Side Access Makeover

The side of our home has been in dire need of attention for a long time. Its where my washing lines are and its also access for our daughter’s cabin. The concrete that was laid there is in very bad condition. It wasn’t done well in the first place. We also had a few patches from a water leak and the removal of an old hot water system. It really was time for a side access makeover.

FIRST STEPS in the side access makeover

The first step in the process was to use the high pressure cleaner to give the concrete a good clean. We then removed the old clotheslines so that I could fill the holes and repaint those areas. I then had to treat the gate frame with a rust inhibitor to get it ready for a repaint.

After making a start on this area and getting some input from friends I decided to spray paint the fence as well. It was scratched and very faded so I felt that if we didn’t do it the area would still look messy. I used the high pressure cleaner again on the fence.

starting the big job of painting

The biggest part of this makeover was always going to involve paint. Paint is an inexpensive way to change anything.

The first job was the fence. We had purchased a Wagner spray gun for another another job but hadn’t used it yet. Lets just say that it takes a little bit of getting used to!!! It was paint armageddon to start with, I had paint everywhere! Once I got the hang of it though, it’s all in the consistency of the paint and the air from the gun, it was such a time saver. I painted the fence Dulux Lexicon quarter which is the colour we use for all the timber work in our garden.

Next up was the wall touch ups. Followed by the big job of painting the concrete path. I used Berger Jet Dry in a colour called Regal Fortress. There was an unsightly gap between the path and the fence that has always annoyed me because it always looked dirty. After painting the path and fence this area looked even worse. I decided to fill it in with drainage gravel, which was inexpensive and it looks 100% better. Although to be honest the before doesn’t look as bad as it did because of the white spray paint 🤪. The pictures above show it better.

ADDING THE FINISHING TOUCHES to the side access makeover

Once the basics were done it was time to get the finishing touches added. First up was to replace both clotheslines with new ones as the old ones were rusty and some lines were broken. I chose Hills lines from Bunnings in a colour called Dune as it matched well with teh wall. I have a small one just outside the laundry door with a double one further down the wall.

The laundry door was given a makeover with my favourite colour added. The colour I chose was Dulux Smoky Pink. It was nice to have a bit of fun with this door as its really just for me. I used my Cricut Maker machine to make a couple of signs to add a little bit of interest too. A vinyl mat topped with a coir mat was added at the door. Some plants were added in old terracotta pots repainted white. I found a little ships bell at Bunnings to add as well.

raised herb garden

A herb garden was next on my wish list. There is nowhere to plant a garden so I found a raised planter at Bunnings that was perfect for the job and wasn’t expensive. Of course I just had to use my Cricut again to pretty it up. I loved that it had a shelf at the bottom so I could store plant food and a watering can.

I decided to plant the herbs in individual pots as they all required different amounts of water so it would make it easier for me to take care of them.

The entrance gate also got a repaint as the frame had started to rust. A wreath and the word welcome was added to the gate to give it a fresh look.

I hope you like the changes we made. We didn’t want to spend much money on this makeover as it wasn’t something that many people would see. In total we spent approximately $850.00 including both new clotheslines, paint and all the decorative items. I was able to shop my home for a few items too which saved some money.

If you’re interested in seeing some more makeovers start here with the laundry on the other side of the pink door.