# So... just purchased a new shop, and it came with a house for the family - need advice...



## FreeWoodistheBest (Mar 19, 2014)

I am pretty excited about my new house, but I am even more excited about my new shop.
One problem that I told my wife I would try and fix is how to hide, or screen off the shop from the house and yard a bit. Not trying to make it disappear, but you can see the face and the landscaping around it are a blank slate… Anyone have pictures of a shop facade, or landscape ideas… PLEASE HELP, I am not allowed to begin any other projects until I have at least a plan for what to do here… 

thanks


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## jswoodworker (Mar 15, 2014)

I'm a fan of Dogwood and Cherry trees. I would plant one 15-20ft off the corner toward the house to break up the roof line. Then add 2-3ft wide beds along the side of the building for various shrubs and flowers. I like to have a variety of collors and shapes. You can always ask a local landscaper to design a plan for you. I've done so with my house. They sold me the plan for about $250 and the cost was credited toward any plants and materials I purchased from them.


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## BikerDuke (Dec 24, 2013)

If that is garden space beside the shop you coud plant annuals in narrow planter boxes. Adds color and bees. A small hedge would work also, if you keep it low. Box wood or some of those tall things. 
A real siple solution is to cover the windows on that side of the house and enclose any deck, patio or other backyard gathering place.


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## retfr8flyr (Oct 30, 2013)

I don't know where you live and that makes a difference on what to plant. If that is a current pic then I assume you are in the south. I would recommend planting a big row of Forsythia bushes. They will grow quickly and screen the shop, they also make nice flowers in the spring. A few Leland Cypress trees mixed in would also work well.


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## FreeWoodistheBest (Mar 19, 2014)

We are in the NW, Seattle area. Love the idea of having a landscape plan done - thank you.


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## moke (Oct 19, 2010)

With our house, we designed a very aggresive/expensive plan. It included plants, trees, decorations for the walls of the structures, and a seating/patio area with an outdoor kitchen (this really made the wife happy-she cooks inside-I cook outside). It was way more that I could afford, but we it was a plan we could work towards over the years. There seveal cheap landscaping programs available, I own/operate a photostudio, I have had a graphic artist on staff for a long time and I had him modify photos I took to see what it would look like and in what color….etc.

It took 10 years but we have executed our plan and now we can enjoy it, but of course by being a DIYer I have to constantly mess with it. I did however, put up a trellis and plant climbing vines…they are the most stubborn, nasty, things I have ever dealt with….five years later I still have to round up some shoots that come up every year!!
Good Luck…Have fun with it…and we expect photos inside the shop!!!
Mike


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## FreeWoodistheBest (Mar 19, 2014)

One of the ideas that I ran by my wife was a rustic ghost town like facade along the face of the shop with the man door, and it would wrap around to the sliding door… It would have a hotel front with a window (currently no windows in the shop), a feed store/general store, and then lastly on the end the saloon. The saloon door facade would be the man door entrance into the shop… and finish with stable/tack shop on the sliding door… Then to tie it all together I wanted a boardwalk around the shop and a leg of that boardwalk that came back to the grass area…

She is a little skeptical of my idea…


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Arborvitae are pretty dense and every year go on sale at Costco for $25 - $30 each at only 4' but the grow at a decent rate, are near zero maintenance and offer a good noise barrier as well.


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## Caleone (Mar 19, 2014)

I was looking on the site for something else when I saw this, just joined so I could reply. First, I think the shop needs some paint to cut down on the contrast-the light color makes it stand out against the dark green background of your mature trees. Medium to coffee brown, I think, or a dove gray; both of those will disappear into our NW winters. I think the man door needs an arbor or pergola, in 4x or 6x cedar: this will make a visual break that in the photo angle makes both wall planes 'run together.' I can't tell if that is a gas meter next to the roll-up; if it is, it will make it difficult to plant any screening over there. If you CAN plant, I'd make two island beds (think kidney-shaped or generally irregular) to each side of the roll-up, about 8 -10' off the building, and a gap between them. To the right, a red-leafed Japanese maple. They'll have 5-8 footers at Home Depot soon, and in a few years it'll get 12-15' high and wide and screen that entire wall volume. On the left, an Alaska cedar (sometimes called yellow cedar or Nootka), they will get 20 feet tall or more but only 4-6' wide. This'll leave plenty of access to your rollup. They have these at the Depot too, about $29. You don't need a landscape plan, just use this simple rule: 'Tall thing, short thing, round thing, rock.' Repeat, making interlocking irregular triangles both vertically and horizontally. Think rhodies, azalea, small juniper and such. Leave lots of room for your wife to plant bulbs. You're not in the city (Woodinville? May Valley?), so another, later part of your plan could include a vegetable/herb garden with seating area and firepit to the left in the photo, where the bare-ish soil is…this will again soften the long wall and the fence you'll have to have to keep the deer out will help too. Tell your wife you are going to espalier fruit trees along that wall…she'll thing you are a genius. Get to work, my friend!


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

I have no contribution except for what was mentioned above, but i did chuckle at your title. Kudos


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## FreeWoodistheBest (Mar 19, 2014)

Caleone,
Thank you for the comments. I joined just so I could post the picture . I have lurked on this site for a very long time, gained knowledge and even stolen a few ideas from folks. I hope to pay back by taking pictures and sharing in my new shop.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I have used both bamboo and cedar trees for a visual barrier. I wanted year round green and these are hardy and fast growing. The bamboo will be pretty invasive across that lawn though!


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

To stop bamboo it has to be planted in kind of a bunker. It needs concrete walls 3' deep to stop root spread


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Or you can just mow the sprouts as they appear. But it is not conducive to an "award winning lawn" (which I have never aspired to!)


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## Radu (Jan 25, 2010)

I wish I had your problem. Congrats on your new shop that came with a house. 
Here are a couple of ideas: board the house windows on the shop side with plywood and go play in your shop. If that does not work park a nice convertible for the wife in front of your shop.


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## TheGermanJoiner (Dec 1, 2013)

How many sq ft is that


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## WorksInTheory (Jan 5, 2014)

So. Lucky. I am jealous.

FreeWood - where do you happen to be? I was looking at a house listing that had a woodshop included in the backyard. Just move into this place but I just about darn packed us up to move! Ha. Just wondering if this could be coincidence and if so, can I be your best friend?


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## PLK (Feb 11, 2014)

I have absolutely nothing to offer!

I was soo entertained by the title however I paused the T.V. and told my better half "You know how obsessive I am with my shop and tools, this puts everything into perspective for you"

I rattled off your title. Blank stare "Turn the T.V. back on, if you buy a shop and think of the house second there's something wrong with you"

Don't let your wife see this! 

Best thread title I've seen on these forums since I joined. Thanks.

Paul


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## FreeWoodistheBest (Mar 19, 2014)

PLK,
My wife is well aware of my feelings for my shop . She laughed when I told what you said.

LJ's is where I can find others that feel that same way 

@WorksInTheory,
Im always looking for new woodworking buddies  We have not moved in to the house yet, but when we do I will post some pictures of the inside of the shop. I dont have a blank slate in there like I do outside… 
The previous owner installed a wall that runs down the middle that divides the space in half, and put a ceiling on the "shop" side (left in picture). The right side is open to the ceiling front to back.
Although I will enjoy the storage space above the shop, I do wish the wall was not there… might be the first project in the shop… dunno just yet…


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## NoThanks (Mar 19, 2014)

The best thing would be to line the perimeter around the shop with units of cherry and walnut. Enough that you wouldn't see the shop from the street.


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