It was weeks before Joe Luebke, director of horticulture, and his crew could get into the garden. When they did, they found a landscape whose character had changed dramatically. No longer a place of enclosure and shelter, the Bishop’s Garden seemed to carry the whole weight of the battered cathedral now towering above it.

The crane calamity capped a series of setbacks in the Bishop’s Garden, which was built and planted in the early 20th century as a private enclave for the bishop but soon opened to the public. Its designers, principally Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and Frances Bratenahl, wife of the first cathedral dean, employed English boxwood and yew as green architecture and used early architectural elements, sculptures and other artifacts donated by George Gray Barnard, a medievalist whose collection furnished the Cloisters Museum and Gardens in New York.

The Bishop’s Garden has been a favorite of professional gardeners and landscape designers for a long time, because its intricate network of paths, resting points, framed views and changes of elevation combine all the attributes that make for a good garden.

If you are looking for inspiration to rework your own outdoor space, the Bishop’s Garden is the place to go, even in its afflicted state. Light, shade, mystery, enclosure, vistas, circulating paths — all these essential elements of garden design are here to please and instruct. The use of medieval structures and forms could become something ersatz, but they manage to rise above that. One of the sweetest corners of the garden is the Norman Court, whose intimate beauty includes a new stone-carved plaque of thistles in honor of the Scottish gardener here from 1961 to 1992, Peter McLachlan.

When I asked landscape architect Michael Vergason to reflect on the powers of the Bishop’s Garden, he gave me a list: “age, intricacy, detail, and there’s a certain ruinous quality about it. It has an ancient feel.”

So why not enjoy your garden this week? Sometimes the eye of a gardener becomes continuously focused on what needs to be done — instead of the beauty that is blooming in midsummer glory.

Your plants will not be scandalized if a few weeds share their bed or stop flowering immediately if you relax and ignore some faded blooms. You can even mow the lawn a bit less often as summer arrives. If you just can’t see the flowers for the weeds, learn to love foliage over flowers or to blur your eyes while you gaze at your garden and enjoy splashes of color and texture — even if there are some blooming weeds adding to the color show.

Give yourself permission to celebrate summer by just sitting in the garden — perhaps with a good book. Here are two suggestions:

“DOWN TO EARTH WITH HELEN DILLON”

By Helen Dillon, Timber Press, $23.12 hardcover (Amazon)

I just finished reading this classic entertaining book by Irish author Helen Dillon retitled from “Down to Earth Gardening” for an American audience.

I loved not only the new nuggets of gardening information but also the humor and personality the author infuses into her writing. We’ll be leading a garden tour to Ireland this fall and visiting the garden of Helen Dillon as part of our tour — so with the idea of research for the trip, I thought I would need to order the Dillon garden books from a British publisher. It was a nice surprise to find out that Portland publisher Timber Press has renamed and reissued this Helen Dillon book that has become a best-seller in the United Kingdom. You can find it at local book stores, your library and for sure at Amazon.com.

Here’s some gardening advice from the very opinionated Helen Dillon. Her wisdom is broken down into short chapters some devoted to beginning gardeners and other chapters for more advanced gardeners. The beautiful photographs of her own garden, near Dublin prove the point that Dillon knows how to dig in, design and delight in the gardening lifestyle.

Change is good: Helen Dillon shares many past mistakes and explains how she got rid of the multi-tiered, Victorian fountain that was once the focal point of her garden. She now prefers a more modern garden design with more subtle focal points and she freely shares her past gardening mistakes.

Use real things: Fake flagstone always look like fake flagstone — get the real thing.

Your lawn takes up too much time: Helen replaced her lawn with a long, narrow, water feature down the length of the back garden. She has one of the most photographed gardens in the United Kingdom, so this drastic design change along with getting rid of many demanding perennial plants sent shock waves through the gardening world.

Skip the roses: Most roses are not worth the bother — but roses you love are worthy of constant care and pampering.

Create a space: Every gardener needs a potting shed or greenhouse in which to hide out. Then you can relax and do nothing at all — that is until you hear footsteps heading your way. Then just start throwing soil and pots about and you can fool all visitors and family members into thinking what a dedicated and hardworking gardener you have become.

Dogs are great in a garden: Unless visiting royalty steps in a doggy deposit and tracks it into your home at tea time, dogs are a great addition to every garden. Helen Dillon will tell you how to handle that.

“FINE FOLIAGE – ELEGANT PLANT COMBINATIONS FOR GARDEN AND CONTAINER”

By Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz, St. Lynn’s Press, $16.95

Ready for more summer reading in the garden? Closer to home is this book by local garden designers Karen Chapman (Duvall) and Christina Salwitz (Renton). These two have grafted their ideas on foliage, container gardens and landscape design into a new hybrid of a garden book that is a work of stunning beauty.

Seattle photographer Ashely DeLatour has captured the essence of living leaves as works of art. If you like lots of photos with your garden books and step-by-step ideas on how to duplicate the landscapes and container gardens that use foliage over flowers than this is required summer reading.

The design of this small book is user-friendly with more than 60 plant partnerships. Each page highlights a finished project and the facing page displays a brief explanation of “Why this works” and then a photo, name and description of the plants that were used in the design.

You don’t have to be a gardener to lust after these luscious leaves. Leaf through these pages and even the most committed flower-lovers are going to be tempted to start an exciting affair with Fine Foliage.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.

 

A garden on shifting sands at Camber near Rye by Kent designer Jo Thompson is through to the final rounds of the Society of Garden Designers 2013 Awards.

A simple design lies behind a complex brief. The garden had to offer its owner privacy as the space is continuous with the public beach, provide shelter from salty winds and be in keeping with the area’s Site of Special Scientific Interest status.

Jo Thompson’s garden for Sea Gem incorporates curvaceous seating, a barbeque pit, rinsing stations for sandy feet and cedar decking which leads to a timber gate. Rope from the Historic Dockyard in Chatham provides an appropriate nautical boundary fence. The dunes are planted with tough species that will cope with sand and the climate.

Jo said: “Right from the start this garden was all about the elements. The strong, salty winds, its constant state of flux and finding plants that will take hold and not blow away. I am delighted with the result.”

The Society of Garden Designers has been championing excellence in garden design for 30 years. It is the only professional association for garden designers in the UK and counts some of the UK’s leading garden and landscape designers among its growing membership.

 The annual awards programme, in its second year, is designed to recognise and reward outstanding achievement in the garden and landscape design profession, from private domestic gardens to engaging public spaces. Out of a total of 95 projects, 35 have been named as finalists.

 The next round of judging will take place in October and the winners will be announced at the SGD Awards ceremony in London on January 24, 2014.

Jo Thompson’s garden design practice is in Stone Street, Cranbrook. She set up her practice six years ago, after studying garden design at the English Gardening School, and is now recognised as one of the country’s leading garden designers.

 

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July 19, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) —
Walk through Hemingway’s ‘The Garden of Eden’ and other Hemingway inspired Garden Vignettes created by Chicago’s top interior designers, hear from Hemingway experts, and take a sidewalk tour of historic Dearborn Parkway during the 55th Dearborn Garden Walk on July 21.

(RELEASE) During this year’s 55th Dearborn Garden Walk, presented by the North Dearborn Association, a Near North Neighborhood organization, visitors can delight in some of Chicago’s most unique private, rear gardens, many featuring outdoor garden vignettes created by Chicago designers inspired by the life and works of Nobel Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway. The event will take place on Sunday, July 21st, 2013 from 12pm-5pm and tickets are $30 (advance) / $35 (gate).

Year after year, visitors travel from all over the country to experience this annual event and walk away with ideas for their own outdoor spaces. Approximately twenty private rear gardens are featured and range from minimalist to classic small gardens and patio/terrace designs, each showcasing the most creative use of outdoor space in an urban setting. Many of the gardens are created around entertaining and sitting areas, offering city dwellers additional living quarters in the warmer months.

During the walk, guests will have the opportunity to follow the adventurous and well-documented life and times of Ernest Hemingway as they tour garden vignettes inspired by his life and works. Chicago designers are set to create dramatic outdoor spaces utilizing a variety of outdoor tables, chairs, colorful cushions, linens, floral decorations, and other accessories including fine china, crystal, and flatware. From Cuba, Paris, and Spain with a nod to Oak Park, Illinois, this will certainly be a most spectacular interpretation of all things Hemingway.

This year’s designers include: Stanley Smith and Amanda Wolfson, Oak Street Design; Maura Braun Designs; Ramsey Jay Prince, RJP Designs; Elizabeth Drake, Elizabeth Drake Designs; Hunter Kaiser – Creative for Life; and Stephen Gertz of Milieu Design.

As an added perk to the program this year, visitors will also have the opportunity to listen to Hemingway author and scholar Dr. Nancy Sindelar, a member of the Board of Directors of The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, Illinois and author of the forthcoming publication, Papa’s Places. Dr. Sindelar will be speaking at dedicated times throughout the afternoon at the Hotel Indigo at 1244 N. Dearborn Parkway. Stuart W. Hubbard, a former Associate Professor of English at the University of Kansas where he taught undergraduate classes on American Literature and Composition and Rhetoric, will be leading an informal discussion on “Ernest Hemingway in Chicago” outlining his early life in and around the city and the effect the area had on his personality and writing. Hubbard’s discussion will take place in the rear courtyard of Hemingway’s former residence at 1239 North Dearborn Parkway. Access to the courtyard is through the hallway of the building in which visitors will have the opportunity to take a look at a collection of Hemingway memorabilia that will be on display.

As with each year, visitors can participate in an hour-long, wonderfully entertaining and educational sidewalk guided tour of historic Dearborn Parkway that highlights the outstanding architectural facades in the neighborhood. The architectural tour, which starts at 1:30pm, 3:30pm, and 5:00pm, includes both pre and post-Chicago fire structures, sites that have been used in movies, homes formerly occupied by famous celebrities, and even a US President.

Nonrefundable tickets are $35.00 on July 21, 2013 and $30.00 in advance. Advance sales end on Saturday, July 20th, 2013 at 12:00pm – all advance ticket purchasers are automatically entered in drawings for goods and services from neighborhood businesses. Admission includes a Dearborn Garden Walk program with a map for a self-guided tour of the gardens, live jazz and classical music in select gardens, and guided architectural walking tours of historic Dearborn Parkway.

The program booth will be at Latin Middle School, 45 West North Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60610. Children 16 years of age and younger accompanied by an adult, as well as North Dearborn Association Partner in

Preservation members, are free. For ticket purchase information, please call: 312-632-1241 or visit online at: http://www.DearbornGardenWalk.com

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NYC home and garden designer Amber Freda provides home design tips and discusses ways to maximize a home’s design potential in a few easy steps.

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 17, 2013

As a NYC landscaper and interior designer, the challenges of designing for small spaces are a daily occurrence. There are sofas and planters that don’t fit through doors, unappealing views of neighboring buildings, and the need to maximize every square inch of real estate in the most attractive way possible. To help people who may feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to design their own small spaces, here are a few home design tips to help get you on your way to designing like a pro.

REDUCE CLUTTER

A small space will feel larger the less clutter there appears to be. Having lots of individual, free-standing cabinets and dressers will sometimes make the space feel smaller and more hodgepodge. Consider having streamlined, built-in cabinets put in, instead, for storage of books, clothing, and other objects.

MAXIMIZE THE SPACE

Let no corner go wasted in a small space. Make use of the vertical height of a room by having cabinets reach all the way up to the ceiling wherever possible. Choose furniture pieces that can serve more than one function. Murphy beds are an excellent way to make the space more usable for different functions — i.e. bedroom at night and office workspace by day. Mirrors can also help make the space feel larger. Opt for fewer, larger pieces of furniture, rather than lots of smaller ones. A connection should exist between the interior and exterior of a home, so that the garden appears to flow outward as a natural extension of the inner space. It’s important to create a sense of rhythm and flow that is as seamless as it is beautiful.

RULE OF THREES

It’s interesting how groups of three objects generally look better than groups of two or four. For whatever reason, odd number pairings work better and stand out more visually than even numbered pairings. It’s easier to create symmetry in even numbered groupings, but odd numbers are more dynamic and visually appealing.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

One of the most important influencers of mood in a space is the lighting. It’s important to have a mix of task, accent, and ambient lighting to make the space at once both visually appealing and as functional as possible. For an outdoor space, try to have a mix of high-voltage sconce lighting and low-voltage up-lighting mixed in with the plants themselves. For indoors, a mix of overhead lighting and soft, ambient lamps is usually ideal.

WHY THE LONG SPACE?

Long spaces can be broken up into separate “rooms” to help create a cozier, more intimate feeling. Terraces and decks can easily be divided up by having part of the space used for one task – i.e. dining, and another part for something else, i.e. comfortable lounge seating. A long living room might have a cozy conversational seating area, and a separate area for curling up on your own with a good book. Furniture and rugs can be placed in such a way as to create a separation of the different spaces for the feeling of multiple rooms all in one place.

COLOR SCHEMES THAT WORK

It’s generally helpful to design a room or outdoor space with one dominant color in mind, along with one secondary color, and also a third accent color. If there is any existing furniture, choose colors that already exist in the largest patterns of the furniture. To make the space feel bigger, try using the darkest colors at floor level (i.e. wood floors or rugs) contrasted with light colored walls and furniture, with the brightest at ceiling level, much the same as the earth is darkest at soil level and brightest when you look up at the sky. Light colors will generally make a space feel larger than darker colors. On the other hand, dark colors will make a small space feel cozy — add some soft textured pieces like velvet or wool to make it even more inviting.

MIX IT UP

Contrast is one of the most important features of good design. Square and rectangular shapes often look more interesting when paired with one or two round shapes. Contrast can also be created by pairing high contrast colors together or by using textures that are quite different – for example, a fluffy white pillow on a smooth leather couch. Ask what the existing style of the space is and then bring in furniture and décor that mostly matches that style, but also don’t be afraid to put in a few touches that are a little different. For example, a contemporary loft with a lot of metal and clean lines might look more interesting with a few soft, round shapes mixed in for contrast.

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS

Every well-designed space should have something that draws the eye to it right away. It might be a fireplace, a piece of art, a paint color, a great view, or a piece of furniture – whatever it is, it has star power and people can’t help but gaze at it. The focal point will also set the mood of the room as playful, formal, traditional, contemporary, artsy, rustic, etc. Don’t be afraid of using large focal points sparingly, such as a single large painting, in a small space, especially in a color that recedes (like blue) to make the space feel bigger. One large piece of furniture, such as a four-poster bed, can also make the room feel larger than it actually is.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10926751.htm

The Garden Bridge was chosen by Transport for London as the winning proposal for a new Thames-spanning walkway. Image: Heatherwick Studio

Thomas Heatherwick is one of Britain’s most celebrated designers. A few years back, his studio dreamed up a new version of London’s iconic double-decker bus; last year, he was responsible for the magnificent 200-piece cauldron at the London Olympic games. His studio’s latest project is, in a sense, two projects. It’s a public park, and a prominent pedestrian bridge.

The Garden Bridge, as it’s currently being called, was selected by Transport for London as the winning design for a new walkway that will span the Thames between Temple and the South Bank. Heatherwick put it plainly when the concept was unveiled earlier this summer: “The idea is simple; to connect north and south London with a garden.”

It’s the rare bridge that encourages meandering. Image: Studio Heatherwick

And at least as currently imagined, they’re not planning on skimping with the garden. The proposal calls for trees, grasses, wildflowers and other native plants, with a middle section wide enough to completely ensconce visitors in a tunnel of flora. Elevated outposts on the edges of the bridge will give pedestrians an unusually fragrant place to view the bustling city (and, presumably, a place to laugh at all the people who aren’t standing in a beautiful, sweet-smelling garden.)

Joanna Lumley, a well-known British actress, has been a proponent of the idea for years. “This garden will be sensational in every way,” she says, “a place with no noise or traffic where the only sounds will be birdsong and bees buzzing and the wind in the trees, and below the steady rush of water…there will be blossom in the spring and even a Christmas tree in mid-winter. I believe it will bring to Londoners and visitors alike peace and beauty and magic.”

But as universally enjoyable as a bonus parcel of plant life may be, the idea is, in some ways, a little bit subversive. We generally except bridges to take us from one side of a thing to the other as quickly and directly as possible. Typically, they adhere to the implicit aim of all infrastructure: to be as efficient as possible. And while its gently curving paths aren’t exactly a hedge maze, the Garden Bridge does encourage you, by design, to meander.

Of course for Lumley, that’s part of the appeal. As she proudly notes: “It will be the slowest way to cross the river.”

How could you resist stopping to laugh at all the poor souls who aren’t on a fragrant flower-packed platform? Image: Studio Heatherwick

• 

NYC Roof Garden Design

A connection should exist between the interior and exterior of a home, so that the garden appears to flow outward as a natural extension of the inner space. It’s important to create a sense of rhythm and flow that is as seamless as it is beautiful.

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 17, 2013

As a NYC landscaper and interior designer, the challenges of designing for small spaces are a daily occurrence. There are sofas and planters that don’t fit through doors, unappealing views of neighboring buildings, and the need to maximize every square inch of real estate in the most attractive way possible. To help people who may feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to design their own small spaces, here are a few home design tips to help get you on your way to designing like a pro.

REDUCE CLUTTER

A small space will feel larger the less clutter there appears to be. Having lots of individual, free-standing cabinets and dressers will sometimes make the space feel smaller and more hodgepodge. Consider having streamlined, built-in cabinets put in, instead, for storage of books, clothing, and other objects.

MAXIMIZE THE SPACE

Let no corner go wasted in a small space. Make use of the vertical height of a room by having cabinets reach all the way up to the ceiling wherever possible. Choose furniture pieces that can serve more than one function. Murphy beds are an excellent way to make the space more usable for different functions — i.e. bedroom at night and office workspace by day. Mirrors can also help make the space feel larger. Opt for fewer, larger pieces of furniture, rather than lots of smaller ones. A connection should exist between the interior and exterior of a home, so that the garden appears to flow outward as a natural extension of the inner space. It’s important to create a sense of rhythm and flow that is as seamless as it is beautiful.

RULE OF THREES

It’s interesting how groups of three objects generally look better than groups of two or four. For whatever reason, odd number pairings work better and stand out more visually than even numbered pairings. It’s easier to create symmetry in even numbered groupings, but odd numbers are more dynamic and visually appealing.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

One of the most important influencers of mood in a space is the lighting. It’s important to have a mix of task, accent, and ambient lighting to make the space at once both visually appealing and as functional as possible. For an outdoor space, try to have a mix of high-voltage sconce lighting and low-voltage up-lighting mixed in with the plants themselves. For indoors, a mix of overhead lighting and soft, ambient lamps is usually ideal.

WHY THE LONG SPACE?

Long spaces can be broken up into separate “rooms” to help create a cozier, more intimate feeling. Terraces and decks can easily be divided up by having part of the space used for one task – i.e. dining, and another part for something else, i.e. comfortable lounge seating. A long living room might have a cozy conversational seating area, and a separate area for curling up on your own with a good book. Furniture and rugs can be placed in such a way as to create a separation of the different spaces for the feeling of multiple rooms all in one place.

COLOR SCHEMES THAT WORK

It’s generally helpful to design a room or outdoor space with one dominant color in mind, along with one secondary color, and also a third accent color. If there is any existing furniture, choose colors that already exist in the largest patterns of the furniture. To make the space feel bigger, try using the darkest colors at floor level (i.e. wood floors or rugs) contrasted with light colored walls and furniture, with the brightest at ceiling level, much the same as the earth is darkest at soil level and brightest when you look up at the sky. Light colors will generally make a space feel larger than darker colors. On the other hand, dark colors will make a small space feel cozy — add some soft textured pieces like velvet or wool to make it even more inviting.

MIX IT UP

Contrast is one of the most important features of good design. Square and rectangular shapes often look more interesting when paired with one or two round shapes. Contrast can also be created by pairing high contrast colors together or by using textures that are quite different – for example, a fluffy white pillow on a smooth leather couch. Ask what the existing style of the space is and then bring in furniture and décor that mostly matches that style, but also don’t be afraid to put in a few touches that are a little different. For example, a contemporary loft with a lot of metal and clean lines might look more interesting with a few soft, round shapes mixed in for contrast.

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS

Every well-designed space should have something that draws the eye to it right away. It might be a fireplace, a piece of art, a paint color, a great view, or a piece of furniture – whatever it is, it has star power and people can’t help but gaze at it. The focal point will also set the mood of the room as playful, formal, traditional, contemporary, artsy, rustic, etc. Don’t be afraid of using large focal points sparingly, such as a single large painting, in a small space, especially in a color that recedes (like blue) to make the space feel bigger. One large piece of furniture, such as a four-poster bed, can also make the room feel larger than it actually is.

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By Sarah Cosgrove
17 July 2013

This monthly feature focuses on local interior designers and their ideas for choosing color schemes, furniture, art and an overall design style or scheme. Today we focus on San Luis Obispo’s Alli Addison who established Alli Addison Design in 2011. Her services include interior design, exterior design, outdoor living spaces, color consulting, new construction and remodels, e-design services and room refresh services. You may contact her at 714-3086 or through her website, http://www.alliaddison.com. Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/AlliAddison; Houzz: http://www.houzz.com/pro/alliaddison

There was a time when finding home décor ideas involved combing through stacks of shelter magazines with a pad of Post-its.

Today, with social media sites such as Pinterest and Houzz, the process of finding ideas and information is easier and, some would argue, more effective.

This is where Alli Addison’s two main areas of expertise intersect. She is not only an interior designer, but a marketing and branding specialist. She frequently uses social media for both. Addison instructs her clients on how to use the internet to plan and organize design projects because of “endless possibilities, traceability and accessibility,” she said.

“Endless possibilities” is no exaggeration. A recent search on Pinterest for “brown leather sofa” produced thousands of images. Thankfully, both Pinterest and Houzz offer tools to navigate and organize their abundant resources. Here, Addison explains how to use these sites for your own home design projects.

Pinterest 

In a concept similar to the Post-its approach, Pinterest is a bookmarking tool, where users can select images from anywhere on the Internet and “pin” that image on a personal “pinboard” which others can view or re-pin on their own board. Categories range from women’s fashion to technology, but the DIY home decorator can access ideas on crafts, gardening, and interior design.

Pinterest users include professional designers, magazines, retailers and hobbyists. If you find a board that resonates with your own tastes, you can “follow” it and check in regularly for new inspiration. Images are “traceable,” so you can go back to the source of a photo to view more details.

Addison uses Pinterest much like a traditional interior designer’s presentation board, which aims at creating a cohesive vision for a space from a collection of objects such as fabric swatches, paint samples, sketches and photos.

Addison created a Pinterest board for a client who wanted a contemporary makeover for their 1960s bungalow in Morro Bay. The board included inspiration rooms, furniture, lighting, paint samples, and even the work of midcentury photographer Slim Aarons, whose pool and beachthemed work embodied the feel they wanted for the space. The board provided direction for the project and helped Addison communicate ideas to her client. Several accessories, including throw pillows, a blue Mexican blanket and a fiddle-leaf fig ficus, were incorporated directly into the new design.

Aside from the sheer volume of images available, the beauty of Pinterest is its accessibility. While Addison still likes the idea of using books and magazines because they are tangible and more “real” than screen images, they are easy to misplace and not so convenient to tote around. Your virtual Pinterest idea board is accessible anytime and anywhere — even on your smartphone while shopping for furniture or meeting with a designer. Months down the line, when revamping or adding to your décor, you can pull up your board in mere seconds. And even if the original image that you pinned is deleted, yours will still be available.

Pinterest makes it easy to stay organized. You can create different boards for different projects, or one for each room in the house. A designated board can contain miscellaneous ideas that you like but don’t have a current use for. You can even upload your own photos of products and spaces that inspire you. Or you can pin shots of your home to show design professionals, or to jog your own memory when shopping for goods.

Addison encourages clients to include detailed notes with their pins. Save specs and dimensions from your home, color and product information relating to the pinned photo, and even what you like about the photo. If you’re not keen on sharing all of these details with the world, you can create a “secret” board that is available only to you and those you invite to view it.

Having all of your images and information in one place is a powerful tool that, according to Addison, helps you “identify a theme in your thought process,” stay focused, and produce a more cohesive look in the end.

Houzz

Like Pinterest, Houzz allows you to create “ideabooks” and catalog photos into them. However, it is dedicated exclusively to home improvement and is populated by professionals who offer expert advice and articles on a variety of topics. Addison calls it “a connection tool which helps to turn ideas into reality.”

If you are a do-it-your selfer with a question, you can post it on the message board and receive answers from both professionals and other users. If you’d prefer to hire a professional, you can search a database with profiles of architects, artisans, designers, and contractors in your area along with reviews of their work and photos from their portfolio.

To best take advantage of Houzz, Addison urges clients to be bold and connect with professionals. “As a home improvement professional, we are in the business because we thrive on helping people make their space beautiful and unique. So ask (questions),” she said.

If you are in the market to hire a professional, interact with your top candidates as much as possible. Read reviews thoroughly and look through their portfolios to see if you can apply any ideas to your own project.

Finally, she recommends signing up for the Houzz newsletter, which she said has “great and expert tips on a variety of topics for home improvement.”