April 15, 2020

Last Exterior House Project

Dan finally finished the front bedroom windows last month, when we had a string of warm days suitable for painting.


The finishing touch will be to build a pergola for each set of bedroom windows. I'll use them to grow muscadines but also to help shade the windows from the setting summer sun. Then there's finishing the interior of that front bedroom, but that's another day, another story.

For the outside of the house, that leaves only one more wall to be done.

This is the last side of the house to be updated, the sun room. The shot
was taken in Feb. 2017, after we finished the front windows and porch.

Above is how it looks in winter. In summer, it's been well hidden by beauty bushes and shaded by a crepe myrtle.

Photo taken summer of 2019. Crepe myrtle tree is on the right.

What we've been thinking, is that perhaps this might be the place to attach a greenhouse.

Detail from our Master Plan.

The current idea under discussion is to use all the original house windows we saved as we replaced them. We'd roof it with transparent panels, have an interior door to the sun room, and an exterior door out the back. The question is whether it will get enough sun. To check that out, one of Dan's winter projects was to  cut down the bushes and the crepe myrtle.

Photo taken last week.

(Did you catch that?)


We haven't had a lot of full-sun days lately, but it appears to get at least 6 good hours on sunny days, parts of it get more. There is still a lot of planning to do, but it looks like it just might do.

A special thanks to Goatldi (New Life on the Farm New Beginnings) for the idea of Meowy's cape and "M." She suggested it in the comments of my "Spring Has Sprung" post, and the idea was too fun to pass up. 😆

23 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Looks nice!

Chris said...

Love the greenhouse idea. It will extend your growing seasons a little, and hopefully bring some much needed warmth, in winter too. Thanks for sharing the last phase of the external renovations. Deary me though, isn't Meowy, simply adorable in their zeal for being outside. Such a character. Super cat, for sure!

Retired Knitter said...

Love the cape :-)

And love the idea of an attached green house with the access from within the house. How convenient. Look forward to seeing that plan play out.

Leigh said...

Thanks Gorges!

Chris, Meowy's a character, no doubt about it!

The greenhouse is a relief to be getting to. Seems like we should have done it years before, but some ideas just don't seem to "gel" at first. So we set them aside and wait until they do.

RT, I'm really looking forward to it! I just hope this spot works out.

Can says the supercape suits Meowy. She's definitely in the "faster than a speeding bullet" category. :)

wyomingheart said...

Wow, Leigh! That greenhouse would expand your growing potential exceedingly ! We do not have a greenhouse yet, and the spare bathroom looks like a nightmare of the garden kind. Lol ! This freezing spell has brought the things I had outside, inside. With the extension of a greenhouse off your house, it seems that you would be able to provide more warmth during cool and cloudy days. What a terrific plan! Can’t wait to see the process. Love the caped hero! Have a wonderful day!

Renee Nefe said...

I hope the greenhouse is a huge success! It will be fun to see what crops you are able to produce all year long. I think that if I had a greenhouse I might just have to sit in it during the dreary days...watching the plants grow would cheer me up. :D

Cockeyed Jo said...

Ya!!! for one more wall.

Goatldi said...

I scrolled your post and it will take hours to clean up my spewed morning coffee!

Brilliant my friend made my day!! Will post again after I read the news. Simply couldn’t respond to photo. Go Meowy feline defender of freedom and justice 😊

Ed said...

I am a lifelong drawer of plans for my dream home. If I look on my computer alone I probably have two or three dozen of them digitally drawn. I probably have at least that or more on paper that never got digitized. I would say 75% of them, and all my favorites, have an attached sunroom or solarium in them. I have spent time in some belonging to other houses over the years and it always relaxes me and cheers me up almost instantly.

Unknown said...

Leigh, one thing to be mindful about when planning the greenhouse build is that there is very high humidity inside a greenhouse that can rot your house wood from foundation to fascia boards, peel paint, etc., over time. (My cousin built a greenhouse just as you're describing & had many issues with home maintenance/repairs.) My personal advice is to make it a separate structure and placing so it gets shade in summer and full sun in winter to maximize it's use. Also include roof and/or window vents with sensors that open/close on their own based on interior temperature. Good luck! Look forward to seeing what you come up with and how it works for you!

Nancy In Boise said...

Looks great!

Leigh said...

Wyomingheart, I wish we hadn't waited so long, but we just couldn't seem to pull the idea together. We're still in the observation mode, so we'll see!

Renee, me too, although it would only be for cool weather use. I think it will be too hot for summer because our normal days are in the 90sF in summer. Can you imagine the greenhouse effect in the greenhouse then?!

Jo, and the last wall! Then it will be the inside (which I sometimes wonder if we'll ever get done!)

Goatldi, ha! Your idea turned out well! Did you see the one of her in my blog header?

Ed, that room was part of the appeal of this house when we first saw it. I love natural light!

Unknown, good points, although there are other factors that could still make this work. Still in the assessment phase, so depending on how much sunlight this gets, we'll have a lot to work out!

Nancy, thanks!

pnwlyra said...

I'm excited to see this unfold! Love the cape. ;)

Lisa B said...

I love my greenhouse made up of jalousie windows and other recycled windows with a clear corrugated roof. I wish mine was attached to the house but it is freestanding in our field where our second well is located so that is a plus.

Lady Locust said...

Ha! Love the cape :-) Your house is looking so nice. I'm sure it feels like forever, but it really is coming along. In addition to the rest of the place, that's a ton of work you two have done. Kudos!

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Greenhouse next to the house would be a very interesting application indeed. Looking forward to seeing what transpires.

Cockeyed Jo said...

Leigh, when you get finished, it'll be time to make changes. lol

Leigh said...

Lyra, thank you!

Lisa, jalousie windows is a great idea! I'm not sure yet about opening our old windows because they are, well, old and some painted shut plus all the window weights have been removed. I know Dan will figure something out!

Lady Locust, we never thought of it in terms of a time line, just plugging away at things that need to be done. It is exciting to finally be getting toward the end!

TB, thanks!

Jo, ain't that the truth! LOL

Debby Riddle said...

A Greenhouse!!! Definitely on my wish list. I'm sure you'd do a good job of it.

Leigh said...

Debby, we'll see! I often think we should have done this years ago, but sometimes ideas and plans don't gel as quickly as we hope. This may be just the time for a greenhouse.

Goatldi said...

Great train of thought! I have often thought that a sun room with enough room for a green house attachment . Found the possibility intriguing I think influenced by a trip in 2002 to New England and going to multiple farms that have the barn to house attachment. I am very impressed by what you and Dan have accomplished.

Looking forward to more updates and shared possibilities.

Seeking Serenity said...

hahahahaa!!! I knew she was a superhero!!

Leigh said...

I knew you'd like that!!!