Windows and more

Windows were installed last week. 

White on the inside to match the trim.

Hey blanche, I see you!

French doors waiting to be installed.

kitchen/dining

plant ledge under front window/over entry.

a view from the catwalk into the living area.

And surprise! They started the front porch.

Dark brown trim on the exterior.

A view from behind the garage of the kitchen/dining and bedroom upstairs.

And guess the dirty little pigs these belong to?

Just Scouty getting his mud on.
It's not even muddy at all out there, but he always finds a small patch to run through...right before it's time to go home.

Back of home with windows installed. 

I know that curved window in the second story looks so tiny...but remember there will be a covered deck underneath. 

Well actually, there already is!

Boys were brave enough to check it out before everything was secured.
I however, am chicken.

We are glad we extended it a few feet last minute.

Excuse the trash pile.

Help us figure this one out:

Where do you think the stairs to the walkout should be? Do you think if we put them along the front it will look funny? We don't want the future guest suite in the basement to be in the dark by putting them on the South side. And if we put them on the North side they will be partially in front of the dining windows. Maybe just a fire pole or slide instead?
Le sigh. We just don't know.
What do you think?

 Sunday afternoon. 

 So what do you think about the steps? Does your dog or pet search high and low for mud especially when your car has just been cleaned?

Exterior decisions

We chose our windows a couple of weeks ago. We chose a prairie style grille.

Pella Prairie Style Grille

We decided brown color on the exterior, and white on the interior---wood casement windows.
Kind of like this.

And above the front porch entry we will have a arched window that keeps the similar prairie grille:

There will be one just like it above the back covered deck to let light in too.

French doors for the back deck, and for the basement back patio. We wanted to be able to swing both doors open on a nice day, or when we have get togethers.
Yes, you are all invited. Well, most of you.

We are still deciding on an entry door. I knew I had expensive taste, but did you know that a front door can cost more than a car? Well it can. Yipes. Still shopping around for the perfect front door. We already made the choice of having an eight foot door. And we know we want glass in it to let light in. Now just to find a pretty door that is just fancy enough and will not require us to go broke.

This week we are currently driving ourselves crazy bananas deciding on siding colors. After that, we will have to pick out the stone too. Exterior colors seem to be stressing us out the most because...well it's not easily changed.

We have decided on a shingle (dark black with a hint of brown), but the siding seems to be a little tricky.
Sometimes we 2 or 3 of them... and sometimes none at all. They all look different in different lighting. Sometimes too grey, or not green or brown enough. I suppose whatever stone we choose could help bring out the greens or browns too. But I am worried about that not being the case at all and it clashing.

Source

We have been driving around looking at houses and holding the swatches out the car window to see if we have a match. Adam is easily embarrassed, and will not let me actually get out of the car and walk up to a house to color match. I guess he did not realize when he married me I have little shame when it comes to crap like this. Plus, I'm sure we look like creeps driving slowly through neighborhoods and holding siding swatches out the window.

The next step is getting a few house addresses from the manufacturer so we can take a mini road trip...to look at siding. We are party animals lately I tell you.

What is your vote for the siding color? There will be very little siding on the front of the house--since it will be 75% stone. But the rest of the house & garage will be alllllll siding.

If you've ever had the experience of picking out siding, do you think it looks lighter/darker/just right once it's all finished and complete?
Does your significant other get embarrassed by you too or is it the other way around in your house?


P.S. Trusses will be delivered today! So hopefully some new progress photos for you in Thursdays post.