Our house is a small rambler in the country that is divided into two parts. There is the main living area, then a breezeway/ patio that connects the main house to another part which includes a room, bathroom, closet and a door to the garage. We always felt this breezeway was a wasted space because it was just there.
Sometimes on a hot day it was cool there, but it was dark and unappealing. On cold winter mornings you have to sprint through to get to the only shower in the house. We had window boxes that blocked most of the view out the eastern side. My husband has done contracting work so he had a vision of what we could do with it. Even as we talked and planned, I couldn't picture the vision quite as easily. Being an experienced contractor he also knows how and where to find "recycled " and "gently used" materials. All of a sudden this spring we had free doors, windows, T-11 siding (notice the new vocabulary I have learned), a w
ood stove, and an industrious husband ready to begin the project. For a few weeks now he has been recreating this room. He gave me a heads up on the timeline of the project so I would have ample time to pick colors of paint. Experience has taught him that I can change my mind and waffle on that decision for months. We haven't named the room, but it will have a comfortable sitting area, plants, a plac
e for a fire, and I will have a room with a different view. Now I can see his vision of the room coming to life. ( picture one is Shelby helping to frame the walls, picture two shows how he made the free windows and door fit, picture three is after a coat of paint, picture four is a view from out front facing the new door)
Porches
On the front porch
Chairs sit still;
The table will receive
Summer drinks;
They wait, arranged,
Strange and polite.
On the back porch
Garden tools spill;
An empty basket
Leans to one side;
The watering can
Rusts among friends.
-Valerie Worth
Our house is a small rambler in the country that is divided into two parts. There is the main living area, then a breezeway/ patio that connects the main house to another part which includes a room, bathroom, closet and a door to the garage. We always felt this breezeway was a wasted space because it was just there.
Sometimes on a hot day it was cool there, but it was dark and unappealing. On cold winter mornings you have to sprint through to get to the only shower in the house. We had window boxes that blocked most of the view out the eastern side. My husband has done contracting work so he had a vision of what we could do with it. Even as we talked and planned, I couldn't picture the vision quite as easily. Being an experienced contractor he also knows how and where to find "recycled " and "gently used" materials. All of a sudden this spring we had free doors, windows, T-11 siding (notice the new vocabulary I have learned), a w
ood stove, and an industrious husband ready to begin the project. For a few weeks now he has been recreating this room. He gave me a heads up on the timeline of the project so I would have ample time to pick colors of paint. Experience has taught him that I can change my mind and waffle on that decision for months. We haven't named the room, but it will have a comfortable sitting area, plants, a plac
e for a fire, and I will have a room with a different view. Now I can see his vision of the room coming to life. ( picture one is Shelby helping to frame the walls, picture two shows how he made the free windows and door fit, picture three is after a coat of paint, picture four is a view from out front facing the new door)
