how we made vintage inspired corbels for the outdoor kitchen gazebo

Home Decor

How We Made Vintage-Inspired Corbels For The Outdoor Kitchen Gazebo

Drescription

As I was designing this “kitchen gazebo,” I found almost no inspiration that looked and functioned like I wanted ours to look/feel. They were mostly big boxy McMansion-looking Texas-style structures or hexagonal sweet old timey gazebos, but I found almost no images of rectangular covered structures that looked charming and pretty. So I knew that it would have to be done in the details – i.e., custom rafter tails, or in today’s case, vintage-inspired corbels.

A corbel is a structural and decorative bracket that connects the beams to the posts in the corners, creating a stronger structure and, for me, softening the harshness of the strong lines. It was a perfect opportunity to add some sweet charm and make this structure less boxy.

The Original Corbels On The Covered Walkway

I got the idea for them from our very own covered walkway that had corbels between each post and beam, as you can see above. I loved the sweet scrollwork and wanted to mimic that, but bigger for the gazebo (we also had four small ones leftover from the part of the walkway that didn’t make it that we put on the island – I’ll show you later).

Time To Shop…

So I went down to Aurora Mills, my favorite architectural salvage place, 1/2 hour outside of Portland, and shopped. My hope was to get 8 large corbels that matched, but of course, we had specific dimensions we had to stay within, and obviously, stylistically, I had my dream corbel in mind. I knew it would be a shot in the dark, but I didn’t know where else to start. If nothing else, I’d come back with some inspiration and firmer ideas.

Aurora Mills had a ton of antique corbels, saved from vintage Victorian houses. It was super inspiring, and I got to really dig into their whole inventory to see if I could make anything work.

I collected every single option that would fit size-wise (we needed them to be at least 4-5″ thick, at least 11″ deep, and the height had some flexibility, but the structure was big, so I was hoping for a 12×16-sized corbel. I was obsessed with all these carved out details – we just don’t do this anymore (OR – spoiler – DO WE???? :))

We tried hard to find four that matched and couldn’t. Then we were like, what if we found some that were close enough and when painted, would work together? Could 8 different corbels, all painted white, look charming and eclectic? Or just really amateur?

I also took note of other architectural design elements that I liked – this is the best thing about shopping vintage, you are forced out of a box because you are beholden to what is available.

I LOVED the floral design on this salvaged piece of gingerbread, and tried to make it work a few different places on the property.

I LOVED the one on the left, with that sweet and simple little cut out and there were a few that were similar to it, but they were in pretty bad shape, meaning they would need repair on their own before they were even painted (this kind of work can cost a lot of money in my experience). The simpler brackets on the right were strong (and there were tons of them), so we even thought about combining the two – see below.

I think the (desperate) thought here was to buy vintage/reclaimed, do something creative to make it work by taking the floral cutout and pasting it inside the simpler bracket. This is where you start realizing that you are complicating your life so much just to use something vintage (I’ve done this MANY times, with varying degrees of success/failure). We still brought them all to our house to check them out (Aurora Mills knows me and let me borrow them for a day). I LOVED how it looked, and that’s when I made the smart (albeit more expensive) decision to hire a local maker to make 8 new ones, based on the vintage design.

Purl To The Rescue!

I called my friend/frequent collaborator Purl (follow @total_nonsequitur) and asked him if he could make these custom corbels. He is just one of those talented makers and artists who can figure out anything and loves the challenge (he made my coffee table, my huge paint brush and pencil, my sofa table, and I have so many of his paintings). I showed him a picture of the corbel and gave him the dimensions to make sure it was all doable before he came over. Then he popped by and we went over it – in a perfect world, we would have eight large ones and four small ones, the large ones being on the main posts and the small ones on the overhang.

It was a big ask – that’s 12 custom corbels, two different designs that all had to look good with each other. I wasn’t looking for a new design, though; I really just wanted that simple floral Scandi corbel replicated. So he brought that back and used it as a template to create a new one.

Purl shopped for and used reclaimed wood (both for cost purposes and the make it look a bit less polished/perfect/new). He created the cut-out design with a special tool for both ends, then stacked wood in between to add the thickness that we needed.

I was so excited as he sent me photo after photo. I approved them, he dropped them off (this was while I was in Belize), and my brother started hanging them.

In a perfect world, they would have been done in time to paint, but we had to stick to a schedule, so our painter painted the structure and planned to come back to paint these separately.

I think he used massive screws to scre them in? Not totally sure. All I know is that I came back from Belize, and it looked like this:

I was THRILLED!!!! They looked SO GOOD. Once painted white, they looked sweet and pretty, but not too fussy. They actually scaled down the gazebo in my mind, softening the lines. Next up were the smaller ones to go on those ends – we had waited to start them, unsure that we 100% needed them, but once these 8 were up, I really wanted the final four small ones to make those corners even softer. I just LOVED the vibe it was creating and wanted more.

I gave Purl the creative control to make the smaller ones however he wanted to work with the larger ones – he knows more about the process of making them and what would actually work based on his learnings on the larger ones (without needing to buy new equipment or experiment more).

Here you can see how they all look together (and you can even look closely to see our vintage small corbels holding up the island countertop). I LOVE how they look so much.

Purl did such an incredible job at making them look original and vintage – they are scaled perfectly to the gazebo and definitely soften all the rectangular lines. And then yes, my brother painted the glued the old covered walkway corbels onto the island to make it look like it’s holding up the countertops. It’s a sweet little detail that I love a lot.

And that’s the story of our custom corbels. If you are wondering how much they cost, I think I paid Purl $2,900 for all 12 of them (including materials and labor). It’s not nothing, but felt fair for the amount of time and talent that went into making these custom. By the way, I looked online a lot before and found some pretty great vintage-inspired dupes on Etsy (that were around $400 each, so not that much less), but they weren’t as sweet as ours, no cut-out flower. The only thing I regret is not paying the dough to do custom rafter tails (the part of the roofline that juts out that you can see from this angle). We did them throughout our house, but it’s a substantial cost (about $1k each), so we didn’t do it> But if I could snap my fingers, those ends would also be softened by a carved out curve.

More To Come…

We still need to hang our pendants that didn’t come in til a week after we had to shoot. We have big 20″ copper ladies from Rejuvenation that are rad and going to be hung pretty high, so you see them but still have a sense of airiness and space. For now, the string lights provide enough light, but the pendants will look so pretty. Additionally, we might add heaters to extend our time out here by months on either end of summer, and we might have to add gutters (but really hoping not to have to spend the money). Oh, and we did buy the big custom island cover that RTA makes for each – it’s a big U-shaped cover (in addition to grill covers) that you can put on the entire thing all winter long.

How Many Cucumbers Should My Plant Grow? Plus Tips for Boosting Your Yield

Cucumbers are one of the easiest plants you can grow in your summer garden, but just how many cucumbers you can expect to harvest from a single plant depends on several different factors. Some of it depends on a gardener's level of experience. The weather, cucumber variety, and whether or not the cucumber plant is trellised properly can also impact the number of fruits it will produce in a season. Want to boost your cucumber yield? Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your cucumber plants this summer. What Determines the Number of Cucumbers Per Plant? A cucumber plant can produce more cucumbers during the growing season than you might expect. Depending on the variety and growing conditions, a healthy cucumber plant can yield anywhere between 15 and 30 cucumbers during its lifetime. Varietal Differences There are more than 100 known varieties of cucumbers, which come in all shapes and sizes and fall into one of three categories: Monoecious Cucumbers These open-pollinated cucumber varieties produce both male and female flowers, which need to be pollinated by a pollinator such as bees. For every female flower grown on a monoecious cucumber plant, 10 to 20 male flowers will grow. If pollination doesn't occur, the female flower will drop off the plant and the cucumber fruit will not grow. Gynoecious Cucumbers These cucumber varieties grow all female flowers, increasing the chance for a high yield of cucumbers. These cucumber plants tend to fruit earlier. However, if not planted alongside a variety with male flowers, the female flowers may not all get pollinated, and therefore may not generate fruit. Parthenocarpic Cucumbers The most productive type of cucumber falls into the parthenocarpic cucumber category. These types of cucumbers don't require pollination in order to produce fruit, allowing the plant to be more productive. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Proper Nutrients Cucumbers are heavy feeders, meaning you need to water the plants frequently and fertilize them during the growing season to maximize harvest. To ensure your cucumber plants have all the nutrients they need, it's best to feed them weekly as soon as they start to produce flowers. To get your cucumber plant to produce more flowers, apply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer. As soon as fruit begins to form, make sure you're watering consistently. Regular Harvesting Frequent picking is essential for prolonging your cucumber harvest. When producing fruit, a plant's goal is to successfully reproduce. The more regularly you harvest the mature fruit, the longer the plant will continue producing flowers and growing new fruits. Gardening Mistakes That Result in Fewer Cucumbers These are the most common mistakes gardeners make when growing cucumbers than can affect the number of fruits a plant produces. You're planting cucumbers in the wrong spot. Cucumber plants need space to vine out and sprawl. If you're planting them in a compact space, they won't have the room to grow large enough to produce flowers and fruit. Cucumbers do best when they have a trellis to climb up. There's not enough sun. Cucumber plants need a lot of sun to thrive—at least eight hours per day. You neglect the soil health. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and need well-drained soil that is rich in nutrients. Boost your soil health by mixing compost into it. There aren't enough pollinators. Most cucumber varieties rely on pollinators such as bees to pollinate female flowers. To help this happen, add pollinator-friendly plants to attract these helpful insects to your garden. How to Maximize Your Cucumber Yield To get more cucumbers out of your crop, be sure your plant has the right nutrients from the start. Add compost to the soil and feed the plants with fertilizer when the cucumber plants begin to produce flowers. When planting your cucumber plants, select a spot that gets at least eight hours of direct sunlight. Once they start produce fruits, pick the cucumbers regularly and frequently. The more often you harvest fruit, the longer the harvest will last. To ensure they stay healthy, monitor your plants for signs of insect damage or disease and treat as soon as possible. The healthier the plant, the higher its yield will be.

How to Plant a Tree the Right Way So It Thrives for Decades to Come

Trees are important landscape components that grow slowly but often outlast most other plants. They offer visual height, shade, and a habitat for birds, and well-planted trees could very well outlive you. Adding a tree to your property is a bit more complex than adding a small shrub or garden bed, but that doesn't mean it's too difficult for a DIY. You'll just need to invest time and resources into doing the job right if you want to leave your property more shaded and beautiful than you found it. Here's how to plant a tree the easy way and help it flourish for future generations. How to Plant a Tree Select Your Tree Type The best way to set yourself up for success is to choose a tree that will thrive in your local climate. Look up your region's USDA Plant Hardiness Zone and select a tree that is likely to grow well under local conditions. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Choose a Location Aesthetics isn't the only thing to consider when selecting the best spot for a tree. To figure out where to plant it, start with the process of elimination. You'll need to consider the following: Underground utility lines: Make sure you research your state laws before digging and contact the proper agencies and utility companies to mark underground lines. Sunlight: Most trees need six to eight hours of full sunlight to grow well, so avoid any shaded areas in your yard. Mature size: You'll also want to consider the full size of the tree when it matures, so don't select a location that's too close to structures like your home or other mature trees. Prepare Your Starter Tree If you're relatively new to gardening, planting a starter tree rather than a seed can help give you better results. You'll get to bypass the initial growing stages where more things can go wrong. Before planting a bare-root starter tree, you'll need to soak its roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours to help them stay moist during the process. For potted starter trees, make sure to water the tree as soon as you get it home. Place it outside near its future dwelling place to allow it to acclimate to the conditions for a week. When you're ready to plant it, gently remove it from its container. Prepare the Hole Adjust the soil: Start by checking your soil's acidity and assessing its health. Most trees prefer loose, loamy, and well-draining soil with a neutral pH. However, you'll want to research your specific tree's needs and adjust the soil accordingly to make it more acidic or to raise the pH. Incorporating organic matter via compost can make the soil looser, more loamy, and better-draining, but it also raises the acidity. It's all about balance. Dig the hole: Dig a hole in your yard that's at least twice the width and about one inch deeper than the starter tree's root system. Set the excavated soil aside: Don't discard the extra soil you've removed from the tree. You'll need it in the next step. Transplant the Starter Tree To transplant your tree, place it upright in the prepped hole. Shovel the excavated soil back into the hole, tamping it gently as you go. Reposition the tree as needed during the process to ensure it stays upright. Add extra soil to the base of the tree in a mound shape, and create a moat around the perimeter for extra water to collect and keep the tree moist as it matures. Apply a thin layer of mulch, leaving a three-inch ring around the base of the tree to allow for air flow. How to Care for a Newly-Planted Tree While a young tree is establishing its root system, it needs some extra attention. Follow these care tips for the first two to three years after planting your tree. Water frequently:Water the tree daily for the first two weeks to prevent root shock, and slowly reduce the frequency after to every other day and then weekly. Once your tree becomes more established, you only need to water it every two to three weeks during dry periods. Keep it mulched: Keeping a young tree mulched will help its roots retain moisture better. Reapply the mulch on an annual basis. You can drop the frequency to once every two years when the tree matures. Stake it: Sometimes, a young tree's root system isn't established enough to support it. If you notice your transplanted tree bending, stake it to prevent it from snapping from the top weight or heavy winds. The Best Time to Plant a Tree You'll want to plant a starter tree into the ground when the weather is mild and when the plant is entering or just starting to end its dormancy period. For most regions, this is during fall or early spring. Both seasons have their pros and cons for planting a tree. Planting a Tree in Fall Planting a tree in the fall gives it ample time to establish its root system before the summer heat kicks in. Since the tree is on its way towards entering dormancy, it can channel its energy into root growth rather than leaf growth. However, you want to make sure you don't plant the tree too late in the fall, or you run the risk of below-freezing temps causing damage to the tree's root system. Planting a Tree in Spring Local nurseries often get a fresh supply of trees delivered in spring, so you should have a great selection to choose from. Just be sure to wait until after the ground has thawed from winter, but don't put it off too long. The warmer temps of early summer can cause the tree to go into shock.

10 Items You Should Always Keep in Your Car for Emergencies (They Could Save Your Life)

Car troubles always seem to come at the worst times, and if you aren't prepared to deal with them, the situation can go from simply inconvenient to potentially dangerous (and not to mention, expensive, too). So, to keep yourself safe and ready for anything, it's important to stock your car with essentials that will help you out in a crisis. Simply storing a handful of items in your trunk—and making sure you know how to use them—will equip you to manage unfortunate breakdowns, flat tires, and more. Here are 10 things you should keep in your car at all times to make sure you're prepared in case of an emergency. Chargers Our phones can be one of our most important tools during an emergency, so you'll want to make sure your car is stocked with chargers to keep you on the grid. In addition to car chargers, it's also smart to keep a portable charger on hand in case you're stuck in a situation with low phone charge and a dead car battery. First-aid kit A first-aid kit is essential for both mild and major emergencies. If you're on a long road trip and someone gets a headache, for example, it's great to have some pain relievers in your kit. In more serious instances, like a car crash, you'll also want to be sure to have things to clean and disinfect wounds, gauze and bandages, tweezers, and more. Water and Snacks If you end up stranded on the side of the road and you aren't able to get your car back and running on your own, it may be a while before someone can come to help you. So, it's important to make sure you have what you need to stay hydrated and energized. Store water bottles in a small cooler out of direct sunlight, along with a handful of nonperishable snacks. Things like nuts, dried fruits, and protein bars are good choices for providing sustained energy. Flashlight A flashlight is a key part of any emergency preparation kit. If you end up stranded with a flat tire or dead car battery at nighttime, you'll need a flashlight on hand to work on a solution. Storing a real, old-fashioned flashlight in your car also means you won't need to rely on your phone's flashlight, which could waste precious phone battery you need for other purposes. Just be sure to also store an extra set of batteries along with your flashlight to ensure you don't run out of light. (Keep in mind that if stored in extreme temperatures, batteries may corrode.) Jump-start supplies Jumper cables are probably one of the first things that come to mind when thinking about car emergency essentials, so you may already have them on hand. However, it's not enough to just have them in your trunk; you also need to know how to use, and you need to rely on another car to get your vehicle back up and running. An alternative to jumper cables is a jump starter, a portable battery device that allows you to jump-start a vehicle without the need for an additional car. It doesn't hurt to keep both emergency options in your car, and you can always store them with some written instructions on how to use them in case you forget. Map We've all become pretty reliant on GPS for directions, whether that's through the car navigation system or a phone app. So, if you're ever in a situation where neither of these options are available, it's helpful to have a good old-fashioned map on hand. Blanket If your car gets stranded in cold weather, it's important to make sure that you and the rest of the passengers can stay warm. In addition to keeping a couple standard blankets in your car for winter travel, you'll also want to have some emergency blankets, which are specifically designed to reflect your body heat and keep you warm. It's also smart to keep an extra pair of gloves and other warm winter accessories anytime you're traveling in cold weather. Emergency Warning Devices If you're stranded in the middle of nowhere at nighttime or in poor weather conditions, emergency warning devices—like flares and reflectors—will help alert others that you're in need of help. You can use emergency flares to send a signal from farther away and reflectors will provide visibility for nearby drivers and prevent accidents. Tire Repair Kit In the case of a flat or punctured tire, make sure your car is equipped with all the tools you need to repair or replace a tire. Knowing how to repair or replace a tire can save you money by keeping you from having to call for help or get towed. Don't forget a spare tire that can help get you to a tire shop and some written instructions on how to replace a tire. Traction Aids In the case of snowy or icy conditions, be sure to stock your car with traction aids that will help to keep you moving. Things like rock salt, sand, and cat litter can all help to get your tires out when you're stuck on ice or a snowbank.

A Mid-Flight Beauty Routine Can Save Your Skin—Here's What to Pack

Here’s the thing about zooming in a metal tube 35,000 feet off the ground—it’s seriously dry in there. You can thank high-altitude low-humidity levels and cabin pressure for that (along with a twist of UV radiation pouring through the windows). While a quick flight may not create much of a noticeable difference in your skin health, a longer flight certainly can. The solution? A mid-flight skin care routine, which can range from a simple hydrating spritz now and again to a full-blown wash and moisturize regimen. We asked skin care pros for their best tips on nailing a mid-flight routine to ensure you’re glowy on arrival. Mona Mislankar, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Cincinnati, Ohio Margarita Lolis, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey What Is a Mid-Flight Skin Care Routine? A mid-flight beauty care routine is an optional regimen you can perform at any point throughout a long-haul flight where your skin is being exposed to super dry air for hours on end. Some people like to do it at the halfway point as a refresh right before they get off the plane so they’re glowing when they land, or just before they go to sleep while flying to keep up with their usual nightly routine. “The air inside the cabin typically has a humidity of around 10% to 20%, which is much lower than the 30% to 65% humidity we experience on the ground,” explains Mona Mislankar, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Cincinnati, Ohio. “This can lead to dry, tight, or flaky skin, especially on long flights.” The dryness can also make sure more vulnerable to irritation, which can end up snowballing once you land at your final destination, notes Margarita Lolis, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey. “This is why a mid-flight routine is a good way to keep your skin fresh and prepped for your travel plans,” Dr. Lolis says. “Keeping your skin hydrated and staying on track with your nighttime regimen if you’re flying overnight is definitely recommended.” Benefits of Doing a Mid-Flight Skin Care Routine Mid-flight skin care routines aren’t considered necessary, but those who do them swear by the difference they can make. Here’s why. Maintains moisture levels: “Giving your skin some TLC mid-flight maintains your epidermal moisture levels and maintains your skin barrier,” Dr. Lolis notes. “This is especially true for those who are prone to dryness.” Minimizes irritation and breakouts: Traveling, in general, can disrupt your skin’s health thanks to stress, new climates, and disrupted sleep. Dr. Lolis says a mid-flight routine can help with irritation and breakouts—especially if you already have finicky skin. Keeps your routine consistent: You already wash and moisturize before bed, so why skip this step simply because you’re 35,000 feet in the sky? Keeping a consistent routine keeps your mind and body feeling good. Makes flying more enjoyable: Let’s be real—those flights can drag on. Doing a little mid-flight skin care routine helps pass the time. Plus, it washes off grime from the day and keeps skin hydrated and healthy which makes the whole flight more enjoyable. The Perfect Mid-Flight Beauty Routine If you do decide to adopt a mid-flight skin care routine, the key is to keep things simple with just the essentials. “I am absolutely a fan of less is more—and simple skin care is best,” Dr. Minslaker says. Here’s what we recommend packing in your plane kit. The Essentials No need to pack your entire arsenal of beauty loot. All you need for a mid-flight skin care routine is a cleanser (like face wash, makeup remover wipes, or micellar water), a moisturizer (serum and/or cream), and sunscreen. “Cleansing your skin maximizes how well the products absorb,” Dr. Lolis says. “Next, use a hyaluronic acid serum. Serums penetrate deeper and hyaluronic acid binds and attracts water to your skin very efficiently. Last, layer on a thicker moisturizer with ceramides to lock in the moisture.” Dr. Minslaker says that if you’re flying for longer than two hours, it’s best to pack sunscreen and reapply every two hours throughout the flight. This is true good advice you’re sitting next to the window or not. Optional Extras You’ll be set with the skin care essential above, but consider packing these extras depending on your needs. Lip balm: “Due to the low humidity in cabin air, your lips can become dry and chapped more easily,” Dr. Lolis says. Lip balm to the rescue. Pimple patches: If you deal with breakouts, a pimple patch is a true mid-flight hero, notes Dr. Minslaker. Facial mist: Spritzing on a hydrating facial mist a few times throughout your flight can help keep skin bouncy, soft, and hydrated. Sheet mask: If you want to go the extra mile, pack a sheet mask in your vanity kit. Apply it after cleansing but before your serum and/or moisturizer. If you don’t want to go that bold, eye masks are more subtle.