I spent six weeks testing eight different elevated planter boxes on my back porch, in the garden, and on our deck. As someone whose knees protested every time I crouched down to pull weeds, I went into this review personally invested in finding a back-friendly raised planter box that actually held up. Our team also … Read more
If you have been scrolling through backyard makeovers on Pinterest and dreaming about a serious outdoor cooking setup, you have probably stumbled onto the phrase modular outdoor kitchen more than once. A modular outdoor kitchen is a pre-fabricated, customizable cooking and entertaining space built from separate components like grill stations, cabinets, and countertops that you … Read more
Last summer our family hosted a pool party that ran long past sunset, and I spent most of it running back and forth to the kitchen for ice and clean glasses. That was the summer I started looking for the best outdoor bar stations, and what I discovered changed how we entertain forever. A real … Read more
Few things ruin a backyard barbecue faster than running inside every five minutes to wash your hands, rinse vegetables, or clean a cutting board. I learned that the hard way after hosting a grill party last summer and wearing a path between my patio and kitchen door. That is exactly why our team spent three … Read more
I spent last summer testing outdoor kitchen islands on my own patio, and the difference between a good one and a great one is night and day. If you have been searching for the best outdoor kitchen islands to upgrade your backyard, you have landed in the right spot. Our team compared 8 different models … Read more
Last summer our team hosted three backyard dinner parties in one week. By 9 p.m. we were fumbling with citronella candles and tripping over extension cords running to a patio lamp. That experience is exactly why the best pergolas with lights have become one of the fastest-growing outdoor upgrades for . A pergola with integrated … Read more
Last summer, I watched my neighbor wrestle with a fixed-frame pergola every time a storm rolled in. By August, the canopy fabric had frayed beyond repair and he was shopping for a replacement. That’s the moment I started researching the best pergolas with retractable canopies for our home, and what I found changed how I … Read more
I spent the better part of three months researching louvered pergolas for my own backyard, and what I found was equal parts exciting and overwhelming. The market has exploded with options ranging from budget-friendly hand-crank kits to premium motorized systems that cost more than a used car. After reading through thousands of customer reviews, Reddit … Read more
When I started looking for the best steel pergolas for our backyard last spring, I had no idea how much the category had changed. A steel pergola is a sturdy outdoor structure built from galvanized or powder-coated steel framing, valued for its exceptional strength, modern aesthetic, and ability to stand up to wind, snow, and … Read more
There’s something about a window box spilling over with blooms that makes an ordinary house feel like a storybook cottage. I added my first window planter boxes to our porch three summers ago, and the difference in curb appeal was almost embarrassing for how easy it was. If you’ve been scrolling through Pinterest boards and … Read more