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Updating A Ranch Home

February 8, 2015February 6, 2015 Karen

Here is what the home we are looking to buy currently looks like on the exterior.

Okay, be honest, what are your thoughts when you see it?

What I see is brick that is not a pleasing color, an undersized porch that by the way is not functional, the door is sheet rocked over inside. True story, A porch to nowhere.

If and when we are able to purchase the home the following will be part of the three year plan for the home update.

Add a long metal porch. Look at the porch added to this home on Fixer Upper (Click Here to See all the photos from the episode). We will be adding cedar posts with rock bases the length of the porch.

Before

french country

After ( Do you see the porch addition and the painted brick? Look past the French country because that is not my style.)

I love this porch roof from Gem Homes. I like how it attaches to the shingled roof.

We also want to make the gable the appropriate size to match the scale of the house and add a walkway with a new door. Oh, and make the door functional.

We will paint the brick. Yep, paint that brick. I have done the research and feel confident that we can correctly paint the brick so that it lasts as long as any other painted surface. The reaction I get when I mention painting brick is a little funny to me. Painted brick is not something new. Most brick from before 1870 was painted because it sealed the porous surface and extended the life of the brick.

My daughter and son in law live in a painted brick home that I think is stunning.

I wish, wish, wish I had the software and skills to redo this home virtually, but I already see it in my head. White trim and a darker gray tone paint, shutters, and posts out of cedar, with a metal roof and a carport at the end of the home that is part of the roof line, not a $600 pre-fab job.

I am hoping it will look something like this:

HOUZZ

This Old House

It will make me smile every time I drive up if this happens.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the color I should use.

Blessings,

Karen

Blogging, Decorating, Dresser, Feench Provincial, gray, Painted Furniture, Star Hill, The Garagemahal, vintage style

French Provincial Dresser

July 3, 2013July 3, 2013 Karen

I have a new color, ocean pearl, that I love. Our realtor, Ashli would call it ” Gray-eige (gray+beige)

We recently bought a dresser, headboard, and mirror for $80.00. It was not solid wood but I liked the shape and have wanted to try painting particle board type furniture.

I am putting the furniture in our sage green bedroom and wanted something more neutral for the furnishings.

I love the black chair rail so I chose black suede for the dresser top. Because the drawers came apart I decided to add a third color to the drawer. I chose sea salt for the accent color.
Here is the dresser mostly done! I love the color combination! As soon as the Hubby gets back from his trip I will get good pictures of the set.

glazing, gray, Painted Furniture, Star Hill

The Finished Side Tables

May 1, 2013 Karen

I know that our bedroom at Star Hill will not be started until summer because we are just neck deep in projects right now, but, we did get the wood for the wall already. It now sits in my hoard woodpile behind the GarageMahal waiting for duty. Hubby found it on Craig’s List. He did have to remove a ton of nails, but the wood looks great.

We worked frantically to get the Garagemahal cleared this weekend so that we have room for the big project that is coming. That meant that I knocked out the side tables that had been stacked in the Garagemahal waiting to be loved. They are late 1970’s Ethan Allen entertainment center components with a large drawer and have doors that look like shutters but they are solid. I know the age because my brother and sister in law had this very furniture when Hubby and I started dating. I loved them even back then! I bought three pieces of the furniture at my favorite resale shop for more than I normally spend because I loved the cottage look and I knew that they would be perfect for our bedroom. I still have one piece that I am waiting for inspiration to strike before I do anything to it. The side tables are going to be a huge step up at our house with regard to the amount of storage we are going to have and up the cool factor! The giant less than awesome headboard is coming out and going to the front guest room. An old door is going to be the headboard in our bedroom and the walls are going to be weathered cedar planks. We are going to build shelves into the wall for my milk glass. I am sooo excited.

I selected a color call Lunar Rock by Pantone for cabinets it is a soft gray that is almost white. I will be honest and tell you I was not the biggest fan of the Pantone paint. I like the color but the quality of the paint is just not as good as Behr premium. I really am a paint snob now. I love the weathered look these pieces got. Good Ole Revival Mahogany and Behr Faux finish mixed 1 cup glaze to less than 1/4 cup paint. They are going to fit right in to the bedroom!

The cabinets were painted, glazed with my glaze mix using revival mahogany and the tops were stained with a color called Pine Cone. (How appropriate for a home in the Piney Woods!)

Three coats of Poly later and this is what the beauties look like! They are going to be so nice in the bedroom.

Dresser, gray, milk glass, Painted Furniture, painting, Star Hill

What is on Tap for our Weekend

April 27, 2013April 27, 2013 Karen

This weekend we have a ton to jam into a short amount of time.
Tonight Hubby is helping our City House neighbors grout the tile backsplash. Tomorrow morning he referee’s the Early College High School’s Powderpuff Football Game. As soon as he is done( thank you sweetheart.) we are headed to Star Hill. My goal is to finish my awesome western dresser, paint my night stands, glaze and poly them and the sewing cabinet.
Oh..
We need to unload the truck too. Hubby found wood for my back wall in the bedroom.

We have work to do on this wood before it goes up but it is going to be awesome!!

We will be going to work pooped Monday!

breadboard, gray, Style, wreath

My Friend’s Amazing Style

October 16, 2012 Karen

I have a friend named Pam who has the most amazing sense of style. She and her husband live in a condo in the city where we live. Over the years I have watched them turn the home into a home that should be in a magazine.

Here are a few of my favorite things at her home. I am not showing my favorite thing because I am going to do a quick how to on her most ingenious project.

I had completely forgotten that their master bedroom was gray. I did not give her warning that I was going to take pictures of her rooms but they are always spotless.

I love the beadboard behind the bed and that it is painted a contrasting color.

I love this display above her couch. Old shutters hung on the wall with a cool oval wreath. Pam made the wreath. She found the oval shaped grapevine wreath at Hobby Lobby then decorated it. She said it took five minutes. I wish I had that talent.

I snapped this picture of her craft room before she knew what I was up to. I love that she has such a creative side, and that One small spot in her house is a TINY bit mussed. It makes me feel a little better about myself.

Look at the stockings she made for her sweet granddaughters Sophie and Audrie. What talent.