My Cottage Before the New Paint Job Begins

This photo was taken 2 years ago. The curved bare tree on the left is the one that smashed on my house during Hurricane Sandy. When my house was painted in 2003, the front and sides matched. Now the shingles have faded, mildewed, and most of the color has washed away with some remnants of the semi-transparent Cabot oil stain remaining. The wooden front boards were painted with latex in a Cabot color called Milkweed.

The black mildew on the front is not apparent in this old photo. I had the house power washed once and this photo might have been following that job. All of the weeds around the birdbath were replaced with wood chips, my spring project this year. I'm so glad I did it and it still looks fantastic.

Winter view of the front.

Fallen tree after Sandy. No real damage to the back of the cottage...just scratched singles. The back gets the harsh morning sun and all of the stain has washed away and the shingles have weathered a dark gray. The bottom is a dark gray stucco applied over the foundation.

A good front view. I think the white paint with white trim and white shingles will look very nice with my brick walls and chimney and slate-blend asphalt roof shingles. Shutters will be black or dark green.

My barn garage with upstairs storage loft is red vinyl but the wood trim needs a good paint job. Look carefully under the roof overhang and you'll see the mildew.

I am exhausted from all of my agony in making a painting decision. You really do have to be your own general contractor to get a good job. It's sort of like the lion tamer at the circus coordinating all of the animals so they don't trample each other. This week alone, I've had a refrigerator repair man, an electrician and a painter and it's only Wednesday. I still have to call my plumber for some drippy faucets and furnace service before the winter. Sometimes I think home ownership is extremely overrated. Does anyone know of a retirement village with individual Airstream trailers? Sign me up, please.

I can't wait for BROADCHURCH, episode 4 tonight on BBC America. It will help take my mind off home repair issues. See you in the morning

Lily Pad Pond

I photographed this water garden last week on a real estate showing. Unfortunately, I didn't see or hear any bullfrogs. The house had a screened-in porch and I'm sure the owners enjoyed sitting out there listening to them croak on hot summer nights. my iPhone photo

I can't even tell you how weary I am of researching products for my upcoming house painting project. I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a good waterborne stain. I think I'm just going to have my clapboards and shingles and trim painted white. Sherwin Williams is having an end-of-summer sale with 30% off thru September 2nd. I am just going to bite the bullet and paint everything with their thick white paint that goes on like buttermilk. It's called Duration. Case closed, fingers in ears, la la la la la. Can't hear you.

Gorgeous Shingled Cottage on the Water

I have someone coming over at 6:00pm to give me an estimate. He's painting a cottage around the corner and constructing a Chippendale railing on the front porch. I stopped and talked to him and got good vibes. I am so excited. photo source

Delightful Cottage Style Shingled Home

This is lovely too. Benjamin Moore HC-111 with cream trim.

Back view. Shutters only on gable ends. Photo tour of the exterior of this Long Island home HERE.

Sand colored shingles

This is beautiful too. So many choices. via

White on White Cottage

Don't you love the decorative shingle patterns on the gables? This is so lovely and the dog on the porch completes the picture perfectly. via

Pile of Sleeping Black Puppies

Good night, everyone. See you in the morning. via

Great house

I am absolutely blurry eyed from looking at paint colors, solid stain colors, going from place to place to check availability, etc. The description of the color the people who built this house give is they used a very dark brown/black solid stain. I love the way it has weathered. WANT, but cannot find. Will not stop until I do. I am tempted by Dragon's Breath by Benjamin Moore. Must go and look tomorrow. Cool name! via