Work is still ongoing at Pardy House. Even so we feel interior completion within the month of August very likely. And on that subject there are a number of interesting and attractive things completed on the inside since my last posting but today I have my mind on other things. Where will we put our two children, I mean vehicles, on the property?
Those who know Leann and I, know very well that we appreciate craftsmanship, quality and esthetics, so a safe place for our two white vehicles is paramount. Parking on street, especially come winter is simply not an option, so off street parking must now be worked into our landscaping master plan.
Neither Leann, nor I love black asphalt, so no matter what home we live in some other material will have to be used for parking. For a period home like Pardy House we really don't want asphalt anyway, simply because it may come across as too harsh right next to our pastel home. If our land was larger, and parking a distance from the home then maybe the black pad could be considered but in this case the parking for both cars will be within 10 feet of the home.
How do we then have functional parking without spending an utter fortune? We have discussed the idea of brick pavers, which aren't too costly but involve maintenance over time that we simply don't want. We have also considered pale gray cement, which I feel is a real possibility. Then once I discovered that this cement may be dyed it was a serious contender.
Slate and stone are also obvious choices since others on the street have already used them in attractive stone walls and steps. The issue here is where the stone will come from. Grey Slate is nice and something which can be delivered from local sites at a reasonable cost. Sandstone is harder to come by at low cost but the great thing about stone is how comfortable I am with building with it. I would have no problems constructing my own stone walls and driveway.
What do you think we should go with? Stone, Cement, brick, or what? Here are some photos of the proposed site for Leann's parking space next to the front door, the one which will involve the most work-- big surprise. I valiantly suggested that I could park at the back next to the barn and walk to the front. Leann's site needs fill before we ever start with any esthetic walls or driveway surface. Stay tuned to find out what happens!
