Category: Outside
Landscape, structures, and everything beyond the walls.
-
DIY Retractable Patio Shade: How I Covered 55 Feet Without a Single Post
I wanted 55 feet of shade without giving up the sunlight inside my house. Two stainless cables, a retractable wave shade, no posts, no roof, and one afternoon working alone. Full parts list, every step, and what I’d do differently.
-
How I Built a Magical Lamppost Village on My Patio — And Couldn’t Stop Staring at It
I built a DIY lamppost village on my patio for about $1,190 over four weekends — a floating copper birdhouse village, a handmade forged medieval lamp, a copper cupola, and world directional signs. Every material, step and cost.
-
How I Created a Tropical Backyard in Kansas With Cold Hardy Banana Trees (Musa Basjoo)
Learn how I grow Musa Basjoo cold hardy banana trees through Zone 6b Kansas winters. This DIY guide covers my leaf-and-mulch insulation method, spring care routine, watering tips, and how these tropical plants reach 10+ feet tall every summer in the Midwest.
-
How I Built a Floating Outdoor Photo Gallery on My Patio Wall
Four black-and-white Paris photos, aluminum prints, PVC backing, and 45mm standoff brackets — the full step-by-step build for turning a covered patio wall into a floating outdoor gallery.
-
How to Build a DIY Storage Shed in 30 Days on a Budget
A 30-day, one-person DIY storage shed build on a budget — concrete pad, framed walls, Hardie panel siding with Tamlyn aluminum reveals, two custom-painted Clopay garage doors, and a finished interior. Real costs, real sources, and the tips that saved the most money.
