Out and About

 The house has brick facing on the east side, and maintenance-free siding on the other three sides.

The roof is unique and durable aluminum shingle.

Along the driveway fence is a french drain.

 The landscaping in the front includes five yew bushes, and two smoke bushes, surrounded by river rock.  There is thyme around the stepping stones.

The side landscaping is Japanese maple, and two blueberry bushes, with more river rock.

 The fully-fenced back yard is shaded by a slippery elm, with two raised garden beds.  Both the beds are filled with a rich mixture of peat, topsoil, and sand for drainage, over a layer of pea gravel.

The southern bed gets the most sun, and contains everbearing strawberries.










There is a brick paver path along the southern bed, and also the north edge of the deck.

The western bed has posts for training vines, annual vegetables, and perennials, including day lily, variegated iris, and lavender.



 The rain barrel on the deck collects runoff from the roof, and has a spigot on the outside of the decorative cover box.

Sitting on the deck in the summer, watching the "back 40" is one of the greatest joys ever.














The garage is a very generous two-car size, with electric door opener (three remotes), and lots of storage, including a workbench.

Family Quarters

The main floor private area is where the three bedrooms and full bath are located, all off the hallway adjacent the public area of the house.  These are red oak hardwood floors, like the rest of the main floor.

 The bedroom in the northeast is green, with dark green roman shade.
The large window overlooks the front yard.
There is a switched ceiling fan with light, and two electrical outlets.
There is a phone jack on the west wall.
The internet LAN cable comes up through the northeast corner.
The double-sliding door closet has two shelves.

The southeast bedroom is blue, with beige and-cream Jacquard roman shades.
The east window overlooks the front yard, the south window overlooks the side yard.
There is a switched ceiling fan with light, and three electrical outlets.
There is a phone jack on the west wall.
The double-sliding door closet has two shelves.










The southwest bedroom is beige, with burgundy satin blackout tie drapes.
The south window overlooks the side yard, and the west window overlooks the deck and back yard.
There is a switched overhead light, and two electrical outlets.
The hinged door closet has one shelf.








The upstairs bathroom is currently in renovations.
We've started removing the tile from the wall, and have primed the walls.
We're replacing the wall tile with white rectangular tiles, edged with black bullnose.
The counter top and sink will be a one-piece cultured marble vanity top.
The shower doors are also being replaced.
The floor, bathtub, and tile shower surround will remain intact.

Windows and Doors

We really like the classic, original wood-and-aluminum windows that are throughout most of the house.  However, the two large picture windows in the dining area were not the same style (as the rest of the house or each other), and were not nearly as energy-efficient, which is really saying something.  During our first winter, slabs of ice would form on the inside of the window panes, which would then melt and drip into the wooden windowsill.

The left window was fixed; only the right window could open

With all the incentives for "green" upgrades, we were able to replace these two windows with Marvin Infinity fiberglass EverWood gliders, installed by Nu-Vu Builders, who worked very quickly to install the windows, and replace the damaged wood frames and sills.  Another great experience!
With my parents' help, we stained the frames to match the woodwork in the rest of the house - Sherwin Williams was able to match the 50+ year-old color perfectly.

One of the first things we ever did with the house was to replace the driveway side door with a fiberglass model.  Locks and handles on all three 'people doors' (front, side, and garage) were installed by Strauss Security Solutions, the only Medeco retailer in the area, who provided exemplary service.

 

One of my favorite changes has been replacing the sliding glass door to the deck.  The old door, which we also have kept, was incredibly heavy, and the screen frequently came off the track.

The replacement, Pella hinged patio doors, are easy to use, beautiful, and very easily facilitate the moving of large furniture into or out of the house.  Plus, I totally have the princess "fling open the doors and let the birds sing" moment every time I open them.  The interior was stained the same as the windows.