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Want to see what we’ve been doing for the past week? We built a pergola on to one side of “the barn” aka storage shed.
It’s been extremely hot and humid so the only time we could work outside is really before noon. People always ask me how I do it – work outside in the heat. Well, if I waited for the weather to be cooler or better I’d never get anything done outside. Who knows when it’ll cool down and then who knows if it’ll be a dry or wet fall or even an earlier winter. No time like the present! Lots of people have to work outside all day in this horrid weather, we are fortunate that we can choose when to stop working. We also don’t have any medical conditions that would make it dangerous to work outside – it’s just uncomfortable – but manageable. I have to say…I really sleep very well at night. My eyes close and I’m pretty much asleep a few minutes later (so my husband tells me LOL)!
I have a couple of grapevines I need to move. So we thought this would be a good spot for those vines.
We’re going to create a seating area underneath. Not sure if we’ll use pavers or pea gravel or what (it’s not a level area). We also plan on adding a small pond (one of those preformed ones you can buy at the big box stores) to this raised bed with the Japanese Maple.
But first…
we have to paint the barn!
It needs it badly!! It needed it last year and we never got to it. I thought at first that I’d like to paint it periwinkle with white trim (I like using blue in the garden – I think it’s because it brings the sky down to a level where I can appreciate it all the time). But one of my neighbors has the most fabulous red barn -Union Jack and all! So now I’m thinking maybe a traditional red?
Do I go with the more traditional barn red or do something a little more unusual? Red is my favorite color but I don’t really use it outside – something to ponder!
I think it’ll be quite nice next summer to be able to sit under the shade of grapevines and look and listen to the sounds of the pond. Not to mention we’ll be able to eat the grapes, use the leaves as mulch, use the vines, and make this area of the yard prettier. I love it when things are useful and pretty – that’s something I always strive for.
The grape arbor looks fantastic! I don’t know what to tell you about the barn color, except to to do what color you are drawn to (and remember you can re-paint it if you don’t like it). I love reds and yellows and sage greens in my house — not fond of blue at all in my house — but I love deep blues and turquoise, bright yellows, chartreuse, and fuschia type colors outside. I think because those colors feel both cooler and tropical outside to me. And I try to have my various chairs, umbrellas, large pots, harmonize with my house door and shutters, along with the chicken coop (which is the only large painted structure I have other than the house itself). So you might think in terms of harmonizing with your house or any other substantial structures you have or might get (like a coop).
Mmmmm….well my house is white with black shutters. Which is why the bar is white with black trim but I want to do something a bit more fun. Our front door is red and our back door is periwinkle blue. LOL! See my problem!!
I mean barn…..not bar!
That pergola turned out beautifully. I don’t think you can go wrong with a red barn, but if your neighbor already has one…blue…not so much…how about a neutral mist or a gray or a Chatham Fog? 😀
These neighbors are down the road from us – not next door. Gray? Maybe a blue gray would nice with crisp white trim. You know I’m not a neutral kind of person 🙂
I love that pergola! I have always wanted one, but we have never gotten around to it. We have grapes on a fence and I like to make jelly and juice.
Which color to paint your barn is a hard call. We have used barn red on all our outbuildings, but I have always liked the different colors I see that people use. Periwinkle blue, green, or even lavender. Let us know what you decide.
I am not much help when choosing colors. You will have a pretty place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Looking forward to seeing the end result.
I love pergolas and this one is going to make such a pretty seating area! What with our love of all thing chippy white I am surprised you would want to cover the wonderful patina on your barn. lol, I have lots of gret patina around here that I’m working on too. I love a red barn. I’m a farmgirl through and through and what with red being my favorite color and red being such a natural for barns, well, I guess you know what my vote is. Red all the way!
Your pergola is great! What a wonderful outdoor space this will be!
Here in Lancaster County, alot of people do Jamestown Red with white trim. That is what we did. It has a bit of a brown tone to it, and I would have loved a bit more red – it does look great! I think a real deep red like your neighbor’s would look fantastic with your house – especially the tie in with your front door.
So I vote Red!
Deanna
The pergola is awesome and I don’t think you can go wrong with a red barn. What an awesome space you’ve created!
Love the pergola…I agree that you can’t go wrong with the red, but whatever color you go with I’m sure will look great!
Manuela:
You are so inspiring to me……how do I get to where you are in getting stuff done around the interior and exterior of your home. If I was a pet…..I would certainly choose to live at your house……you make things so homey….most important you make frugal look rico!!!! Thanks for sharing……I go to your post every day to see if something is new!!!!! Love it!!! PS I think I like the blue color by your description…..even though barn red is my favorite colour……the blue just sounded so serene and peaceful. My two cents worth. <<>>> Lorri Cavins Show Low, Arizona
Thank you Lorri!
As to getting things done, I don’t have any little ones to take care of and I don’t work outside the home so pretty much my time is mine own. I like to do things and am pretty energetic. So it just depends on where you are in life and your personality. I have an idea of what I want to accomplish each day but if I don’t stick to it it’s no big deal. I’m not a big list maker/checker offer – doesn’t work for me. But that does work for lots of people.
Love the arbor, it looks fantastic and the barn is wonderful. Hugs, Marty
You may be interested in seeing my friend’s grape arbor posted on my blog. We have pergolas in several places and we thoroughly enjoy them. I like the periwinkle idea for your garden building. I know whatever you choose it will be beautiful like all the ideas you have.
What a great project. It will be wonderful next year when the vines are green and full of fruit. Next year is such a hopeful phrase especially in the garden.
You have to have hope if you’re a gardener!
I love your pergola! It’s going to be a lovely area to sit and when the grapevine grows and fills in it will be nice and cool. As for the barn colour – what about golden yellow with white trim? I like things sunshiney all year round. Whatever you choose it will look very nice!
I love yellow! Almost all my rooms in my house are yellow. That would be pretty – a sunshine yellow barn. Thanks for the idea!
I would love a red barn! Paint the front, live with it for a couple of weeks and then decide.
Oh, dear, Manuela! You know I love purple, so I would vote for the periwinkle! LOL
What a pretty spot to have a seating area! You will enjoy it so much! Post progress pics??
Your grape arbor is lovely! They always look so wonderful covered in the grape vines, too. You will love it and I think you should paint it periwinkle! I like your idea of it bringing the sky down where you can appreciate it even more.
Hugs, Cindy
I am a fan of traditional, and red is an all time favorite color of mine for barns. I think Periwinkle on such a large structure might make you cringe every time you walk out, since it would be a lot of periwinkle
I would want the surrounding color of the flowers and such to be the focus, drawing color in..
How about doing the barn white again, but maybe just accenting the door and other parts like the star, with the periwinkle, to bring a color in you love, but just not so much?
I love the arbor, and would love to have another one.
Ours was built by the former home owners, who didn’t stabilize it correctly, and it came down after a heavy snowstorm here in Colorado. Oh well, maybe someday!
I might start by painting the door red and see how I like it. Thanks for the suggestions!
I painted my house and barn red. I would love to email you the picture, when I was looking for the red barns and homes it was hard to find. I also tried out several shades of red before choosing the one I have.
Please do – I’d love to see them!
I’m the wrong one to ask because I love a red barn so much that it would be my absolute choice. BUT what you said about bring the sky down and the fact that you have the blue back door makes me think that blue would be beautiful back there.
And I’m nuts about the pergola. I’ve always wanted one over our back deck. (Back deck… in south Georgia = rarely used. )
I would love to have a pergola somewhere on my property. Yours is fabulous! I like the idea of a red barn with white trim.
Either color would please me…I really like the square shadows underneath
the arbor….
WOW, I LOVE your BARN! I can’t decide between RED or WHITE:) Hmmmmm, guess I will have to let you make that decision! The Pergola is wonderful, my daughter is wanting one over her back patio! Have a blessed day my friend, HUGS!
I’m always fond of a red barn. The arbor will be so lovely with vines. What color is your house?
White, black shutters, red front door.
Love love love the pergola!! I’m thinking of putting one outside by our “barn” – a converted playhouse. Red would be nice and that is the color I painted ours but dark green might also look good? Can’t wait to see what you decide.
Love the pergola and it will be beautiful, shady and cool after the grapes vines grow ~ and they do grow fast!
Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Love the grape arbor. How about a white barn to match the white shedd?
We love our little sitting area beside our “barn”. Love to sit out their in the early morning making a list of things to do that day. We had a hard time picking a color for our barn too. Finally decided to paint ours yellow to match our house. I think periwinkle would be charming. Mimi
If you paint the barn red, orange or yellow, the space under the pergola will feel warmer than if you paint the barn periwinkle blue, white or light grey.
So, if you intend to enjoy the seating area in the warm summer months, I’d go with the cooler shades. If I understood you, Periwinkle is the color of your back door? If so, then the Periwinkle barn would tie in to the house very well.
Just my two cents.
I have barn envy !!
Absolutely charming xoox CLarice
love this! it will look fabulous with vines growing over it
I love red barns but I say go with the periwinkle!