Here in Asheville, it's that time of year when ice starts building up on porch and deck stairs, and you start wishing you'd gotten that shaky stair railing repaired. Or maybe it's in good shape, but it needs a coat of paint to tone down the splinters; We can also install a brand new stair railing if you don't have one yet: Or we can move your stairs to a more convenient spot: Or we can just rip it all out and start over with something super strong: A strong staircase with a good, sturdy handrail isn't a luxury; it's a safety necessity. If you need your stair railings repaired or just beefed up, give us a call, We love this stuff.
As the year winds down to a close, I've been flipping through all the projects I've done and realizing that it's been a great year for repairs that are both beautiful and functional. Here's my pick of the three best before-and-after projects of 2016. Rebuilding a Really Rotten Railing This railing rotted away from the inside because the original builder didn't use pressure-treated lumber. It looked solid until I touched it with my chisel... then it fell apart! I rebuilt it with water-resistant materials for a truly solid and lasting stair railing. Tori's Built-In Bookshelves Noted author Tori Hartman moved to Montford and needed shelving around her fireplace. I installed custom shelving which complemented the room beautifully. Here it is after she styled it: A Light, Bright Office Update The Griffin Agency moved into a new office in an historic building in downtown Asheville, and they needed a fresh coat of paint to brighten up the place: The transformation was somewhat heightened by my new camera. In addition to interior painting, I also installed a new kitchenette which fit right into the decorative scheme of their office: Does your New Year's list include a resolution to get those small home repair projects done? If so, give me a call. I'll be glad to help you go from boring "before" to amazing "after."
You've probably dreamed about having a "vine covered cottage," but this winter one of my clients took the first step to making it happen: she had me install some good, sturdy lattice. Here's the "before" picture so you can see where we started. This home in Montford has a big back porch with white stairs that wind down into the yard. It's beautiful architecture, but the skimpy lattice under the stairs left the "potting shed" area underneath exposed. I installed all new lattice to wrap around the stairs... ...which gives it a much more solid look. She'll still have lattice to support her flowering bushes, but now it also hides the potting bench. This makes a more private shed to putter around in on a Sunday afternoon: Call the decorating magazines! This place is crying out for a few casually draped gloves and a pot of geraniums. Decorative touches aside, I also had some more practical work to do: repairing and repainting the porch floor. (Click any of those pictures to enlarge.)
I make it look easy, but the porch floor repair was actually something of a challenge. The biggest challenge was getting a day that was warm and dry enough to paint the new boards. Fortunately living in Asheville is right next door to living in Paradise, so even in winter there's usually a good day if you time it right. If you have a porch or railing in need of repair, please give me a call. I really enjoy work like this, so I'd be glad to help. These pictures remind me of those children's games in newspapers, where they tell you to spot the differences. Nope, this porch wasn't brightened up in Photoshop. Let's zoom in closer so you can see what a dramatic change a little paint makes. Here's the "before." It had been a really long time since this porch railing was touched up, and it was starting to look weather-beaten. Here's how it looks now: What a difference! It looks like new wood, but it's just a careful coat of oil-based primer followed by a fresh coat of semi-gloss paint. Here's another angle showing the stair railing before and after: Before it looked like it would give you splinters, but now it's something you're glad to grab onto as you climb the porch stairs.
If your porch needs a little paint, give me a call. I'll be glad to freshen it up for you. Sometimes my projects are just nice to look at, and this is one of them. I recently installed a wisteria vine trellis for ones of my Asheville clients who loves to garden. We started with this inspiration photo, which I believe she took in the Montford neighborhood: Then I dropped by her house and took a look at the actual porch. My client decided that she wanted a question-mark-shaped trellis so that the wisteria would frame the view. Of course as we were planning the trellis, my client explained that she knows about the dangers of growing wisteria on a home. (It can twine into the siding and damage the house.) However, she loves to weed and tend her garden, so she'll take preventative measures. In case you're wondering about the cover photo, the vine hasn't already taken over! That's just a little Photoshop magic. I'm sure the real vine will be even more beautiful. I'll have to come back next summer and take a photo of the view from the porch swing so you can see it in all its glory. Meanwhile, here's what it really looks like now. It blends in well with the architecture. Would you like help installing a vine trellis or making other small porch repairs? If you live in the Asheville or Weaverville area, give me a call. I'll be glad to help. Photo credit for wisteria vine: Mike DelGaudio
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April 2022
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