NOTABLE THINGS: TEAR OFF & TYVEK, THE SIDING MATERIAL WE CHOSE, MY FAVE NECK MASSAGER, CLOTHING RECS, & A HOME TOUR

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Anytime we invited friends over for the first time (pre corona days), we’d say “look for the house with the red siding.” I suppose we can’t say that anymore! After a full week of ripping off 2 (TWO!) layers of old siding, pulling 3,000+ nails, and filling a 30 yard roll off dumpster, I am pleased to report that the red siding is gone! Yay! Shall I remind you what we started with?

The day we bought the house (above ↑) vs today (below ↓)

What a difference right?! I mean the siding change is a big difference but I gotta take a minute to praise my husband for the yard work he’s done. Obviously we haven’t landscaped yet and the trees could use another trimming…but can you see the potential!?

The first layer of steel siding was actually pretty easy to remove. It was the removal of the cedar lap siding underneath and the Tyvek installation that took the bulk of our time. Turns out that tacking Tyvek on a house is like wrapping the world’s most oddly shaped gift!

Perhaps the most interesting find was the lettering on the back of our house! We couldn’t figure out what it said for days but then you guys chimed in on Instagram and within 10 minutes we learned that it says “Lumber Co.” Chris did some research and although we can’t find much, we did discover that our home was in fact a lumber store at one point and the full business name was “Rounds Lumber Co.” How cool is that?!!

There are two sections on the back side of the house that we’re leaving the red siding on for now. Eventually we’ll create a different roof line where the flat roof is currently and it just doesn’t make sense to put new siding on those sections only to rip it off when we raise the roof. So the lap siding will stay for a few extra months.

Seeing our house wrapped in Tyvek feels like we’re finally starting fresh with a blank slate. I can envision the board and batten and it looks so dreamy in my head!

But if you’ve been following along on Instagram, you know we had a bit of a siding saga last week! We were about to make “the” phone call to order all new fiber cement siding, and then Chris Loves Julia published this post about why they ultimately chose LP SmartSide (another siding alternative) over fiber cement siding. Cue the confusion! Naturally this led us down a rabbit hole of even more research and when I asked my brother (who’s a contractor) if he had a preference between the two his words were, “Well actually I’m glad you asked…” Ha! It was clear he was team LP SmartSide!

After lots of research and seeking advice from a few reliable sources, we learned that LP is lighter, much easier to install, functions like wood so it doesn’t require special tools for installation, and is similar in durability to fiber cement. Plus we couldn’t help but notice an abundance of raving reviews for LP SmartSide from customers and contractors.

Ultimately, both are excellent products. Both are highly rated, highly durable, and feature an array of benefits. But in a last minute turn of events, we changed our minds and ordered LP SmartSide with a wood grain finish. Fingers crossed we made the right decision! And to clear the air, we choose a different material but the siding style will still be the same – board and batten all the way baby!

We also hired by brother (the contractor) to help us install on portions of the house and we’re getting so anxious to start!

But before we can start installing the new siding, we have a few things to fix first. Two windows need to be replaced, the framing around our garage doors are wonky, new soffits need to be installed, and the list goes on. **We will finish the siding before winter…we will finish before winter…**

Other notable things –

• I ordered myself this neck and shoulder massager and it couldn’t have come at a better time. 40+ hours of manual labor in the sun warrants a daily massage. Worth every penny!!

• We’ve tried countless homemade alfredo sauce recipes but this one is the clear winner for us! (Tastes great for leftovers too!)

Designer: Brigette Romanek | Source: Jenni Kayne

• Have you seen Brigette Romanek’s home tour on the Jenni Kayne website?! I literally can’t handle how stunning every room is!

• Bought my first official cropped wide leg jeans….no regrets.

• I can never find a plain white tee that’s not see-through….this $8 tee did not disappoint! And this burnt orange rib-knit tee is another new fave!