I know there’s great anticipation for the primary bathroom reveal, but I wouldn’t be a real DIYer if I wasn’t starting another project before finishing the current one, right? All jokes aside, the landscaping has been high on my to-do list for a long time now, so I’m excited to share the plans (or rough ideas) for phase two of the exterior makeover.
Recapping phase one of the exterior makeover
In case you missed it, last year I focused on the exterior paint color and went from a dated yellow cream, to this warm moody charcoal with a hint of brown (color is Black Fox by Sherwin-Williams). I painted the exterior doors Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams and added brand new gutters, also in black. The transformation was astounding!




Adding new copper lanterns was supposed to be on the list for last year too, but they were backordered by several months, so it wasn’t until this spring that I was finally able to have them installed. But needless to say, they were so worth the wait! If you’re curious about choosing exterior lighting for size and scale, I shared a little bit about my process here.

Shop: Copper Lanterns
What are the plans for phase two of the exterior makeover?
It’s time for curb appeal! When I bought my house in 2018, it came with a lot of mature landscaping: very tall trees in the back, tall holly bushes, large ewes and more. At first I was so excited about this because it was new for me and everything looked so pretty. However I soon realized that I wasn’t equipped to take care of everything and the previous owners hadn’t kept it up either. Everything is very leggy (that’s when you don’t trim back your bushes and you have more wood than leaves) and some things have died off during some harsh winters.
When thinking about the landscape design for the front, I want something that compliments the style of my home (southern & traditional) but will also be easy to maintain for a gardening novice like myself. Also, I know I can always continue to build in years to come! With all that said, I uploaded a couple photos of my front landscaping to ChatGPT Sora and coached it on my vision. Lets look at the first option!

In real life I’ll have the hydrangeas span the entire garden bed length. I’m so excited about such a classic and streamlined design!
As you can see, the plans entail ripping most everything out and starting from scratch. The initial version I requested allows me to keep the two pink magnolia trees. I’ll share a photo of them in bloom below. While these are quite unruly at the moment, I’d like to do everything I can to keep them. When I purchased my house in 2018, they were in bloom the day I got the keys and it feels very special each spring when I see them bloom. I always take a minute to reflect on how far this house has come.
With all that said, some storms caused the left tree to lose a large limb, so they’re not quite symmetrical anymore. In case trimming them back proves to be unsightly, I also requested a mock-up without the magnolia trees and look at this! If I’m being honest with you, I like this version more! It’s something about the symmetry and balance of everything.

I would adjust the trees to not be directly in front of the windows, but otherwise I love this design!
To DIY or Hire?
I’m sure you’re wondering if I plan on tackling this by myself, and trust me, I thought about it. I even bought a pole saw in the hopes I could trim the magnolias back myself! However at the end of the day I decided maybe it might be best to call in an expert. These roots run deep – I know some of them have been here for decades – and my equipment is pretty limited at this stage.
After vetting a few companies I found one that I feel good about. Finding good contractors in the area has proven to be very difficult for me. Sometimes I know they’re marking up the price because they think I don’t know any better (that’s actually how my kitchen renovation was born – I was mad about being over-quoted for a drawer). Other times I don’t feel like they’re listening to me which is a HUGE problem! If something goes wrong we need to be able to discuss it. I had one company give me a bid on this job and I’m not hiring him for this exact reason.
Needless to say, I’m excited about the company I ultimately chose and we discussed the magnolia tree concerns. We’re going to start by trimming them back and shaping them, and from there we’ll stand back and decide if we should keep them or if they should go. Otherwise, you can expect some fresh holly bushes, some Arborvitaes, white hydrangeas and boxwoods. I plan to install a brick garden wall so to speak (just two or three layers of brick pavers like these) which I think will really tie in nicely with the house.
Timing for Phase two of the exterior Makeover
Since this isn’t a DIY project, expect this to happen a bit more quicker than usual! We’re scheduled to start next week, weather permitting (and as long as he’s not backed up from the previous bouts of rain we’ve had). I’m a little bit nervous but mostly excited for this project! After the landscape company is done, I’ll begin planning an exterior lighting scheme and am also going to tackle a small flower bed that’s off to the side as my own little gardening DIY. We all have to start somewhere right?!
Stay tuned for much more to come! I’m so excited to finally have the large white snowball hydrangeas I’ve always dreamt of!
