My Cottage Before the New Paint Job Begins

This photo was taken 2 years ago. The curved bare tree on the left is the one that smashed on my house during Hurricane Sandy. When my house was painted in 2003, the front and sides matched. Now the shingles have faded, mildewed, and most of the color has washed away with some remnants of the semi-transparent Cabot oil stain remaining. The wooden front boards were painted with latex in a Cabot color called Milkweed.

The black mildew on the front is not apparent in this old photo. I had the house power washed once and this photo might have been following that job. All of the weeds around the birdbath were replaced with wood chips, my spring project this year. I'm so glad I did it and it still looks fantastic.

Winter view of the front.

Fallen tree after Sandy. No real damage to the back of the cottage...just scratched singles. The back gets the harsh morning sun and all of the stain has washed away and the shingles have weathered a dark gray. The bottom is a dark gray stucco applied over the foundation.

A good front view. I think the white paint with white trim and white shingles will look very nice with my brick walls and chimney and slate-blend asphalt roof shingles. Shutters will be black or dark green.

My barn garage with upstairs storage loft is red vinyl but the wood trim needs a good paint job. Look carefully under the roof overhang and you'll see the mildew.

I am exhausted from all of my agony in making a painting decision. You really do have to be your own general contractor to get a good job. It's sort of like the lion tamer at the circus coordinating all of the animals so they don't trample each other. This week alone, I've had a refrigerator repair man, an electrician and a painter and it's only Wednesday. I still have to call my plumber for some drippy faucets and furnace service before the winter. Sometimes I think home ownership is extremely overrated. Does anyone know of a retirement village with individual Airstream trailers? Sign me up, please.

I can't wait for BROADCHURCH, episode 4 tonight on BBC America. It will help take my mind off home repair issues. See you in the morning