Category — Exterior Remodeling / Renovation

Exterior painting is continuing here at Suzy’s. With the front porch painting completed, I’ve turned my attention to the board and batten siding that covers the garage and the rear addition of the house. A rain delay this morning has provided the perfect opportunity to take a break and share with you all the dirty exterior painting details.

The front view of the house is a little deceiving. As these pictures will show, the board and batten siding carries over from the front and side of the garage…

to the back of the garage, the rear of the house…

and all the way around to the other side.

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Tips and Advice on Exterior Prep, Painting and Picking the Perfect Paint Color

Front Porch ‘Before’ Picture

Hooray, Front Porch Painting Is Complete! (Sort Of)

A fresh coat of paint on the front porch can do so much for the overall curb appeal of your home. That’s what I kept repeating to myself as I worked away at the prep work before the actual painting began. Did you know that the most labor-intensive part of any paint job, whether it’s interior painting or exterior painting, is the prep? Yep, all the effort you put into brushing or rolling on that new coat of paint is wasted if you haven’t taken the time to properly prepare a surface to receive that paint. [Read more →]

STEPS 1 TO 6

Front Porch Ideas for a Great First Impression

(A complete list of sources is included below.)

1. Grunge Is Passé - Replace those grungy, old or dated chair covers with new outdoor pillows and seat cushions made from durable, UV resistant outdoor fabric.
2. Set the Table - Pick a summer bouquet of flowers, pop them in a vase or antique pitcher, and place them in the center of your outdoor table.
3. Make Your Presence Known - Large, easy-to-read house numbers, placed in an easy-to-see location makes finding you, well…easy. Choose house numbers that complement or are in keeping with the style of your house and outdoor decor.
4. Romancing the Porch - Hang gauzy outdoor curtains to inject a little romance. Outdoor curtains mounted on opposite sides will elegantly frame your porch.
5. Roll Out the Red Carpet - Arrange your porch furniture on a new outdoor carpet or place a new welcome mat at the front door. (The color is up to you.)
6. Front Porch First Aid - Revive your front porch and your entrance door with a fresh coat of paint.

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Outfit your outdoor kitchen and lounge area with comfortable and casual outdoor furniture and fixtures.

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Why An Outdoor Kitchen?

In my humble opinion, an outdoor kitchen is all about enjoying ‘the conveniences’ associated with indoor meal preparation, dining and entertaining, in an outdoor setting. Cooking inside then transferring the food outdoors is simply not efficient. It also means that at least one person is stuck inside on cooking duty while everyone else is outside having fun. With an outdoor kitchen no one misses out on any of the action.

Outdoor Kitchen Trend

Designers talk about making your outdoor rooms an extension of the home. Just how much of an extension is really up to the individual’s wants, needs, desires and budget.

As the popularity of outdoor kitchens has grown, so too has the number of companies who specialize in outfitting this space. From elaborate outdoor food prep areas to luxurious outdoor seating and dining areas, their design ideas and high-end products are guaranteed to impress. Unfortunately, they can also leave you with a less than impressive balance in your bank account.

This post is for the average Joe (or Joanne) who doesn’t have loads of cash to throw around, but would still like to enjoy the benefits of an outdoor kitchen and backyard time spent with family and friends. The following is my list of tips and ideas on how to build an outdoor kitchen without breaking the bank.
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Anyone who does flower gardening, herb gardening or vegetable gardening on their balcony will appreciate the additional planting space provided by window boxes or flower boxes.

In response to a reader’s comment in an earlier post (Balcony / Small Patio = Outdoor Room) about using window boxes on his balcony railing, I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned about window boxes and what to use for securing them to a railing.

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Gardening is not a hobby reserved only for people who own houses and land. With the popularity of container gardening, apartment and condominium dwellers with balconies or small patios can create colorful flower gardens or fragrant herb gardens in their outdoor living areas too.

Balcony Garden Inspiration Board

Outdoor furniture and garden product sources from this inspiration board are listed below. [Read more →]

Continuing with the outdoor room theme…..Get a little closer to nature this summer with an outdoor shower!

I’ve always wanted an outdoor shower, alas, the perfect location has eluded me. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

(For the products, sources and pricing of items featured in this design inspiration board, see below.)

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Told you I was inspired! Here’s the first of my outdoor room design inspiration boards for spring / summer 2008. See below for a complete list of sources and product information.

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