Painting front cottage windows

We have never liked the aluminium windows in the cottage, but as they are of Everest make and guaranteed to "last for ever" we decided to have a go at tidying them up with some Farrow and Ball French Grey paint which we used previously on the sun room woodwork.

Preparations began, window glass was masked off, and woodwork and aluminium was first given a primer undercoat. Top coat was then applied to give a smooth matt finish.

 

The window sills over the years have been given various coats of paint, the latest being white masonery paint. While we were browsing at Homebase, we found a spray can of  textured paint which we are experimenting with to see how long the stone finish lasts in outside weather conditions.

The cottage now looks much nicer with the French Grey painted windows...now what to do with the white UPVC porch??

Imprinted concrete in courtyard and driveway

We made the decision to have imprinted concrete cobbles, rather than a block paved driveway in the rear courtyard area and on the driveway for car parking.  After a couple of quotes, we awarded the contract to a nearby company, who arrived on the first day of work and broke up all the old concrete base, before preparing the ground for the new base layer.

 The following day earmarked the arrival of the concrete wagon, which of course proved to be too large and heavy to reverse up into the driveway, so the concrete had to be barrowed by hand before being laid and tampered down level. After setting for an hour or so, during which time the workers left site to go find a fish and chip lunch, they returned and imprinted the cobble pattern into the concrete using large rubber mats.

The following day the cobbles were washed down, left to dry and sealed with a protective coating.