This is the post in which you get to help us with some things around our house. You’re excited, aren’t you?!?!? There are two things I need help with below… plants and paint. Can you help a girl out?
Challenge 1: Name That Plant
As you may know, we moved into a new house in July of last year. We have yet to do anything to it, outside of replacing door handles that needed replacing and with our free teenage labor this summer we had some raking and weeding taken care of. The people that originally owned the house (prior to the last owners), were gardeners extraordinaire. Keith and I? Not quite so much. The front garden area is on a hill and from what we’ve seen since last July, it’s a four season garden. Color year round for the most part. That being said, it is so incredibly overgrown. See?
My step-mom can definitely garden so she’s helped me figure out what some things are and has told me what I can cut back and when. I missed the opportunity to cut back the azaleas which are SO gorgeous in the spring but way too big for the rest of the seasons – next year, right? I’m about to cut back the hydrangea. Progress, definitely progress. I have a big butterfly bush that needs to be trimmed too – need to look that up. The question I have for you green thumb people is what the heck are these green spider plant looking things???
In the winter they look like dying corn stalks. They were ugly, ugly, ugly with big brown sticks sticking up and some fluffy stuff at the end. In the beginning of the spring I cut them down low and look at them now. They are taking over. Any ideas? Should I dig them out? (I should have thought about that sooner than two weeks before my teenage help heads to college, huh?)
We had a company come out and give us a quote on digging the whole thing up and starting fresh but I feel like we have such good “bones” here and I’m bound and determined to get this garden looking nice! Sooooo… any ideas???
Challenge #2: Paint That Room
When we first looked at our house, I deemed it the “Grey House”. There was obviously a sale on all things grey – grey paint and grey tile to be specific. Every room in the house is grey and not a nice, light airy grey, but a dark, depressing grey. I really, really want to paint the great room this fall but know I need to pick a color and get it right the first time. The room is narrow and has tall ceilings. I’m a big “neutral” paint lover and have no issues painting the room tan. Keith, on the other hand, wants some color. I’m trying to tell him we work color in with our accents– I might or might not be winning that argument. My sister is my interior design go-to so she needs to approve all decisions. 
Should I paint the wall with the fireplace and windows an accent color and paint the surrounding walls neutral? Our furniture is brown leather, carpet is tan and our tables are stone. Below are some pictures, just please excuse the mess on the table (Andrew) and the laundry on the chair (hey… at least it’s clean and folded!!).
This is the wall with the windows. There are windows on both sides of the fireplace, both high and low.
Standing in the great room, looking towards the upstairs. As a side note, the lovely lighting is going bye-bye.
View from the kitchen area (and Andrew’s mess).
So, my question to you is… what paint colors do you love? What would work well in a tall narrow space? I don’t have a good track record picking paint colors. Just ask my sister how many times I had to paint the kitchen (and she saved the day with a decent paint color!).
Thanks in advance for your help!
Becky
