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Ugly or not? Tempered glass deck railings

We honestly can’t decide on whether or not these tempered glass deck railings are ugly or not.  On one hand, it can give you an unobstructed view beyond your wooden backyard perch, but on the other it reminds us of a McDonald’s playpen.  Their ability to block wind, as Charles & Hudson notes, might push us over the edge into really liking this concept.  What do you think?

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How to make moss graffiti

It may not be practical, but you’ll surely be the first on your block to tag your family crest or gardening gang’s sign (West Side Waterers represent!) on a neighborhood fence. With moss.

In all seriousness, we think the words are a bit corny, but you could certainly make some interesting moss patterns on a currently boring surface with relative ease. All it takes is a few standard kitchen items, some moss, and a paintbrush, and within a week you’ll have a unique, organic backyard illustration.

For a full list of instructions — along with a photo gallery — head to Apartment Therapy’s How To Make Moss Graffiti.

Did you try this?  Let us know — we’d love to see how it turned out!

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Is faux nature becoming a trend in outdoor design?

The good folks over at Design Milk take note of a recent interview with A-list designer Marcel Wanders, and his suggestion to embrace the modern garden by, well, filling your backyard with fake bits of nature.

As a child, he wanted to be a garden designer so has a real interest in outdoor design and is on top of where things are heading. A couple of weeks back I read an interview in which he says modern gardens are now so far from what gardens used to be that it is hypocritical to still pretend they all are devoted to the natural world. He suggests you dare to go all out and opt for deliberately faux nature designs.

AstroTurf? Fake plastic trees? In moderation, perhaps.  But overdo it and you might end up with something reminiscent of PeeWee’s front yard.

Get Out! Faux Nature is a Real Trend at Design Milk.