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!
Thank you so much for the shot of the hallway with the doors painted. I have been toying with the idea of dark doors in my 1964 ranch with 8 foot ceilings. Sure, black doors look great in a McMansion, but I don’t live in one of those! But I have a hall that is almost exactly the same, and that picture may just push me off the fence and into a painting project–thanks!
I am so excited to see your house come together, and I love hearing all about your sweet parents. Tell your father that his tomatoes are just beautiful. I sure miss the tomatoes from my father’s garden.
Enjoy the fourth and tell your dad how great those tomatoes looked!
Lookin’ good! Hope you’re staying cool in this heat wave!
I LOVE the dark doors in fact I’ve become a fan of your blog since stumbling acrossed it during week 4 of your reno. I’ve been hard at work DIY-ing things with my home since I moved in 2 1/2 yrs. ago, one of the first things I did was replace the door hardware with a ORB level handle. The old ones were simliar to yours – mismatched & down right ugly! I got mine from http://www.todaysdesignhouse.com – they were well priced and they have a great warranty on the mechanics and the finish. Keep up the good works!
Your dad rocks!
Stunning. Been considering painting the inside of my front door, but am now considering all the doors off my landing. I hate when that happens.
Love the pic of your Dad. I think I know fr where you get your slim physique! I wish mine live close.
CTD
Rhoda,
I love those HUGH tomatoes, tell him thank for sharing them with us. It is a great picture of him. Highlight of my day!
The house is looking great, lots of hard work you all are putting into it. I like the doors, it looks fresh and crisp. I played the song twice , made me want to give you a hug. You have the best friend by your side at all times, God will see you through this. It’s going to be great!
I love the black doors. Very classy and delightfully different.
Loved the song! Tomatoes look great….no wonder your dad is proud! Your doors look fab and inspire me to paint my hollow core doors. Thanks for the update.
I l ove those dark doors and have been using the Valspar paint and primer in one in 0ur remodel with great success. Check out our progress here…http://jenrick1.wordpress.com/
it seems to be going a bit slower than yours. Can I borrow your Dad?
Your Dad’s tomatoes look great, Rhoda, and he is so cute. Love the way your hall is coming along. The dark doors look great and that is an awesome way to make plain doors look so much better.
WOW! You guys are doing an amazing job! I know you are sooo proud.
Don’t tell your Mom but i’m in love with your Dad. I miss mine so much…He and your dad are a lot alike.
JAG
Well done (but I’m not surprised)! I’m making note of that color paint and I think I’m gonna go for it. I’ve been thinking about it for months but have been so busy with other things. Sounds like a previous reader (Angela) and I have the same situation. I’m trying to infuse black into our log cabin to make it more sophisticated. Plus with brown walls, ceilings and floors…well, it’s just too much! I’m going to pass along a picture to you as soon as I can figure out my new Blogsy software!
And your Dad is just a honey! You are one lucky lady!
Your Dad is so cute, I love how much help he and your Mom have been. Man , I hope I have that much get up and go when I am their age! Everything is looking good. So happy for you.
It is so much fun watching your progress with this house. I love some of the ideas you have, especially the way you’ve done the panels on the walls. Not sure about the colour of the doors, they do look nice but it’s just not my style.
Thanks for sharing this and I’m looking forward to seeing how things are coming together.
Hi Rhoda
I am officially jealous of those home grown tomatoes! You are so lucky to have your parents still with you and behind you in your new challenges!
Love the doors – wish I had some time to paint mine. As far as the knobs and hinges, I spray painted mine. I took the hinges off one at a time, sprayed and put it back on. When you are by yourself it’s the easiest way to go. I also sprayed the knobs. I have read that some people don’t have luck with this, but again, it’s only going to be you so the wear won’t be too much. I’ve had mine for three years and they are holding up really well. I like the lever style as well, but with so many doors it can get costly. It’s one of my down the road projects.
Looking forward to seeing the completed renovation! See you Saturday!
Love the picture of the farmer harvesting his crop!!
The doors are stunning!! You have accomplished so much in a short time, can’t wait to see your furniture in and decorated.
Rhoda,
Love the picture of your Dad and tomatoes, would love to sit down with your parents and have a tomato sandwich. You are blessed to have your parents, believe they can outwork me any day. Please tell them how popular they have become in blog land, many people wish they had parents like yours. Still amazed at the progress on house, thanks again for detail directions and pictures of each step of projects. Happy July 4th to you and parents!
Your dad’s tomatoes look amazing!!! Love me some summer tomatoes. Your hallway with all the trim work and the dark doors is also looking amazing. Isn’t it great when you can visualize the finished product? Great song. Stephen Curtis Chapman is sooooo good.
Hope you have a happy 4th!
Kelly
Happy 4th of July Rhoda! I love the black doors – they’ll be even more awesome when you trim them out later and add the lever style hardware. About 16 years ago I painted the air vents in our condo with white rustoleum when we were getting it ready as a rental. I even painted the plastic electrical plate covers. It all held up well through 2 tenants over 8 years until we finally sold the house. Especially love your Daddy and those tomatoes. There’s nothing like the feel of those fresh picked tomatoes still warm from the summer sun!