We had to be careful walking along the balcony due to dry rot. In fact, it got to the point where I would tell people not to walk past the table as was unsure of the ability of the plywood to not give way. The table originally was a bit farther down... slowly it moved to closer and closer to the door.
I liked our outdoor furniture, but Fred was not a fan. I got the set from my parents when they died, because nobody else wanted it. My parents got the set from my great-aunt when she died, because it was free. I always thought it was kind of groovy in that Mid-Century Modern Sunset Magazine-ish "outdoors is indoors/indoors is outdoors" sort of way.
They looked good and were comfortable... but not really comfortable, if you know what I mean. (i.e. fine to just sit on, but never a desire to lounge...)
And then there was the effing bougainvillea. Pretty when it was blooming, but otherwise it just created a mess. However, it was also acting as the primary support for the canopy. I was told when I moved in that the whole thing needed to be replaced, so I managed to get three seasons out of it, but it was time to go. I also hated all the shrubbery in the backyard.
There was one advantage to all those crappy, out-of-control plants...
They hid my neighbor's crumbling garage which butts right up to my backyard.
As luck would have it, one day I was perusing the internet when I saw a picture one of my outdoor chairs. Well, I saw that it was being auctioned for a lot of money. A. Lot. Of. Money. Turns out my hand-me-down furniture was a mid-century-modern find!
Quicker than you can say "Bob's your uncle" they were stacked up, packed up, and up for auction!
One word for the settee: Ca-CHING! Sorry to see them go for sentimental reasons, but they pretty much paid for the new backyard!
Soon after, Hector and his team came in and started tearing the place up. FIVE big truckloads of materials were removed. That, in and of itself, was worth the cost.
This was a happy day. Bye bougainvillea!
This day was even happier!
As a cost saving measure, I originally decided to keep the original railings for the balcony. I was not a fan of the glass, but it was okay. The main thing was the flooring. I could live with the railings.
Demolition continued and I was happy with the progress...
Then this happened: They dropped one of the glass panels. Now I knew that it was going to be hard to find the replacement and since I already was not completely happy with the railing, I decided that we would just go with a new railing. Best. Decision.
While they were at it, I had them remove the awning over the balcony door. It was also not great: plastic corrugated panels that were painted to match the house. Whenever there was a wind (and I am on a hill, so there was always a breeze), it would rattle. You can sort of see the awning in this pic.
The awful awning...
As of late last week, a little over a month after they started, the lawn was in, the deck and balcony stained and my final check was written.
We are still working on some lighting ideas, but I am pleased with the results.
We also now have a BBQ area!
The balcony feels much bigger than it was before. We have a table and chair set that we are going to put out here, but they need to be power-washed and painted. You can also see a spot on the wall where the paint has bubbled and will soon be peeling... Painting was part of the ten-year plan, but is being moved up.
On Saturday morning, an hour earlier than expected, the furniture we ordered was delivered! It is extremely comfortable and we really like it.
Now, I just have to figure out what to do to disguise the garage next door. Maybe I will train their ivy to cover it all!
I need more closeups on the furniture! The brand is Classic Teak. It is solid and soooo comfortable.
This was my view Saturday night as I was enjoying a smart cocktail while watering the lawn.
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