Let’s just admit it, garden hoses are not attractive. And neither are those plastic little garden hose holders you attach to your home or sit on your porch.
Wondering how to keep your hose close, yet hidden? How about a hose pot from Good Directions. These new products we are including in our summer catalog are a great decorative element too. You can even store other outdoor things such as firewood in them.
Entry ways are the fastest spot in a home to get cluttered. Everyone comes in the door and feels the urge to drop any and everything! One way to combat entry way clutter is with a boot tray!
A new addition to our outdoor living products are these copper boot trays from Good Directions. The three different patterns are sure to match your home, now it’s just figuring out how to use it! There are four ways to use Boot Trays, read on to find out!
1. Use a boot tray for shoes. Obviously this isn’t rocket science, the main reason you’d use a boot tray is for shoes and an occasional umbrella.
2. Add pebbles to a boot tray. This is a simple way to add a more natural element to your home, it also allows the dirt and water to sink to the bottom of the boot tray. It’s best to rinse it out occasionally.
3. Use a boot tray for plants. Position the boot tray on a dresser or ledge and create a mini garden in your home. What’s great is the tray will catch all the water that runs out from the bottom of the flower pots when you water them.
4. Use a boot tray to simplify your pet’s food, water and toys. This will keep Fluffy’s eating area tiddy – also easy for clean-up! PS why do dogs and cats always spill their food?
The Vintage Hanging Lantern is a staff favorite here at Willard&May. Its whimsical qualities add an extra dynamic to any fairy garden. Make your fairies fly when you hang this lantern!
For this example: we added river rocks for a foundation. To add a soft quality, we put some moss over the rocks. We then arranged some mushrooms and a friendly gnome.
The Classic Wood Lantern makes a great starting point for a portable fairy garden. It comes in three different sizes, so you can pick which one will work best for your project!
For this example: We started with a simple, shallow blue pot for the base. We added river rocks for a nice contrast. To top it off, we placed some fun fairy garden accessories in the center of the pot. Continue reading for some awesome suggestions on what plants you can get from your local garden center for your fairy garden!
Above are the different sizes the wood lantern comes in. You can create a simple garden with a fairy or two or add a classic look to your outdoor living space. These lanterns have doors to allow ease of use.
If you are looking for some greenery to add to your garden, below are a couple of suggestions from our resident horticulturist:
Let your creativity flow with these fun DIY fairy garden lanterns!
Looking for some change in your home, but don’t know where to start? Well how about your entryway – inside and outside! This is the perfect way to impress your guests and family as it is the first thing they see when first stepping foot into your home. It doesn’t take much to turn your front door and entryway from a stark and dull space to an inviting place for everyone who comes to your home!
Here are some great ideas and items you can use to spruce up your entryway, making that great and lasting impression on your guests!
Light the way – As people walk up to your entrance you want to be sure that they can visibly get to it so make sure to light up your walkway as well as your entryway! You have several options: chandeliers, sconces, lanterns, etc. Willard and May has a great selection of different lanterns and lighting options to help brighten up your entryway!
Knock Away – When people arrive at your front door give them something fun to knock on your door with! Willard and May have some great door knockers! Go check them out!
Stomp the Ground – To keep all the dirt from tracking into your house, make sure to have a doormat to catch all the debris keeping your house tiding and clean! Check out some of the Willard & May Doormats!
Keep it Clean _ It’s a great idea to have storage for shoes so be sure to have a shoe rack to keep everything organized! Check out Willard & May’s Boot Rack and Scraper!
Hook it Up – It’s a great idea to have hooks for your guests coats so be sure to have plenty! Check out Willard & May’s Star Iron Hooks! (Source: Pinterest)
Set it Down – Make sure you have a stool, table, bench, or chair to have nearby making the space look cozier and lets taking off those boots so much easier! Check out Willard & May’s Stool/Table! (Source: Kapstok)
To Do List – Use Willard & May’s Organization Chalkboard to write down whatever you may need to remember! This great chalkboard is great indoors and outdoors!
Locked Out, Keep it Hidden – Hide your house key in a fun way with these great Animal Key Holders from Willard & May!
By creating a functional entryway, you will make your life less chaotic and become organized with style! Check out the rest of our great items to create the perfect entryway at Willard & May! We’d love to hear what you think or what you’ve done to spruce up your entryway or let us know your ideas in the comments below!
It’s nearing the end of January and it seems to keep dragging on with the blustery weather. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for spring and to plunge into summer (just like this cute little turtle)!
Use these great cobalt blue items to liven things up a bit in your outdoor garden or check out our last post about winter rejuvenation inside your home! It’s a great feeling after this long winter we have been through!
With these vibrant colored items from Willard & May, you’ll be sure to beat those winter blues. Help get yourself out of that winter funk and ready for the spring! We’d love to hear what you think, let us know your ideas to help with beat the winter blues in the comments below!
With Thanksgiving over and whether you did your Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping or not you need to start wrapping all those gifts you bought for all the special people in your life. Whether you are an early bird and already finished your holiday shopping or just getting started and are cutting it close to the big day, use these great tips for wrapping the perfect present!
(Source: Willard & May, Photo Credit: Stephanie Osiecki)
Haven’t found that gift yet for that hard to buy person, well you’re just in luck as we have gift cards that are sure be the perfect gift they’ll love! With an added bonus that it’s easy and wrap free!
We’d love to hear what you think, let us know your creative gift wrapping ideas this season!
‘Tis the season of crisp air, chunky sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin carving, and so much more! Now is the time to start your fall decorating. Use our fall essentials and ultimate fall guide to spruce up your place to have the perfect fall decor this season!
Now it’s your turn to show us how you celebrate autumn around your house!
Ever seen your neighbor put something in their yard and wonder what are they thinking?That is exactly how I imagine my neighbors think, but I’m really hoping they actually think wow, I would have never thought of that – I love it. Love it or hate it, outdoor curtains are a unique way to bring some color and life to your patio.
As a team member at Willard&May, I love the outdoors. My husband and I purchased a home last fall and we were excited to finally get outdoors this summer and improve our outdoor deck. When we first toured this house, we imagined our backyard would be a great space to entertain our friends and family, but also a relaxing retreat for ourselves.
Our large deck features two stories with the second story acting as shade to the lower deck. The upper deck is right off the kitchen and the perfect spot to enjoy a morning coffee. The lower deck is a great place to set out our grill and relax in the afternoon shade. Since the upper deck creates a cabana-like space over the lower deck, we thought it would be a great idea to try out curtains on the support posts. We thought it would add some color to the space and make it feel like an extension of our home.
To make our outdoor curtains, we purchased four curtain panels from Ikea and a few cheap curtain rods. We sprayed the fabric with water repellent spray, similar to what you’d use for camping purposes. We’d hope that by spraying them it would help them last longer and endure the summer weather elements. We then hung them with the curtain rods underneath the deck so they would be hidden from view. Next, we tied them around the posts to complete the look!
To inspire you more, check out other ways to use outdoor curtains on our Outdoor Curtain Pinterest Board and check out our outdoor decor items at Willard&May.
With summer in full swing and fall coming in, that means backyard BBQ’s, late night bonfires, and just relaxing out on the deck with friends and family. With all of that comes outdoor dining! We can help make sure you can easily serve your guests, keep them warm outside, brighten up your deck and much more with our stylish items! If you are thinking about decking out your backyard, check out these tips we have for your perfect deck or patio get together!
1. Use serving trays to make things easier for you when serving your guests delicious treats!
(Source: Willard & May, Photo Credit: Stephanie Osiecki)
2. Serve up some yummy drinks with the ease of your serving tray!
(Source: Willard & May, Photo Credit: Stephanie Osiecki)
3. Your party is going to be such a hit that it will last into the night, so make sure to have the proper lighting for when the sun goes down!
(Source: Willard & May, Photo Credit: Stephanie Osiecki)
4. When the sun goes down, it gets cooler, so make sure to use your chimenea to keep your guests warm and comfy!
(Source:Willard & May)
5. Keep away the bees and wasps from your guests using these great traps!
(Source: Willard & May, Photo Credit: Stephanie Osiecki)
Check out more of our great items at WillardandMay.com! Have you done anything new to your deck or patio? We would love to hear what you have been up to!
Are you planning a wedding? Throwing a fun summer party? Need some centerpiece ideas without breaking the bank? Why not try using lanterns? There is nothing like a flickering candle in the night. They create the perfect ambiance to a wedding or party. These lanterns can be used not only as centerpieces but also to decorate the head table or guest book table or even to be hung in trees. It is such an elegant look and adds accent lighting! One of the many great things about using lanterns is that they can be used in any type of wedding or party — the possibilities are endless! Plus, they are cheaper than flower centerpieces and can be reused or sold after the wedding or party is over!
Check out what some brides have done with their lantern centerpieces.
(Source: The Red Dirt Bride)
(Source: Style Me Pretty)
(Source: Tumblr)
(Source: Weddings Illustrated)
Check out our variety of lanterns we carry at Willard & May!
You can find these styles of lanterns and more lighting options to get you going on your new centerpieces at WillardandMay.com (1. Colorful Sleek Lanterns 2. Round Cast Iron Garden Lantern 3. Sleek Metal Lantern 4. Vintage Hanging Lantern).
Have a lantern centerpiece idea you’d like to share? Let us know and comment in the section below!
