Since MysteryMan has imposted the One. Project. At. A. Time. rule in regards to the Memorial house, and I can’t verbally talk about all of the wonderful things I think we should do to the place, I decided a visual representation might be better. That way MysteryMan can just close his eyes (and take a deep breath) when he feels overwhelmed.

I’m mostly joking. This is just the way we like to keep good ideas we see in the front of our minds when picking out things for the house.

MysteryMan actually picked out the big middle picture, which is kind of the theme we’re going for with the house overall, and I love it. It’s got kind of a green, wood, stone thing going on (not to mention the roof!) that feels a little rustic, but not too cabin-y.

I know, I know, you’re having trouble picturing that here:

But, just wait people. I have a vision.

As you can see from our idea-board, we’re also playing around with roofing styles (still.) We don’t want the gas station to be a carbon copy of the house, but definitly to blend in with the overall theme of the property.

Corey mentioned that the cost of these premium roofing materials may be money better spent on something inside the house. Actually, I think the term he used was “fancy roof” which made me laugh… you’re totally right Corey. (About the fancy part at least, although in a very rustic kind of way.) I definitely stay away from generic materials like vinyl siding or 3-in-1 asphalt shingles, mostly because I hate them. Seriously, I get a twitch in my eye.

I totally understand that they are cheap and durable building materials though, which is exactly why people love (and use) them. But for me personally, it’s worth the extra expense and work for something that has a little more character than the norm. I can’t tell you for sure if MysteryMan feels the same way… for example, I think I could say “honey, just put some cheap gray shingles up there” and I don’t think he’d argue. But I also think he really likes my ideas (when I have them one at a time) and since we by no means stretched either of our budgets buying this house, is willing to go with it when I start throwing around terms like “cedar shingles” and “stone veneer”.

I think we might actually go with a composite cedar shingle, which is way more environmentally friendly and requires less maintenace, on the house. And a metal roof on the gas station and the yet-to-be-confirmed dormer on the house (which won’t have a steep enough pitch for cedar.) There is still some debate as to the color of the metal, since I like both the silver and the reddish-copper color you see on the pictures surrounding the house above. MysteryMan has no opinion, and my guess is that’s because he wants me to be completely liable if it looks like crap.

And since either way it’s going to be a pain in the butt to install, I spent 4 hours petrified, sitting on top of the gas station roof today as penance. But that’s a story for another day… (like tomorrow.)