Fitzgerald Farm House Update

Last week, I headed down to Fitzgerald to help my Mama make some decisions about stuff for the farm house. They are making some serious progress on the outside and it's time to start making decisions about the interior- tile, flooring, light fixtures, faucets, cabinets, etc. Anyone who's ever built a house knows that there are one million decisions to make about every little thing and those decisions have to be made sometimes quickly because of contractors' schedules. Anyway, Mama is trying to get a jump start on things so that she'll be ready when they call her up from the bull pen.

Anyway, I thought you might like to take a look-see at the progress that's been made to the outside of the house thus far. Right now, builders are putting up the siding all around the house.

The 'rents decided to go with a board and batten exterior- boards running vertically, rather than the traditional horizontal approach. Their thought was that it would make the very long and wide front of the house seem a little taller. I think they made a good choice. The vertical lines definitely give the house a little more height.

Now, check out all of the amazing stone work around the base of the house, on the stairs, and finally on the gigantic fireplace!

Here's the back of the house. Daddy decided to add a big porch all the way across the back because we all love to spend time outside together. Now there's plenty of room for a table and chairs and a big fire pit. I can't wait for our first fiesta out there!

There's going to be wrought iron porch railings between those stone columns.

On the side of the porch, you'll see the retaining wall moving out from the side of the porch that is necessary to retain something...I don't know what. I think Mama is going to make it into a flower bed. Then it will retain flowers.

 

Now that the outside of the house is near completion, it's time to choose an exterior paint color. Mama really wants a little yellow farm house, so these are the yellows we are choosing from:

Believe it or not (and despite what Daddy and David think), those are all different shades of yellow.We're leaning toward the bottom left color, which is Benjamin Moore Fresh Butter. Doesn't that sound farm-y? The darker colors are shutter options and all of the trim is going to be white. I like the bottom brown-ish gray for shutters, but the jury's still out.

Now inside, about the only thing that is done is the fireplace...but baby is it ever a fireplace. It are big.

Here's the bottom hearth area. Ignore the saw. Please. Or pretend it's a yule log.

It goes way up to the tip top of the cathedral ceiling. I couldn't even get the whole thing in the picture.

And look at these giant screws...this is where the giant mantle will go.



Doesn't it look great? Hopefully it won't be too long before we're all sitting in the house with a big fire blazing.

mel