Thursday 28 March 2013

Phase III: Exterior

Exterior:
This is what she was wearing when we moved in...
...and the Realtors pic of the back-ass (looks different now with Kitchen remodel patio doors & soon to look different-er with new Library window needed from the roofing debacle, and is at the moment covered in, like, 25' of spring snow).
Features:
Cedar siding. This was a welcome boost to morale... real wood wahoo!
Character Home with great shapes & just a wee gingerbreading potential ;)
Corner lot.
Double Garage.
Lots and lots and lots of LOTS of surface area.

Deconstruction/Reconstruction:
Eaves, Soffits & Fascia:
Due to the roofing debacle and subsequent damage to the eaves, soffits & fascia (the underbits of the roofing), there is the expense of time & money to replace 90% of them. Grumble. Plus it's kinda scary to send the man way way up there, power tools in hand, fastened by only a harness... call me a worry-wort Idareyou. This will take a lot of time... there is a lot buttload of damage.

Painting:
We were given the most superb advice on painting the exterior: start with the side/s you can see, or choose to paint one side each year (the former working best for the home that just needs a re-coat in the same colour scheme). Heeding this advice... we'll start with the visible 3 sides... hahaha... and the 3 visible sides on the Garage too. Hiphiphoorah for living on a corner!
She's in rough paint-peeling shape & needing a makeover. While we must tediously scrape & re-paint her whole facade, why not in a fun colour scheme? Yah... we could not think of a good reason not to either.
So... wish us luck! Or... send us Starbucks gift cards & beer... or send us your misbehaving children to punished by having to help us slave away in the hot prairie summer sun and beer/coffee. We'll be starting come June & be at 'er all summer long......

Palette Choices:
Our unchanging elements: the front door is charcoal steel, the inner window (the part immediately framing the glass) is/will be white. Input on palette is welcome, we have not decided yet!
"Seaside"
"Mod"
"Grandora"

Monday 25 March 2013

Phase II. Kitchen.e. (FINAL)










Kitchen:
(FINAL... for now):
'Twas a long road , folks. Looking at the timeline we get weepy... a year + a bit ago we were far from realization of this bright & cheerful place we share so much family-time.

Progress:
Man-built island in & complete with electrical, doors, and hardware. Drawer interiors organized. The Nelson cigar pendant found a home. Pop-inspired decor complete. Hoorah!

Still to Come:
Island lights:
We are still lukewarm about the brushed-bronze Schoolhaus pendants, finding them in competition with the Nelson (nook) & vintage milk glass (sink) ... keeping an eye out for a handsome vintage pair that will satiate our picky palette & craving for soul pieces.

Nook:
Large incoming Artpiece will inhabit the S wall, which is now occupied by a desk from the waterdamaged Library.

Tweaking:
Smart us made the fixed elements timeless & neutral, not more than changing accessories, fixtures/hardware, some paint/furniture needed to make new design. We love that we could change it up for a few hundred in a weekend... us fickle superficialist!
Currently the decor is period-compatable and fun, but after a year-long journey of renovations we are feeling more grounded & seasoned than fun. Ideas into a second incarnation have been afoot, radiating a bolder more mature-fun personality (like this pretty lil Kitchen here) than the youthful vibe we are emminating now.
But... no need to continue talking about possible-future-tense (accentuating our being crazed from lack of sleep & dwell greedy), though... if we choose to stay here in SK, this will incubate further. We'll pull ourselves into the present & rejoice with the Kitchen final product (for now). Yum yum.

Timeline: Kitchen











Sunday 24 March 2013

Phase III: Garden.a. (update)

Deconstruction:
Dig diggity dig dig dig diggin' up the existing pretties (rhubarb, lillies, green onions, etc.).
Well... once the snow dissipates. Will it ever? I dunno... it's hard not to take 8' of snow piled high on the Spring Equinox as a sign of winterpocalypse doom & gloom. Saskatchewan amnesia is in full bloom (every year we forget our extreme manic character-building seasons, so as to endure them come 'round again).

Reconstruction:
(3D rendering)










We will be constructing self-wicking beds so we can get food-production started, then move on to the rest at a later date. This year is still mega hard-core renovation territory, so there is little time/budget to be spread around = priorities become clear. (Also on the 2013 summer docket: rebuilding the fence with our Neighbours to the North, repairing the extensive damage from the taint licking roofing debacle, and painting the desperate exterior. Casualties of our plan due to general assholery of said roofers circumstance: refinishing the hardwood, Dining Room and Living Room, and building the deck). Rolling with it...


Dreaming:
Garden-porn.