In our country, we have set aside a specific day to give thanks for all we have. However, it seems like other holidays are creeping in and overshadowing the time we have reserved for being thankful in order to get us to buy, buy, buy! But at Southern Exposure/Southern Lights, we believe in being thankful all the time.

One of the biggest trends in dining these days is the outdoor space. It seems like every bar or restaurant has some kind of dining patio—and why not? Most of us spend our whole day inside, working, so sitting outside for coffee, a bite to eat, or drinks invites us to slow down and watch the world go

What do I do with Mums after the Fall? Chrysanthemum, otherwise known as mums are one of the most popular flowers for landscape decor as well as autumn/fall plantings. These hardy, usually brightly colored perennial plants are confused by most people as annuals. As a result, mums are mostly purchased in September and October and

What Every Outdoor Kitchen Must Have Eating and entertaining outdoors expands your home and has a whole different atmosphere than indoors.  We spend time and money to plan the right setting inside, and with a little effort you can create an inviting, practical space outdoors as well.  Your outdoor living area should include spaces for

Best Flower Bed Ideas When you’ve got some space in your yard that looks a little empty and lonely, consider that cry for help to be a great spot to start a flower bed.  Don’t panic—they don’t have to be super finicky high maintenance areas that will take up all your free time!  There are

How Big Should a Patio be? How big should a patio be, is a question I receive almost daily. So many homeowners tend to end up with a patio that is either too small or too large, because they didn’t ask the right questions. The question shouldn’t be how big should a patio be, it

Landscape Ideas for Hillsides One of the most difficult challenges of residential design is dealing with slopes and hillside landscaping. Generally when you have a lot of elevation or slope, designing a landscape around it can be absolutely beautiful because it adds interest to the space whereas a flat property is more difficult to create

Landscaping can be a benefit not just to homeowners, but businesses as well. According to the University of Washington’s Dr. Kathleen Wolf, Ph.D. there is a relationship between landscaping and successful businesses. Wolf says that nicely landscaped businesses tend to be more successful. Here are the advantages of commercial landscaping: A study revealed that rental

Have you ever visited a home and noticed the paver patio or paver walkway was uneven, rippled, and in general, falling apart? There are a few reasons why that might have happened over time. One, an earthquake disturbed the foundation (pretty rare in North Carolina). Two, a sink hole developed under the foundation and caused the

The Benefits of Landscaping Human existence has been tied to nature for millennia.  Only recently has urbanization and technology put us at arm’s length.  Much research has been done in the last century that shows there are a multitude of environmental, economic, and lifestyle benefits provided by well-maintained landscapes. Connecting with plants and trees provides