Paint Colors...

Here you have it! Please vote for your favorite color in the comments section. We might add a darker olive to the list as well.


Here are a few photos from the "shoot".

The camera man was Mel this time. Very nice and professional!

You already know designer Yvette and Producer Mara.

Our interview after paint...

Funny story...I was at the paint store picking up my sample, and Yvette walks in. We selected our colors in secret and waited for the reveal during the filming.

Paint Samples Tomorrow at 10:30

I'm headed to the paint store after work to pick up a few. Our designer will also bring some. Can't wait!

Initial Meeting with the Landscape Designer

Both Chan and I really liked Derek. He had some great ideas for the yard and we are really excited about working with him. We'll have another meeting next week to do further planning. I forgot to take a picture while he was here...next time!

Cut that Huge Tree Down!

That was the recommendation of The Care of Trees arborist that came over today. He said it would be best if we cut the big tree down in front of the driveway because anymore changes to the landscape would likely cause more damage to the root system and it would need to go within the next 5 years anyway. It has apparently been over-pruned in the past, and it is also problematic that the driveway is covering half of the root system (causing more trauma for it). The estimate was a little over 5K which included grinding that stump and the other large stump in the middle of the yard and a few other misc. items. We would rather not spend our landscaping budget on that, but it's better than that tree falling on our house in a few years, huh!?

RFP to Builders went out Today

Attached are porch design elevations, plat, and photo examples of what we
would like to build. Below is the material list. The porch needs to be complete
by mid-October 2007 to meet the shows production
schedule. Please send estimates/proposals to warrenpaula@yahoo.com
by COB on Thursday, August 30th for consideration.
Remember to price materials separately from labor in case we can get them
donated. We hope to make a decision very quickly so that we can begin.
Please let me know if you have any questions,
and feel free to stop by the house if you need to take another look
or measure anything. Thanks again.

Paula and Chan Warren
3301 Alabama Ave
Alexandria VA 22305
703-608-4942

6 - 8' Round 10" HB&G composite columns w/ 4x4 posts
inside

Standing Seam Metal Roof for covered porch 16.3'x 9.6'

Cedar beadboard for underside of covered porch

Flagstone/slate landing (or) mahogany (price each
option) (or) whatever you suggest hardwood-floor
looking material (approx. 250 sq ft)

Azec trim

Pergola and slats are painted cedar wood

3 ceiling fans yes + at least two recessed lights on
dimmers

glass railing next to back bump-out (approx, 4')

Choosing Paint Colors

It's time to film our reaction to the paint colors that our designer selects for our house. The producer said we could also bring some...and knowing me, she suspects that I will want to do that. I've been researching that, and OMG! Does anyone know how many paint colors are on the market!! I think I've narrowed it down to a few combos of body color, trim, accent, and door colors. It's a BIG decision and I really want to make sure we get it right! The filming of this will happen this week or next.

Architect, Designer, and Producer Meeting

In order for builders to be able to provide us with a hard estimate for the porch, the architect that I found is willing to provide some initial sketches and measurements (including idea of foundation and materials, column size, roofing, etc). She has agreed to do this piece of the project for a small fee and quickly over the weekend so we can move forward with hiring a builder by the end of next week. That's the plan anyway!

Good News! The Porch is a GO!

If we can afford it. Some of the estimates have been pretty high. I'm checking with the producer to see what we can get donated. If we can get enough materials donated, we will definitely proceed with the porch!

Neighbors Porch/Pergola

This is what the neighbors did in order to comply with City Zoning since the wrap-around section of the porch cannot be covered. I envision something similar, but we would likely do it in all white.

Another Porch I Love!

Landscape Designer Derek Thomas

We got word from the producer on Friday that Derek Thomas will be our landscape designer. The portfolio on his website looks fabulous! Above is a sample of a retaining wall that he did. We're going to need a few of those in our crazy front yard.

http://www.thomaslandscapes.com/index.php

Thomas Landscapes is a full-service landscape design and maintenance firm with over twenty years of experience, specializing in professional and individually tailored work in the Washington, D.C. metro area. We offer a comprehensive design and implementation process, creating formal and informal landscapes and gardens in any a variety of environments: patios & roof gardens, townhomes and single family homes. We transform landscapes into works of art.

Founder and President Derek Thomas is a certified Master Gardener, a member of the Maryland Nursery and Landscape Association, and a member in good standing of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers; he received his formal training in Landscape Design from the USDA Graduate School. Derek, a native of Trinidad, W.I., has been part of the Washington, D.C. Community for most of his life.

We should be meeting with Derek later this week to get started on the landscape portion of the project.

To Porch or Not to Porch

There is more confusion than ever as to whether we can add a front porch or not. We seem to get a different answer from every person we speak to. To resolve this once and for all, we are having the Zoning Manager from the City of Alexandria out to our house tomorrow night. We should get a firm go or no-go decision. Then we can move forward with or without one in the plan.

Interviewing Architects and Builders...Ugh

This week we are meeting with several architects and builders to design our new front porch/pergola. Once we have the estimates, we should be able to make a decision quickly and move forward with the plans. It's exciting, but time consuming!

New Design Ideas - Bermuda Shutters and Copper Porch Roof

Here's a few samples of the new design elements that I want to include:
bahama/bermuda style shutters for the windows.

Maybe a copper roof for the front porch.

Meeting with Peter Leiberg - Zoning Manager, City of Alexandria

I had the pleasure of meeting with Peter Leiberg with the City of Alexandria's Department of Planning and Zoning this morning. He was very helpful and in the end, will work with us to get the permits we need in 2-3 days after we have our footer, framing, and electrical plans drawn up. He even offered to look at everything before we submit, just to make sure we have what we need to move forward quickly. That's the good news.

The not so good news is that there are several things that we are going to have to change about the design to make this work without having to go through a variance hearing with the City (which would take a significant amount and essentially delay the porch project).

Here's what we can do: We can do a front porch that is covered. The porch would end 12 inches before the end of the house, which would allow for an overhang that matches up with the house (the first section before the 2 bump outs). We can continue the landing around the house, to the end of the 2nd bump out (maybe). It depends on the grading of the land - there is a formula they use to come up with the average finish grade. Anyway, we can't cover that part because a variance would be required. We can put a pergola over that section, but the pergola can't touch the covered porch roof (I think that is a loophole, because pergolas are considered to be a landscaping element). He also suggested against the whole double-decker porch concept. He thought that the porch roof was the best way to go.

It's obviously very important that whoever we use to draw up the plans is familiar with the zoning restrictions in the City of Alexandria.

Meeting with guy at City of Alexandria

I am meeting a guy named Peter with the City of Alexandria's Department of Planning and Zoning tomorrow morning at 9. Note to self...next time we get selected to be on Curb Appeal, contact the City's Department of Planning and Zoning BEFORE we meet with the designer to come up with a plan. So, I'll find out tomorrow if the double-decker wrap-around porch is EVEN and OPTION! It seems that our house may or may not meet the setback requirement that was instituted AFTER the house was built in 1938. Peter seemed very pleasant when I spoke with him to set up the appointment so KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED that everything works out tomorrow. I would hate to have to scrap the plan that Yvette came up with. I was so excited about that darn porch. I'll update you after the meeting.

Wrap-around porch

This is where the porch will go.


It looks deceiving, but, the house extends about 8 feet past the current flagstone porch area. The new porch should make the house look much larger.

Doug the Cameraman

I think Doug said that he worked on every episode of Curb Appeal this summer. That's 26! He was great to work with.

Mara - Our Producer

Mara is our producer. She is extremely cool. I wanted to officially introduce her with her "photo". She is going to make this experience amazing for us! So far, so good. She really knows what she is doing.

The Design

As for the design, I think the house is going to look amazing when we're done. My favorite elements are...the 2-tiered wrap-around front porch with a spiral staircase connecting them. I'm hopeful that it will look like the front porch in my earlier post. With the white flowing panels and the dark rattan furniture. It's hard to picture everything from just a sketch since it's one dimensional and you can't really get a sense of what the landscaping and wrap-around porch will look like, but I am very optimistic that we will both love the end product! She definitely infused the British West Indies / British Colonial / Mediterranean feel. Yvette is awesome because she just wants us to love it! In the end, I think we will.

Our first shoot!

Today was an exciting day in Curb Appeal Land! We not only did our first round of taping, we also got to see the design for our new home!

It was amazing how they tape the same shot from several different angles...one of you talking...one of you listening...one close up...one far away. Chan infused humor into every inch of the video. Yvette was great.

So keep in mind that we have to wear the same clothes in mid-to-late October when the host is here. The producer asked me if I could be this tan for the last shoot...yikes...looks like we'll need to take a trip to visit my parents in FL before that.

I decided that a light sweater was the call. After 2 hours in 98 degree weather, I'm just a bit sweaty. By the end, when they were filming a close-up of me and Chan saying how we feel about the front of our house when we get home from work, I'm dripping, my neck is dripping, and my hair is WET. (Thanks Mom! - I think I get that from you). Anyway, I was cooked.

I think it went well! Hopefully, they didn't catch this look on my face on camera!