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!

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

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

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. 

And that’s where this summer’s DIY project of installing a recycled brick patio and path came into play. 

 

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

 

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: 

Worth every penny. 

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. 

Now I feel like I can maintain this area, plant more, decorate. And just enjoy every square inch. 

Isn’t it pretty? So romantic. So quiet and peaceful. 

 

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. 

 

And scary… {ghost tutorial}

haha!

 

The back yard before…

The back yard now…

Grape arbor now.  

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. 

 

Do you have a special outdoor area at your home?