Monday, May 9, 2016

Creating a Haven * Let's Do the Outside First

Welcome to this
 Creating a Haven Mini-Series!

As my husband quietly observed one evening,
'It's not somebody else's house
 we're living in anymore.  
It's ours now!'

I'm excited to share a bit of our in-the-works home re-do and some assorted random how-to's, insights, and resources that have encouraged us in our somewhat lengthy home transition.  And I hope that along this journey, you'll find something of value that might work for you, wherever you find yourself calling home, whether you've been there 30 days or 30 years.  




Along the way I'll be giving you the links for specific items that turned out to be a smart purchase.  But I'm not making a cent off doing so and I'm not working with any company.  And as we move through the series, the conclusion of this post will be the place where you'll find an INDEX of all this series' offerings.

And I'm looking forward to comparing notes in the dialogue that follows each post.  I'm not a designer or a decorator.  I'm just a counselor who writes.  I can't wait for this community to scoop up what you've gleaned from all your own victories {and mistakes!} in building, updating, decorating, or cherishing your own personal haven. 

It's going to be fun!  Be sure to subscribe and invite your friends on Facebook and Twitter. The more, the merrier.  

'Cause who doesn't love talking about that place we call 'home sweet home!'




Cape Cod is known for its lovely shingled homes, cedar shakes faded over time to a delightfully soft weathered gray.  The salty air does its magic over the years, transforming crisp freshly minted shingles or horizontal planks into an aged glory that's prized in this neck of the woods.

But as retirement looms 'round the corner, and with rather unsettling memories of his late father falling off the roof in his 80's {and yes, he survived}, practicality colored my husband's view of the cozy Cape style.  He didn't want to spend his retirement years painting, shingling, repairing.  He wanted the outside done for good.

And he liked a much lighter look.

And although I'm a big fan of the faded beauties of Cape architecture, I agreed.  There was something very assuring about doing what we could to the outside of the house NOW ... and then not have to wonder when the next round of upkeep was coming 'round the bend.

And the last thing I need in a decade or two is my husband flying off the roof.




It was time to exchange the siding that had seen its day for Eastern white cedar dipped shingles in Lighthouse Gray which last far longer than untreated shingles.  And then a re-roof of the house with shingles in Pewterwood.  The white trim that would normally need to be painted {and re-painted and re-painted again} was replaced with AZEK, which is pretty much maintenance free.

And while I've always been a fan of wood's beauties and all things natural, at this point I'm saying, 'Yes!  Let's hear it for maintenance free!'


BEFORE


DURING
removing the old








installing the new






BEFORE

AFTER


Gone are the faded shutters, the plastic mullions in the windows, the dark wood.  The deep gray roof provides a strong contrast against the light gray siding, and the white trim highlights the simplicity of the house's design.  It all seems more bright and spacious ... we are both loving this crisp clean new look.




These fabulous lights weren't up on the store display at Lowe's but then I spied them squirreled away at the far end of a bottom shelf just begging to be taken home.  The bubbled glass, the black metal framework, the unique shape, and the vintage style filament bulb?

If you could be head-over-heels with a light fixture, this would be the one.  Especially at $49.98.




And I'm ready to fill every old crock I can get my hands on with armloads of red geraniums for the little brick front landing and spilling out beyond.  We're looking at some kind of flowering bushes to add some color and soften the lines of the house ... or maybe window boxes filled to overflowing like an English garden.  

What kind of landscaping would you suggest?

And sooner or later the front door will get a brand new coat of paint to replace the current 1980's faded blue.  I'm partial to deep seaglass colors like Mayo Teal or Spotswood Teal.

What color do you think would do the trick?

creating havens with 
Anita  .  Kelly  .  Jennifer  .  Holley  .  Lyli

61 comments:

  1. This mini-series on house maintenance will be fun. Be sure to let us know what to say precisely when I miss the nail and hit my finger hard with the hammer. Also, how to make paint stick to the roof and wall and not go all over the floor. And how to avoid the electric drill from running all over the place on the wall rather than make a hole where I put an X with a pencil.

    These and many other disasters have happened when I fix things in the house.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like I'm in very good company, Victor! Like you, I aim for perfection ... but that's about as close as I'll ever get!

      ;-}

      Delete
  2. It looks amazing! And masses of red geraniums sound too wonderful! Can't wait to see all you have in store!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the thumbs up on the geraniums, Jandi! I know any photos you'd take of them would make them look greenhouse worthy!

      ;-}

      Delete
  3. I will simply say: "I like what you've done to the place."

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a wise pair the two of you make, Linda! I do hope that there isn't a "flying off the roof" trick in Tim's future! I love the new look and agree that a lovely teal shade would be the icing on the proverbial cake on your front door! Thanks for sharing the latest on your nesting adventures. I have been praying that you and Tim would find your new house and locale to be a joy that feels more and more like a true and comforting home. Glad to know my prayers are being answered. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No roofs for him!

      Those days are over!

      ;-}

      Your faithful prayers have made a difference in my life on many levels, Beth. God has opened doors for us to be involved in a home group on Wednesday evenings and a Bible study for me on Tuesday mornings. We've experienced a lovely and gracious welcome into this community.

      We are deeply grateful for God's provision ... and a bit relieved, too ...

      Delete
    2. Too funny - "rooves" - who knows?! And I'm so glad to hear that my prayers are being answered in many ways, Linda! Love ya, sweet friend!

      Delete
  5. Love the new look, the light fixture, the coming geraniums, this series ... The door colors you're considering would look great, but your choice of flowers also makes me wonder what it would look like in a vibrant red (with purple undertones, not orange) or some shade of purple. :-) Can't wait to read more, Linda!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WHOA - HO!

      Vibrant red, some shade of purple?

      Wow! That purple kind of intrigues me, girl ...

      ;-}

      Delete
  6. What fun to share with us! I like the choices of the exterior. My husband and I have a brick home, but the windows are wood versus vinyl and need to be repainted. We are also looking at what can assure less maintenance over the years. We did the gutter guarded designed and the soffit are in vinyl now which helps. I LOVE the light and red geraniums...absolutely! They always spice things up and are a great contrast! When we redid our landscaping close in to the house we wanted to have things that bloomed at different times of the year. We have a lovely forsythia with its cherry yellow blossoms and a white star magnolia which are the first to bloom. One sits at the front of the garage on the corner of the house and the other on the backside corner. We also have an unusual grafted apple tree that lays flat along the backside of the garage which is visible as you drive up the street (We live on a corner lot of .79 acres) that has beautiful apple blossoms early spring as well. Then come the azalea bushes and a bit later rhododendron which are in the front of our brick ranch. Interspersed with these are holly bushes that give us those lovely red berries, but be sure you get both male and female bushes if you try that. On the back of the house we have fire bushes that give that glorious red color in the fall and at the edge of the deck we have a lovely sweet bay magnolia that blooms in the summer and almost smells of gardenia. There you have our efforts close to the house. We add a few bright annuals every year, usually bedding geraniums and begonias as they handle the hot sunny days in Ohio when they finally arrive. We also have a planted area about 12 feet behind our deck where we have rose bushes, perennials, a lilac bush, our dogwood you loved on my post recently, hosts, and day lilies. There you have it from here in NE Ohio, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my, you've got some fabulous green thumbs there, Pam. You've given me lots of food for thought ... and I so wish that you lived just a bit closer so you could wave your magic wand over our sandy soil with the random bushes scattered here and there!

      Maybe you can do a post with lots of pictures and I can come on over and take lots of notes!

      It means so much to me that you've taken the time to paint a beautifully inspirational landscape picture for us, friend. Thank you, thank you!

      ;-}

      Delete
  7. Love this! I am a huge fixer upper fan as in HGTV but living in a condo, I have no say in the outside appearance. I'm a huge fan of teal too so I say go for it. It seems like you are having fun with the remodeling. What a great thing for the two of you to do together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, Fixer Upper's my favorite show right about now! And it was neat to see an article on Chip & Joanna in a recent issue of Billy Graham's DECISION magazine ...

      Isn't it cool that God can use us right where we are, doing what we love and have been gifted to do?

      ;-}

      Delete
  8. That looks great! We made the same choice with our windows last year but the siding is still on the list. It's a good thing we're waiting, though, because I can't decide on the color!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't you just hate making those huge decisions? I stall as long as I can ...

      ;-{

      Delete
  9. Lovely, My Friend. Your light fixture is almost identical to the one on my front porch. Original to the house built in 1921. Looking forward to seeing all you have done. I LOVE a project!
    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A 1921 house ... how very wonderful!

      And I think you made my day when you told me that my light fixtures are somehow akin to yours, Lulu!

      ;-}

      Delete
  10. While your house's before look was very charming to me, I totally understand "maintenance free," so your new look is awesome. I vote for the Mayo Teal door which would look stunning with red geraniums nearby.

    Love this series and thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love all those seaglass shades, Jerralea ...

      Delete
  11. Yes, maintenance free is the way to go. We put a metal roof on our house last year so we wouldn't have to shovel the snow off the roof. As you say, it's no fun watching the happy husband fly through the air!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love a metal roof, Michele! The sound of the pouring rain lets you know that the earth is being replenished!

      What color?

      Delete
  12. What a fun series, Linda! I'm voting for mayo teal and window boxes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Window boxes can be so beautiful if they're well cared for and nurtured. My sometimes-green thumbs aren't always suited to that task ...

      ;-{

      But one can dream, right?

      ;-}

      Delete
  13. Love what you have done with the house so far, Linda. It's a beautiful take on a Cape Cod home. And I have to agree - the less maintenance, the better, especially if it involves any kind of roof work!
    Looking forward to your next update.
    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And let's hear it for very tall ladders mysteriously disappearing from the garage in the next few years!

      ;-}

      Delete
  14. Beautiful updates! And I hear ya on the maintenance free zone. ;-) As for the door color, consider this a vote for Mayo Teal. Can't wait to see the landscaping and painted door. It's gonna be good.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, Linda! You guys are pros! So glad you're able to enjoy your beautiful house, renovating from the outside in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pros we're not! But we're enjoying sprucing things up, one decision at a time. Too many decisions flying at me is not a good thing ...

      We're taking it slow!

      Delete
  16. Linda,
    I had to chuckle at your comment ...Yes, we definitely don't want your hubby flying off the roof. Your home looks beautiful. My hubby and I are replacing our dying lawn (because of the drought) with drought tolerant plants. My husband has done most of the work because of my allergies so it is slow going but I appreciate his hard work so much. Blessings to you and your hubby as you enjoy your new place :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not alot of lush green lawns in this neck of the woods ... just lots of sand, small bushes, big ol' pines and oaks.

      Kind of nice not to have to think of mowing ...

      ;-}

      Delete
  17. I'm so excited about this series! I love HGTV and this is like watching with a friend starring on it ;). Your house looks beautiful, so fresh and lightened. And those lights are fantastic, just the right touch. Great job so far, Linda! Can't wait to see the rest, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's cute! We're watching HGTV even as we speak. My, that Joanna's a whiz!

      ;-}

      Delete
  18. I'm all for keeping your hubby flying off the roof, Linda. You've done such a great job! I love the idea of old crocks filled with geraniums. :) I will be looking forward to seeing how you arrange them in front of your home, also to the bushes you will add. Blessings and hugs to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Old crocks are some of my favorite possessions ... I've gotten rid of alot of stuff in the past year, but I couldn't part with any of them.

      ;-}

      Delete
  19. Oh wow, Linda, good for y'all. And, what a difference the new color makes...I'm sure y'all are enjoying the brightness of it. The lights are fun too. :) A teal color seems like it would go well with the house color and the light style. The lights have a nautical vibe to me, so a teal door sounds like a good pick. :) How fun for y'all. It's looking great! :) xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hearing you say 'Y'all' makes me smile way up here in New England, girl! You're a sweetie!

      ;-}

      Delete
  20. Linda,
    It's so wise to do the work now instead of later {avoiding roof mishaps to be sure!} and I LOVE the light fixture you discovered -- that bubbled glass is so vintage and I love the entire look of them! Just one question, how long was your house under the tarp? Because if I had to look at that for long, I think I'd lose heart! And I think teal is definitely the color for your front door! How about hydrangeas in your garden? Do they grow in your climate? They are one of my favorites and they just do not grow here this far south, although I've seen them growing along the side of the road in Atlanta! xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hydrangeas! Yeah, we have those here! Cool idea, Valerie!

      The tarp covered the front of the house when the roofers were removing the old shingles. I think it was about a day. Gosh, what a mess! The noise.

      And the dirt and sand filtered into the house in the oddest places. Weird.

      But it kinda looked like the conclusion of Fixer Upper, so I had to use it here.

      So dramatic, aren't I!

      ;-}

      Delete
  21. Linda, I only live about an hour away from the Cape, but haven't visited there in forever! It really is such a gem of a place.

    It's so funny that I would read this post when just an hour ago, I was discussing with my husband and daughter the idea of taking out a home equity loan and siding our house. The ocean air does a number on our home's paint and my husband is tired of painting as we are in our empty nest years.

    Your house looks wonderful!! I always wished we had used a different roofing color so I could use gray on our house, but alas, our roof is decidedly a color that requires something in the tan or brown family. lol. But I think I've settled on a color that I am happy with. :-)

    So exciting to share in your remodeling journey.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good morning, Karen ~ To hear that you live an hour away from the Cape made me so happy! I've never lived anywhere near any bloggers that I've met along the way ... so it was such a treat to know that a kindred spirit blogger is not all that far away.

      ;-}

      Delete
  22. How very cool, and how wonderful to share this with us Linda!

    The style wouldn't quite fit the New Mexico high desert...but on the other hand...hmmm...why not?????

    http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/05/your-dying-spouse-153-self-medicating.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The New Mexico high desert ... mmm ... maybe we have sand in common?

      Just guessin' ...

      Delete
  23. Love the look! The grey. The light. And especially the old crocks overflowing with flowers. I love an old crock filled with flowers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The geraniums should be coming into town even as we speak ... I need to get moving on this! But honestly? I am enjoying chatting about what I need to do even more!

      Delete
  24. So pretty! I am with you on maintenance free. When my sister, (who is an interior designer), comes to visit, she tells me where to put stuff. Then it sits there until she tells me to do something else. :) I want our house to look nice but without lots of work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Free interior design consultations, huh? Maybe I'll see if I can talk my sister into a new line of work.

      Sounds like a great deal for you, Sarah {unless you're not a big fan of her ideas!}

      Delete
  25. I love the new look to your house! What fun! I love both of the teal colors. I guess I'm not much help in that department, since I like both. I can't wait to see what you do to the inside.

    {via email}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, ol' friend! This means alot to me since you spent time in our last few homes ... we made some good memories along the way, didn't we ...

      ;-}

      Delete
  26. It looks like you are truly transforming your house into a home. I vote for mayo teal for the door. I can't wait to see pictures after the flowers are planted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so good to see you again, my B'More friend ...

      ;-}

      Delete
  27. Your house is looking great and I love the flowers too. The idea of low maintenance is also very appealing. I like the mayo teal for the door.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like Mayo Teal is the door everyone's leaning toward! Thanks for weighing in, Carly. It's fun to hear what people from all around the country / world think looks good ...

      Delete
  28. Wow awesome transformation. The after reminds me of your Salt Point home. For some reason I love the blue with the dark crusty shingles but it is hard to see the new shingles' character in a picture. It is crisp and clean but the maintence free is the icing on the cake. I like the Spotswood teal cause it is a smidge lighter. How exciting to be involved in a fixer upper. I love decorating and I love change but it is hard work.

    Glad you are making your new home yours!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, I love those old weathered shingles. They'll always say 'Cape Cod' to me ...

      The carpet went in upstairs today and I feel we're in the final stretch. Each improvement makes it feel more like 'home, sweet, home.'

      And you know, dear friend, what a long haul it's been ...

      Delete
  29. Love these before and after pictures, Linda! So much work here. Whew. But a beautiful outcome. (And yet I’m reminded once again that we also need to get rid of our faded shutters….) Thanks for sharing your home with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good point, Lisa. Just because we've always had shutters, doesn't mean we need to keep them ... unless we're in love with what they add to the house!

      And a fresh coat of paint can help us fall head over heels again.

      Or not ...

      ;-}

      Delete