Tag: patio

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined. -H.D. Thoreau

Taking a break and sitting in the sun on the back patio! This is Nice!
Rocco has his own sofa, of course.
So exciting! I got a delivery on Saturday morning. My new outdoor furniture!
Although I know I’m putting this thing together, I look a bit tentative in this pic.
Rocco is also checking things out, very closely.
OK! I can do this!
Here’s my station, under the umbrella, on my new patio!
It only took 4.5 hours, but I got it done and think it’s perfect! There are sure to be more moves, but the pieces are modular so I can move them around, how they best fit for different uses.
Plus, I love looking at this from the kitchen!
Yesterday, while assembling the group, I learned how valuable the umbrella is in this space. I almost feel like a Cedar arbor overheard would be nice. But for now, I’ll try it this way.
This is the view from the new sitting area. Not to bad!
This space is also more private and protected with the shed, fence and house surrounding it. It feels intimate and It’s the first space you see when you walk into the back yard.
The shed provides shade in the afternoon, but the umbrella keeps the space usable all day.
This is the accent pillow fabric I bought for all the outdoor furniture. It adds some fun color to an otherwise pretty neutral palette. The pattern is sophisticated, bright and casual.
In order to move this behemoth, I had to take most of the dirt out and roll it. It’s big and heavy empty! It’ll go in the back yard once the landscapers finish the Breeze.
I used up all the materials that were being stored in the middle of the yard. Now you can see straight through to the back of the yard when you walk into the back. This is your view.
My landscaper will be back for the last visit (I hope) to finish up the irrigation and some details. The border around the back patio and around the whole back yard will be gone, with a few steppers along the patio and walkways. I’ll lose 2 of these 4×8 Cedar planters, leaving me more space to move around. I so appreciate a clean, low maintenance yard!
There are 2 shrubs that I planted several years ago, growing along the back patio. They’ve been abused over the years and especially during this project but are showing signs they will be back.
I love the deep Burgundy leaves they produce. I’ve trimmed them back and look forward to seeing how they evolve this year.
This project has been healing and energizing for me. This being the first house I bought when I moved to Denver, I can’t help but think about my life then, now, and all the years in between. I’m grateful everyday, that I can wake up, hear the birds chirp and smell the earth begin to wake up and grow again. This is my therapy and I’m so glad to be able to share it with you!
Happy Easter!

This is actually ready to spotlight now!

The siding crew got all the siding done and are waiting for the new patio door to arrive before they finish this area.
Finally, the slider came in and David is installing it today!
This is the inside wall where the new door is going.
The plastic will help keep everything cleaner.

The refrigerator temporarily in the middle of the kitchen. This was expected to take 1 day to complete, but it took 3 days in reality. The door was installed in 1 day, but the plaster, sanding and details took longer. Luckily, this house has a loop layout. I can walk through the bedrooms to get to the kitchen from the living room while this door goes in. I feel like I’m camping, sort of.

The mud needs to dry overnight before sanding, so we left the taped plastic up.
We had good weather while they worked on the door. Better for the guys and better for me while the wall is opened up!
It took most of the day, but I can see how open and bright this door will make my kitchen.
The new door creates so much more light. You see it right as you walk in the front door!
Wow, I love this new slider door! It’s much brighter and makes my small kitchen feel bigger.
This is now a view. I want to clean it up and make it nice to look at.
The back porch is looking so much better too! No utilities on the back wall and all the battens are now up. I’m getting used to the Green primer on the exterior walls, but the actual color will be off White, once painted.

The concrete pad expansion is done, tongue and groove panels are installed on the underside of the roof and the patio is now full size. I ‘m considering a fresh layer of concrete poured over the whole pad to cover any nicks or flaws in the concrete. But right now, I’m trying to finish the big stuff.

Although the exterior paint isn’t done, I’m anxious to get my patio organized so I can use it!
The patio roof has been prepped for the metal roofing, which has been ordered. However, we got snow and the roof leaked onto the patio below.
Right outside my back door. What a mess!
Ricky, my electrician is installing the exterior lights.
New exterior lights.
I found these tiled house numbers locally, but I think I need something more modern. I ordered a different one online and think it’ll be better.
The lights at night. I’ll change the bulbs to dimmer bulbs so I can adjust the amount of light they put out.

I expect the siding crew to be back next week to finish the siding around the new patio slider. I already have a painter lined up to paint the siding, and my gutter guy will be here to attach the gutters next. The last big thing is the metal roof on the back patio. Hopefully in 2 weeks this part of the project will be done.

I confess! You need to know it’s all about prep!

Eco Home Exteriors is doing the siding. A huge crew of guys working like ants on an anthill! I can say this company is professional! Not only are the guys respectful and always in a good mood, they arrive at 7:30 am to start and leave when it’s too dark to see anything.

They tear off the vinyl siding, exposing the original wood siding underneath. I decided to have them add a layer of insulation and sheets of plywood to better insulate and stabilize the whole house. Then, the new siding will go on top.

When the siding is removed, it looks like the house is wrapped in foil.

A roll off dumpster is parked in the driveway. The only way to go with all the materials being removed. And nails are everywhere. The crew uses a magnetic wand that “potentially” picks up nails on the ground. I have a habit of always scanning for nails, with my eyes, on the ground. Call me crazy!

I’m on the fence with the “L” bracket on the arbor. I used “T” brackets on most of the posts, but the corners are tricky and won’t accommodate a “T” bracket. They are simply decorative, What do you think?
Back porch, stripped down to foil. See the new patio slider door? I also had the florescent fixtures removed and 2 ceiling fans with lights installed.
North side of the back patio.

The patio slab was pored with the outside corner being angled in, toward the middle of the patio. I’m having it squared off, making it even with the house, to make it larger and easier to place outdoor furniture, etc.

And I love this tree on the edge of the patio. Once the slab gets squared off, the tree will provide a nice natural border to the patio on this end.
Although they’re still working in this walkway on the South side of the house, I can already see it’ll become a feature of the house.
I’m replacing these 2 windows with another sliding patio door between the kitchen and the outdoor patio, now where the planter pots are currently being stored. The gable above the arbor will be sided with horizontal Cedar.
Once the posts holding the patio roof up are replaced and the slab is squared up, this patio will be a much used space in the yard. I’ll have a covered sitting area overlooking the garden boxes. The gable on the left side above the patio roof will feature horizontal cedar planks.
I’ll start the gardens in the spring. But for now, it’s a junk yard.
This pic shows the plywood on the front and side of the house.
Insulation and plywood on the front. Old siding still on the North side of the house.

I plan to use James Hardie Board and Batten siding on the bottom of the house and horizontal Cedar planks on the gables and wrapped around the front entry. The Board and Batten will get painted White and I’ll leave the cedar unfinished. In time, the natural patina of unfinished Cedar will turn Grey, giving the house a rustic look. I hope to be done with this phase by the end of next week.