We had so many great submissions for this challenge, it was hard to pick just one winner. But these are the kinds of tough decisions we have to make around here (ha ha)!
Congrats to flickr member M2JL :: STUDIO for turning a bland balcony into an inviting outdoor room with a little Zen and a lot of room for conversation. M2JL's photos were submitted through the HGTV.ca Style Sheet flickr group.
Since this challenge had so many great responses, we wanted to give special mention to a couple of other submissions.
Tina L. sent us her account of her backyard space transformation: "Before we started renovating our backyard space, it was basically a small, unkempt rectangle. It had been left unattended for many years by previous owners and lacked, what a lot of outsiders deemed as, potential. My husband and I came up with a plan to turn it into an additional eating area for summer/fall hosting, with a mini deck and barbecuing space. With our creativity, we were also able to include a shed for storage."
Sheila M. worked on a budget to transform her little outdoor space: "I purchased the chairs for a steal at a second hand store and recovered the cushions. Made window seats out of plywood and quilt batting, a tablecloth out of a bed sheet, added some flower boxes, and voila. Most days you can find us here dining or reading and enjoying our short lived summers."