Getting it going out front
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 11:03AM The driveway is happening!!! Luckily our Plan B worked out (major thanks to my brill contractors), and on Friday a big yellow backhoe made fast work of excavating all the old concrete and aphalt. Believe me, I was happy to see it all carted away. The next day, a crew arrived and everything was levelled, then the forms were built and set in place for the concrete curbs that will run from the house to the sidewalk. Plus, for some extra greenery - and really because we don't need parking spots for 3 cars - the crew also built forms for a second raised planting bed. Then the Home Depot flatbed truck arrived with our delivery of the chic and simple charcoal grey interlocking brick I'd picked out (more on that soon). Finally, the concrete mixer showed and gingerly backed into the driveway, dumping 8 cubic yards to create a stable bed for the interlock and to fill the curb and planter forms. Oh, and did I mention this was in the midst of a busy neighbourhood yard sale that we were participating in? Thanks to a v. kind neighbour (hi Mrs Fong!), we were able to set up all our bits and bobs on a yard a couple of doors down while all the construction action was happening on ours...
Before the crew shows up to lay the interlocking brick in the next day or two the painter is here slapping up a couple of coats of Farrow & Ball's super durable and environmentally friendly Exterior Masonry paint in Railings on the facade of the house. Okay, I will admit to butterflies when it first started going up, but imho, I think it looks totally fantastic!
Reader Comments (16)
Your house is looking fabulous!! The dark colour is really striking :-) Looking forward to seeing more :-)
Kelly
Arren, the facade looks fantastic. Railings makes if very modern and unified. Nice work.
Arren I am so excited to see the driveway developments...no wonder you are excited, it's your house! So cool. Great colour choice.
SO AMAZING!!!
Wow, this is certainly a gutsy and delightful transformation. That was a very bold move to paint the facade of your home, especially with that dark a color. It looks fantastic and has totally transformed it from a blah 60's or 70's?? build to a contemporary, modern one. From the photos, it looks like you have a real assortment of homes in the neighbourhood and this just adds to the eclectic mix. I am always so shocked when I see what paint can do.! LOVE IT.
Oh. my. god. That looks amazing !
It looks fantastic! So dramatic - can't wait to see the finished landscaping!
No need for butterflies! I think the colour is perfect! Now the windows and door look even better and the whole thing has a unified look! Love it!
OMG. After seeing you tonight I had to come right here to see -- the Railings looks in-flipping-credible!. I desperately want to paint our brick...so inspired!
I HEART WHAT I SEE. I am sure it worths the wait.
Proud to be coming home, hummmm!!!?????!!!!!
Bang on with the colour...it looks fantastic.
Arren,
It's looks de-lovely. It has to finished by now...Please post pics and resources. I have the drabbiest drive and sidewalk and look to you for inspiration. We do have our house partially painted. Benjamin Moore Quarry Rock. My husband started last Fall and we have only quarter of it finished. But that 1/4 is looking mighty fine! Where did you source your door?
-jen
Just seeing this now—looks amazing!!
The house looks fantastic! I don't think you can ever go wrong with Railings - it might be the perfect paint colour!
I was set on Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball for my large victorian + barn. But your results seem pretty close to what I was thinking of... maybe I should get some sample pots. Would you mind letting me know your door colour? Seeing real-life application, even via computer moitor, is so helpful.
thanks, Maggie
Hi Maggie, Hague Blue is a fantastic colour! The front door and windows are from Jeld-Wen (the windows are aluminum clad wood, and the door is steel), all finished in their colour called ALUM Brown. Probably the best way to describe it would be a dark chocolate brown with an ashy grey edge to it.