We when first bought our new old home we started where all good renovations start….
…on the inside.
If this is your first time visiting you can read the story of the house here.
Or better yet? You can read where it all began here.
We’ve spent the last year renovating a kitchen and redoing this bathroom and this bathroom and this living room and this bedroom and this bedroom.
And then?
We were tired. So we ate bonbons and watched the Real Housewives.
Umm.
Nope.
Not even close.
We started working on the outside. We redid the flower beds and added new plants to the yard and worked on the grass and planted trees and painted the brick steps and porch and then we finished with this.
Here’s the one thing we did to get our backyard ready for summer.
Let me start at the backyard beginning.
There are actually two back yards at our house divided by a driveway.
When I was little, the back back yard was a wonderful place. It used to have chickens and a fenced in area for the dogs and trees and bushes and an old shed that looked like it might fall over if you blew on it. When we bought the house back from the family that my mother sold it, they removed all of the general stuff from the back yard and it’s flat yard now without any trees or bushes.
The front back yard was always the fancy side of the yard.
It has four sidewalks that all lead up to one center circle. When I was growing up the circle was full of different things depending on the decade. It never lacked decoration. There was a bird bath that cracked in half when someone kicked a ball into it. There was the skateboard ramp that went over the middle of the circle and came out on the other sidewalk. There was the random half a bush that people were always running into with their big wheels.
I’ve hunted Easter Eggs next to it.
I’ve played four square and bounced a ball around it.
I”ve almost backed into it when I was learning to drive.
I’ve kissed my future husband on the curb while the circle looked on.
Here’s a better view into the back yard standing on the porch.
You can see the four sidewalks.
You can see the green grass of the back back yard on the other side of the driveway.
You can see the fancy back yard with the circle.
And now?
The circle has a new friend.
This fountain. You can see it here over on Lamps Plus.
Isn’t beautiful?
There are five layers of spilling, dripping, tumbling, tinkling droplets of water.
You can almost hear the water dancing over the side in this picture.
Isn’t the patina incredible?
It has a beautiful slate finish and it looks like it was just imported from an estate from the south of England.
But the best part?
As fountains go? It’s super affordable. I’d been looking for a fountain for a long time now and they were always out of my budget and about three times the cost of this fountain.
It was easy to install, too.
You just plug it in and the fountain does the rest.
There are tiny little LED lights that twinkle when the sun goes down.
It was what the circle needed.
And now?
The backyard of my youth? The backyard of skateboard ramps and big wheels and jacks and hopscotch and four square and kicking the can has grown up a little.
At night when I’m coming back from walking the dog or listening to the gossip from tenth grade or holding the hand of that future husband that I first kissed on the curb, the fountain plays its tinkling music in the background.
Life has come full circle.
And it is so wonderful to be home. 🙂
PS I’m so happy and honored and so full of joy I could SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS.
I’m one of five Lamps Plus Ambassadors for this year.
Here’s our photo from the recent event in Los Angeles.
I have so much more to share, but I’ll let my smile do the talking for now.
disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with Lamps Plus.
All fountain opinions are my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
What a great addition to your space! I had no idea that fountains were available from Lamps Plus--all I've ever bought from them is lamps! Glad you're one of their ambassadors. I don't recognize the other women, but if their homes are even close to yours in loveliness, then Lamps Plus has a winning team!
Such a beautiful fountain. Enjoy! You reminded me of my small, blue ceramic fountain with a little bird resting on it. Thank you. I’m going to get it, fill it with water, and place it in my family room.
Where did you plug it in? 6 foot cord seems rather short. Very pretty fountain.
My question as well. Is there electric in the circle? I have a circle that is off my new screened in porch but cannot figure how to hide the cord.
It's absolutely GORGEOUS!!! I'm coming to Texas!! Well... on second thought.. guess not.. wouldn't be able to take the heat.. Lol.. 🌞
Your photos of the fountain are stunning!
Good Gravy! I clicked on the wrong link and thought you were moving again!!! The fountain is beautiful and your home is beautiful inside and out.
KariAnne, what a beautiful choice you made with this fountain! It's so pretty and I can only imagine how great it would be to be sitting in your gorgeous yard and enjoying the sounds of the water lapping from one level to another! Loved hearing about all the "befores" and "afters" in your post! It's so great that you can enjoy your gorgeous home and yard with your family and make lots of new memories for you and your fabulous children! How wonderful this is! Hope you get lots of time to just sit and enjoy! Blessings! Have a wonderful week!
That is The. Perfect. Fountain. It fits that circle perfectly, looks like it came from Pemberley, and is 500 years old! Good choice; coming from a girl who loves dribbling and splashing water!
Love, love, love the fountain! It is the perfect fit for the space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Nothing like the sound of a fountain to make a garden perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh I love the fountain, how fabulous is that and the backyard looks amazing. I just love your whole house.
Sweet friend you look GORGEOUS in this ambassador pic!!! The fountain IS stunning!! The perfect addition to you lot home. 🥰 brandy
(Oops! ) Supposed to say....“To your beautiful home”
It's gorgeous!! I love your circle. We're in the midst of planning our outdoor spruce-up. This morning I primed three plastic pots with black primer, and this afternoon I plan to get a coat of SEMI-GLOSS black paint on them! ;) Deal brag: One of our local banks did a big re-do of their main office and had a tag sale of lots of decorative items - I bought 3 HUGE plastic pots for FIVE DOLLARS!!!!! I also bought 2 reindeer (the wicker-looking ones!) for $10 and a mirror that was gorgeous and I have no idea where I'll put it, for $2! I went with $17 in my pocket and spent it all! Ha!!
Perfect location, so pretty there. Oh, I vote is to reinstate the chickens...chickens are awesome. Organic eggs. Cuteness...
Oh, I just love it!! It's definitely befitting for the home of a Norwegian Princess!!! xoxo
It is gorgeous! So you said all you do is plug it in......to where? Do you have an electric line running out to it? I have to tell you I've been reading many blogs and studying them and you and your writing style and photography are the absolute best! You tell a story that allows one to jump right in. I'm so sick of blogs that show the same picture at different angles over and over again. Yours are always different and I don't get bored.....only can't wait to see what's next. You're a gem KariAnne!
KariAnne, yes the fountain is gorgeous! But, while reading that you are a Lamps Plus ambassador for this year, kudos by the way, I saw the picture of all you lovely ladies. You were the only one wearing RED lipstick! You go girl!
Looks like Savannah's fountain, just a little smaller!!! Lovely!!!
I like that you have a back back yard. I totally get it!
Like that space was always meant for it! So pretty! I'll has to check out Lamps Plus. I didn't know they had fountains too!
Fountains add so much to gardens and lawns. As you said the sound is so soothing. Even the birds like the moving water and it is so much fun to watch the tiny hummingbird taking a shower by dying through the water. Enjoy your new addition.
I had no idea Lamps Plus sold fountains! We have a store in Denver!
Congratulations on being chosen as a lamps Plus Ambassador! What a wonderful smart move on their part to use you! I think the fountain is so super cute, and the price is not bad either! I've been looking for some kind of water feature and even though I'll probably just have to go with a bird bath and a solar insert oh, I can look at your photos and dream!
Gorgeous fountain. Reminds me of the beautiful one in Savannah. I have a much smaller one but you just gave me an idea to encircle it with small pavers and daylillies. As always you are the best❤️
SOOOO PRETTY!! YOUR BACK YARD IS LOVELY! BUT WHAT ELSE WOULD WE EXPECT???? NICELY DONE!
The fountain is pure perfection! I’m in love!
Your yard is so pretty and green. The first thing I thought was how great it would be for a dog....(like my dog). Enjoy your time outdoors and have some sweet tea.
Oh my goodness...your smile and your smiling eyes with those other talented beauties!!! Your smile is brighter than the beautiful fountain in your backyard! And THAT fountain is hard to top! So excited to see where this new adventure with Lamps Plus takes you!!! Because I'll be right there with you. :)
It is absolutely PERFECT in that awesome neat little circle space. Love it! Grats on your ambassadorship. They chose well.
It's so pretty! I love the sound of trickling water!