Keep the Curb Appeal Coming...

Renovation Status Update: We are making extremely slow progress with the County and the bank(s). {at least it's something though...} In July we will be applying for a grant that St. Mary's County is offering to residents in critical areas {check} for a new innovative sand septic system. After speaking with a couple Health Department officials, this seems to be the route we need to take.

We've also researched all of our options for financing this project. Now we have to decide who we are going to go with {offering the best rates}, and how soon we can get started.

Next on my check list is to call Dave Decker Plans LLC and schedule an appointment for him to come out to the cottage and draw up our addition {or second story} plans.

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Ok, so in the mean time, we're working on boosting our curb appeal. Bubba took the initiative to freshen up our fence in the front yard with a fresh coat of white paint {pictures to come soon}, and it looks GREAT! That was one job I was MORE than willing to hand over to him. I'm all about painting inside the house, but a white picket fence? I'll leave that to Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, or in this case, Bubba Hill!

More up my alley was the flower basket I added to the gate of the fence. I found this cute little metal basket with a flat back and knew it would be perfect for the fence. It just needed a little bit of spray paint and a couple of screws. 

Oh, and of course some flowers too! I grabbed a couple buy one-get one portulaca's from a local flower and vegetable vendor, Betty Russell in Clements, and the project was complete. It turned out so cute, now if only I could get the flowers to bloom out a little more...

I threw a couple of the extra portulaca's in a pot and placed them on stump by our "driveway". 

A PBC Personal Project

The winter months are always the slowest for my mom, sister, and myself when it comes to working on our Point Breeze Cottage projects that we sell on Etsy. The majority of our inventory comes from Yard and Estate Sales, which tend to be strictly spring and summer-time events. So during the winter months we either work on pieces we've collected and haven't begun yet, or research for new ideas for the coming year.

This past summer we stockpiled a surprising amount of French Provincial furniture. This style is GREAT for re-purposing since it has a classic and solid look and tends to be very durable. In fact, you can check out some of the French Provincial pieces we've sold in the past by clicking HERE!

With the unusually warm weather we've been having, my mom, Donna, decided that she wanted to get back in the shed and try to work on some of our remaining pieces. I happen to live in a 1929 cottage (hence the name Point Breeze Cottage) that only has half of a closet; And I consider it half a closet because it's so poorly designed you really can't fit much of anything in it. So for me, storage is a HUGE deal. My husband and I have been trying to finish decorating our bedroom for probably a year now (if not more) and were constantly coming up short. Now matter how good it looked, it was never complete because there wasn't enough room for all of our clothes, shoes, grooming products, pictures, etc. Until now.

I decided to dip into our PBC inventory and have my talented mother restore a piece that fit exactly right for my own room. She was itching to start working on something and I happened to need some extra storage, so she got right to work. Here is the piece I picked out. A very old and DIRTY French Provincial chest of drawers:

The more she and I cleaned out the piece, the more we realized it was in rough shape. It was probably used in a child's room for many years before we found it, but all of the drawers worked, the hardware was intact (we had already removed it before we took these pics), and it was the exact size I needed. So we were determined to make it work.

I helped my mom clean the chest and get it ready for restoration and then I let her take over. She is just SO MUCH BETTER and painting and distressing than I am. She says it comes with practice, but I think she's just got mad skills! Anyway, we decided on a lovely light grey color for the base and then a hint of silver along the time and on the hardware. I think it is absolutely perfect and is neutral enough to put in any room in my house if I ever need to move it. Check out her awesome work!

I love the color combination of the grey and silver!

Fits perfectly in the space I was working with.

 

Hardware looking as good as new.

Thanks again, Momma! It looks great and it's so helpful to have the extra storage in our bedroom now.

Choosing a Paint Color

Tuesday's Tip

For today's tip, I want to talk a little bit about paint colors, and how to choose one. It's not always an easy task, and sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error, but when you get it right, boy does it pay off. Here are a few things to remember when deciding on a paint color for your next project:

1. Have a large collection. What I mean by this is to always have a multitude of colors to choose from. You can find excellent quality paint for a reduced price at just about any location that sells paint. All you have to do is find the section where they keep the "mistints" and find one that you love. Just because it's not the exact color someone else wanted, doesn't mean it's not right for your project!

2. Have a vision. When you're getting ready to start a new project, ask yourself where you envision this piece going. A beach-side cottage? A formal living room? A sunny front porch? Try to figure out where this type of piece would look best and then search for a color that embodies that vision.

3. Never trust the first coat. Have faith in your selection and don't fret when the first coat doesn't look spectacular. More often than not the first coat is going to look thin and streaky, just keep the faith!

4. Don't be afraid to mix it up. This tip actually has a double meaning. The first of which is to try something you typically wouldn't. We've written before about Keeping an Open Mind and trying new things, and that goes for your paint colors as well. Think out side of the box every once in a while. And the second take on this tip is to mix it up, literally. Is your green too pale? You red too bold? Find another color that will either enhance your color or reduce it. White is typically a safe bet for toning down a bright color. Just be sure you remember your color wheel before mixing too many colors.

5. Know your finish. This is important to you final look. When working on a piece, at some point you must determine what kind of finish you want. A smooth, modern and shiny finish would require a more standard paint. While a more textured and  distressed look would typically require a chalk paint and some rubbing with a piece of sandpaper.

You certainly don't have to spend a fortune on paint, but it helps to know what you want. Evaluate your pieces before you make any decisions, and try out small strokes before you settle on your favorite. Most importantly, have FUN!