Left Front Planter Box

This one is right under my bedroom window:


The idea is to put in only plants that require no watering. The area on the far left will gets morning and afternoon sun; the rest get only afternoon sun.

[From left to right]:


Fuschia-Flowered Gooseberry (this will require a little extra water in the summer, but I can do that just with a spot on hose)


White Sage


Hummingbird Sage


White Sage


Red Monkeyflower

Front Planter Box on the North West Corner

Here's how it currently looks:



The space is mostly shady with some afternoon light, particularly on its western side.

Here's what I'm thinking of replacing it with (from left to right) (all plants are drought tolerant and need no summer watering):

Cleveland Sage

The following flower will be on either side of the central plant:

Island Bush Poppy

This will go right in the middle under the picture window:

Wooly Blue Curls


Island Bush Poppy

Finally, on the far end and jutting out from the corner will be this:

Ceanothus Concha

Landscaping

I'm beginning to think about relandscaping the house and putting in drought tolerant plants. I won't start until late October, but it would probably be a good idea to repaint the exterior at the same time.

Just a reminder, this is what the front and sides of the house look like:

The house is north facing, so it gets a little bit of afternoon sun.


The house currently has three exterior colors. The main color in front is a silver-grey green, perhaps "sage"? The trim is white. And then all stucco-coated parts of the house are a sandy brown.


I like the sage and am inclined to keep it and to have the stucco painted to match.



Keep in mind, I will have native plantings in these boxes. The flowers in front under the picture window will be blue, lavender, with yellow accents. On the side, I'm leaning towards more red. The leaves will be grey and green, with plenty of sage.



I cycled around the neighborhood this morning trying to find houses with similar colors for contrast, particularly ones whose fronts face north, like mine.

Here's an example of a house that is identical in model to mine. They've used a slightly mintier green:



This one is a much darker, more olive green than mine. I don't care for it, but I'm intrigued by the reddish brown door and wonder what a similar trim or door on my house might look like:


This house used a dark olive color as trim:



This one used a more brown color, but those are the sorts of native plants in front that I would use.

The Mirror and Painting

The two biggest wall items are now up: the mirror for the entry way and the large painting for the dining room.

The painting in the dining room is not centered on the table. That's because once I get the sideboard, the table will move further into the room, away from the far wall. That means it won't be centered under the lamp, but that's unavoidable.




The mirror is also off center, but that's because I will put a table under it and a long, narrow painting to its right.




That's it for the home remodeling for the time being. I'll do more, and post more pictures, in July.

Office and Guest Bedroom

These are still very much works in progress.








(I've put everything I haven't unpacked in the guest bedroom).

The (Almost) Finished Living and Dining Room

I still need to hang some paintings and the mirror.


(I put the painting of the girl with the umbrella by the door as a reminder to check the weather).


(Next on my agenda: a corner unit to replace the sofa table -- which will then go under the mirror -- a flat screen tv, and new window treatments).


(I'm going to have the dining room chair reupholstered in black. I also still need to buy a buffet/sideboard).


(The table on which the tv is now sitting will eventually go under the mirror).

The Finished Bedroom

So here's how the master bedroom looks furnished: