Parking pad

Permits are approved and foundation for the addition is being poured tomorrow - hooray! First though we'd like to share "Phase 1" of the project, which was to remove the giant bee-infested hedge out front and carve out a two-car parking pad. Oh, and re-frame the front porch. Here's a reminder of how it looked before:

Thankfully the husband had great vision for the parking pad- he generally does for these kinds of things (framing/structural, future walls, elevations) whereas I sometimes struggle envisioning those aspects. Though, I can visualize a finished interior down to the artwork on the walls and the way sunlight will be streaming in :)

I didn't realize just how old-fashioned and dumpy the front  hedge was till it was gone. It was as if the whole street brightened up and became more cheery. The house itself definitely stood taller and prouder. The front walkway was re-done as well, and we even included some adorable stairs up to the side yard for garbage can storage and just access around the house in general (I really have a soft spot for those little back stairs).

Since then we've demo'd a small, cantilevered addition off the back which contained the laundry and  bathroom, and have excavated for the new foundation. Forms were built today in preparation for the pour tomorrow. While this is happening some of the interior structure will get reworked - additional framing to support a new dormer, as well as reconfiguring the staircase. More to come!

Modern Cottage birthday

Over the Labor Day weekend, the little guy turned one so we threw him a bash in the front yard. Fortunately lots of his friends were in town for the holiday so it was a great crowd up on the porch and spilling into the lawn. We kept things simple and pretty with the only real 'theme' being about those relaxing final days of summer...

The food was simple: Fresh squeezed lemonade, delicious turkey sandwiches made by a local shop,  fruit skewers, peanut butter sandwiches (no crusts, of course), and a quinoa salad with tomato and cucumber. Oh, and for dessert: cupcakes!

And we couldn't resist these when we noticed them in the beer aisle... the light blue label was perfect. Good thing they tasted good, too.

Party favors included adorable handmade paper pinwheels found on Etsy, balloons tied with cotton cording, and white beach balls. We figured the little ones would need something to entertain themselves during the party, and thought the beach balls would fit the venue perfectly. It was hilarious to watch the kiddos walk up the front steps, immediately catch sight of the balls scattered across the lawn, and make a beeline toward them to begin gleefully kicking them around the yard.

All in all it was a fantastic party and the little man had a blast!

(Lovely photography by Kristine)

Modern Cottage mailbox

Love at first sight. To make it perfectly Modern Cottage, I'd paint the flag pale blue or white. Can you imagine??

Introductions

Meet our latest project, in all its freshly completed glory! And I know, I know... the orange rock is still there. While it's definitely not our ideal scenario, sometimes you just have to go with the flow and make it work (like those times when your concrete specialty subcontractor seems to have completely fallen off the face of the earth!). Overall we are really pleased with the new facade, particularly the changes made to the front porch. It looks especially nice on a beautiful sunny day like this one!

The big reveal...

We are absolutely thrilled with the way our latest project has turned out ... we hope you'll stay with us for fresh posts over the next several weeks detailing our design work on this very special (and now quite spectacular) Modern Cottage.

Porch post perfection

Our latest project was half-baked when we got started.... much of the remodel had been done (structural, wiring, plumbing) and we came in at drywall ... my favorite stage! That meant all the colors, hard surfaces, fixtures, and hardware were ours to select. We still made a few modifications however, within reason of course to keep the budget in check. First on our list was to say goodbye to the pyramid posts at the front porch. They really rubbed us the wrong way. The proportion felt off and the shape in general was the opposite of Modern Cottage. Framing team to the rescue! The end result: these simple, unadorned rectangular posts that are just the right size and proportion. We heart straight lines :) While we were at it, we wrapped some of the pressure treated beams and added a beadboard soffit. Then we painted it all a crisp white ... for a fabulous Modern Cottage entry.

P.S. Orange stone... you're next!

Wreath love

Loving the easy, imperfect nature of this wreath. Feels a bit undone, in a good way.

A Modern Cottage moment...

I love how a camera lens can capture a distinct, specific view in the midst of all the things around us constantly beckoning for our attention; and one which gives you a completely different perspective than you might otherwise realize without it.

We're really loving our wrap-around porch - turns out it's the perfect spot for our trusty chaise loungers. The tulips in an old paint can make it even more inviting. To me, this image is a "zone" of reflection and relaxation.

Here's hoping we'll have a few opportunities before the rush and excitement of the holiday season to put ourselves in this picture and simply gaze up at the trees, breathe in the fresh fall air, or doze off for a time and dream of wonderful things.

Winning colors

In honor of the Giants' World Series win last night, we present a little Modern Cottage inspiration in team colors! I know, it's not an easy feat... and while we do love their colors for a sports team, the combination is a bit more tricky when it comes to Modern Cottage design. The designs above however are pretty great.

From Apartment Therapy, Etsy, Martha Stewart, and House Beautiful.

Hunting for house numbers

We need to get new house numbers up (we removed the existing ones which were plastic...need I say more?). So, nothing has quite struck our fancy yet. Maybe for the next few weeks, we could get by with pumpkin numbers. I've always loved this idea since I first saw it in Cottage Living (oh, how I miss you!) years ago. The second image is from Sunset.

Modern Cottage pumpkins

How perfect are these amazing, creamy-white pumpkins to finish off a Modern Cottage porch for fall? I knew they would look fabulous, but I think they actually exceeded my expectations once I saw them nesting on our front porch. The contrast is perfect! We have always loved white pumpkins but they don't seem to be widely available...so this year we ventured out to a pumpkin patch where they had small quantities of several unique varieties. Loving their petite size and curvy stems. Scout is all about the pumpkins, too -- clearly :) Such a good porch dog.

Modern Cottage soul

Things have been a bit insane as of late since we're moving. We're right in the thick of it, packing, loading, unloading, decorating, repeat. We're doing it in stages, organizing as we go - much easier that way (and it also helps that the new house is only about a mile away from the old one). So we're going from one Modern Cottage to another. Well... sort of. We are moving to a fabulous house with the heart and soul of a Modern Cottage ... great lines, engaging spaces, fabulous architectural details. Some of the interior finishes however leave something to be desired. It will be fun to post on our progress as we modify the design bit by bit. For now we leave you with Scout and his favorite part of the new house: the giant wrap-around porch. He has always dreamed of being a porch dog. Doesn't he look good on it?