Showing posts with label makeover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label makeover. Show all posts

Friday, 5 May 2017

Curb Appeal

Springtime to me means gardening. We've done nothing up to now to enhance the front garden, which is really just a little patch of grass. 

 

It's an awkward patch to mow, and doesn't really add to the curb appeal, SO --

 

 

Out with the grass, and in with the gravel! Normally I wouldn't prefer a hardscape over greenery, but over the summer this area will be transformed into a proper cottage garden. I'm still in the design phase, but stay tuned and I'll post more pics of the progress.  Wish me luck!

Monday, 17 April 2017

Purple Passion

It's no surprise to anyone who knows me that purple is my favourite colour.  Back in the 70's, I even had purple shag carpet in my bedroom! I always wanted a purple door, and as documented in my early posts, that was the first change I made after we moved in here.




Then last summer when I added the gate sign, I did it in the same purple.




So I suppose it was a no-brainer when it came time to add this rocking garden bench -


That's probably the last thing I'm going to do up with my favourite shade of paint, ("Absolutely Livid" by Dulux) but you can count on plenty of purple flowers in the coming months! I'll update this blog when everything is in full bloom.



Monday, 12 September 2016

Going Grey

The final task has been done in regard to the exterior renovation.  The yellow paint is finally gone!



We considered so many colours since moving into the cottage.  I liked the idea of a lavender facade to go with the purple door, but that was just a bridge too far for my hubby.  I had to rethink my choice in favour of a more gender-neutral shade that wouldn't scream "a little old spinster lives here", so our next thought was a white house with black trim. Like the tudor houses in the English countryside, but after looking at quite a few white houses we decided that it was a bit too plain for us.  The next choice was a bit funny in hindsight - YELLOW.  I know, it was already yellow, but as Hubby found out in our lengthy discussions, I didn't like the "buttery" yellow.  Too orangy, too bright, etc.  I kept telling him I wanted a fresh yellow.  A pale, lemony yellow. Not too bright, mind you.  We passed hundreds of yellow houses and he would ask, "Is that the yellow?"  After getting the same answer a number of times, he changed the question to, "What about that? Too buttery?" Our friend, Dawnette, was visiting from the states and she was witness to the Great Yellow Debate.  So she was naturally surprised to see the stonework on the front. "I thought you were PAINTING it!"  she said.

After the stone cladding went up, it really made the paint look that much worse.  So thanks to our talented friend Deccie, we have a lovely shade of Cloud Grey on the remaining walls, chimney and window sills.  It's fresh, it blends well with the stone, and it really defines the essence of Moonlight Cottage. Next project is some additional landscaping, so I'll be back with pics of that project soon!




Wednesday, 13 April 2016

The Great Outdoors Part 2

We've done some sprucing up around the outside of the cottage, and things in the garden are beginning to bud and bloom.  Here's some of the latest pics -
Freshly mown grass and trimmed back shrubs for a new start!
 
Pansies are always show cheerful, don't you think?



This will soon be a popular location for breakfast or a nice cup of tea.
Tea for two - won't you join me?



Here's a bonus - These lovely bluebells were residents of the cottage long before we were!


So graceful are their blooms...


And they are growing everywhere!

Like here...

...and here.

We've even cleaned up that "ugly" area!

And in front of the wall is ready for grass and flowers, another project!


Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more blooming pics.  









Wednesday, 30 March 2016

The Great Outdoors

We've made a good deal of progress to the outside of the cottage!

If you remember from earlier posts, the retaining wall in front was in danger of falling over. 


We put up a new wall and lowered the incline of the driveway. 



Our next project will be a bit of landscaping around the new wall. I'll post pictures when it's done, so stay tuned!

Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Absolutely Livid!

I've always wanted a purple door. Here's the finished result, painted with Dulux "Absolutely Livid" gloss paint.

                          

I will post more photos when we paint the rest of the house , but the door was in such a state that we couldn't wait -


                                          Goodbye peeling paint, hello Absolutely Livid!



Sunday, 13 March 2016

If Music be the Food of Love, Play on

One of the daunting tasks of downsizing is where to keep your treasured things. Coming from 2700 square feet, there was an extra reception room for our many musical instruments. In the cottage, they've been stored under a bed  for lack of a better place. As that's not very conducive to spontaneous playing, we needed another solution -


Making the instruments part of the decor keeps them always at the ready for a session. 



Music is a theme throughout our home -


Below is my grandfather's first violin, all the way from Texas. 


The next project is to to find a space for the banjo, mandolin, bagpipes and autoharp!

Sunday, 21 February 2016

Time to Improve the Garden

In anticipation of spring, we've added a vintage bistro set and a clock to dress up the inner garden. Can't wait for the bulbs to bloom!


Wednesday, 17 February 2016

Before & After: The Master Bedroom


My guiltiest pleasure may be the use of this duck egg shade of blue. It's in the kitchen, the hallway and here in our bedroom. It's my go-to spa colour that gives me a feeling of calm, so I say find your calming colour and grab a paintbrush!


Wednesday, 20 January 2016

Friday, 11 December 2015

Before & After: Kitchen Do-over

This is the first of my "before and after" series of posts - seeing the progress is a great motivator for those future projects!