Thursday, July 10, 2008

Project Black: Back Yard


ANNA has started the new color project and it is BLACK! My second favorite color after purple.

This was taken in my backyard. I was facing toward the front of the house. When we bought the house 5 years ago it was all white, no shutters, no trim and the siding was filthy - yellow and moldy. Once we cleaned it up the whiteness was killing me so we added black trim and shutters and we replaced the rusted steel fence with black slats.

The little building to the left is the brand new shed. A tiny white house with black shutters where all my son's magical machines and tools live a happy life. We also put down black and gray rock around the shed since this part of the yard tends to flood.

I'll take some shots of the front for the next PROJECT BLACK post. Hope you visit all the others.

47 comments:

Leora said...

White with black shutters: a classic approach. Interesting angle and composition. And nice description to personalize the photo.

Leighann said...

I love the little peeks inside (and out) of my bloggie crushes! *giggle*

Carletta said...

I love how the light filters!
Looking forward to seeing "the rest of the story."

Dianne said...

leora - thank you! I was trying to show that I was in the BACK so I wanted to give a sense of looking out toward the front.

leighann - now ya got me giggling at the idea of you peeking through my fence. what a wonderful surprise that would be - and you could bring all 4 things and the big guy too!

Dianne said...

carletta - it was late afternoon - my favorite time to water and roam around my "grounds" lol
glad you like it, thank you

Anonymous said...

It's my favorite color!! Great shot!

brittaffeldt said...

I love all the different depths to this photo... I feel like it might go back forever if your fence didn't stop it! Great find!

Shelly said...

Your backyard is so tidy, lolol. Fun shot, like the whole black and white thing - the rocks were a great choice, I even clicked to see it larger to get a better look. Can ya tell I'm in home-improvement mode?

Unknown said...

I like what you did to fix up the backyard, and this is a great shot -- I love how the linear perspective is accented!

MaR said...

I love your shot and the perspective!

Anonymous said...

I always appreciate the companion prose to a photograph; while the picture may paint a thousand words, I always manage to have a thousand questions in response.

"...where all my son's magical machines and tools live a happy life."

I can just SEE them coming to life when y'all are all asleep :).

Black accents DO make a nice show--inside and outside the house.

Knight said...

How interesting, my favorite color is black followed by purple. I love the way the shadows are bouncing around the light.

Sparkling Red said...

Cool shot. Something about the shaded alleyway is sinister, even in the context of a sunlit blue sky. It expresses "black" very well.

Willow said...

Nice contrasts-black, white, blue. It's clutter free and so all the more intense.

Anonymous said...

That is one of the grandest sheds I've ever seen! I could probably live in there... with all my toys, of course ;-)

Great shot!

Anonymous said...

I like the salt and pepper rocks and the black fence -- they take the traditional and step it up just a bit.

Janet said...

I love the shadows in this shot...beautiful!

Dianne said...

mishelle - thank you!

britt - what a cool comment, thanks - I was trying to say back yard in the shot

shelly - aren't you always in home improvement mode!? lol
I have to say the tidiness is mostly my son's doing - he even put curtains up in the shed!!

thanks christy - this poor house and the property were so neglected when we bought it. it has been a labor of love to bring her back to life.

Anna said...

Nice angle here! I love the gate!

Dianne said...

thank you so much mar :)

robin - I love people who appreciate the companion prose since I find it impossible to be wordless!! I'm so pleased with all the black accentts we added since it is such a favorite color.

knight - we keep finding all these little tidbits - will make the adoption so much easier ;)
I love the shadow play that goes on back there - especially late in the afternoon!! - it is my favorite spot in the yard

sparkling - that alleyway is most sinister because it leads to where the electric meter is - my AC bills are killing me!! when we bought the house that whole area was sinking, full of mud and the old shed was rotting.

willow - thank you! clutter makes me anxious, I love clean lines.

jc - it is a comfy shed but we would let you stay in the "big house" lol
and we could party the night away

Kell said...

That's a beautiful shot and I love the gate. I've thought about using black on my house next time we paint. I love how it looks

Dianne said...

quilly - that was mostly my son's idea. I told him what you said and he said "see - some people appreciate me" LOL

thank you janet - the shadows are my favorite as well - I was delighted they came out as they did

anna - thank you!! and thanks for a new project to enjoy

Dianne said...

kell - I almost lost you!!
I'm so glad we went with black. definitely consider it.

Raven said...

I love shutters. Love the beautiful sun/shadows on the walls and ground too... And isn't that a black fence up front as well? Nice photo. Thanks for your birthday song and to the kitties too. I've been taking pictures of day lilies, skies and black things. Is there life beyond the blogosphere? Oh - if you get a chance... my niece Diana did the nicest thing for my birthday. I put a link to it on the birthday post.

Kim from Hiraeth said...

Black and white looks so wonderful together!

Dianne said...

raven - the shutters are relatively new - I get impatient but everything is so expensive, we must pace ourselves.
I've already been to Diana's place! She's lovely, your birthday post was wonderful

kim - it does!! thank you very much

Real Live Lesbian said...

OOooooh...I love the black and white! It looks like a little dollhouse!

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

That's an outstanding shot. :)

Anonymous said...

fun photos with the black shutters and fence...I really do think black and white are a striking combination...

Linda said...

Hi Dianne,

Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a lovely comment!

I just love the contrast of black on white - especially when it's a crisp and clean white. Lovely!

Beverly said...

Like the others, I too like your black on white. Project black is going to be fun and challenging.

lynn said...

I like how you added the black to contrast the white house. Cool perspective for the photo!

Jay said...

There are a number of homes around here that are white with black shutters too. It works nicely.

Dianne said...

RLL - the shed is adorable, I wish it wasn't full of tools, I'd love to make it my own lol

thanks so much rebecca!!

ellen b - it is a great combination, I'm so pleased that black is this project color

linda - you're welcome and thanks to you too. my son power washes like a crazy man so the white is always white

thanks beverly - and I agree, Project Black is going to be great

thanks lynn :)

thanks jay - before we added the black the house was so white it made my eyes hurt ;)

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I always liked black shutters on a white house...very classy.

RW said...

Thats a awesome shot Dianne! :D

Anonymous said...

I have always liked this combination. Very elegant!

Bobkat said...

Love the little Black shutters :) Black never looks blacker than when it's next to white (if you know what I mean) :)

Anonymous said...

Nice one!

Robin said...

I LOVE the rocks - they add wonderful visual interest to the classic white with black look, and the angle of your shot adds great depth.

Daryl said...

Clever project ..


My favorite colors are purple, black and red

And thank you for stopping by Lisa's blog to give her a hug ... that was so very nice of you. Lisa is Husband's daughter who I love like she's mine!

:-Daryl

Dianne said...

sara - thanks so much, we can use all the classy we can get ;)

thanks roger!!

and thank you mike - we can also use all the elegant we can get lol

bobkat - I know what you mean :)

ilanadavita - thanks!

robin - thank you. a lot of people comment on the rocks, I'm glad we decided on them instead of the more traditional stuff.

daryl - anna's projects are always great and she brings together so many people.
you're welcome re. Lisa - it was a little thing to do, all Moms are connected :)

Odat said...

Great photo!

Peace

Dianne said...

thanks odat - have a great weekend!

maryt/theteach said...

Love this shot Dianne! Thanks for visiting me for Project Black! The black shutter is perfect! :)

CG said...

Black and white is so classy...like you!

Dianne said...

thanks mary :)

and thanks cg - I try to be classy at times but then those Brooklyn roots - well ya know ;)