Amazing Outdoor Baths and DIY Garden Showers

Usually we think of swimming pools and hot tubs as being outdoors and showers and baths as being indoors - but let's face it, people have been bathing out in the open in the great outdoors for ages. 

Now, I'm sure some of the examples below are from resorts and tropical vacation spots - - but don't let that stop you from adding a little bit of luxury to your own property. Just be sure you are not within your neighbor's view! Check out these amazing outdoor showers and baths and then read on to find out how you can make your own! 

Beautiful outdoor shower

This forest bath looks like something from a fairy tale

This outdoor shower, made to look like a tree, blends right in with the landscape.

Tropical shower.

This looks amazingly peaceful.

Garden shower from Birmingham Home and Garden

What a view.

Outdoor shower from Sweethomestyle

Outdoor shower by Los Gatos Interior Designers & Decorators Chelsea Court Designs

Into DIY? Then how about making your own outdoor shower? Check out these examples:

That has got to be cold!

Here are directions for how to make one from Bob Vila

DIY outdoor shower from Sweet Paul

Upcycled mirror and license plate make a cute accessory for your outdoor shower.

What do you think?
Which is your favorite?


Have a great week!
love,

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2017 all rights reserved

Make The Atmosphere In Your Home As Beautiful As The Decor

I am a very well organised and meticulous person when it comes to my home so home
odours have never been a problem. But the stickler for freshness that I am, I cannot help but
continuously try to make my home smell better!

Don't you think that a particular smell or fragrance is so strongly associated with our brain that the moment that particular smell reaches our olfactory receptors it brings back a lot of memories. A particular smell can easily transport you to the place where you have been to once. For an instance, the smell of unappetizing foods can take you to neighbour aunt's home whose home's smell and food you never liked as a child.

The problem with house smell is that the homeowner remains unaware of it or they become used to it and can't smell it the way other people can do. Between food, pollution and unattended water puddles, the odour of your home is something you might not notice.

Do you think your home does not smell well enough? Are you boggled as to why despite all the efforts, there seems to be something amiss with the freshness? Here is how you can keep your home enveloped in an ambience of freshness.

How to make your home smell better:
We are all well aware that urban apartments are spatially challenged. This is the most common reason why the odour lasts for long in tiny apartments. Your home may not exactly be smelling bad, but it may lack a certain freshness which is often almost impossible to detect.

The smell can arise from various sources like cooking, pet odour, old furniture, carpet, mold, cigarette smoke, trash cans, smelly bathrooms or sometimes even a strong body odour can contribute to house smell. If you are able to find out the source of smell you have already won half the battle. Now let's fix the issue.

If unappetizing food or cigarette/cigar smoke is the cause of house smell just open up the windows and let the fresh air circulate in your home. Now spray some best smelling air fresheners for home, I have Godrej aer spray and it works just amazingly. Your home will smell inviting and fresh. They have a special fragrance – Musk after Smoke that does wonders to mask the smoke smell. I use it frequently post parties at home. 

What if old furniture, carpets, and trash cans are the offenders. Then house cleaning, steam cleaning or vacuuming the carpet, repainting the furniture and emptying trash can regularly are the solutions to the house smell problem but if you don't wish to spend a lot on all these then air freshener spray is the answer. If you have guests coming over, it’s great to get your home and bathrooms smelling fresh and ready to set the mood for the party. 

Next comes the odour from pets that can be really annoying because if you are staying with them, it is almost certain you will not be able to identify it as a cause. Give your pets a nice bath and try to keep them clean regularly. Get them house trained. Once you have fixed the problem it's time to fill your home with a long lasting fragrance. Yes! I am talking about air freshener.

Toilets smell for obvious reasons. Maintaining them well and cleaning them regularly can totally dissipate the smell. Make sure that after cleaning the toilets you use the best bathroom freshener that doesn't fade with time.

These are some tips I follow religiously to make my home smell amazing all the time. After all, your home is your den where you stay day in and day out and you know well how smells have a great impact on our mood. So, encourage a cheerful disposition with a fresh, beautiful home aroma.

Now we'll meet in the new year dear readers. Take good care of yourself and have a great time with family and friends. In case you missed reading my previous blog on my blogging journey till date here is the link for you!!

Designing Woman…..

Well first I must say, Dallas you disappointed me!!!!
When we arrived on Thursday night it was COLD and by
Friday it was SNOWING!!!  Needless to say, our team played
NO soccer games and this soccer momma hardly left the
Hilton Garden Inn in Ft. Worth!!!  No Wisteria visit for moi!
Hopefully I'll be back someday and am quite sure
my opinion will change.  Thank you for all the suggestions,
perhaps next time Mother Nature will cooperate.

**************

I know I have said it before, but having people hire me
to help them make their home prettier and more functional
still surprises me sometimes….I have to pinch myself that
I get to work independently in a creative field.  It truly fills
me up more that you will ever imagine.

And lately, work with local clients has kept me very
busy!  Right now I am working on MANY different styles
of homes and decor - from contemporary, transitional, neutral,
stately and traditional.  I have some brave souls and some
who prefer to play it safe….I am happy to accommodate it all!

I thought this week I would show you some recent
concept boards that I have worked on for a few local
clients - many times I do these to show a look or direction.
Some of the items are definite selections for the room,
others are more a representation.  Ultimately,  I always
want the client to trust me with styling the space so usually
the accessories are more representative.

Happy Monday to all! I hope the sun is shining where you are.

My Favorite Things 2014

First, thank you to Melissa from 320 Sycamore for including me in
her Favorite Things blog tour this year!  I loved doing this -
I even asked my family what they thought my favorite things were!
I wanted this list to be authentic….things I really love, use
and were a part of my life in 2014!

I have included some explanations and links if you
are interested in making MY favorites YOUR favorites!

Volcano Candles
These candles meet my 'candle standards' in many ways -
They smell good, are in a pretty container and are long lasting.
If you want your home to smell like an Anthropologie store, these are your candles!
I tend to burn a candle every day - I find it calming and it instantly cozies up any space.

BM Revere Pewter
I would define this neutral paint color as my 'go to' neutral.
Revere Pewter is painted on the walls of many satisfied 2014 clients, enough said.

iPhone 6 Plus
I recently upgraded my old iPhone 4 and chose the biggie, iPhone 6 Plus.
Despite my children's complete embarrassment and teasing….I love it.  Since I am 40ish,
my eyes have a hard time reading small print and this phone is a great help!

Ugg moccasins 
My days have been busier this year with my business and my
momma duties….when I come home after a long day, I switch into these fluffy
moccasins and instantly feel cozy and comfortable!  Uggs can be pricey but
last forever - totally worth the investment!

Hang and Level Tool
I hung many a gallery walls this year and I could not have
done it {without putting a million holes in my client's walls} without this tool.
It's an 'As seen on TV' product which cracks me up.

21-Day Fix
I am not really overweight but last spring I was feeling
'soft' and really wanted to do something to tweak my eating.  I already exercise
regularly but felt like my eating could improve and I desperately needed some
discipline.  I joined Marta's group and did the 21-Day Fix.  I stuck with it and
ate NO flour and very little sugar for 21 days.  I have continued to really
eat very little flour and have definitely increased my fruit and vegetable intake.
My jeans are looser and more importantly, I feel better!

Noonday Jewelry
I don't remember when I first learned about Noonday,
but I have purchased pieces over the last couple years from my friend Paige and
wear them often…..This year, I hosted my first in-home Noonday party with
a local Noonday Ambassador and definitely increased the number of
pieces in my collection.  I love knowing that my jewelry is handcrafted by
artisans that receive a living wage in return for my purchases!  Noonday is
changing lives and bringing hope to impoverished countries all over the world,
that is something amazing that I am happy to be a part of!

Starbucks Green Tea Lemonade
This was included at the urging of my teenager……who describes my
love for this drink as an 'obsession'.  I can't help myself….
Admittedly, I drank many of these over the summer.

Beauty Aids
I am a pretty simple girl when it comes to beauty products.
I try to spend as little time as possible getting ready in the morning….
I love Smashbox's Camera Ready CC cream!  It evens out my skin and
gives it a healthy, dewy glow.  It's really forgiving an application is super easy.

I recently went pretty short with my hair but will never give up my
Kerastase products!  Now, these products are on the pricey side
but I have learned that better products are more concentrated so you
don't need to use as much in your hair.  I highlight my hair often and this
product leaves my hair looking healthy and smooth!

Now you can head to over to Elizabeth at Fresh Plate to see what
are her Favorite Things!

** Also - Melissa is hosting a link-up on Thursday and would like all
of you to post and link YOUR favorite things if you would like!
Please do - inquiring minds want to know!

MODERNBATH.COM…...

When modernbath.com contacted me and asked me to take a look at their

products, the timing could not have been better….My girls' bath could use some 

attention and updates so using the modernbath.com website, I was able to 

put together a inspiration board with some products that are not just beautiful

but really quality items that will stand the test of time and use!

Modernbath.com is a wonderful online resource for luxurious home
and bathroom products including bathroom vanities, bathroom faucets,
bathroom cabinets and mirrors, bathroom shower panels, and a variety of other
contemporary bathroom items at discounted prices.  Go check them out
if you are in need of any of those products for your bathroom projects!

vanity/toilet/storage cabinet/mirrors

Adding Character to your home {Furniture in the bathroom}

Oh I have missed writing on this little ole blog! I guess August is just the month for crazy life. I am hoping that September will give me a little more time for projects and writing. I am excited for fall to come...time to slow down a bit!

A couple of weeks ago I found this inspirational picture on the web:

 source

It really got me thinking about how an unique piece of furniture can really add some major character and style to a bathroom. We are so use to seeing regular vanities, stand up showers and garden tubs that really don't add much character at all. I really love the idea of taking either a vintage or industrial piece and adding it to the bathroom, whether for storage purposes or in place of a regular vanity.

Take a look at some others I found:

source

Atlanta Homes Mag

source

source

source

What do you all think? Do you have room in your bathroom for an unique piece? Could you swap out your existing vanity for something that adds a bit more character?

Schoolhouse Electric

There are so many wonderful things about my hometown of Portland, Oregon -

we have great food, wine, beer, plenty of coffee,

parks, mountains, rivers, an eclectic/creative population…..

AND we are home to Schoolhouse Electric!  

I had the opportunity this week to visit their retail store and tour their manufacturing facility

in northwest Portland - it was SO fun to see how Schoolhouse's fixtures are

really handmade - such great care goes into making each and every

fixture!  And they make them ALL right here in Portland.

 As you can see, their facility is very in keeping with their products - in

fact, I even got to see the fourth floor where they shoot most of their 

products for their website and catalogs.  The painted brick, beams and industrial

feel serve as the perfect backdrop for product shots.

The retail space is SO inspiring and includes a coffee shop

and florist too!  Mixed in with their beautiful, vintage inspired lighting are

art prints, books, serving pieces, furniture, bedding, throw pillows, hardware,

gifts, shower curtains, aprons, tote bags etc….all with that

vintage/cool/hip Schoolhouse Electric vibe!

Schoolhouse just launched their spring line and there is SO
much goodness…….

I chose a few favorites but it was so hard to narrow it down!

How about that brass cabinet hardware?  Or that striped

duvet/sheet set?  And the lighting……..So good!

You can checkout Schoolhouse Electric online HERE!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas from Uncommon Goods { + a giveaway!}…….

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

In many ways I feel like yesterday was Christmas, yet this week is Easter - the
days seem to be whizzing on by (see yesterday's post)!  

Spring is really my favorite time of year, so
many special days - including my birthday, Easter and Mother's Day!

Uncommon Goods is a online retailer that features unique designs and
handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment and without
harm to animals or people.  I love that Uncommon Goods mission is to 
support artists and designers - half of what they sell is made by hand,
in the good ole USA!  I admire their commitment to the creative community!
Check out some of their wonderful gift ideas HERE.

When Uncommon Goods asked me to choose some of my
favorite Mother's Day gift items, I had no problem finding
lots of things I would love to receive from my peeps.
You can go HERE to see some of these items for yourself.

Uncommon Goods is offering ONE lucky Forever*Cottage
reader a $50 gift card to help YOU with your 
Mother's Day gift shopping!

To Enter:

* Go to Uncommon Goods and check out their site

* Come back here and let me know what gift from 
Uncommon Goods you would love to receive.

*Share this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
and let me know for an additional entry.

I will choose a winner on Wednesday, April 16th.
Enter by Tuesday, April 15th midnight PST.

Goals for 2014 {House & Personal}

Now that the crazy holiday season is winding down, I have had some time to reflect on the past year and create some goals for 2014. I am more of a goal setter rather than a resolution maker. For one, I feel as though I can never keep my resolutions and then I feel discouraged and quit. A goal seems more achievable for some reason. So here we go...you must keep me accountable this year my friends!

1. Create a more healthy lifestyle:
Even though the Hubs and I are fairly healthy, we can always do much better! I want to make the time to cook more, eat out less, drink more water, add more veggies and fruits to our diets and continue to exercise regularly. A healthy lifestyle also consists of getting enough sleep. We are so at fault with falling asleep on the couch and then dragging our ugly selves back to bed in the wee hours of the morning. It is time to get consistent sleep before we have a little one and then will be getting NO sleep!

2. Take Time To Read:
Because blogging isn't my full time job, you can often find me finishing up projects late at night, catching up on reading blogs, pinterest, facebook, etc. till I go to bed. Even though I love interacting with all of you on social media, I need to take time off of technology at night and start reading books! I have started two of them over the past couple of months and haven't finished because I get so easily distracted with my iphone, TV, movies, etc. This year I will read more with all Technology turned Off!

3. Contentment & Patience:
Let's be honest here...we all struggle with these two words. The first one troubles us when it comes to contentment with ourselves, our home, our jobs... We compare our life with others around us. I am at fault when it comes to my home. I think Pinterest is to blame for this one!! I see gorgeous homes, fabulous outside spaces, huge homes with bonus rooms, finished movie rooms, etc. I need to find contentment with what I have right in front of me. There are always people that are going to have more than I have and people that are going to have less than I have. I am one blessed women and I need to be able to see all the blessings that surround me each day.
Oh Patience...where do I start...Ha! I have had to learn patience through our adoption process this year. I know I am going to need even more patience as we head into this new year. The unknown is the hardest, isn't it? Patience with my husband and with others is another one I need to work on. Taking the time to stop, breath and listen will help me immensely this year.

My house goals might be a little more specific, but they are also going to depend on when a little baby might enter into our lives. I might not get as much accomplished depending on the timing of life. But...isn't that always the case!?


1. Master Bathroom
If you remember I shared my plan for updating our master bathroom a few months ago. Nothing fancy and great, just some paint, a tile back splash around the tub, some floating shelves for organization above the toilet & framing the already existing mirror above the sinks. Well I did get to painting the bathroom and vanity...and well....that is all folks! So this year I will finish those other tasks and I can't wait to see what just a few minor additions can do in that boring space!


2. Master Closet
I did tackle creating a space to hang my bags, organized all my shoes and even made an inspiration board for my outfits. However, this closet is still in need of major organization. Since the Hubs and I share this smaller sized closet we need to add a lower rack for hanging pants and some drawers for socks, underwear, etc. I am thinking of something like the picture below. The Container store is having 30% off this month...so I might have to get going on the closet space asap!

I am also going to try and organize our sweaters and jeans, that are on the top shelf, with some square shelving from target. As long as I can rig the shelves in place, I think it is going to be amazing and I will be one happy girl.



3. DIY Coffee Table
We have been living without a coffee table for about 5 years. Yup! I think it is time that we have a space to place our coffee cups, magazines and accents. My brother inherited some reclaimed barn wood  last year and I have been bugging him to make me a coffee table. Well...for my birthday in September he did assemble the top wood piece together. Now it is my turn to give it a little top coat of polyurethane and have my dad help me weld some legs to the bottom. I can't wait to see how it turns out!
I am going for a similar look like this:

source

4. Built-Ins

I have always wanted to do something to add a little character in the living room area looking into the dining room. I finally figured out that I want to add built-ins around the passageway like the picture below. This is going to be a bit pricey and I'm crossing my fingers that my brother can help us out with this project. I need to start saving my pennies...now, but won't it be amazing if I can pull it off?

via BHG

5. Entryway

If you have been following me for sometime now you have seen our small entryway undergo some changes like the molding, paint, stripes, artwork, etc. Well I am ready to change it up just a bit again. Right now we have this furniture piece that has hooks for hanging purses & coats and a bench below to hide some of our shoes. 

I have loved this piece and it was really useful when we lived in our town home a few years ago. But, I am going to try and search (or DIY) a console that I love. I think it will help me be little more organized and a better use of this small space when you enter our home. I am thinking a couple of ottomans underneath the console will also act the same as shoe storage and a place to sit and put on boots. Below are a couple of ideas I have in mind:

via

via

6. Nursery

This one I am most excited about! Since we don't know when we will be chosen, I have been taking my time with the nursery. I almost don't want to jinx anything. Do you ever feel that way with moments in your life? I need to slowly work on it bit by bit because once that baby enters our life, I won't have as much time to make the space beautiful. I will be sure to share with you some updates soon! If you missed out on all of the fabulous nursery design boards...you can click on over Here, Here, Here and Here! I will be sharing my own design board with all of you and how I incorporated each one of the guest post designs in my plan.

WOW! That seems like a lot to tackle in 2014 and I didn't even mention all the little DIYs that will be going on around here. But as usual I will be keeping you posted on the progress of our home. I also want to share some quick and easy organization tips as the year rolls on. If your house isn't organized, then it is often hard to figure out how to decorate your space! I will share what works for me and will continue to share some Reader Redesign's to keep you inspired! 

How about you?.... After all, this blog isn't just for me to talk on and on about my home and space....what would you like to see on Eat.Sleep.Decorate. this year? I would love suggestions from my fabulous readers! Please leave a comment or shoot me an email at: eatsleepdecorate@gmail.com

Thank you for keeping me accountable in 2014! Here's to an amazing year ahead!

XOXO