Summer Living Outside at the Retreat
At The Retreat at Mountain Brook, residents enjoy large floor plans with lots of indoor space. But perhaps just as important is the outdoor space that accompanies each apartment home in the form of a patio, balcony or sunroom. Our residents love to use these spaces for entertaining friends and family, or just to enjoy the relaxed feeling that comes from spending time outside in a beautiful setting. The Idea Specialists© at the Retreat have been compiling ideas, trends, tips and techniques designed to inspire– on how to furnish your outdoor area and make it completely yours. First, consider outdoor furniture that fits your lifestyle. Keep the weather in mind. You’ll want to choose furnishings with attractive finishes that will hold up in the elements. Shops and stores near The Retreat that offer a selection of outdoor furniture include Blackjack Gardens, Home Depot, and Family Leisure. A word about accessories: Don’t forget that pillows instantly refresh or pull a look together. Add in decorative outdoor-friendly pillow in the colors your desire. Feel free to mix patterns and prints to truly express your own personal style. And to provide even more ambiance, consider hanging soft lighting to enhance the ambiance of your special outdoor area. According to Best Reviews, the five top styles of outdoor lighting include Brightech light strand, Lighting Ever LED curtain lights, Brightown globe string lights, Taotronic LED waterproof string lights, and Urpower LED solar lights. Of course, no outdoor area would be complete without a variety of flowers and other easy to care for plants in beautifully designed containers. Get the look you want by following the three-step formula of thriller, filler, spiller. Find the container that suits your style at nearby shops including Oak Street Garden Shop, in Mountain Brook Shoppe Birmingham in Forest Park, Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery at Pepper Place and Leaf n’ Petal which has several locations nearby. Other options include garden centers at Wal Mart and Home Depot. “Start with thriller which will be the big, bold focal point of your container plant designs. This plant provides an eye-catching vertical element. We use Angelonia in many of our designs,” says Jamie Cross, greenhouse manager for Oak Street Garden Shop. Other options can include tall ornamental grasses such as Purple Fountain Grass, or flowers such as Cosmos, Salvia and Dahlia. Filler is usually composed of mid-size, mounding or rounded plants that surround and enhance the thriller and fill the space in the planter. You can use one filler or opt for two or three different plants in your container gardening design. Cross recommends Lantana or Vinca as options because these selections do not require deadheading. Other filler options include: Petunias, Begonias, and Ageratum to name a few. Spillers are splashy plants that cascade and tumble over the sides of the container. Cross recommends Trailing Vinca. “It’s a beautiful plant with marvelous training capacity,” she says. She added that “We also carry a variety of ready-made container plantings because we like to see how they grow out, and because some of our customers prefer to stop in an select something that they can enjoy right away.” Other trailing options include: Sweet Potato Vine, Ivy and Alyssum. And for more ideas, check out their blog at Oak Street Container Gardens. So, relax and luxuriate in your own personal outdoor retreat at The Retreat at Mountain Brook’s beautiful apartment community and share your personally decorated space with friends and family this summer. If you want to enjoy the advantage and spaciousness that our community provides, feel free to schedule a tour with our team members by calling us at (205) 956-9722.
Create a Home Office That Means Business!
Let’s talk business! With so many of us working now from home, the Idea Specialists*at The Retreat at Mountain Brook thought we’d share our favorite home office tips, designed to increase your productivity within the most potentially distracting environment – your very own home. So hang up the “do not disturb” sign, put on your noise-canceling headphones, and we’ll help you maximize your results with minimal effort! The best way to begin is by bringing work away from the couch, out of the bed, and into a dedicated home office. Our apartment homes offer several options for a potential workspace. A bonus room, den, sunroom, or bedroom would be an excellent choice. But remember that Retreat at Mountain Brook Apartment Homes offer such a spacious living area, that a thoughtfully arranged home office could quite easily be carved from your living room! You could even accommodate an armchair for an alternative spot to relax while brainstorming or proofreading, or create a compelling backdrop for that next Zoom meeting. Of course your desk chair should be just as comfortable so that you can remain focused. The Three Posts Eckard Task Chair from Wayfair has excellent ratings and reviews! Mimic a traditional office with clipboards for documents and bulletin boards for memos and inspiration. Take advantage of our legendary storage closets to keep your work materials organized and handy for maximum efficiency! Position your desk near a natural light source to stay lively. Full-spectrum light bulbs mimic sunlight to reduce eye fatigue. They’re great for desk lamps and other task lighting. The Anglepoise Original 1227 Desk Lamp from Perigold is fully adjustable and clamps securely to your work surface. Keeping your computer screen at eye level or below will help prevent dryness associated with tired eyes. Are your eyes tired, or just tired of gazing at that hulking printer humming beside you? Hide it inside a cabinet, closet, or behind a decorative room divider. Now you have more room to spread out paperwork. Place personal keepsakes and plants on shelves; reserve your desktop for work materials. The Perch Magnetic Modular System from The Container Store allows for customization while taking advantage of vertical space. Try to not go overboard with personal items, as clutter can crowd out space needed for important materials while becoming a distraction. Clear away unnecessary items regularly, and stash a paper shredder under your desk to eliminate a trash pile. Marie Kondo teaches a minimalistic approach to living that will permanently declutter your space. Keep the décor uplifting, and freshen it by rotating pieces around the room. Or simply step outside for a breath of fresh air on the balcony or patio of your modern apartment home while you take in the gorgeous wooded scenery!
