My favourite season has arrived: Neighbourhood Stalking: I go for long walks and runs, judging houses and hoping, with the perfect lighting, I can peek inside their windows. Oh please, I know you do it too – I wrote about my obsession five years ago, and it is one of my most-read posts.
So what would I honestly say if I was walking by my own house? “Cute, but they half-assed the porch.”
Ouch, the truth hurts, but seriously, it’s been eight years, and I still haven’t stained the porch! Here’s what I love, I love the modern red house numbers, I love the door, and I love the swing! The grass needs some love but the garden is okay. And although you can’t see it here, the pavers next to the driveway are Mike’s labour of love.
The time has come for some more labour (sorry Mike). I want to take our renovated house back to it’s 1920’s aesthetic by fixing the one thing I can not stand any longer: The emaciated post.
Don’t stare at it too long because then you’ll only notice it. But here’s the deal, houses all over the peninsula have juicy beautiful porch posts. Some are more ornate than others, and some are super skinny at the top and wider at the bottom, but I am just hoping for a subtle upgrade with a simple wrap detail at the top and bottom. Something like this:
Nice, right? I thought about adding another post at the stairs; however, I’m afraid it’d hide my beautiful red house numbers.
Now, if you recall (or if you just read my Neighbourhood Stalk post), you will see that I actually photographed my original house inspiration. I wrote: This house may have been the launching of my front-exterior-inspiration-board. Tucked away in the West End, I found it, photographed it, and showed it to the contractor and said “THIS!” … I still have a ways to go with my painting and landscaping.
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So now that you see what I’m talking about. What colour combination do you think I should go with? The house from Pinterest is all white with wood stained stairs and landing but the Halifax house has white risers. I am thinking it’d be nice to stain the verticle panelling under the porch a grey-wash to mute it but I don’t know if I should go too crazy with the railings and posts and risers. I want this to look classic, y’all.
Please weight in! Or offer new suggestions which I may or may not consider.
PS. I now think I will do a new edition of Neighbourhood Stalk. Stay tuned!
Hello Sunshine 
I just love curb appeal.
I inner monologue curb appeal all the time. A few..” well they tried, good for them’s”
I always try to up any house I’m in. Even if it’s just the door. I like to pull in my driveway and smile at my house.
Now to your porch!
ohh!!! The second picture. White railings,white post and grey wash bottom/ stairs.
That one pulls me in. I’d do the dog walk by continuous gaze on that for sure.
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I would…… go white railing and white post and start there with the paint. Your garden plants need to be larger and fuller that they come to the deck edge. The garden is too square – you need to soften the edges and swoop it around the side a bit so it doesn’t finish right on the corner. I think you need to have access to the door but I think there is room and Mike loves shovelling.
The second post is a maybe to me. I like the symmetry of 2.
After that you can look at the deck, stairs and lower part and see what you want to do. Staining decks is a yearly commitment in this weather.
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I agree about the garden but you will need to tell me what to actually plant! I also agree about symmetry but I am concerned the proposal may overwhelm Mike. I will whip up a photoshop pic with a different view and see if it’s worth it. Thanks!
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