Daniel Keeley Archives - At Home in Arkansas

Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: July Update

July 20, 2016 by Laura LaRue

Hello again, and happy summer! I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day and are enjoying many al fresco moments with cherished family and friends during the warm weather months. Whether it is a riverside camping trip, a boat ride on the lake or, of course, a garden gathering, now is the time to get outside and soak up some sun!

This spring I embarked on a project that I am very excited about and wanted to share it with you. I added a brick privacy wall and gated entry to the perennial garden along the west side of my house. You can see what the results look like with respect to the front facade in the above image….

Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: May Update

May 11, 2016 by Laura LaRue

Hello again! I hope your May is off to a wonderful start. I can’t remember a more beautiful spring in recent years…plenty of sunshine and mild temperatures…perfect for tackling some garden projects! One of my recent endeavors involved a trash-to-treasure makeover that I wanted to share with you. Some friends of mine who are avid art collectors recently received a new sculpture, packed extremely well in a very nice crate. When I saw the crate, I just couldn’t let it go to the dump, so I loaded it up and took it home. With some putty, a little paint and a few choice plants, it now has a new life as a charming box planter. Take a look:

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Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: April Update

April 13, 2016 by Laura LaRue

Hello again and happy spring! I hope yours is off to a flourishing start. Despite too much wind lately (I am not a fan!) we have had some truly gorgeous weather here in Northwest Arkansas, and a lot is happening around the house. As you can see, the tulips certainly are putting on their annual show. As in years past, I planted a blend of three white varieties (one early-, one mid- and one late-blooming) and they have been going strong for weeks now, already.

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Outside the Box with D. Keeley: February Update

February 9, 2016 by ark_admin

Much like last month’s reminiscence of my visit to Vaux-le-Vicomte, this month I thought I would bring you more travel pictures turned garden inspiration…this time via a journey to Italy. Hopefully it will help us all make it through this last full month of winter weather, until we can get outdoors and into our gardens and outdoor living spaces this spring. And, hey, what better way to start the week of Valentine’s Day than with a romantic garden tour of Florence and the surrounding hillside towns of Tuscany?

Accompanied by a group of friends, some new and some old, I began my trip in Florence, or Firenze. The capital of Tuscany, Florence is also the birthplace of the Renaissance, the hometown of Gucci and the famed Medici family and the final resting place of Michelangelo. From personal experience, I can tell you Florence is also home to some damn good pizza, and luckily for us, gardens!

My first stop was this beautiful courtyard at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, meticulously arranged with citrus-filled terracotta planters.

I thought it was particularly interesting (and attractive) how the planters sit on what appear to be the overturned bases of other planters and stabilized with custom iron work.

The courtyard also features gorgeous architecture and statuary.

Leaving the palace I was struck by this massive terracotta jar. I love to use unique pieces like this as powerful focal points within a particular garden space.

Check out the amazingly delicate details of the jar’s lid!

Later that same day, I came across this outdoor living space and art installation at a local restaurant. Its sleek, contemporary vibe were quite a striking contrast to the rest of the city.

I love these stylish outdoor floor lamps. Weather resistant lamps are a great way to bring indoor sophistication to an outdoor setting.

At the end of the day, my friends and I met up at the Hotel Lungarno, a celebrated hotel founded by the Ferragamo family. The street-side entrance to the hotel’s breezeway is elegantly framed with potted boxwoods, a simple classic that never goes out of style.

Situated along the River Arno, with stunning views of the Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno was the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine after a long day of playing the tourist!

For the next few days, we set out to tour several of the ancient, hillside towns of Tuscany. One of the highlights was seeing the town of Cortona and the former house of Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun.

Perched on a steep slope, the property is a beautiful example of how successful and intriguing a terraced garden can be.

It was also exciting to see this carved stone niche, where, in the movie, an old man from the village devotedly places flowers in remembrance of his lost love.

Another special experience was our visit to Le Celle, an hermitage founded in the year 1211 and inhabited by Saint Francis of Assisi.

Judging by the look of this flourishing parterre, the 7 or so friars who currently live here are obviously dedicated gardeners!

For the last day of our journey, we headed back into Florence and to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.

Created by the Medici Family, Boboli Gardens is one of the earliest examples of the Italian Style of gardening, marked by long vistas, an organized layout and ornate ornamentation.

The Egyptian obelisk and Roman basin were moved here from the Medici Villa in Rome.

This geometric hedge garden was a previously unseen surprise that revealed itself only as we approached to appreciate the elaborate, rooftop fountain in the background.

These stunning gates lead to a massive water garden and island, filled with potted plants, carved balustrades and classical statuary.

Speaking of statuary, there is no shortage of it in the vast park lands that make up the rest of the gardens!

Leaving the gardens, we passed by what I thought was the most beautiful building on the property: The Orangerie. Used for housing cold-sensitive plants during the winter, it is a testament to the value that European Royals placed on gardening during the time this palace was built.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Exterior designer Daniel Keeley is an Arkansas native and founder/principal of DK Design. His work has won numerous awards and accolades and is featured regularly in various publications. For more information visit dkdesignoutdoor.com.

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: January Update

January 12, 2016 by ark_admin

I hope you had a joyful holiday season, and your 2016 is off to a wonderful beginning! This time of year, after the chaos of the holidays dies down, I am always a little sad to face the reality that it is winter, and we will have to wait several months to enjoy once again the full benefits of our gardens and outdoor living spaces. To keep my spirits up and my creative juices flowing, I flip through countless home and garden books and magazines, transporting myself to another season and place.

Along these same lines, I thought I would share with you some images of my summer visit to the Château Vaux-le-Vicomte in France. A 350-year-old model of grace and beauty, Vaux is a place I had wanted to visit for a long time but had never quite made it. The château and grounds were well worth the wait, however, and I was thrilled to soak in the storied history and sumptuous sights of this grand estate.

As we approached the château, my friend and I passed through an allée of enormous plane trees, or “les platanes” in French. This is my favorite large tree, and it is very similar to the Sycamore found in the U.S.

At the end of the allée, we were rewarded with our first glimpse of Vaux-le-Vicomte.

Entering the property we first encountered a charming, garden café that has been established in some of the former stable buildings.

Across the stable courtyard, blooming roses soften a centuries-old wall.

The château, itself, lies behind an ornate metal gate. Gates are one of my favorite garden elements and an easy way to add instant importance to any outdoor space.

The front façade of the château gives visitors their first glimpse of the grandeur that awaits. The brainchild and passion of Nicolas Fouquet, Royal Finance Minister to King Louis XIV, Vaux was one of the first houses of its day to be built entirely of stone, rather than also using brick.

Looking back at the stable outbuildings, it is easy to appreciate the difference between the two styles.

Vaux was also the first home of its kind designed, from its inception, to be an indoor/outdoor experience, uniting house and garden into one cohesive tableau. In its original state, the main entry hall was completely open to the gardens, both front and back, immediately connecting the interior and exterior realms.

Looking out over the Grand Parterre gives you a sense of the massive scale of the formal gardens, 100 acres of clipped hedges, blossoming perennials and playful fountains.

Nicolas Fouquet was a great patron of the arts, something that is evident in the many statues and ornaments that grace the gardens. Man-made objects, such as statues and urns, are a wonderful way to introduce personality into a garden, and I consider them essential to any space I design.

Looking back at the rear façade of the château, you can see how the gardens complement the house and how its elevated position, in return, affords the perfect vantage point for enjoying the work of André Le Nôtre, the celebrated landscape architect who designed the grounds at Vaux.

Unfortunately it was not active during my visit, but this, the Fountain of the Crown, was Le Nôtre and Fouquet’s homage to their king.

Just a stone’s throw away from the Fountain of the Crown, it was at these steps on the evening of August 17, 1661, that the famous playwright, Molière, entertained Nicolas Fouquet and his guest of honor, the King himself, Louis XIV.

The unprecedented festivities also included lavish fireworks which lit up the sky, as well as the reflective waters of the Grand Canal and Basin.

So impressive were the celebrations that evening that they pushed the King’s previously simmering jealousy of Fouquet and his popularity to the boiling point. Fouquet was subsequently imprisoned and many of his possessions seized by the Crown. King Louis XIV also gathered up the artists and craftsmen who had created Vaux-le-Vicomte, including landscape architect, André Le Nôtre, and put them to work on his own country house. It is a project you may have heard of already: the Palace of Versailles!

Wrapping up my visit by sharing one final view of the château with the statue of Hercules that presides over the far end of the garden, it was not so hard to imagine how one might become jealous over Vaux-le-Vicomte, “the seminal expression of the Jardin à la française, the French aesthetic of formal gardens, that swept Europe in the 17th century.” ¹

Happy New Year and see you next month!

¹ This quote was taken from the official website of Vaux-le-Vicomte, which I encourage you to visit here.

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: December Update

December 9, 2015 by ark_admin

Happy Holidays! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying copious amounts of seasonal festivities with family and friends. I, for one, am loving the unseasonably warm temperatures that have been gracing us most days lately!

Recently, I took advantage of one of these beautiful, fall days to give yet another makeover to the neglected fountain I rediscovered last month. Hopefully you caught my last post and saw how this forgotten fountain became a fun, fall display. Just in case you missed it, here is a quick pic:

Since the original makeover was so easy, I decided to give it another go…this time filling the tiers of the fountain with freshly cut evergreen branches, large pine cones and other items. Plus, in the spirit of the holiday season, I resurrected the cherub and dolphin who didn’t make the cut last month!

As a reminder, here is what I started with:

And here is this month’s display:

I used the same potting soil from last month’s arrangement as an anchor for the evergreen branches, stabbing them into the soil to make a random, yet balanced composition. Then I added sculptural branches of Manzanita and sandblasted grapevine, along with large, sugar pine cones that are secured to some of the sturdier evergreen stems using florist’s wire. Finally, I gave Mr. Cherub and his fishy friend a little bling in the way of some shiny Christmas ornaments leftover from another project.

And voila! A unique, holiday display made from natural elements and leftover treasures. I think it makes a festive addition to the otherwise empty veggie garden.

Try making a similar display for your own garden or patio using an old fountain like this or, perhaps, a collection of garden containers. If you are lucky, you might even be able to harvest the fresh greens from your own back yard…or during a leisurely hike. Regardless, just remember to have fun with it and enjoy the season!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: November Update

November 10, 2015 by ark_admin

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have items lying around that I just don’t know what to do with. They aren’t my favorite things, but at the same time, I just can’t bring myself to throw them away. Such was the case with a concrete fountain my company removed from a client project years ago. The fountain was a gift from the client’s children, and while it is no longer aesthetically appropriate for his garden, it, nevertheless, holds sentimental value. So, i agreed to keep it safe and sound.

The other day (10 years later!) I stumbled across the various pieces of the dismantled water feature and had an idea: why not give this underused, yet meaningful object, a new life? I decided to transform the fountain into a multi-tiered planter and focal point, fit for the fall season, and thought I would share the metamorphosis with you. I hope it will inspire you, perhaps, to rethink some of those items around your garden that are in need of a new life!

I think the photographs probably speak for themselves, but let me tell you a little bit about the details. Here is what the fountain looked like before:

Now I’m no killer, but be forewarned…the cherub and dolphin go to fountain heaven before the end of this story!

Other than ordering these dual deaths, all I did was to fill the tiered bowls of the fountain with quality potting soil and to plant a mixture of variegated ivy, ornamental cabbages and violas. Then, I scattered miniature pumpkins throughout the foliage to give the display a seasonally appropriate ‘cornucopia’ effect.

For good measure I added a heaping pile of pumpkins around the base of the fountain, as much to hide another dolphin I wasn’t able to harpoon as for any other reason!

And that was about it! While I was at it, I placed a lovely, rust-colored mum on either side of the entrance to the cabana, and for sheer amusement’s sake, scattered pumpkins and squashes randomly throughout what was left of the vegetable garden for an instant ‘punkin patch’. Hey, sometimes girls just want to have fun, right?!

And, that’s all folks…a fun and easy project that gave me new appreciation for something that had gone unnoticed for a long time. Take a look around your own garden, and see what you can find that is in need of a makeover. I guarantee something will call out to you.

Have a wonderful autumn and a very happy Thanksgiving! See you next month.

Follow the Outside the Box house through the seasons, by reading Daniel Keeley’s other posts, HERE.

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: October Update

October 13, 2015 by ark_admin

What a gorgeous fall we are having! I can’t believe it is already October, but I am absolutely loving the mild weather and blue skies lately. I hope you are, as well! I decided to take advantage of some of that beautiful weather this weekend to get the front porch and entry dressed up for autumn. I didn’t go quite as big as I have the past couple years, but I still wanted a little something to celebrate the season in style. So, I thought I’d share the transformation with you, in case you are in need of any easy ideas for decorating your own outdoor spaces.

The entry had gotten a little drab, to be honest. The begonias I planted this spring were fading, and the door mat had certainly seen better days. The variegated maiden grasses at the stairs are in full bloom, however, and made for a good start!

I began my seasonal makeover by tossing the door mat and swapping out the old begonias for new ornamental cabbages, along with pansies and violas in beautiful red-wine tones.

Next, I decided to use a pair of urns I found recently to anchor the doorway. I love how tall, narrow and simple they are. Filled with these vibrantly hued chrysanthemums, they stand out nicely against the dark color of the house.

The urns are nice in their own right, but they also serve as the base for an arbor of grapevine and bittersweet. To create the arbor, I simply pulled apart a grapevine wreath from the craft store, stuck the larger ends of the branches into the soil in the urns and trained the vines over the door. A small concrete screw and some wire anchor the very top, so it won’t fall down.

Once the grapevines were in place, I added branches of fresh bittersweet throughout the arbor. The rich colors of the bittersweet echo those in the mums and cause the arbor to “pop” against the dark brick.

Next, I hung a natural honeysuckle-vine wreath on the front door and embellished it with more bittersweet to match the arbor.

All that was needed then, was the final finishing touch (You guessed it!)…pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins! As I said I took it easy this year, compared to past years, but generous piles of fresh squashes, pumpkins and gourds are a must for me and help tie the whole front porch display together!

So, one more year’s autumn display is under wraps! I hope my neighbors like it as much as I do, and I hope it helps inspire some of you to Live Outside the Box by enjoying your outdoor spaces, as well as the bounty of the season!

Follow the Outside the Box house through the seasons, by reading Daniel Keeley’s other posts, HERE.

For more fall DIY door and porch decorating ideas follow the blog all this week, beginning with Cara Hazlewood’s post from yesterday, HERE.

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: August Update

August 12, 2015 by ark_admin

Hello again and Happy August! As I mentioned last month, my birthday is July 3rd, and…well…I don’t know if I should read anything into this or not, but all the gifts I received had to do with entertaining, cocktails and imbibing of one sort or another. So, I thought I would use this theme as an excuse to get together with some friends, give the gifts a try and share them all with you, as well!

This gift from my friend Christopher Todd of Christopher Todd Design was the perfect inspiration for a garden cocktail get-together. It is a prepackaged, miniature herb garden meant to inspire gourmet drinking.

It comes complete with seeds, soil markers and even a book of recipes to get you started.

You sow the seeds right in the packaging, and my friends and I had fun getting them all planted. I’ll let you know next month how they turned out!

The herbs inspired me to serve up a variation of one of my favorite summertime cocktails: a classic gin and tonic. Cool and refreshing, a G and T is the perfect drink for relaxing in the garden. This time I decided to mix the drinks (in lovely glasses given to me by my parents) with San Pellegrino instead of tonic for an even lighter flavor and to accompany them with fresh herbs from the garden. Either muddled into the drink or used simply as a garnish, the herbs add flavor and a little gardening activity to the evening.

While I was in the veggie garden, I also harvested a couple bunches of the Arkansas native ‘Cynthiana’ grapes that grow along the fence. The grapes [they are the little green ones] aren’t really that tasty yet, as this is only their second season, but I am so excited to see them growing! I used them as a garnish to go along with a wonderful St. Andre cheese served on a beautiful stone platter that was another birthday gift.

While I was at the store getting the cheese, I also picked up this Pinot Grigio infused summer sausage, which I thought fit the evening’s theme just fine!

It all came together nicely. Friends and I set up a small buffet at one end of the courtyard and decorated the table with some hydrangea blossoms, cut fresh from the garden and placed in a vase that was yet another birthday gift.

The evening also let me make use of another gift from some close friends: silver mint julep cups. Instead of another cocktail, I simply served white wine out of them this time. I think mint julep cups are great for just about any drink, really. Their simple, shiny style is even good for decorating: I often use them as vases and votive holders, too!

And that was my little boozy-birthday-gift-inspired garden gathering, haha! As I was cleaning up, I enjoyed one last nightcap and one final birthday gift: a simple beer from a Yeti coozy, guaranteed to keep your suds super cold. Thanks, Sis!

Just so I am not the only one getting all the gifts around here, though, I want to leave you with a little gift from my friend, chef and entertainer extraordinaire Jen Lewis. Below is the recipe for her Spicy and Sweet Cocktail, sure to spice up any garden party! [check out more recipes here]

Muddled strawberries and jalapenos to taste

2 ounces Vodka

2 teaspoons basil and jalapeno simple syrup

Juice of 1 lime

Shake or stir over ice and top with club soda

See you next month!

Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: July Update

July 14, 2015 by ark_admin

Hello again. I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day weekend! I love the 4th of July, and my birthday just happens to come the day before, so I always have a lot to celebrate in July. This year I spent the weekend at the lake, soaking up the sun and eating all my favorite foods, generously prepared by my friends. It was a lovely time, and I couldn’t resist sharing this sunset photo from my birthday night. Glorious!

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Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: July Update

Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: May Update

Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: April Update

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: February Update

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: January Update

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: December Update

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: November Update

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: October Update

Outside the Box with D. Keeley: August Update

Outside the Box with Daniel Keeley: July Update

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At Home in Arkansas