Features Ideas, Tips & Guides

London Holland Park’s water feature in Kyoto Garden.

Moon pond water feature with pheasant – early spring at Studley Royal Ripon

If you want a cheap and easy water feature bury half a plastic dustbin in your garden. Fill it with rain water from your butt. If you use tap water it will have to stand for a week or more before introducing wild life and will probably go green with algae.

Kitchen renovations are a serious commitment of time, money, and patience. If you’re considering upgrading your outdated, inefficient kitchen or are in the midst of a down-to-the-stud renovation, now is the time to decide what design features will make your life easier. After all, you don’t want or get a re-do anytime soon.  Would an appliance garage clear a cluttered countertop, or would a beverage station come in handy? To narrow down the top features you should consider adding to your kitchen, we tapped Ami McKay, president and principal designer of Vancouver-based PURE Design: Interior Design, Build, & Shoppe Read on for her seven smart suggestions.

I've had no end of people asking me if I’ve seen the natural pool episode of Grand Designs — where a couple in Chichester build a daring new house with a kitchen that sits overlooking a beautiful big swimming pond. The lucky owners can walk straight off their decking into clean, chemical-free water and swim completely immersed in nature. It seems it’s really caught people’s imaginations.

Adding fun and magical garden features for kids can help to turn a typical family garden into something extra-special, a place where kids will always be delighted to spend some time. As spring arrives and the weather begins to warm, it is a good time to think about what fun features you might add to your outdoor space. 

In just one afternoon, you can build this easy and super cool pondless water fountain. What’s so interesting about this is that the basin is “invisible” so it looks like water from the fountain is just seeping into the ground. Detailed instructions can be found on my blog at http://www.prettypurpledoor.com/easy-diy-water-feature/