Front Fence

December 9th, 2010

After we rehabbed the side yard fence I started to consider what could be done about the ugly broken down fences in the front yard. Unfortunately, these are not salvageable and whatever design is chosen it needs to be sympathetic to the slatted redwood screen, provide privacy, be easily DIY’d and be cheap.

While perusing RO/LU’s landscaping projects I stumbled on a fence idea that I enjoyed very much. It appears that they used 6×6″ posts that are held in place by 3/4″ steel rods with a spacer between. The things I love about this?

-No ugly side.
-Steel doesn’t rot.
-Easy to build. (I think).

This idea sort of fits all my criteria and could be adapted for the 16′ run on the side of the house, as well as a division between the cat neighbor and us. Hooray. Problem solved? Right?

Um. NO.

So, 6×6″ redwood is not what I would call standard in any way. I called around and got a quote for $126 for ONE ten footer. YIKES. Seeing as I needed 22, that’s almost 3K in just wood for one section of fence. No thanks.

Here are my three fence design ideas. Floating in spaaaacccceeee.

6×6″ option. I love you. You will not happen, unless someone has a clever idea about where to get 6×6″ redwood for cheap.

4×4″ option. Hmmmm. I am not loving you. I think you are too busy and I like the beefy of the 6×6″. You need 32 4×4″ posts plus 1/2″ spacers. You will cost something like $300.

1×12″ option. You were my very first idea. I liked you, I just did not like that you had an ugly side.

You need five 4×4″ posts to keep you in place and then they are all naked for the world to see. I got some quotes on you and you will be about $300 in materials.

What do you guys think? Remember, from our backyard we will see this:

Plus you will be really close to the fence while lounging in the stock tank pool. Also, we need privacy for swim time.

And the front will be important since it dictates the little side fence and will be the backdrop for our minimal landscaping and we got to show off that sexy sail.

Modern fences. Why must you be so complicated?

FILED UNDER: exterior, fence, question, sketchup

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December 8th, 2010

Recently I picked up Desert Works by Rick Joy, since I’ve been doing a bit of research trying to figure out solutions for our exterior (plus, I love me some desert architecture). Apologies for the terrible scans, our scanner is not what I would call “nice”. It’s a pretty cheap-o all-in-one printer type unit that doesn’t deal well with pictures.

Anyway, this book makes me want to build a minimal desert monolith and perpetuates my need to use steel as a go-to exterior treatment. Plus, butterfly chairs. ‘Nuff said.

I’ve also been stalking Barbara Hill’s portfolio for my fix of minimal desert modern design. It’s been a spiral of design despair around here recently.

Doesn’t look like we will meet our 2010 Year of the Exterior deadline. We failed. Maybe it was a bit overly ambitious to think we could get EVERYTHING done when we don’t have big budgets or lots of extra labor. I do know that we have some pretty exciting ideas and projects as well as other things coming up soon. Decisions need to be made, shovels need to be dusted off and wallets need to be cracked.

Time to get landscaping. (Or at least thinking about it in earnest).

FILED UNDER: inspiration, landscape, links

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Thrifty!

December 6th, 2010

Poo Guy? Gone. I heard you naysayers and I agree. I’m nothing if not responsive.

Being that it was time to switch things up, it was a good thing I found this crazy geometric wannabe Jim Isermann painting at Revivals. Boom.

Boom. Other stuff.

Visited the Mt. Fuji General Store / The Group Formerly Known as Smockshop pop-up shop at The Ace Hotel this weekend and got a new book and a Japanese ceramic bowl. It was really fantastic pop-up, with tons of interesting handmade one-of-a-kind type items to peruse with fantastic women making it all look pretty incredible. In retrospect I should have brought a camera.

Otherwise, thrift type things included some chunky marble bookends, a textury pillow, a Navajo style basket and a Dansk IHQ wood thing (I have no idea what this is used for, I’m assuming to scoop candy into my mouth).

I also picked up this kooky nutcracker and some more ceramics (because I don’t have enough already). The Brick House, where your high school ceramic project comes to retire. Speaking of handmade projects, I found a pair of macrame hanging type things a little while back. They are like 6′ feet tall and hard to photograph (there is nowhere for me to hang them, since I’ve been refusing to install them).

Here’s the pair in all their lumpy glory. I can’t figure out what to do with them, I think I love them, but I’m not sure I have a spot for them in the house. I have a feeling that macrame hanging things are awesome though, and deserve some interior love.

Then there is this.

I still need to clean it up a bit and refresh that wood but I think it is going to end up having to do something with this little mini makeover I’ve been working on…

Because nothing can stay the same around here for too long.

Also, totally gearing up to start offering vintage stuff for sale online again. Can you tell? I’ve been stocking up and am aiming to launch in the new year. Boom.

FILED UNDER: thrifting, thrifty, vintage

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