The DIY Greenhouse of Your Pinterest Dreams

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and/or make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Gifted products will be noted as such.

After all the Instagram confusion, I decided it was finally time to share the details of the cozy little greenhouse that I can’t seem to stop taking pictures of. I have received so many comments that totally crack me up,  like “I’m going here”, “Is this an Airbnb?”, “Where is this place?”, “Is this your house?”, or “@husband make this for me!”…even though I’ve tried to explain so many times. So here goes my final attempt, the story of The Greenhouse.

A History Lesson

Typically summers are really busy for my family. We share a beach house in Cape May, New Jersey with my extended family, so each weekend, from May through September, we would venture two hours to the beach. This particular summer was different. It was 2016 and my family was having a truly sh*t year. Don’t bother pardoning my French, I’m serious. We had just lost a precious family member suddenly, been through numerous health issues with my grandparents, and on top of it had a bit of family drama (for lack of a better way to explain it) that kept us away from the beach and in need of repair. Emotionally, spiritually, etc.

In some cases, families can totally break apart in the midst of tragedy or despair. In my case, my immediate family runs together. We talk (a lot), like deep talking, not surface level. We encourage, check in, cry together, sometimes hug if really necessary (we are not that touchy), and we dig down into our core to heal. And the core of my family (after Jesus, duh) is creativity.

The Greenhouse – Version 1.0

The greenhouse grew out of turmoil. My dad and mom had time. And a really great idea. I like to think I had some influence because I was really talking up greenhouses at the time. Nonetheless, the first iteration of the greenhouse came about. My dad is a construction project manager guy by profession, and a carpenter for fun. He has a full wood shop that is always filled with projects. He also has corners filled with trash finds that him and my mom have snagged, waiting to be used in a special project. And here comes one now…

The greenhouse sits in my parents’ backyard and was constructed right in the middle of an existing garden. It is made of doors, windows, and frames that have pretty much all been found on the side of the road, in a yard sale, in the trash, etc. During construction, my parents had sized up and built the roof, but didn’t know what they could use for a consistent roof design. Serendipitously, a house in our neighborhood was being cleaned out and we were able to take window panes, for free, from an old greenhouse that used to be on the property. It was deconstructed in pieces and sitting in the garage. These panes also happened to be the exact size of the existing greenhouse structure, when strung three across.

The first version of the greenhouse, as you can see above, could fit just about 6 people shoulder to shoulder and sometimes two dogs shoved under the benches. As soon as it was nearing completion, my mom (the interior decorator) began to fit it to the brim with antiques, collections, and beautiful corners. As soon as it was completely finished, we knew it needed an addition.

The Greenhouse – Version 2.0

The greenhouse isn’t used for growing plants. It’s a space for talking, parties, cocktail hour, weekend dinners, morning cups of coffee, picture taking (obviously), and family meetings. There’s nothing to *do* inside it but enjoy it. We drink wine, have appetizers, unwind after a work day or at the end of a weekend. It is a centerpiece for parties and hosting friends and family.

To add to our crap year, my dad got laid off from his job when the company decided to cut the division that he ran. We also found out in the airport as we were leaving for vacation. Woo! But a blessing in disguise, as that January and February were unseasonably warm and he had a surprising amount of time to start and finish the aforementioned addition.

So to answer some of your questions at this point: Yes, it is in my backyard. No, I do not live in it. (I wish. But I would actually go up in flames in the summer). No, you can’t rent it on Airbnb. And I doubt your husband can recreate this for you…OH SNAP. The greenhouse is not just a summer refuge. It absolutely gets its own Christmas trees and decorations in winter too. And it was the perfect setting for a Mother’s Day picnic before walls were even put in (see above table setting).

In every season, the greenhouse is my favorite place to be. In winter, the potbelly stove warms up the little glass house and sometimes we warm donuts and coffee on it too. The dogs love it and climb on all of the chairs and laps they can. When we just need a moment in the greenhouse, we grab coats and blankets and trek down to our little house, ideally holding a warm beverage, or two.

The Greenhouse – Version 3.0

And then…. the winter storm of 2018 came.

Tears poured from all family members and glass was shattered everywhere. It sat like this for weeks on end as so much damage was done to our area during this storm and many more storms came through. It was a really sad day for the Evans family. But, don’t fear, don’t cry, you know that this story has a happy ending. The greenhouse was reborn out of another heartbreak.

The End

There you have it! The story of the mysterious little greenhouse. Today it is back in tip top shape. Ever evolving and constantly redecorated, it is a game of eye spy and a beauty to behold. It is truly the physical manifestation of what God can bring out of ashes. When your status-quo life is crushed before your very eyes, you say to yourself, “God can’t fix this”. And He says, “oh yea?” Maybe the thing that was wrecked is not exactly what He gives back to you, but He brings beauty and love and creativity and courage. If the greenhouse was smashed again, like any possession or item in this world, it would detract nothing from the promises and future that God has planned for me and my family. This is just the icing on the cake.

xoxo,

jojo

p.s. Mom and Dad are the OG #relationshipgoals. More dreamy photos here and here.