Spring is in the Air. Our Metal Roof is On!
March 28, 2025
The sun is hanging onto the day just a little longer each passing day. Mounds of snow have turned to puddles, soaking into the dirt beneath them.
Winter has waved good-bye to us—surely they have packed away their wintry elements and soared to a far away land.
Each gust of wind sends birds in a whirl, above green tops of evergreens—honking and chirping contently, in search of a place to nest and feed.
The coast is gleaming with a fresh start, throwing off its thick blanket used to ward off the cold, sheets of ice, and snow.
The creek now flows freely, moving—adapting to new paths around large boulders and rocks in its way.
Spring is around the corner, bringing its signature trait—rain.
Openings In Construction
In construction, open roofs with exposed materials in all types of climate and weather is a natural process. I sometimes gawk at the apparent puddles on our new second floor.
We are welcoming with open arms the fresh, warm breeze, and the sogginess I accidentally find myself standing atop, while examining the space around me.
The drizzles are gently blown into the openings—sometimes through smaller cracks between boarded walls, other times through large gaping holes, such as a window opening.
It is forecasted to have higher percentages of precipitation this week, Michiel has prioritized having the roof finished, with the specific shade of grey metal sheets we had ordered a few weeks ago.
Metal Roof Is Installed
The preparation and tediousness of building layers under the metal sheets often get unnoticed in the process. It is a fact that certain carpentry work, although foundational—the process is not apparent, and for that period of time, you are not convinced that much work has been done. The roof work would fall under one of those categories.
For roughly two days straight, Michiel and his good friend clambered up the steep roof, roped and used good safety measures—brought up tools and materials.
They fastened, cut, and drilled the hefty metal pieces onto the worn grey and green shingles.
A unique detail we are ecstatic about is the semi-circular stained glass window that Michiel installed, south-facing in Florence’s new room.
It is interesting to see a different shape find its place amongst the varied sizes of rectangular shaped windows in our house.
Michiel’s parents have gifted us a special window—it happened to be that Michiel had that specific window in mind while in our preliminary stages of building the first two dormers.
Dormer #4
The number of dormers we will have actually totals four, not three. I had forgotten to account for the little stained glass window. Michiel had carefully crafted a structure specific to the measurements of the window and cut open the roof in the same shape.
The tiny dormer is eye-catching—a charming choice to add even more intrigue to a century-old home. We can imagine the blues and greens filtering through the glass, and projecting onto the floors of our little girl’s new room.
The lively colours will add playfulness against the pale pink walls—a colour she has chosen, matching the delightful, girly personality she shines through.
Nooks In the Bedroom
A spacious closet behind cream white doors will be in place. We have reserved the original doors of the house—a vintage gem reflecting a segment of the home’s past. The hardware is still in-tact, and genuine-looking, latch and hook in brass.
The doors are short in height, appropriate for the height of the room and ceiling at the time—too short for a regular interior door today, but just the perfect size for a little girl’s closet.
Since our house has many dimensions, such as bump outs and heights–our roof naturally takes on a multidimensional facet as well.
This would require more cuts to be made and more time to be spent on each facet. This amounts to an interesting looking exterior, with its own character and traits exposed.
The metal roofing was installed and completed in the span of a little more than two days. The hard work of the two very capable men is commended.
Even in their tiredness and soreness, they did not skimp on putting forth their best effort and attention to detail! We are quite pleased with the result of the roof.
Our Home’s Colour Palette
Our home’s exterior, being a work in progress, is now showing many colours. The main colour of the body will be revealed next spring when we finally install the new siding.
The brownish-red tin roof—under the name of Tuscan Clay (appropriately so, in my opinion) over Lorelai’s room is a beautiful accent, drawing attention to Michiel’s interpretation of Georgian-style architecture.
The beige-cream coloured trim and window frames coordinate with the clay colour. The main colour of our home will be a gentle teal colour—a blueish-green with a slight grey undertone, bringing a hint of coolness yet retaining its rich hue.
I have been researching and studying colours, learning to understand the formation of different tones and shades, specifically understanding the way light penetrates colours and the reflection achieved by them. It is intense.
There is a myriad of information and theories pertaining to colour science. And, science is exactly what this is.
However, much of how we choose colour and coordination is based on subjective preferences, usually a sight we captured and held onto due to sentimental inferences.
If, let’s say you were fond of a childhood memory—being at your grandparents’ house, and their house colour was a lively red, even though you may not love the bright red colour—it is not your first colour choice, you may choose it for your own home—wrapping yourself in the warmth of your specific nostalgia, and making it a part of your own house identity.
This is where a home-owner can project personality through their choices of style, colour, and decor.
It is an expression of you are after all.
When someone walks through the door of your home and instantly is overtaken by the space, it is not because of how wonderfully you’ve followed the advice from interior decorators in the most updated edition of a house designing magazine, but the expression of who you are and the things that bring you joy and comfort.
The people inside your four walls make your home a gem, and a haven for those who seek it—guests, friends and extended family alike.
Our physical home in a nutshell, is the heart of where we begin and end our day. Whether we nurture it in the way it deserves, or whether we neglect it—leaving it in utter mess that it is in every nook and cranny of our home—home is home, and we all crave that precious space surrounded by our loved ones—away from noise, and the hustle and bustle of life.
We are so glad to share details from our adventures with you, dear friends and family. Good night and sweet dreams to you all.
