DIY Phase One Lowe’s Courtyard Project Complete!

Good Happy Wednesday, Friends!

I love “over-the-hump” day, as we’re looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend ahead, hanging out with family and friends. I look forward to long weekends, dinner guests coming over, and also dinner invites to other homes! And there’s just something about Labor Day weekend that permeates a hint of “fall” in the air! (Mums on the front step!)

You may have wondered how we finalized our Lowe’s Courtyard Project, which we started a few weeks ago. Here’s the story of how I ended up partnering with Lowe’s, and then how we got started.

Today I’ll share how we wrapped it up with the finishing details. But we’ll start where we left off a few weeks ago.

-A new walkway

-3 new pots

-Painted trim on door and window

So a courtyard/walkway that once looked like this …

Which sat for 3 years …

Finally looks like this (at dusk) …

After the pavers went in, my husband built a step up into the courtyard entry.

We added a row of grasses that will eventually give us privacy, plus a new border.

-We brought our adirondack chairs from the backyard, to the front.

-Added a few red touches of pots and lanterns.

-Love the nighttime glow.

Here’s our new “green idea” that we saw in a magazine. We want to add creeping thyme between the pavers to add color, a softness, and it will make an attractive walkable surface that will still allow the rainwater to seep through.

Our goal is to add a trellis up one wall, a low-profile tall water feature on the other, possibly a bistro set, and maybe string party lights. We’ll add in more plants and really make the area pop, but that’s Phase II.

As I mentioned here, our experience working with Lowe’s was superb. I’m not sure if you’re aware of the new “My Lowe’s” program. You can sign up and manage your projects online. This time we ended up working with Sarah, in the Medford, Oregon store. She was so helpful and gave us top notch service! Very impressive.

So last night, we ended the evening with a late night snack, sitting out in the front of our house, enjoying the breeze of the warm summer’s night.

It was our first time to enjoy this “space” this way since we moved in 7 years prior.

We’re big on sticking with a budget and using what we have, so the next phase of our home improvement, of adding in new fountains, lights, more plants, a trellis, etc.– will be started a ways down the road.

But for now, we’re grateful for Lowe’s for partnering with us on this awesome project. And I bet our neighbors are thankful, too. :)

Do you have a home improvement that’s been waiting to get started, or completed, where Lowe’s could help you get organized with their “My Lowe’s” program?

(This post is sponsored by Lowes; but as always, all opinions are my own.)