Today it's back to the ugly ranch in Connecticut where I continue to help my friend surf her way through the tidal wave of projects in her home. One of the things she hated most about the sixties ranch when she pulled up was the ugly, dated plastic siding someone installed in the nineties. Don't get me wrong, I totally see the benefits to siding, especially on the east coast...maintenance FREE. That doesn't mean, however, it doesn't look like the ugliest person at the prom! She also wasn't crazy about the red brick, which also dated the house. So, as electricians work away on the interior, we decided to focus on the outside. I chose shiplap to replace the vinyl siding, because it can play both contemporary and rustic, depending on how you finish it. Because she bought a (somewhat) contemporary home surrounded by farm houses, I thought it was a nice way to marry two styles (we will use some with reclaimed wood on the interior, but you'll have to wait for that one). Like most people she grabbed a few paint samples and a stain sample she slapped on a tiny piece of wood. RULE #1: the true color is hard to determine based on a glossy 2"x2" card, so buy samples for $3.25 at the home depot (even if it isn't the same brand you choose they will match the color in a small sample) then slap it on the wall! Especially when painting brick, it is important to get it on THICK or you'll be painting for days (we will more than likely have her painter spray most of the house but wanted to get a majority of the front finished to see what it looked like). Many brands make this great paint, but at the Home Depot it is Behr who makes a special finish for Masonry, Stucco and Brick. Make sure you buy a roller for rough services, too, then go for it! In a few short hours this house went from ugly duckling to Prom Queen!
