Demo on our bathroom happened this week and it was so shocking to see the space after it was completely cleared. I actually gasped. It seems to have grown 10x! My sister was so sure there must have been a wall cheated out somewhere. Our minds just couldn't get around the fact that this huge, open space used to only have a narrow walkway from one end to another and now it's THIS. I feel like I can picture everything so much better now (and I'm second guessing a couple things), but mostly I'M SO EXCITED!!! We have the plumber and electrician coming next week and after that, framing then tile and all the fun stuff! (See the plans right here!)
The exterior is going slower than we'd like right now, but we're keeping spirits up and picking our exterior color this weekend!! We've gone through one round of samples already and I'm just so unsure still. We are allowed two follow-up calls with Studio McGee and I've been saving them. I think choosing an exterior color is definitely worthy of a phone-a-friend.
More fun things this week!
• I came across this English Cottage meets California cool home this week ( designed by Gil Shafer and together with Rita Konig) and my jaw was on the floor with every photo--and there are a lot more right here. Such a cool house filled to the brim with charming inspiration. I came for the English Cottage, stayed for the skinny black exterior and I might move in over those dark planked walls! (I mean, can I move in?!)
• I found my beloved white enamel first aid box on Amazon for half price!!!
• This bathroom was a bright spot in my week.
• I got this tie dye lounge set for myself and all of my sister in laws so we can match!! Bonus, it's so soft, $30 and the pants are long enough for me!!! (That never happens) I got a medium (6'0 size 4) and it fits perfect.
• I, along with millions of others, was over the moon at the surprise release of a new Taylor Swift album last night. But what hit me the hardest was the caption she included in the announcement.
"Before this year, I probably would've overthought when to release this music at the 'perfect' time, but the times we're living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed. My gut is telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world. That's the side of uncertainty I can get on board with."
Don't Wait. Don't Wait. Don't Wait!
Have the best weekend. <3
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I'm so glad I read this post today. I've been struggling (like everyone else) during these uncertain times. The Does.Not.Matter link along with the last post really resonated with me. I've been wanting to pursue a dream and have started working towards it lately. I know it's going to take a bit to get it where I want to get it too but at least I started. I was going to wait until it got to a certain point to share it with others, but why not start it now and let others come in the journey with me :)
Julia, where is your door hardware from on your black door? Is it unlaqured brass?
I am SO keen to see what your bathroom will like when its done. I love good before and after pics! Makes me feel all the more inspired and eager to work on my own bathroom. Though with it being straw bale, its going to look much different to a more traditional house. But I'm thinking blue tiles for now!
That cottage is amazing! Love the black exterior, and the interior woodwork. Do you come across houses like this often?
Where can I find more pictures of the California Cottage, Your house is looking amazing!
Julia,
If the siding was a cedar shake look, I would go with that. Where it isn’t, I definitely lean to the narrow smooth like you. I have seen houses in Maine and Norway In the narrow smooth and painted black or charcoal. They are enough to make a person weep! I’ve driven by your house three times this summer to see if the siding was in progress. I can’t wait!
I do have one thought on the front out side of your house. The renderings have beautiful grey stone on the garage. I love it with the black. But, the eye goes right to the garage and kind of sticks there. I was thinking it might help to have some grey stone on the right side of the house to move the eye across the whole house. I don’t think it would take much. Maybe the right dormer and some near the ground? Just a thought.
I love you and your husbands designs. I love the direction home design is moving.
Thank you for sharing.
LaPriel
I’ve been following your search for the perfect exterior colour with interest. I’m in the UK, so I’m not familiar with Benjamin Moore paints, but I wonder if some of your difficulty comes from trying to match your black windows with only one colour on fairly complicated facades. One shade of dark paint looks beautiful on the houses you post which have simple facades.
It might be worth considering doing black windows + 2 shades of dark on your house. A first colour - say dark charcoal or nearly black for the window (and door) surrounds and a second subtly lighter dark grey for your siding. So the eye moves from black through a line of charcoal onto a dark grey.
You show a photograph above of a dining room door with lots of colour samples. I think the bottom two colours, together with the black window frames, could work together beautifully on your facades - but they obviously need to also work with your new roof material, your choice of stone and the light levels in your area. What a complicated puzzle - but I’m sure you will figure it out!
Have you considered the color Cracked Pepper by Behr for your exterior?
I have loved Rita Konig's spaces for a long time - ever sign her time at Domino! Very collected and cozy, no? She used to include some entertaining tips in her Domino column and I thought (and still think) they were excellent tips for parties!
My front door is BM Notre dame. in person it’s a beautiful super dark green almost black. Could be something to consider
Julia, your content has been inspiring me sooo much since you came back from your week long absence! I’ve noticed such strong undertones of your values in what you’ve been posting—it’s so refreshing to see a primarily home design blog/account posting pictures of your home WITH your family in them! With sweet captions drawing attention to their presence! I appreciate your willingness to attempt to be real as an influencer. Lots of good reminders of what things are truly valuable in life. You guys are one of my favorites not only because of your awesome content, but also because you’re such a grounded, down to earth family. ????
Cherish!! Thank you!! It has been really rewarding to be reminded of what I want to bring to the table and DO IT. Thank you for your kind words and for noticing and appreciating the shift.
It is huge! Curious what aspects you're rethinking. My only issue with the design is the infinity mirror effect of back to back mirrors. Just want to make sure you know you will have that.
I'm interested in what aspect of your plan you're rethinking. My only issue with it, is that I hate the infinity mirror effect of back to back mirrors. Drives me nuts. Just want to make sure you know you'll have that.
Julia,
We went dark with our exterior paint this summer. Boring light beige to SW - Urbane Bronze. We love it & have had so many compliments. Excited to see which one you choose!
Hey! We were thinking of Urbane Bronze for our exterior, too! It was between that color and Black Fox and we went with the fox color but the bronze is soo good too!
Ooooo. Black Fox is gorgeous! Looking for a moody dark grey/black. Will add this to our choices use in a powder bath we are finishing.
We are just about to paint our house this color! Would you happen to have any pics you'd be willing to share? I'm still a little nervous to take the leap, as it is reading more gray than blackish.
Jamie,
I have a post on my Instagram with a couple of pictures you can see. You can private message me there as well and I can send you a front picture. @stperrin5
I’m freakishly excited to watch the bathroom renovation ????, and the paint colors look fantastic! Do they look great with the roof pieces too?
It does look huge! Do you have rough dimensions of actual room size now? Looking forward to seeing every step and of the way.
I think it's around 11x21
That last bit?
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Julia, that bathroom is HUGE!!! I have a question for you about the shower. One of the current trends is where the shower has a zero threshold, encased entirely with glass and the same wall and floor tiles (and pattern) used in the open part of the bath extend into the shower to create a seamless look. There seems to be another trend where the shower is designed more like a separate room, enclosed with walls, fully tiled on the inside and the only glass is the entrance door. It appears you've chosen the latter. I'm curious if you considered both design styles and, if so, what made you select one style over the other?
We're doing the fully tiled, only glass door entrance because life is too short to clean all that glass. hahaha
LOL!!! That's what I thought! With that window in there it will be gorgeous and won't feel like a cave.
Hahaha I was thinking exactly the same thing
What a lovely Casual Friday! I have another black paint color to throw in the mix! It is black but reads really dark blue in some lights...It's called Caviar and it's a Sherwin Williams (for Lowe's) color. We have it on our exterior doors and shed and it is stunning! Have a great weekend!
Love your home and can't wait to see what you pick out for exterior siding!! We are also working on a lakehouse project and want to just do a neutral tan as working with existing brick that has to stay!! do you have any experience with west facing houses and what that does to siding color?? Not sure what it would do to a tan color one of our colors is more greige/Color Terra Brown where the other one goes more goldish Diamondkote French Gray? They are both smartside colors. Any insight for me??