ADDING 'FARMHOUSE FLAIR' TO A RANCH HOME

As most of you know, we sold our home and  moved about 6 months ago.  We just moved a few miles, but we now have a couple of acres.  Just enough space to grow a big garden, raise some animals and give the girls room to run and play.  The house we bought is a classic ranch and we are slowing adding a little farm house flair.

Construction for the barn started a few weeks ago.  This beautiful barn is actually very similar to what ours will look like.  Matt put a lot of thought and time in to designing the barn….I can't wait to see the walls go up!  I won't bore you with all of the details (widths of batts for the board and batt siding, color of siding, style of barn too, etc.…..but we sure had fun figuring out all of the details)!  Our goal is to make the barn look likes it's original to the house (1948).

We have plans to add 'farmhouse flair' next Spring.  We will paint the exterior, add corbels, cupolas, shudders, all of the extra touches that give a home personality and character.  We are having the chimney re-built and I am struggling with the type of brick to choose.  All of the little details that can really make a big difference!  In the mean time, we started switching out the exterior lighting.

Here are a few inspiration photos….

Arn't those homes darling?

I am so weird about remodeling my own home.  I am always wanting to hurry things up and just be finished, but on the other hand I really enjoy the process!  Does anybody else have the problem when it comes to projects around the home?

xoxo

BEFORE & AFTER :: the back deck

As you may remember, I showed a few photos of our recently finished back deck.  Matt still had some details to finish, but I was excited to post some photos.  Well, yesterday he finished the back deck!

See how tall the deck is off of the ground?  Well, for months now, this area has just been open {and ugly}.

We couldn't put siding back up because it would trap the moisture and just be a big, yucky problem down the road.  We still wanted to be able to use the space for firewood storage, so we needed something accessible, yet pretty to look at.

Matt built this trellis our of cedar.  It will turn a soft gray as it weathers.  He is going to spread bark dust under the deck, so when you do peek through, you see a nice clean layer of bark.

When I watch Matt work, he makes everything look so effortless.  This would look awful if I attempted to try it!

It truly is one of my favorite spots to sit and relax.

We eat dinner out here almost every night!

I needed something between the windows so I made these two signs from cabinet doors {we have a few extras laying around}!  Next week I will do a 'non-tutorial' on how I made the signs, they were super easy!

The garden is growing like crazy!

And I can't forget to share a photo of my little assistant!

xoxo~Darci