Before & After: Backyard Patio

Before & After, Curb Appeal, Gardening, Outdoor Decor, Pin Inspiration

Don’t you just love a transformation – whether it be on those hgtv shows or extreme makeover? Sometimes it just takes a little effort to make a huge impact. The bloggers of Young House Love know all about diy transformation, and how updating just a few things can bring about a whole new life.

Check out their before & after of their backyard patio from their first house. The simple things such as redoing the stone, adding some soft landscaping, bringing new outdoor furnishings and adding a fire pit, made a huge makeover. Read even more about their backyard makeover on their blog.

young house love backyard makeover before
young house love backyard makeover after

Have a Before & After you’d like us to share? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Weekend DIY: Rock Box

Before & After, Outdoor Decor, Outdoor Party, Weekend DIY

Remember those good ol’ summer days you’d spend as a kid in the sandbox, building castles, creating roads, and riding your toy dump trucks around? And if you didn’t have a sandbox, then you were missing out – don’t let your kids miss out either! It’s time to get out your tool belt and get to work! Many parents, mothers especially, cringe at the thought of sand because once you play in it for a whole minute, it is in every nook and cranny of your child – not to mention those outdoor cats that sometimes use your sandbox as a litter box (so gross!).

If those things concern you, why not try this unique idea of building a Rock Box to avoid the mess! This project comes from the blog Young House Love, in which a mom and dad duo write about DIY improving your home on the inside and out.

diy rock sand box

Their idea for this rock box came when they had just finished building a sandbox for their daughter – after doing so, they realized how messy it was, and were concerned with the materials within the sand that they used. To keep their daughter safe and mess-free, they replaced the sand with pea gravel rocks and now call it a rock box. Their little girl now loves the rockbox even more than the sand – who knew?

To make a rock box for your child(ren), here is what you’ll need: (2) 2×10 framing lumber (cut down to 5′ lengths – they can do this at the store for you), 4 smaller pieces of wood to use as stakes, waterproof deck stain, weed block, square ruler, shovel, pea gravel (20 bags), a drill and decking screws.

For the complete how-to and tips, read their “Sandbox Chronicles” on how to make the rock box. They also have a post on how to make a cover that securely attaches to their fence. Also, read their reasoning for replacing the sand with pea gravel. Here are a few photos from their blog on building the rock box:

make a sand rock box
make a sand rock box
make a sand rock box with a lid cover
rock box diy
rock box diy
(Photo Source: Young House Love)

Happy Weekend and happy rock box building!