Now that the interior of the house is mostly completed, the exterior does not really fit with the rest of the renovation and is also in need of some maintenance.  After spending what seemed like an eternity to prepare and paint the brick facade, the time came to tackle the front porch. 

The porch had been entirely rebuilt by the previous owner 8-10 years ago and the structure was in good shape but the surface was made of tongue and grove pine which retained water and rotted quickly.  With our long term plans in mind and my obsession with durability, I decided to go with an ipe surface over the exiting pressure treated structure.  Once again, this project is taking much longer than anticipated, but I’m pleased with the results.  The underside of the porch still needs to be covered and the railings installed but the end is in sight.  You can see one of the assembled railings against the house.   

When we bought the house, it had a country look which didn’t suit our style.  The new colour scheme works well and is more contemporary. 

Next project: the front door and the landscaping.