Spring Outdoor Updates

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This post was sponsored by Mid-America Shutters, but all opinions are my own.

One of the most pressing issues in my crazy brain has been the aesthetic of our house. The house has had good bones, but it hasn’t had the oomph that would really make it a home, you know what I mean?

Our 2017 has been spent upgrading the curb appeal in a piecemeal sort of way, but I’m super thrilled to show off the updates we’ve done this year!

First up: The deck and fence.

Look, this was a hot mess. Falling down fence planks, rusty chain link, and what was left was covered in polka dots.

As far as the deck went, despite our best efforts it became impossible to strip the pink paint off the deck without damaging the (already old and worn) boards. In the end, it just became easier to rip out the entire deck and fence and have them redone. We used a local company, BF&R Fence, to handle the entire project.

Look what they did in a week:

A WEEK, FOLKS.

My plan was to do a horizontal plank fence since it seemed to be such a unique look in our town, so I printed out a few examples from Pinterest to give to the team. The owner, Jeremy, talked us into reshaping the deck angle a smidge to give it more room, which I couldn’t envision, but trusted his judgment and am so pleased I did. We had the bottom of the deck done to match the horizontal fence, added a staircase to the back that goes directly into the yard, and had a gate put on the front steps. The idea was that if we ever do get a dog, it will be easier to just let them out of the side door and have them head directly to the backyard. Also, we found out they stopped doing decks after ours and are solely focusing on fences. So now we get that super snotty talking point when people ask us who did it, ha!

They also did our front stoop, which I had them expand in case I ever get around to putting a double door on our front porch.

Next up, the shutters:

This is one of the smallest upgrades that’s had the biggest impact on the curb appeal of our home. Check it:

Before

After

It’s changed the way our home looks so much! Even our neighbors have come over to compliment the way the shutters have made our home look. We decided to do it ourselves with Mid-America Shutters (we got their Raised Panel Shutters, Two Equal Panels in Midnight Blue…no painting, LOVE!) since they’re known for their durability and are made in the USA. The shutters are really easy to maneuver and set up since they’re not made from heavy wood (especially on the 2^nd floor!) and if we ever get around to painting the exterior of the house, know that the color of the shutters will really make a lasting impact. Installation was really easy (for my Dad, whose handier than we are) and just took our Ryobi drill, a few bits, level, and measuring tape. It took him about 30 minutes per set to install (including the 2^nd floor).

Lastly, the greenery.

I removed the shrub in the front to make room for the front stoop, but also because it did nothing but collect dog pee and trash. We decided to mulch the lawn directly under the fence, so I took the remaining mulch and yard trim and used it on the front “lawn” as well. My plan is to put more plants there, but I haven’t decided what to plant up there yet (any suggestions?). I’ve also added some potted hydrangeas, lavender, and carnations to the front stoop where the additional area is to make it a little less weird-looking. We also painted the front door blue, but more on that later.

So those are the upgrades we have done the past few months! Next up? Work on the greenery a little more, repair some wonky siding, and stop overthinking the stain colors I want for the deck and fence!