Use What Comes Naturally Part 1.5

When I saw this on Desire to Inspire I couldn't help but post it on this blog. It's no palace, but it definitely fits in perfectly with the Use What Comes Natural theme. The builder of his house worked with and around nature to build this home.

I especially love it because our land has some huge rocks on it. We are hoping they were all identified on our topography, and that we selected a rock-free spot to put the house on. However, after seeing this picture, I know that if need be, we can work around it, because I'm not paying $20,000+ to move any one rock.

Use What Comes Naturally- Part I

In case you don't know, St. Thomas and St. John are very mountainous and rocky. That's the reason we have such beautiful views. If you go up high you can see far and wide. The mountains also add to the natural landscaping, in particular there are some beautiful large rocks. At this moment, I have mixed feelings about the rocks. The rocks can be beautiful, but they can also be very expensive to move when clearing your land. Anyway, some people here use them in wonderful ,beautiful ways. This will be a 2-part post. In this post, I am going to show you some pictures I found on the Internet that show great ways to use rocks for your home's exterior and as part of your landscaping. In Part II, I will show you some images of how people on St. Thomas are using our rocks to add natural beauty to their property. Unfortunately, I had to send my camera away for repairs, so if my camera phone's pictures aren't clear, Part II may take a while. We shall see.

The Rock House Hotel in Negril, Jamaica. From WhereToStay.com

From the Cote de Texas blog

From Twin Oaks Landscaping

From Beco Landscapes

From MLe Wallpapers

From Greenville Daily Photo

From the Cote de Texas blog

Wanna see a rock retaining wall get built? Check out Luc's Lively Landscapes blog.

Tropical Homes: Autumn 2009

The Virgin Islands Daily News published it's Autumn 2009 edition of Tropical Homes yesterday. The publication is basically just a way for the newspaper to sell more ads- the ads are targeted at home owners. It took me a minute to get past the feeling that the magazine was just trying to sell me stuff (but then again that is what all magazines do, right?!), but when I did, I saw that there was some good information about local vendors:

• Furniture Stores
• Real Estate Agents
• Countertops, Cabinets, Sink, Faucet and Tile Supplies
• Door, Window, Glass and Shutter Supplies and Services
• Lighting, Paint, Electrical and Hardware Supplies
• Air-Conditioning Services
• Water Conservation Systems
• Nursery and Landscaping Services
• Generators
• Insurance Agents

The publication also had several articles that I think will be useful. I liked Choosing Appliances for Your Lifestyle. The article reminds you to do your research before you buy. You need to read reviews, consider the appliance's energy use and think about whether you really need a warranty. According to the article, extended warranties are really a waste a of money.

Beer Bottle Countertops? Latest Trends in "Green" Home Decor, is going to make me find out more about Elements by Durcon countertops. I love the idea of using recycled materials especially if they are durable and safe. I just hope that Elements has a recycled price.

Paul hasn't had a chance to check out the magazine, but I'm sure he will really like Fight Moisture Problems Around the House being that it suggests using louvered doors to improve air circulation and reduce mold. I am not a fan of louvered doors and he is. I guess I'm going to have to consider them for the closets.

I guess I shouldn't complain about the Tropical Homes magazines.... it was free with my purchase of the newspaper and it did give me some useful information. What do you think?