up day around the house? The day when you typically catch up on dishes and all those piles of laundry, grocery shop, etc? I like to get up on Saturday mornings and get it done so I can enjoy a clean house for the rest of the weekend because honestly... I literally CANNOT relax when the house is a mess. I physically can’t do it. What’s your cleaning day of the week and why? 🧼🧹

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https://lovegrowswild.com/2020/02/kitchen-curtains-counter-styling/
Who wants to go shopping with me?! Well, virtuall Who wants to go shopping with me?!

Well, virtually... but I promise it will still be fun! I took a trip to a store I've never been to before and found some of the prettiest decor for such a good deal at @tuesdaymorning. #ad After all the snow we've had the last few weeks, getting out of the house and putting real clothes on for a solo shopping trip felt like such a treat!

A few of my favorite finds were: an extra-long lumbar pillow for my sofa, beautiful black textured bowls that I can't decide if I want to actually use in my kitchen or decorate with, a bouquet of dried greenery, and a new dog bed for Remington. I will be sharing how I styled these items on the blog next week, so stay tuned!

Swipe to see video of my shopping trip and all that you can find at a Tuesday Morning near you! Do you have a store close to you? Have you been before? Let me know in the comments!

#TuesdayMorningFinds #TuesdayMorning #shopwithme #shoppinghaul
This photo feels like spring weather and sandals, This photo feels like spring weather and sandals, and I am here 👏🏻 for 👏🏻 it 👏🏻

16 more days, sweet friend. We’re so close... can you feel it??

ENTRYWAY DETAILS: link in my profile 

https://lovegrowswild.com/2019/07/creating-simple-entryway-in-small-space/
So many ideas... so little time 🙃 Later this w So many ideas... so little time 🙃

Later this week: sharing a home decor shopping trip to a store I’ve never been to before, photographing my office (just wait till you see how big of a difference adding some shelves in here made), unboxing tons of new spring items for @lovegrowswildmarket, and adding some artwork to this blank wall!

Which are you most excited to see? P.S. still absolutely obsessed with the new dining chairs 😍

DINING ROOM SOURCES: link in my profile 

https://lovegrowswild.com/2021/02/look-for-less-new-dining-room-chairs/
Yesterday I had a design meeting with one of my to Yesterday I had a design meeting with one of my toughest clients yet... my teenage son. 😂 Actually, he is probably the easiest person to please, and his requests for the upcoming bedroom makeover we are planning were pretty simple:

• blackout curtains so he can sleep in on weekends
• a new darker paint color
• somewhere to charge all his devices

I think I can handle that! This room is quite a challenge with the small size & layout, but I think we’ve come up with a game plan to make it more functional and much more “him”. 

Once I catch up on all my current projects and design work, I’m excited to dive into making this space perfect for him! P.S. where did my little boy go that wanted Thomas the Train as the theme in his bedroom? 🥺

BOYS BEDROOM: link in my profile

https://lovegrowswild.com/2018/11/boys-bedroom-makeover-part-1/
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