This spring, we have an especially big outdoor project to prepare for: A NEW DECK!
When we bought this house, we saw all sorts of potential - with both the house and the backyard. The kitchen was big, though dated. And the backyard was also big, but in awful shape. We knew that if we worked hard enough on the house that we wouldn't regret it. We finished a kitchen remodel right before Lila was born and we're so happy that we bought a house with a kitchen larger than a postage stamp. Most of the houses in this neighborhood feature small galley kitchens, which is something that we wanted to avoid.
The transformation of the backyard has been a bit longer in the making. When we moved in, the grass was nearly dead, there was a carport attached to the garage and it took up about a third of the yard, a rose patch took up about a quarter more, and an old chain link fence provided a full view of the alley. AND an rusty corrugated metal awning covered a cracked patio off the kitchen.
In five years, we have removed a lot of concrete - both from the carport and the crumbling sidewalk, installed new turf and a sprinkler system and generally cleaned up the backyard - moving plants around and rearranging the layout. Now it looks like a completely new backyard. This year, we decided to do away with the metal awning and patio in favor of an expanded deck and pergola. In order to do that, we also need to replace the gutters and paint the trim, but those projects needed to be completed years ago as well. So, the backyard and the front of the house will be getting a face lift!
Come summer, we'll be ready for some major entertaining, so be sure to come visit.
3 comments:
So many great improvements! Well done! Are you able to work while the kids just play by themselves in the yard? We dream of that day! Right now C is still too young and needs a lot more attention so it's so hard getting any house projects done unless one of us plays babysitter while the second one works. Can't wait for more productive days of working side by side :)
What an exciting project! My kids would LOVE to "help" with such a project. I'm guessing the inside of your house has all sorts of new and beautiful light as well!
S., yes, the kids play by themselves or "help" as Ann mentioned. They like to plant and water, so this weekend when I transplanted countless irises to make way for the deck, they had fun taking turns with the hose. They also play TOGETHER which is such a nice relatively new development. The day will definitely come when C can help or hang by herself!
Ann, yes! More light. We are nearly blinded now. The pergola will be nice because we can shade that side of the house in the summer and then let light in in the winter. Win/win! No baby?!?
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