Project #2: almost there...

So windows are in, stucco is done, side door has been replaced, the lights on the porch and by the garage have also been replaced, and now we are waiting for the front door which takes 6 weeks to make. I was hoping to be able to get it in, trimmed and painted as well as the side door and the garage doors, but.....it's getting cold and I don't think we'll make it. I'm really channelling all positive thoughts so that in two weeks when the front door gets here it'll be warm enough to still paint it.

However, we have a hang up. I was hoping to paint the front door red, and had the idea of painting the garage doors red too. Not blood red, but something more subdued that would match and/or complement the brick coping. But now Mike is thinking it's too much red, and I find it interesting because our house in Utah was left pretty much up to him in terms of the exterior design and he had two stucco colors and a multi color stone wainscot. I think he's afraid of red.

If I had my way, I would have one of two options: 1. Glass garage doors, they are beautiful, just my style and they don't call crazy attention to themselves. Or, option 2 would be flat garage doors or wood slat doors stained in a rusty brown color to match the color of the future iron gate on the side of the house and iron on top of the pony wall in front of the house. Then I would paint the door to match.

"Before" picture of the family room

As far as the next project we are not sure what it'll be. First we need to stop and take a breather, we're low on reserves. So we'll be doing small minor little things here and there like taking down the hideous wood panelling in the family room, and the room looks 30% bigger and much brighter of course. We've also covered a door that went from the dining room into the family room. We're not sure why it was there because just on the other side of the wall which one could get too by taking 5 steps. These are the joys of buying and remodeling an old house, and events that I have overall quite enjoyed figuring out about. Like knowing that the old owners were alcoholics who drank themselves into poverty(paraphrased from the neighbors who were their friends)

 "After" the panelling came down. Now a blank slate waiting for me to decide on paint colors.

Most likely project #3 will end up being the bedroom wing. We've been stalling on this one because we're still not sure and keep ignoring designing our bathroom. But I think both Mike and I are ready to get the other bedrooms in the house spruced up even if ours doesn't get any updating for a while. I just don't understand why people would put white carpet in a house, especially with pets and alcohol being served right and left. I just can't take my filthy white carpet any longer!

Well, in a month or so we'll have more pictures.