Oak Branch Cottage: Progress continues...

Major progress is happening all around Oak Branch Cottage this week, bringing us another step closer to the finished product. From the front yard to the interior trim, every corner is starting to feel refreshed and full of life.

Outside in the Garden

The exterior transformation is officially underway. Our landscaper has started working on the irrigation plans, ensuring the yard will be easy to maintain for years to come. Even better, a huge delivery of landscape plants arrived at the cottage. Seeing all that greenery lined up and ready to go into the ground is making the outdoor vision feel real.

Inside Color & Paint Updates

Inside, the painters are keeping the momentum going with some stunning color choices:

• Closet Doors: Got a crisp, fresh coat of Benjamin Moore's White Dove—the ultimate versatile neutral.

• Hallway: We opted for color-drenching in Sherwin-Williams Rain, wrapping the walls and trim in a calming, cohesive blue.

• Accent Pieces: A vintage bamboo accent chair is getting the same Sherwin-Williams Rain treatment, and its cushion is currently off being recovered to complete the look.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

A Window-Cleaning Trick

One of the coolest parts of the process this week has been the window cleanup. Instead of the tedious, time-consuming work of taping off every single windowpane before painting, the team painted freely and is now cleaning the glass by scraping off the excess paint. Watching the dried paint peel right off the glass leaves behind razor-sharp edges and spotless panes. It is such a satisfying and clever trick!

Renovations are always a journey, but watching these layer-by-layer changes makes every bit of dust worth it. Stay tuned for more updates as the garden goes in and the interior details come together!

Updates, y'all!

Oak Branch Cottage: Landscape Demolition

Work is officially underway at Oak Branch Cottage, and this week brought a major milestone: full yard demolition.

Lackluster maintenance as of late had left the front, side, and back yards completely overgrown. To make way for a fresh vision, everything had to go. Trees, bushes, and outdated plantings were all cleared out, effectively creating a clean slate for the next chapter.

The Design Vision

The upcoming landscape design keeps things classic, elegant, and timeless:

• Structured Boxwoods: Creating strong, clean lines and evergreen framework throughout the property.

• A Crisp Palette: Dominated by rich greens and bright whites for a tailored, serene feel.

With the help of AI, I have collected some images to present to our landscaper. Remember, these are only ideas, not reality.

A project like this requires serious heavy lifting, and enormous thanks go to Jorge from JC Landscaping. Jorge has been managing the our current property’s lawn care since 2018, and he didn't hesitate to tackle this massive clearing job. Having a trusted partner on-site makes all the difference when executing a large-scale redesign.

The groundwork is officially laid, and the build-out phase is right around the corner. Stay tuned for the next update as the new plantings go in!

Demolished Landscaping, y'all!

Welcome to Oak Branch Cottage: First Impressions & What Made Us Fall in Love

 When we first laid eyes on Oak Branch Cottage, we knew she had something truly special. Today, I’m taking you back to day one—how she looked when we purchased her and the exact details that stole our hearts from the moment we pulled up to the curb.

The listing photos....

Here are a few of the big reasons we knew this was the right next chapter for us:

1. Off-Street Parking (A True New Orleans Miracle!)

If you are familiar with living in New Orleans, you already know that off-street parking is absolute gold.

For the last 18 years, we’ve dealt with the daily puzzle of street parking—hoping for a spot directly in front of the house or trekking down the block with armfuls of groceries. Having dedicated off-street parking is going to be an incredible game-changer for our daily routine, and it's something we certainly won't take for granted!

2. A Long, Wide Front Porch

The front porch immediately called to us. It’s wonderfully long and wide—the kind of classic Southern porch made for slow mornings and cool evening breezes.

Next up on the project list: We plan on removing the existing screens to open the porch back up, let the light pour through, and give the facade a fresh, welcoming feel.

3. Soaring 12-Foot Ceilings

Stepping inside, the vertical space instantly took our breath away. Moving from 8-to-9-foot ceilings up to 12-foot ceilings completely changes the energy of the home:

• More Natural Light: Higher walls mean larger window potential and better light distribution.

• Visual Space: The rooms feel airy, open, and far grander.

• Extra Elbow Room: Coupled with the high ceilings, the house itself is almost 500 square feet larger than our previous home, giving us that extra breathing room we’ve been craving.

4. A Wider, Spacious Lot

At Acorn Cottage, our lot was long and narrow—meaning the neighbors were just a little too close for comfort.

One of the biggest selling points of Oak Branch Cottage is the larger, broader lot. Having a bit of distance between us and the neighboring homes gives us a renewed sense of privacy and plenty of space to stretch out, garden, and enjoy the outdoors.

What’s Next?

We have so many plans to make Oak Branch Cottage our own, starting with opening up that front porch and improving the landscape! Thank you for following along on this journey with us—stay tuned for plenty of renovation updates, design inspiration, and "before & after" reveals!

Oak Branch Cottage from the Beginning, y'all!