First Impressions

If our house was on Tinder I feel pretty confident that it would get a swipe right.  The entry was cute enough when we bought it, but we've done some things to help it along.
The photo below is a good representation of our starting point.

First off, see this post for detail on how the front patio went from zero to hero.

Let's talk about what needed improvement: stairs were tired concrete, house numbers were so boring and awkwardly placed, exterior light fixture looked like a clearance big-box store find, doorbell was gross, we didn't have a historic preservation plaque like so many homes in the neighborhood do, and our poor weathered front door needed some protection .  

We started with the storm door {see this post for more detail on that} and went from there.  The photo above is just after the storm door was put on last fall, you can see the trim still needed to be repainted and this gives you a really good idea of how distressed the steps looked.

Spring forward and we're looking better!  The light fixture is from Shades of Light, house numbers are from a local store- Plenty Mercantile {but I've also seen them online at Anthrpologie}, and the house plaque was ordered through our neighborhood association.  

The egg garland is from Target, this photo was taken around Easter.  

Above is a before shortly after moving in...below is an after.

I wanted everything arranged vertically to make the entry appear as tall as possible.  

The steps were coated with Behr concrete paint in Slate Gray.  

Much better for now, but I entertain the idea of eventually doing brick steps.

The Natural light the storm door allows to fill the interior entry is so lustrous

{more on the entryway here}. 

Here is a gratuitous photo of Birdie wearing her Easter dress.

This spring/summer I'd like to get outdoor furniture and have the front exterior windows repainted along with the gable area and fascia running.  

Everything will remain the same color, just very much in need of a fresh coat.  

Oh and I'd like a new front door mat, the drab one we have now was left by the previous owners.  

Turns out I'm picky about front door mats and am acting like it's an enormous investment that can never ever be changed again.  

Maybe I'll just stop thinking about it and get one that says "Wipe Your Paws."  

I am a dog person after all.

Oklahoma Dreamin'

If I were to buy a house again there are 2 things that would matter more to me than anything else-- foundation {see this post} and drainage.  Ok and I guess location, although if I were guaranteed a house in the cookie cutter burbs that had no foundation or drainage issued I'd be hard pressed not to take it.  And that's pretty much against my religion.  Anyway, today we're talking drainage.  

The photo above is a good before visual of how far this front area has come.  This patio was the main culprit of our drainage issues.  

You can see how nasty and cracked that tile was not to mention the weird diamond planter that wasn't centered on anything. 

The downspouts were not sufficient, notice how water just pooled on the patio.  We put on gutter extensions but it didn't do much to help.  The patio also wasn't graded correctly which meant water was not being directed away from the house like it should have been.

Last spring was our first spring in the house and these water issues were very much anxiety inducing.  Standing water near your house is not a good thing!!  A whole myriad of problems comes with water. It was also a record spring for Oklahoma in terms on rainfall so we really saw where the problems were.  I knew we had to do something about it before this spring so my stomach wouldn't be in a constant knot every time there was rain in the forecast, because in Oklahoma that's all the time.  

So what did we do to fix it?  Called CityScapes.  CityScapes is our landscaping company and they do a great job.  They suggested ripping up all the tile and putting in a french drain that would take water away from the house and out to the street.  And so it began...

Day 1: nasty cracked tile is gone!  And so is the weird diamond planter.

Day 2: grading begins and the drain is put in  place.  A trench was dug under the beds and out to the street with drain pipe running the entire way.

Downspouts are connected to the new drain.

Day 3: concrete is poured and it all tilts slightly towards the new drain and away from the house on all sides.   Water takes the path of least resistance so into the drain it will go.

Day 4: flagstone is laid.  SOOOOO much prettier than the old hideous tile.

Day 5: flagstone is set and we have a new patio!  Isn't that drain so beautiful?  

Function & Form all rolled into one, now that's my kind of party.

{This post was not sponsored by CityScapes}.

Solid Foundation

Once upon a time on a frigid winter day this little house was stabilized with 15 steel piers.  The End.

Well, actually it's only the beginning of what will be an ongoing process in making our 1937 home feel like new.  Besides a few minor things like a small paint job, the addition of a storm door, and changing out a light fixture, this was the first thing we did to the house itself.  Everything else up to this point has been buying furniture and decorating rooms.

Now that we're starting to think about the bigger picture and renovations to come it only made sense to start with the foundation.  It's biblical after all.

This step crack on the side is what first start turning my wheels about the foundation and that it might need attention {in addition to the fact that the house if just old}.  Nothing out of the ordinary was found in our home inspection when we bought the house, but after living in it for 18 months the interior drywall and exterior mortar cracks were constant visual reminders nagging at me. We decided to have a structural engineer out to take a look.

His report was pretty unexceptional for the most part {which was a good thing}, he said the house had shifted at some point but no guesses as to how long ago that was or how long it might be until the house moved again-- if ever.  He did say it's never a bad idea to stabilize an old house which is pretty much all I needed to hear.  

Within a few weeks Ram Jack American Leveling arrived with a team unlike anything I've ever seen. In one day they put in 8 helical steel piers, 7 hydraulically driven steel piers, 1 interior support jack in the basement, and sealed all the mortar cracks.

Piers were put in on the front, back, and sides of the house.  They were extremely professional and even stopped to show me exactly how the process worked while I was wandering around with my camera.

Everywhere that a pier was placed, be it in concrete or soil, a 3 foot by 3 foot hole was excavated and the pier was then driven 15 feet into the ground.

At one point I could literally see the house move.  It was a pretty cool thing to watch.  

Several piers went into the front beds therefore shrubs had to be dug up.  They've since been replanted but I'm curious to find out this spring if they make it or not.  Luckily the Japanese maples {my favorite} were far enough away that they weren't affected.

So that's that, our old girl got some Spanx. 

Was this the most fun thing to spend money on?  Probably not.  But it's done and with a lifetime transferable warranty I consider this to be a capital improvement.  And if I'm being honest the peace of mind that comes with a solid foundation is supremely gratifying.

***This post is not sponsored by Ram Jack American Leveling {but I would highly recommend them}***

All A{side}board

We're back in the dining room, haven't you missed this spot?  It's as cozy as ever and it is thiiiis close to being complete.  

This is where we were when you last saw it, we had our glorious table in place, our comfy chairs, twinkling lamps...and a hand me down knotty pine console that was dragging everyone down.  

Let's see what's new...

Enter West Elm's geometric console {sideboard}.  It was an online only item and I actually don't even see it on their website anymore, but it's in the same family as this table.  The description for the table reads: "Geometry 101. Angled iron legs provide the sturdy base for the Geometric Base Dining Table. Made from solid acacia wood in a rich dark walnut finish, this table coordinates with our Geometric Base Dining Bench."  So you get the idea, the sideboard has the same angled legs and is the same wood/finish as the table description.  

Finding a sideboard was a challenge,  I didn't know if we should go with wood because I didn't want anything to compete with our table.  You just can't compete with that table.  But I feel like the sideboard really holds its own and is a visually interesting companion without trying to steal
the show.  

The closed storage has been so nice! Older, modest sized homes are not known for being long on storage space so it was important that this piece be able to help out in that department.   

I also love that it's a few inches taller than the last console, the other one looked shrimpy with those dramatic lamps on it.  And yes, those are pumpkins on the table, I took these photos back in November.  What can I say?  I'm a full time working dog mom and the girls refuse to help out with chores, or walk themselves, or grocery shop, or make dinner while I'm away.  SAHDM {stay at home dog moms} have it so much easier.  

I straighten this rug at least once a day but it never lasts-- this is the girls favorite spot to spread out their toys and chew on their bones...and roll, so much rolling.    

Here comes the worst offender.  

The sideboard legs really compliment the dining room table legs, same material and color.  

We also have a few new additions the bar cart, these gorgeous deco marble and brass bar tools and mid-century cocktail shaker.  

The old console has found a temporary home as a sofa table. 

Just for fun let's take a look back on what the dining room looked like last fall:

I love the smell of progress. 

Dining Room evolution posts {one, two, three, four, five}

***This post is not sponsored by West Elm***