A Drive By "Shooting"!

Yes, I did it! I confess! I did a drive by "camera shooting" of a house I have been admiring for a couple of years now! I'm not proud of it, mind you! But it is what it is! I've been couped up for several days in this rainy, dreary weather ever since Miller got home from college! I had cooked till I dropped today and needed to get out of the house! 

First, I ran to our local Publix for a few more ingredients for tonights dinner…( yes, he still eats a lot!) Then, it was if I couldn't control myself! Just the other day I had asked Jim to take me on this mission…I knew I would be too chicken to do it alone! But no! Not today…I had had enough! I needed to figure out this paint color if it killed me! 

I was shocked at how effortlessly this came to me! Should I be worried? Do I not have any scruples left? (Whatever scruples are! ) The ease with which I picked up that camera, changed out my lens to the really good zoom lens and started shooting shocked even me! I took several shots, drove down to the end of the street…turned around and came back for more! I rolled down the passenger side window and started shooting again! What was wrong with me? Then, I spied the white suburban in the drive way and got nervous…I promise you I checked my rear view mirror a hundred times between there and home!

All of this just for a simple paint color! Why didn't I just go up to door and ask them what it is? Why didn't I just leave a note in their mailbox like people have done to us? In retrospect, I've actually seen people taking pictures of our house like this and it made me mad! I have stooped to a new level!

It sure is a gorgeous home, though! Now, to study it and decide if I could pull this off on our own home is a totally different matter! They at least have a lot of "breaks" in the house with natural shingles, stone and a light trim color. I just don't know if ours would look right being this bold in color…we have to paint in the next few weeks so that is why I risked life and limb today to try and solve this issue!

Plus, it's just an incredibly beautiful home that I enjoy driving by at least once a month! 

OK…maybe it's once a week but who's counting?

 These two pictures that I found on Pinterest actually stirred this mission up a bit! The one above reminds me so much of the house that I love and the actual paint color. The house below reminds me so much of what we have now.

I still love the color of our house but it's been this way for about 16 years! Maybe it's time for a change? I would love to do drastic changes but don't see that happening just yet.

I'm showing you a few views of our home now so you can help me figure this out! I would love any and all input!

Above you see our home in the spring.

Here, you can see it in the winter. It is so different in color when it is gray or cloudy outside! It really doesn't have a green tint to it like it appears to. It's just really neutral.

The details of a home that always mean the most to me are found in architectural elements…like fabulous garage doors!

Or wonderful covered walkways!

These arched windows took my breath away the first time I saw this picture!

And nothing beats copper down spouts and gutters! Or beautiful stained french doors! And I truly love the painted brick! That is most definitely my favorite thing about this house!

Above you can see so many details that make up a home! The gorgeous brick, the archways to the patio, the dark pool that I am dying to emulate! Our pool is in need of a makeover so this is high up on my "love list"!

And what a glorious picture this is! I think I pinned it at least a year ago!

But back to the real topic! What color should our house be? Should we just keep it like it is or do a drastic change like the house that I love so much? When I drove up to my house I decided to try a drive by shooting again! Just to see what it would look like! I took several photos...

I wasn't crazy about many of the angles but did the best I could on this rainy, dreary day in Birmingham, Alabama! Come on sun! We need to see you again!

 When I was researching some cedar shake houses I found one of my most favorite posts I did! And even though it is a painted brick home, I just cannot quit going back to it! Which leads me to believe that even though we truly do need to pick out a paint color for the upkeep of our home…when all is said and done…my favorite home is the style of the one below…it is a home that Beth Webb was the interior designer for and one that I will always love!

If you didn't get to see that post on Beth you can now see it HERE! She is a true lady and one can never see too much of her beautiful design work! Isn't this house just the greatest? I truly love it!
I found one similar from  right here in Birmingham….

It is a home on Lake Logan Martin designed by Christopher Architects who are also located in Birmingham.
 You really MUST check it out!
I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your week! If you have any wonderful suggestions on paint colors for the outside of our house I would greatly appreciate them! I will keep you posted of course!