1. How should we post the centennial farm sign?
Between two 4x4 posts with pretty post caps is what is commonly done, but something that demonstrates maple might be nice. Maybe there's a way to inclue an old metal spile with a metal pail hanging from it (bottom drilled out to prevent water). And it should probably have at least a little "maple syrup" sign somewhere so people know they can stop and buy some. It might be nice to have that expandable in case Addy and Dori ever want to start an egg enterprise or anything.
2. Where should we put our Battel sign?
It's a board about 8 feet long, painted red. BATTEL is in white raised letters. In Eckford we had it on the big red barn. It could go on the big barn here, though that barn isn't painted. It might be too big to combine with the centennial farm sign. Not sure though.
3. What should we do with the big black kettle?
Maybe it could be worked in with the farm sign display, maybe even hung with wood stacked underneath that looks like it could have a fire under it. We could do the typical flowers-spilling-out-of-the-kettle idea. I always like a little garden pond by the front porch, and the pot might work well.
4. Should we leave the front porch open or add railing and spindles?
We hadn't planned to change the porch at all, but the columns are rotted out. This project won't be done right away, but when it is I'd like to get rid of the vinyl siding at the bottom. Should we replace it with railing and spindles, or leave the porch wide open? Is it too high for an open porch (three steps up)?
5. Where should the driveway to the house ideally be?
We need some loads of gravel anyway because the driveway has very little, if any, left, so this may be a good time to determine if the driveway is in the best spot to access the house. We'll still need at least the back end of the driveway to access the barns. Should it be a U-shaped driveway in front of the house? At the very least, if we keep the existing drive only we should add a turn-around pad. I'm not thrilled about the idea of people backing all the way down the driveway into the road for safety/visibility reaons with kids playing nearby and horses trotting past.
5 comments:
For the question on your porch ideas -- go to this web site: http://www.vintagewoodworks.com/porch-photos-i.html There are over 150 different pictures of different porches. Perhaps you can get ideas for styles for columns and spindles, and consider how they will look with the dormers and the front of the house.
See you this weekend -- can't wait to see all you have done!
Maggie
Maggie
The only one I have an immediate comment about is the driveway. Don't do a circular dirveway. It takes up too much yeard and will kick up dust too close to the house. Also, it will lure visitors to the front door, and I'm pretty sure you want them at the back door.
If you're worried about the girls when they learn to drive, remember this: you want them to learn how to back up in your own driveway. Not in someone else's.
I do think, however, that you should put in a turnaround. You've got room for that.
Beth
OK...I'll try this again.
Ithought that there was an area to turn to the left off the drive and turn around. I can remember trying to back out of that drive in the winter and it was awful. But you could turn to the left and then back into the drive and drive out. I just pray I can someday get back and see the place before I die...dj
Whatever you do with the driveway, I suggest making it much wider. You're going to have a lot of guests and you want them to be able to park two abreast.
The Battel sign: I suggest putting it over the back door right where you come in. I think that would look very cool ... and inviting.
I like the idea of combining the kettle with the centennial farm sign, but I'd have to think about how to do that so it looks classy, not trashy. Maybe we can sketch out a few ideas sometime. This should really be the LAST thing on your mind right now!
I think there should be some type of railing around the porch for looks and safety sake. I would consider your house a crafsman style (even though craftsman homes usually aren't brick) so that may be a place to start. I'll look through maggie's suggestion and see if anything trips my trigger.
Beth
Centennial farm sign—definitely something that includes maple syrup, but that’s where my creativity ends.
Battel sign—I think it’s too big to put in front of the house as part of the centennial farm sign display. I’d put it on a barn; maybe you’d move it to a garage later.
Big black kettle—I’d work it into the farm sign display—your idea of wood stacked underneath so it looks like it could have a fire under it is creative. The typical flowers-spilling-out-of-a-kettle idea is too cliché. The water feature idea would be nice, too.
Front porch—I really like step-down porches, for lack of a better term. It would be like having stairs all the way around the porch. Here are the closest examples I can find: http://islind.tripod.com/deck2.jpg and http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hMLzK3Z8VZs/RvGi7RKZ-iI/AAAAAAAAASA/Hw8jUTnU3BY/DSCN2062.JPG. My idea probably wouldn’t be period for the house, however.
Driveway location depends on where you want visitors to come in—the front door or the side-back door. I like a U-shaped driveway and disagree with the comment that it’ll be dusty. How fast are people going to be driving around a curve?
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