Exterior Curb Appeal {Before & After}

As evidenced by this little blog, we’ve spent the last four years working room by room to update and decorate our forty-something year old house.  On the inside.  We tried (kind of) to keep the exterior looking as tidy as possible, but there was just no getting away from the dead grass, peeling paint or rotting side doors.    Well, the curb appeal project is *finally* complete and really, truly, we couldn’t love it more. 
 
The key items on our Project Curb Appeal list included:

1. Painting the facade


2. Updating the front portico and adding two mini porticos over the side doors off of the playroom and garage.  I printed out a bunch of copies of our house with a transparent rectangle over the top to dull out the image.  I then set to work with a sharpie drawing out various versions of the new front portico.  It was a great way to gauge the scale and how it would look overall.  This is the one we went with…



3. Landscaping the yard.  We took out 29 trees between the front and back yards (many were dead or leaning or hazardous or some sort of a weed that grew into a tree) and tore everything out of every bed over the course of the last two years (front yard this year, back yard last year). 

With that, I think I’ll just let you sit back and enjoy a series of before and after photos!

FRONT VIEW

FRONT CLOSE UP

SIDE VIEW

FRONT PORCH

 

SIDE ENTRY

 

 

GARAGE

 

 

BACK PORCH / YARD

More details:
The Garage
Driveway
Porticos
Paint
Landscaping
Southern Porch
Contractor - Shawn Reuter / SLR Construction / 706-254-0231
Exterior Lighting – Concord 1, 2 and 3 light sconces from Ballard Designs
Garage Lighting - All Weather Gooseneck by Barn Light Electric

I love it when my neighbors stop to say how much better it looks and when our friends stop to say that it just looks like us now.  That’s the biggest compliment of all.  Oh, and if I could finally score the coveted “yard of the month” sign for once in my lifetime.
xoxo

Flattered for the mentions at House of Rose, Elizabeth and Co., Belclaire House and By Stephanie Lynn!!

Crabby

I was beyond excited when I showed up in Savannah last month to find a stack of DIY crab screens in Mother’s garage!! 



Isn’t he just the cutest, most summery thing you’ve ever seen?!?!



I love the bright pop of orange from the street!!  You can also see a little peek of the new shrubs going in and how Honey has pressure washed the sidewalk.  It’s just a hair shy of completion!



Mother said she’s tweaked her method a bit since my original post on the screen shamrock.  I’ll have to get the details and share them back!
xoxo

Independence Day Eve {Outdoor Decor}

It’s been raining cats and dogs, but our landscaper and a crew of at least TWENTY swooped in this morning and by lunch time we had GRASS!  (They worked on the sprinkler, beds and grading for the last week.)  I stepped out for a sec in the break in the rain to snap a few pictures.  A bunting on the new front portico and a flag on garage side gave some just-in-time patriotic flair.





I could hardly leave out the side door, seeing as this is the entry most all of our visitors use.



And, of course, I shared the porch buntings and flags yesterday.




A few extra flags got thrown in the pots by the garden to round things out.


With that, we’re all ready for tomorrow, of course we’ve postponed our little shin dig to later in the weekend in hopes of fireworks and outdoor entertainment.  And once the monsoons have passed I’ll grab tons more pics and do a proper before and after.

Happy Independence Day Eve, y’all!  I think we’re going to celebrate with some Mexican food :-)
xoxo

Flattered for the feature at Liz Marie Blog!

Project Curb Appeal: Porticos & Paint

Lots of good things have been happening around these parts over the last week or so.  Construction on the main portico facelift and two new side entry porticos is complete, the paint is totally done, and the trees finally came down (much to the delight of a certain four year old).  Here’s a sneak peek…











It seems that there is a sod shortage in Atlanta (say whaaaat?) and thus our landscaping has been delayed.  We were offered a different variety of sod available immediately to the tune of an additional $700.  Um… no thanks, I am not spending one thin dime more than we’ve already signed up for.  I suppose it will be going down at the pinnacle of summer heat.  *womp womp* 

Even with the current state of disaster in the yard, I gaze at the house and its like the heavens open and a choir of angels sing in exaltation.  I couldn’t love it more!!!!!!!!!!!!
xoxo

Read all about our Curb Appeal Project here

Project Curb Appeal: The Paint

Project Curb Appeal: Portico Progress

Project Curb Appeal: Portico Progress

Work is underway on the front portico face lift!  The structure and foundation of the original portico checked out a-ok so the project is going just as we’d hoped.  The existing roof and columns have been replaced and a new diagonal cross balustrade is already in place!



Here’s the plan…



Here’s the before before…



And here’s the before with new paint…



The new light fixtures from Ballard Designs have arrived, but unfortunately one was broken and needs to be replaced.  They are the three light version of the ones we added to the back porch last summer.



They’ve trimmed everything out since I took the picture and will be back today to paint and start on the two mini porticos and replacing the side doors.  I positively cannot wait to share a big reveal!!

xoxo

Read all about our Curb Appeal Project here

Project Curb Appeal: The Paint

Project Curb Appeal: The Paint

Would you believe that even after an entire day worth of rain, there is STILL pollen stuck to parts of the house?!  I have come to the conclusion that this is probably what happens every year, I just never noticed since I spent my time trying NOT to look at the paint peeling off the house.  In spite of it all, I got my camera out and finally took some pictures.

I’ve got ten crossed fingers and toes that demo will start on the front porch today!!! 



Please avert your eyes from the lovely yard.  It does the new paint no justice.  No justice at all.  I almost couldn’t bear to show it.  Hopefully this time next month it will be grass!



A close up of the door next to the trim next to the house.



I’m as pleased as punch with the new look.  And I’m chomping at the bit to get started on the rest of the project!! 

*channels Thomas and sings to self patience is a virtue*

Wouldn’t you just know the baby would choose the precise moment (and only moment ever, by the way) that I’m watching Thomas on YouTube to come in.  Here’s to hoping the promise of chocolate in his milk will prove a speedy diversion from those crotchety trains...
xoxo