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Sunday, August 1, 2010

The perfect house color


*Warning* This post is altogether too long for such a simple subject. I suggest skipping this or skimming. This writer still has to work on mastering the simplified versions of stories

I have wanted a yellow house for years, at least 10, but I think quite a bit longer. I specifically wanted a pale-ish yellow with white trim, and white accents. Very girly, I know, but I have my girly moments.

We rented an apartment after we were married for about 5 months in Anchorage, then moved out the cutest above garage apartment ever. Living right next door to "my homemaker mentor" as I'll call her my "mentor". She's the one who helped me to appreciate being an actual homemaker including sewing quilts, canning, gardening, and even hanging my cloths out on the line. I'll have to write more on her later... My mother was definitely an awesome cook and seamstress, but since I got married as a teenager I never appreciated her skills until I needed them.

We lived there for 4 years and in that time the two of us and our 2 black labs grew to include 2 kids. We (I) wanted/needed a HOUSE! With a dishwasher please!

4 years was plenty of time to think/dream about our new house that we would some day be able to afford. At about 3 years into the apartment we met with a financial "helper" and she got us on the saving track and we saved up (mostly) for a down payment on a new house just about 3 doors down from our apartment in the country.

We realized after talking to the bank and builders that we had to go with a "budget" house, especially since we were buying 5 aces, that was eating a large chunk of the loan we qualified for. We would not be going with cedar siding, so it would be affordable T1-11. You could paint that.

Our house would be yellow.

Or not. See, I have a husband. Normally he does not care much about colors and I get my free choice on things. In this case as he said, "I will not live in a yellow house." Hmm, seriously? Why do you care? Are you sure honey? See, isn't it so pretty? Really, no yellow? Ok, fine. What color do you want it then!? Green or blue or....anything but yellow. Ok.

Our house would be green. A pretty, Martha Stewart green, mind you. One that we agreed on. Agreeing is very nice sometimes, but guess what I have obsessed about for those 10 years in a green house? Yes, yellow houses. I love them, and can't get enough of them. NOT the bright yellow ones, the pretty pale yellow with white trim ones - only.

2 years ago I came to realize that our house needed to be re-painted. A very expensive/large task. This year we're (well, I) am finally tackling it and I had to double check with him on the color again, since it could be yellow if he'd allow it. I asked, I double checked, still no yellow. Then a friend we don't know well gave me some hope when they said my husband had said, maybe. Maybe? Not sure? I had to get to the bottom of this. I asked again and no real answer. I finally go to Lowe's to buy the green paint and call him on the cell phone in a last ditch flat out nagging effort in desperation but no real hope of success.

Me: Hi, I'm here to buy the green paint and just wanted to be sure that we're NOT doing yellow.
Him: Heh, really? Me saying it over and over is not enough for you?
Me: I know, I'm sorry, I just need to hear a for sure...No, I will not live in a yellow house.
Him: Honey, I realized that if this is what you really, really, really want...
Me: It is what I really, really, really want! But I don't want to nag you into it and have you hate it and be upset about it.
Him: I know, if this is what you want then I don't care that much. I love you.
Me: OMGosh, OMGosh, I'm shaking! I'm so excited. I love you!

Grabbed some swatches, had 3 samples made up in the 1/2 quart size, told the checker all about it....and off I drove to my mom's to show her the new potential colors.

A week later (after pining over the choices) I'd chosen the palest color of my lot. I had borrowed a friends sprayer and pressure washer and got to work. Our house is now 1/2 yellow/greenish and no white trim and the windows are catching much overspray. It is messier than I had thought it would be, but the family is handling it for now. The dog is now black and yellow.

I'm going to have a yellow house. Deep inside I'm afraid I'll get sick of the color before I can even finish, it's SO different from the green. But I keep telling myself after all is said and done I'm sure I'll love it. I know I will, just hope the neighbors and my family can get used to it as well.

1 comment:

Steph said...

It is not possible that you will hate your house a lovely pale yellow with white trim. It is probable that, like giving a mouse a cookie, you will find that you absolutely must have pretty window boxes to go with it and gee, wouldn't the roof look better in a green metal? I'm so excited for you. I love pale yellow houses with white trim and if we build from scratch, that is definitely what ours will be.