Black, White, and Blue

Just like our last house, we have decided to paint the brick exterior of our new house. Last time, we put this project off for many years and then instantly regretted waiting so long once we saw the finished product.

So this time, painting the exterior is one of the first things we'll be doing to update the house. If you remember our last house, we opted for green on green with a bright red door. And we loved it.

This time, I'm craving a classic white house with black windows (actually what I wanted last time but our roof color wasn't going to work). Note I said black windows because that is currently what we have and it was one of the selling points for me. We are going to remove the shutters completely and try that out for a bit.

And although I am Team Red Door at all times...I'm actually leaning toward powder blue this time. This shade of blue is going to have a big moment inside the house and I want to give the exterior a little tease of what awaits.

And I'm really digging the creamy white, punctuating black, and soft blue combo:

We'll be evaluating the gamut of off-white whites shortly...but I'm turning to the Internet because I know this problem has been solved. I've always been a Sherwin-Williams Alabaster lady but am going to compare to Ben Moore's White Dove due to its cult following. I've already nailed the blue which I'll share in a later post.

Friday Crush

via Parker Kennedy Living on Instagram

Alert Old Town Alexandria locals...someone needs to paint their house like this! Totally loving this tonal paint treatment with a bright pop of white for the door. And the shade of blue is spectacular. I love seeing a historic home that uses bright color but maintains a classic, timeless appearance.

No big plans for this weekend, which is fine by me. Hope yours is great. See you next week!

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Wheatland

Thank you, Garden & Gun, for introducing me to this stunning Virginia home - called Wheatland - on the Rappahannock River. Totally and completely breathtaking:

Photos by Patricia Lyons

That is some jaw-dropping stuff, folks...traditional beauty. I love the colors used throughout and the home's architecture is so beautiful nestled among the trees. 

Completely dreamy, right? Check out all the photos here...

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Hutchins House

I think Carter and I would be really good at running a bed and breakfast. His chattiness and genuine interest in the life of strangers coupled with my design eye and cooking skills would make for a successful hospitality business. I'm sure of it.

And this Greek Revival gem in Mississippi - Hutchins House - would be the perfect property for said business. TONS of potential ready to be unearthed:

The home dates back to 1877, is located in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, and is on the market for $176,000 (which in DC-metro area terms is a bargain). I'm in love with the green roof...and that porch looks amazing. Perfect for our wine and cheese happy hours.

Read more about the house here and here. And if you buy it, let me know.

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Lantern Planter Entry

Anyone know image source?

Today, I bring you an image that caught my eye due to the:

1) Awesome, large-scaled planters. Ferns + hydrangeas = eye-pleasing arrangement. And the heft really makes them statement pieces.

2) Beadboard porch ceiling.

3) Copper lanterns. Especially the wall-mounts with the slight pagoda nod.

4) Transom windows above a stately door.

5) Door's moldings in general.

One day, one day, I hope to have a lovely entry like this. Nothing crazy...just something classic and welcoming.

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Friday Crush

image source

We've been exterior-focused on the house as of late. Not that we are doing anything about it...just a lot of talk of how things could be improved outside. Our petite estate does not need a fence, but if it did, isn't this one just lovely? I love it when careful detail is brought to outdoor, functional components. I would especially love this fretwork fence outlining my horse farm in Albemarle County, Virginia.

We have a packed weekend of family fun that I am very much looking forward to. I hope you have a lovely Mother's Day, be it as a child or a parent. Enjoy your weekend...see you next week!

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Flower Box Online Source

The petunias went into our flower boxes this past weekend. Every time we plant those little guys I thank heaven for our flower boxes...they make SUCH a difference on the exterior of our house.

If you don't have flower boxes, have you thought about it? Because if you have, I think you should pull the trigger. And maybe your house could look like this:

Photo by Van Chaplin for Southern Living

Being the DIY couple that we are, we definitely thought about making the boxes out of wood, painting them, etc. But then Carter realized it would take eleventy million weekends to finish them AND the wood option is a bit more high maintenance than the snazzy PVC versions out there.

So we went online and found these boxes - aptly named "Charleston Window Boxes" -  and they have been fantastic. 

Scale is great and the low maintenance PVC construction means they will last the home a bit longer than wood - and you can't beat the smooth finish. And I think the investment in ready-made definitely paid off for the immediate wow factor.

We took this picture two years ago - the first Spring that we had the boxes - and the petunias kind of took over:

But I think the flower boxes and paint transformed our house overnight. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Check out lots of other box styles here (I love the lattice one)...

Hope you are enjoying some Spring touches around your home. If you have flower boxes, tell me what you do in the fall and winter months - I'm always looking for ideas!

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Wee House

I broke down and bought Ana Claire a play kitchen. I was sure my will power would hold at least until she was two, but alas, 'twas not so.

And of course going down the path of the kitchen sent me down the path of the imaginary world of play that I want to create for her as she gets older. Including a legit mini-house. So, thanks, Pinterest for showing me this gem:

image source

The shrubbery!

This wee house is just too much to take. The painted door and the shutters - too adorable for words. Not to mention it would create a delightful focal point in a yard. I doubt our (read: Carter's) skills will be quite up to creating something like this but that doesn't mean I can't put it in my inspiration folder.

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Noteworthy Exterior Revamp

Bailey McCarthy posted this exterior before and after on Instagram a while back, majorly catching my attention.

I love a well-proportioned small(er) house and this photo shows exactly the kind of potential these homes can have. 

A coat of fresh paint, some simple detail changes around the door and very light landscaping...that's all it took to quickly maximize this house's curb appeal.

You know I love an old house so I get happy when I see wonderful results like this. And if you're interested in seeing the home's interior, here's the whole house tour (it's amazing, obvi).

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Gil Schafer's Greek Revival

I live for Saturday mornings. Carter and I wake up, pluck Ana Claire from her crib, brew two cups of coffee and head to our den where we watch old episodes of This Old House until the reality of weekend chores sets in.

This past weekend, we were watching this episode which included a tour of an upstate New York home done in the Greek Revival style (the same style being used on part of the project home).

Here's Norm standing in front of the visited home with architect Gil Schafer...who I now understand is brilliant.

That's a cruddy screenshot of the show. I think this home is Gil's. Not sure, but that's the sense I got from the interview as they walked through the house.

This house is beyond amazing. I think I stood up in the den and spilled my coffee to get closer to the screen to jump up and down and praise its beauty. It's not large (and I think it's meant to be a cozy vacation escape) but it's perfectly scaled. And the details are stunning. And get this....IT WAS A NEW BUILD.  That was the headline of the TOH piece...a new house built with old details. I was shocked that the house had no history...bits and pieces of it do...but it was definitely built from scratch with details to give it a sense of place.

Here are some great pictures from Gil's website that really showcase the home's charm:

^ Entry Hall ^

^ Dining Room / Library ^

^ Living Room ^

^ Kitchen ^

^ Bedroom ^

^ Bathroom  ^

AMAZING. DREAM HOUSE.

Now excuse my video screenshots, but I thought some details were worth exploring...

^ Amazing entry with beautiful mouldings...^

^ Details like pocket doors and mercury door knobs ^

^ Reclaimed wood floors ^

^ An awesome butler's pantry with apron-front sink and vintage lighting ^

^ This kitchen is beyond words, I love it so. Butcher block counters! A painted wood floor. Vintage lighting. Glass-front cabinets. Great hardware. Modern appliances. A dining table. A FIREPLACE. ^

^ View of dining room/library looking into the living room. Love the shared fireplace and the double entry. ^

^ Another view of the living room. Love the art perched on the cabinet. Love the natural floorcovering done wall-to-wall...really grounds a very traditional space. Also, note the floor-to-ceiling windows...so awesome. ^

^ The hallway that runs from front to back of the house with the stairwell. ^

I think this house would be very at home in Virginia horse country...say, Charlottesville...a place Carter and I would be very happy living. Hmmm....

So I'm now obsessed with Gil Schafer's work. 

Update: thank you to my awesome commenters I now know Miles Redd had a hand in the interiors. And it appears the book already exists - I want it. Apparently I've been living under a rock to have just discovered Mr. Schafer's talent. 

Check out Gil's website here...

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Wreaths on Windows

image via Southern Living

The Christmas season is flying by....slow down, Christmas! I'd like at least two more weeks of enjoyment. Two more weeks to completely savor images like this one...I LOVE wreaths on windows. And the size of these wreaths with big red bows adorning an adorable cape cod with Chippendale railings...well, it's Holiday Heaven. Totally saving this idea for the day when I have that gorgeous window-walled sunroom.

What's your favorite way to decorate outdoors for Christmas?

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Our Christmas Cottage

I'll be frank that I chose our house color largely based on how it would look at Christmas. It's no coincidence that our home is green with a red door...and when we got our first snow this weekend, my heart was full.

The snow dusting made the house look so sweet and all the pops of red against the white looked great. I still need to zhush our flower boxes with some holly berries (we have a huge bush in the backyard) and lights so you can see them better at night.

Speaking of night...here is the nocturnal view without snow:

LOVE how the lights look in our skip laurel bushes! See what I mean about the flower boxes? They need some twinkle. And yes, that's a slightly different house flag. I have a lot of house flags.

Have I mentioned I love this season???

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