Outdoor Oasis

The renovation of our first home earlier this year only took care of the house itself. The little (1300 sf) house sits on a quarter acre of land.. which leaves us with quite a large yard. We've always known that transforming the outdoor space would be a gradual work in progress because filling a large yard with landscaping and a new fence is going to be insanely expensivvve. Believe me, I literally cannot wait to get rid of the chain link fence and install a beautiful modern horizontal fence around our entire yard but thats a more longterm goal because, well, Thomas says we spent all our money on the house reno... sigh... In the meantime, I started to dream up ways to transform the outdoor space using furniture and a few small DIY projects.

The solution: Overstock! [Note: In case you don't know this already, Overstock is my solution for many issues because it has ALL the things]

My inspiration for the space: Eclectic, global influences,  Scroll down to see pics of the transformation! 

A few of my favorite things:

• Interlocking teak tiles — these babies are the coolest invention! They can be used indoors or outdoors on any flat surface (I have some ideas to use them in our master bathroom shower). We built a deck to give the tiles the flat surface they need and then just snapped them all together! They are a sleek addition and really helped me include some spa oasis vibes.
• French bistro chairs — I loved these from the moment I saw them. The black and white color palette matches the house's aesthetic and they remind me of sitting outside of a cafe in Paris ;)
• Black wicker swing — I knew I wanted a black swing for the front porch. Any house with a porch calls for a swing! It's a welcoming addition to our little front entryway. Plus, my husband likes to sit out front and watch neighborhood happenings.... I prefer to be in the backyard...
• Alabaster Candle Cylinders — handmade in Egypt. The alabaster glows bright orange when the candles are lit at night.
• Concrete side table (on the front porch) — handmade in Vietnam. I love concrete everything! 

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Front Porch Before:

Backyard Before: