Lisa Hallett Taylor

Writer/Editor/Content Producer/Photographer and Curator

United States of America

I'm a Southern California-based writer, editor, and web content producer specializing in lifestyle, home and garden, consumer issues, design, architecture, and lifestyle topics. Since 2008, I've been an editor/writer for About.com's Home site, which is now called The Spruce. I've also written for the LA Times, Westways, Houzz, Laguna Beach Magazine, and Emmy Magazine. I started my career as a reporter and editor at The San Gabriel Valley Tribune and was Publications Editor at KCET/Los Angeles. What you see here is a small sampling of more than 1,000 articles I've written. Enjoy!

Portfolio
About.com Pool & Patio
10/05/2012
Blog Samples

Several blog posts from About.com Pool and Patio site.

Laguna Beach Magazine | Firebrand Media LLC
09/01/2016
Living Design - Laguna Beach Magazine | Firebrand Media LLC

A Laguna Beach landscape architect is painting the town green with vertical gardens that beautify, enchant and, most of all, show that art comes in many different forms. Laguna Beach is a mecca for some of the country's finest artists-every...

About.com Home
Genius Landscaping Updates for $3,000 or Less

In 2016, the average tax refund in the United States is $2,798, according to the Internal Revenue Service. While saving or investing it, taking a vacation, or paying off bills might all be valid ways to spend a tax return, home improvement and real estate experts advise homeowners to consider fixing up their landscape and home exterior.

About.com Home
Fabulous Outdoor Entertaining Ideas on a Budget

A theme will dictate your decorations, like graduation parties, luaus, fiestas, etc. If you plan ahead, like several months in advance, you can buy decorations during off season, when they might be cheaper. Also search online for sales and do some comparison shopping to get an idea of how much things cost and whether or not something is a good deal.

About.com Home
10 Ways to Extend Your Patio Season Year-Round

Some believe that the end of summer also marks the final days of enjoying outdoor barbecues, parties, and casual get-togethers. Just by adding a few design elements to your outdoor space, you can extend the good times through the fall months, and even into winter.

About.com Home
The Playboy Mansion is for Sale: Pool, Grotto, and Hef Included

The Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles is for sale for $200 million, making it the most-expensive already-built (completed) house on the market in the United States to date. The real draw of the 29-room, 20,000-square-foot estate is its fabled romping grounds: an adult playground situated on nearly six acres of wooded man-made rolling hills that include a zoo, meandering paths, swimming pool, and cave-like grotto.

The Spruce
11/16/2016
Don't Do These 11 Things in Your Front Yard

What's good for the backyard is fine for the front, right? As you'll find out with these 11 examples, it's important not to air your dirty laundry in public. Think about curb appeal and put the hot tub, gnomes, and the patio dining set in the backyard.

About.com Home
Reasons to Get Rid of Your Pool

Updated December 30, 2015. A house with an in-ground pool in the yard has been the ultimate luxury for nearly 100 years, and the allure is not about to go away. But for some pool owners, it's a relationship they would prefer to end.

About.com Home
The Best Ornamental Grasses for Your Yard

For nearly nonstop performance, strength and visual impact, few plants compare to ornamental grasses. Don't confuse ornamental grasses with the types of grass used for lawns, though. Ornamental grasses are meant to grow-not be cut or mown-and most aren't used as ground covers.

About.com Home
How and Where to Find Cheap Outdoor Furniture

Maybe it's time for some new outdoor furniture, but your budget won't bend. Like other potential purchases, you can work more closely toward your goal if you have an open mind and do some creative searching. Stores that specialize in patio furniture year 'round often carry high-end, deep-seating brands, but are less likely to hold incredible sales.

About.com Home
What to Wear to the Luau: 11 Festive Ideas

If you're hosting a backyard luau, it's up to you to set the tone of the party and loosen up your guests. Besides the ubiquitous tropical drink in your hand, nothing says "Aloha, baby" more quickly than festive, fun, and sometimes silly costumes.