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31 Days of Decorating with Junk: Our Exterior Makeover

How does new siding and new windows fall into the “junk” category?  Well, I define “junk” as “vintage, antique and unique” and our house is definitely antique!
Built in 1907-08, out house was owned by the same family for 100 years before we bought it in 2008.  However, for much of that time, it was a rental house, and it desperately needed updating and repairs when we bought it.
The siding and windows needed a lot of work, but we tackled the inside of the house first and the outside stayed like this.
BEFORE:
farmhouse before
queen anne foursquarefoursquare houseDuring our remodel, the exterior definitely got worse before it got better.  We did most of the interior work ourselves, but finally hired someone last fall to replace the siding and windows.
Now brace yourself for the DURING pictures:
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P1040892
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We lived like this for about 3 years.  In our upstairs hallway, a cold breeze came through the floorboards to chill your toes in the winter.  Bugs made their home inside the walls, then crawled through rotten window frames into our bedrooms.  Dust from the gravel road filtered through and settled all over the house.  It was not fun.
But finally, we hired someone to do the exterior for us in 2012.  Fourteen new windows, replica porch posts and details, a new roof on the entryway, special order scallops for the bay window, and James Hardie cement board siding transformed the exterior of our house.
2012-08-28_11-08-32_261

2012-08-30_14-38-21_827
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2012-09-18_11-13-21_74
hardie board siding
james hardie sidingfiber cement board siding
By this point, it was too late in the year to paint, so we had to wait until 2013.  This June, the painters came and the exterior of the house was complete!
AFTER!
booth bay blue sidingWe had a hard time deciding whether to go with BoothBay Blue (James Hardie color) or Red Barn (Sherwin Williams) but (obviously) we decided to go with the blue in the end.
booth bay blue farmhousewindow paint detailfarmhouse exterior
This fall, we had a decorative concrete company install new sidewalks.
decorative concrete
And Bart built a retaining wall.  We’ve started some landscaping but still have a lot to do.  My friend from Red Granite Farm has been such a HUGE help deciding what to plant where.
fieldstone retaining wallqueen anne foursquare
I still need to paint the original front door.  To see the original front porch up close, click here.
farmhouse front porchfoursquare farmhouseblue farmhouseiowa farmhousefoursquare entryway

That’s not my cat, but that is my son. :)  The cat belongs to a neighbor.

IMG_6487boothbay blue exterior

Next up: plant more grass.

blue farmhouse

So what do you think?  A bit of an improvement, isn’t it?  We think so!  I guess it was worth the 5 year wait!
farmhouse exterior after 


This post is part of 31 Days of Decorating with Junk: Vintage, Antique and Unique for your Home and Garden.

decorating with junk

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See you tomorrow!

i'm doing it! 
31 Days of Decorating with Junk Posts:

31 Days of Decorating with Junk Introduction
Farmhouse Style Front Porch 
Modern Farmhouse Design 
Repurposed Upright Piano 
Our Exterior Makeover Reveal
Adjustable Game Table Makeover (In a Ballard Designs Whitewashed Style) 
The HomeShed's September Sale & Fall Decor Inspiration 
Proof that I'm a HardCore Junker
My Gallery Wall
HomeShed Sale Preview and Christmas Inspiration
Cute Green Dresser with Chalkboard Labels
My Favorite Paint for Antique Furniture
Kris's Cabin Tour
Essential Tools for Repurposing
Making a Custom Glaze
Fixing a Stripped Out Screw Hole
How to Make Your Home Your Own
Spray or Brush?
Five from the Archives
Owning a Junky Business Part 1
Owning a Junky Business Part 2
1840 House
Simple Vintage Halloween
Five (More) from the Archives
Crib Spring Repurpose
Owning a Junky Business Part 3
Quick Chair-Do
Pallet Wall Art
Not So Junky Basement
Owning a Junky Business Part 4
31 Days Wrap Up

Shared at:
Metamorphosis Monday 
Thrify Decor Chick

Would you like to comment?

  1. It looks great! I think the blue was the right choice.

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  2. How adorable. We are fixing up our house that was built in 1880. Still square nails in the trim. And we are smack dap in the middle of a corn field too.

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  3. It looks fabulous!!! We are still on the interior part of the remodeling, room by room, so I TOTALLY get what you're talking about... the dust, the cold, the bugs. We did replace all the windows (33) when we first moved in, but the siding and porch still has to be done. So, I am sooooo jealous looking at your exterior! It looks absolutely wonderful and gives me hope! Now to finish the remaining 4 rooms inside, plus the back porch. Ugh. Love it, girlfriend!

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  4. It looks wonderful! We are in a similar place - focusing mainly on the interior (and probably to the chagrin of our neighbors). We did replace our siding and roof out of utter necessity, but have a lot more out there today. I joke that people probably drive by and think we're sitting on folding chairs inside!

    Congrats!

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  5. Have a lot more out there *to do, I meant. :)

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  6. Katie, that looks AMAZING!!!!! You can't go wrong with blue or red! I can say that as my last house was red and this house is blue!! :-)

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  7. Wow! What a stunning transformation! We just completed our year long Reno & I know how much work goes into it. I'm new here can't wait to see more. I would love if you would share this at Modern Cottage Monday at Curate by Carrie Corson.

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  8. Wow! What a great change. You took it from run down and old looking to modern and beautiful.
    KC

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  9. I just hopped over from Between Naps on the Porch, and I have to compliment you on such a dramatic before and after ! You did a great job. It is just lovely!

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  10. Amazing transformation Your house is absolutely gorgeous. I would love for you to link up to my Inspire Me party that will be live this afternoon at 2:30 PT. www. astrollthrulife.net Hope to see you there. Hugs, Marty

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  11. Your house looks beautiful! I'm so glad you went with the blue. :)

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  12. This is lovely! The blue is perfect :)

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  13. This is awesome!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  14. This is beautiful! What a wonderful transformation to your home. We have a newer home, but completely understand needing grass, landscaping and sidewalks. It took four years after building to get the sidewalks. Landscaping is next.

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  15. That looks great Katie! What a transformation. It doesn't even look like the same house that I have memories of from my youth!

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