Hello my friends!
The house is rocking along, making progress here and there. After Haven, I jumped back into things, while my parents went up to their mountain house to take care of their garden. Mom met up with 3 of her brothers up there and they had the chance to catch up, which doesn’t come often enough these days. And I painted my interior doors dark brown.
After they returned home, my dad has been hard at work in his garden in Marietta as well and one afternoon while I was sitting on the porch, he came in with a whole 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes that he had just picked.
He wanted me to be sure and show off his crop of tomatoes.
Take a picture of these, he said, and show them on your blawggg. 🙂 And so I am.
While they were gone, I took time to do a few updates at the house, some painting and updating. It’s looking goooooooooood! Yes, I’m excited and happy.
Before: These are the old brass hardware that go on my stair railings that I took down to paint the walls and they needed freshening up, so I got out my Rust-Oleum Oil rubbed bronze spray paint that they nicely sent me to use. Rust-Oleum is a Haven sponsor and I got to know those girls. They have been great to send me some products to use in my house. Big thanks for that!
Freshly sprayed with Rust-Oleum (my fave oil rubbed bronze spray paint), they are now freshened up and ready to rehang.
Another update with Rust-Oleum spray paint is my vent covers for the house. They are old, yucky and definitely need an update. I could go out and buy new, but I figured with some spray paint, they will be just fine. I took the first batch outside with my Primer and favorite off-white spray paint, Heirloom White, the perfect neutral in satin.
Lined up waiting for their spraying debut.
A nice coat of metal primer and they will be ready for the paint.
Two thin coats of Heirloom White and they are looking a whole lot better.
Back on the wall, they look great now. I haven’t put screws back in the wall, but I’ll work my way through the house getting these painted and mounted again. Easy update and saves some money. I love that part!
Next, it was time to tackle those doors. I told you a few weeks ago that I was painting my interior doors black and I did it! I decided on a really deep dark brown/black like I did in my old house for the vanity. It is not quite as stark as jet black and it will have a warmer feel with my brown wood floors.
I used Valspar paint and primer in one and it really covers great. It would have been nice to cover in one coat, but it did take 2 to get it nice and smooth. The color is Fired Earth by Valspar.
My favorite way to paint doors and furniture is with a brush and small foam roller. Those foam rollers leave a nice smooth surface once it dries.
And here’s the first door after 2 coats of paint. I love them! This might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I absolutely love it in this house with the light walls.
I’m not finished with this one yet, don’t worry. My door knobs in this house are all over the place, from bright brass to antique brass. I plan to replace them all eventually with antique brass lever style. Maybe a few at a time when I find the right ones.
Check out these retro ones from the 70’s. I don’t hate them, but they don’t all match, so I think it would be better to just replace them all and I do love the lever style. You know, for older folks like me. 
My hinges are antique brass too, so I’ll just stay in that family.
And just so you can see the hallway with all the doors coming off it, here you go! Imagine this with my dark wood floors and I think it’s going to look smashing. Just the way I envisioned in my head. Love when that happens!
Other side of the hallway. There are 6 doors total coming off this hallway and I finished them all. Now I just need to move downstairs to the den and finish painting that room along with the doors there. Ooooo, it’s all coming together nicely.
So, that’s what I was up to last week! As always, you can follow along with my house renovations by clicking on the house on my right sidebar, which will take you here, for all the updates.
I wish you all a very Happy 4th of July tomorrow. Enjoy and celebrate.
There’s a song I’ve been listening to on the radio that has really touched my heart lately: Steven Curtis Chapman’s Long Way Home. It’s sweet and happy and has such a nice message and it really speaks to the journey towards home that I’ve been on this past year, getting back into a house of my own. Of course, I know my “real” home is not on this earth, but as we all follow the road that will ultimately lead us to that home, this song speaks volumes to me and makes me get teary-eyed every time I hear it. I smile and cry all at the same time.
Sometimes it is just a long way home….
You probably won’t be able to resist singing along with me. So tell me what you think!
You are one of my heros –
Your home is looking so classy!
hugs, p
Please tell your Daddy I’d love some of his tomatoes- they look yummy! In Chicago – ours won’t be ready for a few weeks. The doors look great. Can’t wait to see additional house updates.
Mouth watering tomatoes……….yummmmmmiiiee…the doors are looking fantastic, love the brown/black, yes softer and warmer. It is so much fun watching your home come together and motivational too. Labors of Love………….Love & Blessings, Lady Delores.
Love the dark doors with light wall paint. My husband’s not so into that look so I’ll have to live vicariously through you! I think it would look really awesome, since you have flat doors to begin with, to add some accent molding kinda like this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90523267/the-original-super-easy-door-molding it would look even classier and polished than it already does!
Thanks for making me smile today Rhoda. Or, really, thank your adorb Dad! Both of my grandfathers were superb gardeners and I have a similar and beloved pic of one grandpa holding some plump, juicy tomatoes in his hard working, well seasoned hands. Pure beauty.
Enjoy the holiday and those tomatoes. We won’t get ours here in Chicago for a couple of weeks.
I am in the middle of doing the exact same thing right now. We live in a log cabin home and replaced all the flooring with pine and all of the doors are getting painted black to match my kitchen island. I am calling it rustic elegance 🙂 Keep going girl, I LOVE your post!
I just love seeing the progress you are making on your house each week. You saw the potential and are creating a beautiful home. I love your Dad-he so reminds me of mine who was also a great gardener and could fix or build anything. Hold on to those wonderful parents as long as you can. You are blessed to have them still with you. 🙂
Goodness, your dad can grow tomatoes! I called my husband into the room to look and he said, “Wow, those look like Beefsteak tomatoes!”. Be sure and tell your Dad for the two of us that we think they are beautiful.
Beautiful song!
You’re so right….this is not really our home…love that song too 🙂
Your story is very inspirint to me…glad I found your blog.
I’m also from Georgia. Hope to attend Haven next year 🙂
I’m not joking, you are amazing! You have such vision. it’s going to turn out perfectly…. (and all your helpers are amazing too, what a blessed lady to have a family like yours)
Your house is like a pregnant woman, it goes so fast for all us viewers while it probably feels like a daily thing for you 🙂 I see the posts and I’m thinking HOW can she already be that far along! ha!
Happy 4th Rhoda
Loooooooook-nnnnnnnnnnnn-gooooooooood!
Love those doors! When I saw the color of the paint in the can I wasn’t so sure, but looking at all the doors down the hallway – NICE!
Hi Rhoda, I wished I lived closer, so you could share those beautiful tomatoes…and your Dad…with me! I love the sprayed stair hardware! I’m surprised you didn’t just spray all the door knobs. But, I’m impressed that you know exactly what you want. And that’s what matters. It’s coming along great!
Rhoda, the house is really taking shape nicely. I love the black doors! But most of all, I love your dad and mom. What sweet pictures of your dad and his tomatoes. Tell him one of your”blawgg” readers is envious of his prolific crop!
Hi sweet Rhoda,
A few things:
– I told you on Twitter that I was very behind with my blog-reading! I feel so out of the loop with everything in our DIY/decor blog-land! I just read your post about finding this house, and I want you to know that my heart is just so full of joy for you. You have gone through so much in the last year! You deserve this!
– Your. Dad. Is. Adorable. I love how proud he is of his tomatoes and that he had you take pictures so you could show them on your blawwwwg! He SHOULD be proud!
– What a difference! You are making so much progress!
– About the hardware: I remember some blogger(s) were spray painting their gold doorknobs oil-rubbed bronze awhile back. They looked great! But then I read a follow-up post showing they didn’t hold up well with daily wear-and-tear. I don’t think you’ll be using your window hardware as much as a doorknob… BUT I just wanted to give you a heads-up. 🙂
Erin @ Dwell & Tell
http://www.dwellandtell.com
Your dad is adorable!!!
Awe! Tell your dad his tomatoes look wonderful. I love it when you integrate your parents into your posts. I hope you continue to include them even after you move into your new house.
I think the doors look great and love that you spray painted your vent covers. I was just looking at mine this morning thinking they needed updating but spray paint would definitely do the trick… thanks for the idea.
I have A/C vents that are in sore need of refreshment – I thought I would have to replace them but your Rustoleum experience gives me hope I can save some $$$ with some elbow grease and spray paint. Love that!
I love hearing about your parents’ activity … it is such a blessing they are so active and involved.
Bless you all …
LOVE those black doors! Black and white is such a classic, timeless pairing. With dark floors it will look amazing. Can’t wait to see the final result!
We are spreading seven yards of mulch on our back terraced yard ( used to be a huge slope) and finishing a side fence this week-funfunfun.
Here in Oregon we are having the worlds coldest summer…so I doubt my tomatoes will ever get to the picking stage!
Enjoy those Dad-grown ones…Happy Fourth!
Dear Sweet Father….your Dad is the BEST ! How did he get those tomatoes so big, round and perfect ! Mine are little, green knobbly things ! You are blessed, and your home looks wonderful – LOVE the dark doors !