Birdhouses and Birdfeeders – With warm sunshine and cool breezes, you should start to hear more chirping from your flying friends, especially during the day. Birdhouses and birdfeeders are the best way to keep these fanciful creatures close to your home. However, don’t just put up a normal birdfeeder – put up a Roundabout feeder, available at HG Lifestyle. This circular bird feeder features a hole that birds can get seed from, all while adding a nice modern look to your outdoor décor.

Copper Mailboxes – After every winter, there’s a very good chance you have to replace your mailbox. Plows come by and decimate every single box in site during big snowstorms. Although you could go out and buy one of those plastic mailboxes, you should step up your style. Get a copper mailbox and set it up for all to see. Many of these come ready to be set on a pole in your front yard, but there are others that will mount right next to your door on your porch wall. 

Boot Trays – Although they are more of an indoor item, boot trays are a wonderful addition to any home, especially after a rain storm. Boot trays are great to place right inside your home, next to the door, so anyone with shoes can place them right on top. This will keep your floors clean of mud, debris and – in wintertime – melting ice. Boot trays come in various designs – from stars to circles – so pick the one that suits your home the best.

Many antique dealers recognize the historic, aesthetic and financial value of weathervanes, making these beautiful pieces very successful when up for auction. That’s the case for one collector’s recent auction, which featured a number of antique weathervanes. James Grievo, a dealer from New Jersey, even mentioned weathervanes in his catalog’s foreword, discussing his strong interest in them from the start of his career.

According to an article from Philly.com, many items were up for grabs, but the biggest items on the selling block were weathervanes from different times in history:

“One weather vane, a circa 1880 copper prancing horse with a presale estimate of $25,000 to $45,000, came from his friends the New York dealers Susan and Sy Rappaport. A copper weather vane of the Massachusetts Wampanoag tribal Chief Massasoit came from the Morristown, N.J., antiques show ($30,000 to $50,000). A Waltham, Mass., copper weather vane in the form of a steer, with a presale estimate of $10,000 to $15,000, came from regular Grievo source Mary Page, a collector in Warner, N.H.”

If you think those weathervanes are valuable, the article mentions another weathervane a whole lot of money – $40,000 to $80,000. This weathervane, an 1880 copper ten-point buck, came from a major source for many antique weathervanes, a private estate. As time goes by, expect the price of such items to rise, especially since it is becoming harder to find weathervanes from the turn of the century.

Last September, Hurricane Katia landed in Ireland and did a number on a town weathervane in Balbriggan. According to the Fingal Independent, the 106-year-old weathervane atop the town’s library was hit with nasty weather:

“The harbour wall was pummelled with strong winds and high waves but withstood the test a lot better than the more than a century-old weather vane. The so-called ‘finial’ at the top of the turret was put in place in 1905 when the library was first built and has withstood all kinds of weather for more than a century before Hurricane Katia dealt it a near fatal blow.”

This type of problem is relatively common among older décor, especially when it faces major storms. A newer article from the Fingal Independent says that Balbriggan authorities are looking into a restoration of the weathervane that will begin in June. The Fingal County Council is still determining costs and full scheduling of the restoration:

“The town’s famous landmark has been missed but according to Fingal County Council, moves are afoot to restore it. The council was answering a question submitted from Balbriggan Town Council’s Cllr. Gráinne Maguire who wanted a timescale and cost for the project. The council could not give a costing at this time for the restoration of the weather vane…”

It is easy to overlook local buildings when you think about historical architecture, but sometimes a story springs up that is more than appropriate. A recent article in The Brown Daily Herald takes a look at Brown University’s new installation, which may look familiar to some older alums:

“Though the opening of the Jonathan Nelson Fitness Center ushers in a new era of Brown athletics, it carries with it a curious piece of Brunonian history and an East Side landmark ­­— the shimmering 50-foot cupola and clock tower. The cupola once topped the Marvel Gynamsium [sic], which was built in 1927. Forgotten after the gym was demolished in 2003, the cupola has now found a new home.”

As with many other cupolas we have discussed in this blog, these important parts of local history are sometimes preserved in various ways while a building is being renovated or knocked down. Keeping these outdoor symbols of prosperity and beauty alive is very important, the article says, on a campus like Brown’s, although it took some time to get the cupola over to the new athletic facility:

“… the fact that Brown dedicated so much time and resources to the restoration of the cupola ­­— including replacing the leafing with gold paint and the original copper — demonstrates the University’s increased dedication to preserving its past.”

The original gym, built for $600,000 ($7.5 million adjusted for inflation), featured a number of architectural pieces that reflected Brown’s history. However, the cupola held a special place in history, particularly for withstanding a hurricane in 1938.

Rain Chains – The summer may be hot, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have more than a few thunderstorms jammed packed with hours of rain. Finding a place for all of this rain to go can be difficult, especially if you have very large, open spaces for rain to collect. At least you can make the rain look better coming off of your house with rain chains, which provide a beautifully designed path for rain to follow on its way down to the ground. With various styles made from copper and aluminum, you can find the perfect rain chain to match the rest of your outdoor décor.

Oil Lamps – Are you tired of the same old lighting you’ve had outside for the last decade of parties you’ve thrown? While your home’s exterior lighting is probably just fine, you should add some ambience to really give your late night gatherings a fun look. Oil lamps are perfect addition to your home’s outdoor areas, providing a nice flickering glow around the edges of your patio or porch area. These lamps also come in several finishes and styles to pair with your garden or landscaping theme.

Both of these products are available at HG Lifestyle, the online leader in home and garden décor.

Add New Furniture – I know what you’re thinking – “My patio already has enough furniture!” You may be right, but think about the amount of weather your chairs, tables and other items have endured over the years. It’s time to look at throwing out your old stuff and bringing in the new. Make sure you find furniture that doesn’t take up too much floor space, but still gives everyone enough room to be comfortable. Furthermore, make sure the furniture matches the overall theme you are aiming for.

Add New Items – Beyond replacing your furniture, there are a number of things you can add to your parties to kick up your entertaining abilities. If you enjoy a drink or two at your gatherings, consider getting a small bar for the corner of your patio. As the night grows darker, you might want to add some warmth to the air, so pick up a fire pit and spark screen. There’s nothing better than having a drink around a fire late at night.

Add Plants – A major part of your patio space should be dedicated to blending your surroundings in. By bringing in some potted plants, you’ll be able to blur the lines between your yard and your patio. Don’t let your patio take over the natural beauty around it.

In Missouri, one town has been dealing with a 19^th century cupola that has taken some hits from decades of weather damage and structural issues. According to Maryville Daily Forum, the town had to take some drastic steps to enable work on hail-damaged outdoor décor on the Nodaway County Courthouse:

“The cupola, minus its trademark ‘pineapple’ top piece — a 19th-century symbol of prosperity and good fortune — was lowered onto Main Street using a large, wheeled crane. In addition to removing the cupola, which was dinged and damaged by marble-sized hale in a freak storm last August, the crane was also used to carry craftsmen from Hausman Metal Works & Roofing to the north side of the clock tower.”

Although other metalwork from the building was removed, the focus of the restoration project is on the cupola, which needs some serious attention. For instance, the article says the cupola will be shipped to Kentucky for some needed improvements and potential restorative work:

“…the cupola’s skeleton will likely be given a new metal skin, and that other repairs may be necessary as well.”

The replicated cupola was damaged during a hail storm earlier this year. The storm damaged not only the cupola, but other metal elements outside the building. Furthermore, the stonework of the brick building needs some patchwork as well. Insurance will cover some of the cost of this $600,000 project, which is estimated to be complete in 4 – 6 weeks.

This is the case with St. Thomas’s Church in Great Britain, located in the Scarborough, North Yorkshire, area. However, the church’s finial went missing for an entire century. Luckily, the Scarborough Evening News reports that a ‘master craftsman’ has placed a new finial in its rightful place. Even more important is the finial’s symbolic status – it marks the start of a large restoration project:

“The erection of a new rendered brick finial has also marked the symbolic start of a £250,000 restoration project, which will see its official launch at tomorrow night’s annual inspection. Built in 1838 in the Perpendicular gothic style of architecture, the church was unusual in having no tower. The finials of the front elevation are over 50ft above street level.”

As is the case with many older buildings, decades of weather damage can cause serious problems with the construction and stability of a foundation. The new finial placed on the church has been constructed using polymer materials that will resist these forces, the article says. Beyond the finial, this restoration will change the church dramatically:

“The restoration scheme, essential to preserve the building, will involve demolition of the adjacent hall and the provision of a landscaped frontage. The main building been re-pointed with lime mortar in a preliminary phase as the brickwork had become porous and attention was critical.”

The Scarborough community, along with the cadets who currently reside in the church, are backing this project.

According to a story in the Herald-Mail, there is a set of columns that currently hold up the cupola and clock tower at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Unfortunately, these pillars have been under duress for some time now, seeing as they were installed 140 years ago. Since December, a restoration has been underway:

“…the work involves replacing ancient bricks that have crumbled or turned to powder inside the heavy metal iron-cast boots wrapped around the bottom of the columns. The columns, built during a major expansion of the courthouse 140 years ago, are constructed bottom to top with rows of bricks upon bricks. Bricks on the bottom were damaged by water, believed to have been caused by the huge boxwoods that blocked the view on both sides of the courthouse’s front entrance.”

Thankfully, the article says the columns were not heading towards any kind of collapse, but steps had to be taken to ensure the safety of the cupola and clock tower. The primary reason for the restoration was due to the position of the columns, which had sunk a little more than half an inch each.

Although everything will be fine once the project is completed, you should use this story as a model for checking your own cupolas and other rooftop décor. Make it a habit to inspect your wood cupolas at the start of every season to ensure they are safely in place.

In a lot of cases, people keep their tools inside the garage, but that is not always an option, especially if you need room for a riding lawnmower or a vehicle. Some people choose to put up a garden shed, which can be very useful if it blends in with the surroundings to some extent. When you are looking into putting up a shed, consider the colors of the roof and the sides of the building and match it to the colors of your home or your overall garden décor scheme. Making your storage area part of your decorating is a simple way to keep your tools out of your home.

Let’s not forget about one extremely important yard equipment that can’t be hidden too easily – the hose. Assuming that your yard and garden do not have irrigation systems built in, you absolutely need a hose to appropriately treat your grass, flowers, vegetables, etc. Hoses can be an issue though, particularly keeping them from crushing your fragile plants. To keep this from happening, hose guides are an excellent option. Place these stakes around your garden and they keep your hose on the perimeter. Better yet, their design can add to your garden’s decorative touches.

Storing your hose can also be done stylishly as well. Instead of disconnecting it and rolling it up in your shed, hose pots can not only hide your hose, but also keep it connected to your water source. By choosing a pot that matches the rest of your décor, you can really add to your garden’s look while helping make your tools invisible.