Grape Arbor Gazebo Makeover

The grape arbor gazebo has been a work in progress for years. DIY takes patience sometimes, my friends. Especially when you’re working as time and money allow. I can’t tell you how GOOD it feels to have it complete!Grape Arbor Gazebo Makeover

Let’s start at the beginning. When we purchased our home, we loved the grape arbor’s size and maturity.

 grape arbor before

See those poles? Very, very rustic and home to some critters even…hello!chipmunk

As much as I love rustic and as cute as it looks in the picture below, it felt like a tetanus shot just waiting to happen not to mention, 6’2″ Mr. DIY had to duck to walk beneath it. 

So the rebuilding process took place. Most of the roots to the vines are on the one side. We sort of ‘peeled’ those back one section at a time while a gazebo was installed in the center and more study wooden frame was built on each side. 
 
Mr. DIY and family {thanks, Butch!} built up the new wood structure around the old rusty iron skeleton, lifting and shifting the grapes in the process before removing the old iron poles. 
 
Rebuilding can be stressful but the grapes survived! Maybe they were even a little grapeful (haha!) for the home makeover. 
 
 
Beautiful! But then all that gorgeous-ness didn’t go with the overgrown messy underneath. 
grape arbor gazebo
And that’s where this summer’s DIY project of installing a recycled brick patio and path came into play. 
grape arbor path before
 
See the recycled brick patio and walkway tutorial for more details about the transformation and steps Mr. DIY took to install it with his own two hands. Great job, honey! xoxo
DIY brick patio
 
Once he finished the brick patio and walkways, it was time for some landscaping. I didn’t know where to start. I was so overwhelmed with the size, the work that it would involve. Plants intimidate me. So, the decision was made to hire professionals for weed clean up, planting, edging and mulching. 
 
The view from our kitchen French doors: 
recycled brick walkway
Worth every penny. 
recycled brick walkway
Wow! It was a treat to watch what a team of 5-6 landscaping professionals with the right tools can accomplish in 3 hours. Yes. I said ‘three hours’. This would have taken me months of backbreaking labor. My back hurts just thinking about it. 
recycled brick walkway
Now I feel like I can maintain this area, plant more, decorate. And just enjoy every square inch. 
recycled brick patio
Isn’t it pretty? So romantic. So quiet and peaceful. 
recycled brick walkway and patio
 
I’ve been window-shopping for furniture and ideas but will likely wait until spring. I’ve had the sheer drapes for years but this year, they look the best they ever have. 
DIYShowOff gazebo
 
grape arbor gazebo reveal
And scary… {ghost tutorial}
DIY ghost tutorial
haha!
 
The back yard before…
backyard before
The back yard now…
backyard after
Grape arbor now.  
grape arbor
I can’t wait for the plants to fill in. I’ll be adding a few here and there this week too. Maybe something that will come up in the spring.
 
Now when you visit, we have a place to talk and catch up. Weather permitting. DIY brick patio
 
Do you have a special outdoor area at your home?
 

DIY Recycled Brick Patio & Walkway Tutorial

What DIY project has taken us all summer long to complete? [Not a valid template]Our DIY recycled brick patio and walkway under the grape arbor/gazebo is finally done! A true labor of DIY lovin’. ::high fives all around!::

Because of the large volume of pictures from start to finish (it took me days to organize and edit the MONTHS worth of photos), I put together a slide show of the progress from uncovering the brick on our property to putting it to good use by creating a walkway and patio under our grape arbor and gazebo. Now not only can we enjoy our backyard patio for dining al fresco, the covered barn patio for entertaining, we now this quiet beautiful private little space too. That’s where you’ll find me on pretty days. Just wait until next year when I can add some fun DIY decorative accents! 

I love the herringbone pattern and that we were able to use bricks we already had on hand. It’s such a good feeling and the fact that it’s old and not new? Loooove that the most! It looks as if it’s been here at least half a century and fits with the age of our old home. recycled brick patio and walkway tutorial

See the entire grape arbor gazebo before and after reveal here!

It may have taken all summer but Mr. DIY did an awesome job at repurposing all of that brick to create a gorgeous recycled brick patio and walkway, didn’t he? What do you think? Love it? Not your style? We’d love to know your thoughts. 

Covered Patio Transformation

When we bought our home, the lower area of our bank barn was junky and scary.

Before – previous owner’s things. It’s dark, scary, spidery and a little dangerous with broken glass. Old picture…sorry about the tiny size.

barn-before

I shared some photos in our summer home tour but I wanted to share some true before along side the after pictures. 

After – paneled wall, a LOT of paint and a concrete patio. 

barn patio 

The transformation in pictures:

Yikes!

New Back Wall

The harvest table looked liked this before and was actually nailed to the back wall…we gave it a makeover too.

New Concrete Patio
 
Russ tries out the paint sprayer

Now:

barn party patio

On the far wall, two old barrels topped with a door serves as a buffet table near the electrical outlet…great for serving and keeping crockpots and slow cookers warm. 

barn patio makeover

Doesn’t the harvest table look 100% better with a paint job? The bench was ‘rescued’ too. 

party patio

A framed chalkboard gets a new message with each party. Birthdays, graduations, etc. The tire planter is on the wall when we entertain but gets moved to the sun/rain otherwise. My giant painted puzzle playmat serves as wall art. 

outdoor entertaining

Wicker furniture is all from estate and yard sales – just a fresh coat of spray paint. 

outdoor living

I still need to get two outdoor pendants/lighting. I’d love to stain/paint the concrete. I also have plans for moving things around and building a ‘bar’ type area. But for now, it’s perfect for parties and sometimes I come down here for some quiet time too. 

red and turquoise patio

It’s a fun area for hosting cookouts since it opens up into our huge back yard with plenty of room for volley ball, badminton, corn hole and a fire pit. 

tire flower planter tutorial at DIYShowOffWall art….

Painted Foam Playmat

Games…

DIY giant outdoor LCR dice game tutorial