Our Newly Painted House

I know there can be plenty of negatives when it comes to social media, but can I just say how great it can also be?!  The fact that I posted on Instagram and Facebook last week asking for help choosing a paint color for our house, dozens of people took the time to read about my dilemna and share their thoughts with me, and then all celebrated with me when the house got painted and I loved the color?  That is just so great, and my heart is full.  That is also a long-winded way of saying thank you!  Thank you for caring about me and the color of our little house :)

Shout out to Sesame Street seen through the front windows! 

And speaking of the color, I could not love it more.  When I put out my paint poll, it was encouraging to see that people's opinions were all over the map.  At least I felt like I couldn't really go wrong, but it also made it a little harder to bite the bullet and choose one.  Thinking back on the process, I think part of what had been holding me up was a lack of clarity over what direction to try to take our house in terms of style. While I'm not sure it truly qualifies as a classic midcentury home, it was built in the 60's and it certainly has elements of that era.  Hearing people's feedback on the colors and finding examples on Pinterest of somewhat similar homes that had used the color Kendall Charcoal (by Benjamin Moore) helped solidify in my mind that this was the route I wanted to go.

Truth be told, I really loved the greenish gray color, Sharkskin (option "A" in my photo), and would probably have chosen that color for a different style house.  But I am certain Kendall Charcoal is what this particular house was meant to be.  And I am so relieved that I feel that way.  Would it be a stretch to say that I feel that my soul has been revived as a result?  Perhaps not.  I'm happy to be the poster girl for why aesthetics and beauty matter because let me tell you--feeling excited about the way the outside of my house looks has done no small thing to my spirit!

It was an uncharacteristically cloudy day yesterday when I snapped these pictures.  You know I must love you all if I am including a picture of that sad yard.  I have no shame.

It was sort of a happy accident, but I love how the house color plays off the different colors in the brick and pebble patios.

I'd like to find something that can climb up that blank wall...

There is much to be done in terms of landscaping.  I am far from an expert on this topic, so I am hoping that a trip to a local nursery + some photos of my house with info on lighting (that's pretty easy as it's sunny just about every day) will yield me some good options.  I'd love to plant a bougainvillea in the large terra cotta pot and let it climb up and over the garage.  A house down the street has done this, and I really like the look.  We plan to move the bushes that are currently looking sparse (only because we hacked them all down prior to having the house painted) in the bed right in front of the windows to a different spot and do something new in their place.  Green + height + drought tolerant are the main priorities.  I think some window boxes under the small windows and the kitchen window (above the unpainted brick) could add some interest, so long as I can find a window box style that would work with our style house…

Don't you love my little gardener?  She's raking leaves on our turf.  Philip recently installed it, and I have to say, it looks really good for fake grass.  And it's always green! 

We hope to plant a winter garden in our raised bed!

Before we can attempt much of that though, it needs to do this thing called R A I N….we actually got our first shower in something like six months just yesterday!  Hopefully more rain will be on the way (East Coast friends, I know you are getting dumped on…please send it our way!!), and we can start more substantial landscaping projects.  Until then, I'll have to quench my thirst for green and color with some potted mums.  Mums always make me feel like I'm ushering in Autumn.

 **If anyone local is in need of a referral for a contractor, I'd love to put you in touch with our guy.  He painted our house and also has done most all of our interior renovations.  He's honest, dependable, does good work, and has the best prices in Davis!  Also--I joke that he is like a father figure to me out here in CA…he even brought me a cheeseburger when they were here working…what more could you ask for?!