Our Peanut Project: Just like at the hairdresser

You know when you get a haircut, how the hairdresser turns you away from the mirror while they do their magic? After your cut, they dry and style your hair just right, making a few extra trims that you can only feel because your back is to the mirror. You know it’s cut; you know it’s styled. But you can’t see it. Then, you know the final touch is made because there’s a pause. And, l'artist spins you around toward the mirror as if unfolding a present. Voila! It’s so exciting for all that change to happen while your back is turned.

the old do

We picked the color of our house a few days after Peanut was born. Chris from Rising Sun left us a few color swatches, which we held against the bright green construction wrap with one eye closed, trying to visualize our house saturated with each swatch. Although we narrowed the field with that method, it was the name that won us over. Earl Grey or Rocky River: which sounds more exciting to you?

Although the color of the siding was decided quickly, we spent a fair bit of time discussing the most sustainable and economical material choice. One option involved reusing our existing aluminum siding, but the process of removing it for the SIPs took its toll on the already warn material; we’d need to use toxic (and ugly!) vinyl to replace the pieces. We decided against reuse, opting to recycle (for some cash, too) instead. Another option was to repurpose barn wood, already “cured” to use as siding. With such a large supply of old barns in West Virginia and this region, we loved the idea of nurturing a budding green industry. In Colorado and other western states, craftsman are turning pine beetle damaged wood into high end items such as furniture, cabinets, and flooring. I know there is a vast market for aged Appalachian barn wood as a unique and green building material for flooring, cabinetry, or siding. Ultimately, we decided this option was not as easy or as economical as we needed for our project. Although there are likely more sustainable choices, we de opted to use Hardieboard, a super durable fiber cement siding (made of cement, sand, and fiber) that’s considered sustainable.

It was Chris from Rising Sun’s idea to use soffit (thick pieces that usually are used under the eaves) for a more modern look. West Virginia-based Hartland Planing Mill had ordered the Hardieboard soffit and painted it for us.

You are great, Tyler (5th generation - his great, great, great granddad founded the company in Clarksburg in 1912!)

As the days grew closer to the day we’d actually see the new siding, we wondered what color Rocky River actually was. I remembered a greenish hue, while Nico was telling folks we had chosen a dark blue. Needless to say, when the siding arrived, we were curious about the color Rocky River. It was all wrapped nicely, and we were busy packing for a vacation, so we just shrugged and remained skeptical of the other’s memory.

While we were out of town on vacation, Rising Sun did their magic, installing unique siding with cedar details. Our neighbors and coworkers watched as we remained oblivious to the aesthetic. Just like at the hairdresser, our home got the last big touch of its makeover while we weren’t looking.

We arrived home in the early morning, after getting picked up from a friend because our car broke down three hours from home. Was that the color we chose? It wasn’t until the next day, sitting together on our porch at sunset, that we relaxed and truly laid eyes on our home's new look. The sun’s rays reflected off the aluminum details, creating a stunning unveiling of our new do. Ah, yes, that’s Rocky River.