{DIY} Fence Gate

We put up our fence gate two weekends ago and are pretty pleased with the results (if you missed our DIY Fence project post, click HERE).  We opted to build the gate out of the same materials as our fence and have it look more like a panel of the fence than a gate door for a more uniform look.

The hubs has already started to dig holes for our fence posts that will run parallel to our home, so I am looking forward to getting this project wrapped up within the next few weeks.  Nothing like a busy schedule to draw out a pretty quick and easy project!

Once we have the fence completed, we will work on sanding and staining the cedar boards.  So let's keep our fingers crossed for some decent weather in the next two weeks!

{DIY} Front Yard Fence

We are currently in the process of installing fencing in our front/side yards.  Mostly to keep the munchkins in our backyard when playing outside, this fence also helps add to our fabulous landscaping (ha!) too.  With the way our home is positioned on a hill, we don't really need a fence for privacy purposes.  So, we decided to go for a non-traditional look with a cedar board + hog wire fence.  Partly inspired by the hubs's uncle's fencing, partly inspired by Pinterest... and we're definitely sold on the look.

We started our fence by installing four pressure treated boards with cement as our fence posts.  And by we, I mean the hubs.  He used a post hole digger and dug about two feet down.

All of the lumber and fencing staples were purchased from our local hardware store and we found the hog wire at a local farm supply store.  It is a thicker gauge wire, which comes in sheets (not rolled).  We borrowed a pair of wire snippers to cut the wire panels down to the size we wanted.

The cedar boards were added to finish the look... they hide the snipped wire ends and the fencing staples.  We plan to stain the cedar and are thinking of using a clear finish.

This weekend we will finish building our gate door (to go between the two panels we currently have installed). Then, we are going to build this fence down the side of our home toward our backyard approximately 12 feet or so. We won't build it to fully enclose our yard, but just enough to create a more finished look.

As I mentioned, we are pretty pleased with how this fence is turning out.  So far it seems to be doing it's job.  The boys haven't tried to run around to the front yard with it up... which helps me have more peace of mind when they are playing outside.

We will also add this type of fence on the right side of our home, which will connect our already existing standard wooden fence to our home and enclose that side of the yard.  And, if we ever decide we want a little more privacy than what this fence currently provides, we may take some of the ivy we have abundantly growing around our home and weave it through the wire in the fence.  But for now, we will keep the wire exposed.

This fence is a pretty easy answer for our needs -- and relatively inexpensive too.  The most difficult part of the whole process was leveling it all.  When your home is built on a hill, you get that added bonus of trying to decide how to make everything square and in line.  So proud of the hubs and his patience on this project.  I'm hoping to share an updated photo of our fence progress soon!

{DIY} Kitchen Update

We are far from finished with our kitchen, but I thought I would share a little update on our progress. Probably the most exciting and recent update on our project was to re-paint our white cabinets white again (yes, I'm a little crazy)... and we're about 80% done with that.  While we are leaving the four upper cabinet doors to the right of the hood off, I need to repaint the base of the upper cabinets and repaint all six of the lower cabinet drawers.  We prematurely re-installed the five upper cabinet doors on Christmas Eve, as we were hosting Christmas Day at our home and wanted to see how the doors would look (we have been living with all of the uppers off for approximately 1.5 years or so).  You really cannot notice a difference between the white paints, but I would feel better if they were the same and if the base got a little pick-me-up.  To make the cabinet pulls and hinges more cohesive, I spray painted all of our hinges a satin black and updated the cabinet pulls with a 4" satin black pull from Home Depot. 

Once I am finished painting our cabinets, my plan is to research trim options or design options for above our upper cabinets.  Then we'll take a break from this room and just make a few, small cosmetic updates until we decide what we want to do next in the room.  Given the hubs' motto, we most likely won't replace any of our current appliances until they die... so we'll be living with a mixture of stainless steel and almond/black for a bit longer.  Instead, Installing some sort of window covering and switching out the light above the sink may be in my future.

DIY: 5 Minute Mantel Makeover

I found THIS picture a few weeks ago thanks to some pinterest browsing and instantly decided it was time for our fireplace to have a mini-makeover.  I have been wanting to spruce up this area of our home for awhile now but was not sure what I wanted to do.  I have all sorts of ideas... and have even been thinking about possibly painting it all white (brick included).  But, that seems like such a big move.

So, with some leftover milk paint and a slab-of-wood-posed-as-a-mantel that needed repainted badly, I made one small and subtle move in the right direction.
The beige/tan tone of this milk paint color really seems to make a difference.  I think it helps make this space feel a little warmer, homier.  I am always impressed what five minutes and a little paint can do.

Our next step will be to construct a mantel similar to the one I found on pinterest... which looks to be on the project list for next summer... or at least my list, anyway.  The hubs will get the memo soon.

{DIY Saturday} Progress with Painting

So, this half-green-half-grey wall has been in our home for about two summers now (eh).  Call it the result of a busy schedule... new baby... laziness... or whatever you want, but I finally tackled two of the remaining four walls that are visible from downstairs this weekend.  And I'm pretty proud of it.

You see, the above picture was taken from our living room, looking into our entryway.  When you enter our home, you can turn right and go upstairs (see the black handrail in the distance), walk straight down the hall (under the green wall), or turn left into our living room.  So this awkward half-green-half-grey wall has been featured for all to see for the past two years.  Double eh.

And just so you know, this was no easy feat.  I now know why the hubs so lovingly warned me six years ago that if I ever wanted to repaint our entryway, I would be doing it (and not him).  Luckily, we have a pretty great ladder that got me where I needed to be to easily get the job done... but I'm not going to lie... being up that high was not my favorite thing in the world.

Our entryway ceiling vaults all the way to the second floor ceiling.  So with our ladder extended its full 22-foot length, I was able to stand on the third-rung-from-the-top to carefully edge in two walls.  Then, I rolled each wall with a paint roller on an expandable arm.  Pretty great workout if you ask me.

Why did I paint only two walls this weekend you ask?  Because Kingston and Cole were both home when I worked on this project and it all had to be done during one extra-long nap (thank you, Cole!).  Have no fear... I don't plan on waiting as long to paint the remaining two walls.  I also have plans for our hallway off the entryway and our staircase banister, so no finished photos until that is all done.

Thank goodness it is Fall and the start of our rainy season... looks like I'll be busy for awhile.

Stain is a Pain.

This is our house, as it currently sits in it's stained cedar-sided glory.  We love it.  In fact, the cedar-siding was one of the big things that drew the hubs and I to this house.  It felt charming, homey, and rustic (for lack of a better word) to me... while it reminded the hubs of his family's canal house from his youth.  We knew we just had to have it.

Now, fast-forward nearly six years and while we still love our home... keeping up with the stain is kind of a big pain (ha).  It seems like we constantly need to work on our siding each summer and the thought of a painted home seems to grow on the hubs more and more each year.  So much so, that the hubs told me we should look into paint colors so we can paint our home next Spring/Summer.  Um, what?!  I don't know if I am ready for this.

And this is probably why he brought it up.  With the end of this summer drawing near, the hubs has been feverishly working on a few spots on the back of our home where the weather seems to wear the most.  In order to get rid of the trouble areas, the hubs had to sand down and reapply stain to each board.  Not so much fun work.  

So, my mind is left thinking.  And thinking.  Do I really want to give up the stained look we have going on now and join the paint world?  Will I regret saying 'ok' down the road, if we do end up painting?  I just don't know what to think... and so I blog.  While I do understand why people choose paint (minimal upkeep) over stain (almost constant care, if you do it yourself), I'm curious... What do you think?