I was not ready to move when we found our forever home…..the roofers were still on the roof of our first home when my hubby said ‘I found a really nice house for us’…...
I was reluctant but thought I would humor him and take a ride to see what he had in mind. We drove around the block several times….how did he know I always wanted a brick cape cod with a separate garage? …and really could we put a ‘for sale’ sign on our other home while the roofers were still working?
Well we did and in 3 months time we sold, purchased and we moved into the most perfect home and neighborhood for us….the brick cape cod. Our Home.
Below is how the home sits today…..over the last 15 years, we removed shutters, removed a tree, moved some holly bushes, planted, changed doors, changed light fixtures, added a new roof (see post ‘here’) and a custom window box that wraps around the side…..my favorite part.
But it still needs some ‘umph’…..something to tell our story, more like a storybook cottage with some added charm.
Most of our home is brick with a white sided entryway in the front. My original plan was to plant flowers with oranges and reds against the white siding to ‘match’ the brick. It was a good plan, but my heart always felt a call to the color Blue….I wear blue jeans, I grew up in a blue home, my grand parents home was blue and my wedding party wore blue…..so what made me think I would want anything other?
Yes Jerry, I changed my mind.
So slowly we have been replacing older shrubs and bushes along the side of our home and into the back with Blue Hydrangeas and complimentary flowers. They are working nicely along with the traditional ‘brick home’ holly bushes and winter berry.
Since I am visual and a planner I like to draw what I am thinking.
Visually on paper it always looks good….but sometimes my ‘scale’ of items, measurements and planting plants to close together can get me into some pickles…..but I have learned that is what DIY life is all about.
It is the DIY’r in my hubby that can work us out of those pickles.….someone has to ground my lofty ideas.
as a side note ~ sometimes it takes some compromise, we both dig our heals in about this and that…..the storm door must stay for good reason I guess….and the holly bushes in front, well they have been moved 2 times already ~ I need to work around them….smile :).
Here is what I am thinking as time and money allows
and drawing it out….changing my mind as I go.
and collecting ‘likes’ on Pinterest…..becoming inspired ~ Duck garden statues, blue annuals and perenials, door awning, a trellis over wrap around windows, blue painted door with antique gold knocker, creeping clematis around brick windows and wrap around trellis……storybook like.
I even took it upon myself to take one of my painted indoor shutters outside to see if I would like it…..I would have placed a lawn chair outside and starred a while but I lacked the self confidence to do it in fear that my neighbors would wonder about my sanity.
It was in doing this that I changed my mind about the shutters on the windows ~ which turned into lattice with creeping blue clematis….
The Plan….as I see it.
- Raise the steps to the door (the not so pretty stuff) but necessary
- Awning over door (so my mail stays dry)
- Paint the door ‘Miss Mustard Seed Flow Blue’, add knocker
- Build trellis around wrap-around entry way windows
- Add blue clematis to trellis
- Build lattice trellis around front ‘brick’ windows
- Plant blue clematis by lattice to climb around windows
- Plant blue flowers in front of shrubs
- Add whimsical duck or rabbit statues to scale ~ storybook!
- thinking about awning over ‘brick’ windows ???
Can you imagine imitation fall cabbage, bittersweet on the trellis and blue pumpkins in the window boxes this Autumn?
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All in good time….with a little convincing and a little compromise….hard earned money spent and elbow grease to work….it will be the joy of making our house a home, together.
Check out Pinterest and search for fun ideas…..my personal board ‘Sweet Home’ is viewable to all, it is a collection of homes, rooms and items that inspire me!
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Coming Soon ~ Organizing the Organized, August Recipe Card Project, August New Pattern Release, Christmas Countdown, Studio Office Update and Decorating with Art Boards