Dear Abelloseq: I so understand of what you speak! I will share this: I have 115 yr old Victorian Farmhouse. I have very carefully retored the outside, and the house needed this - I really cannot be anything else - and Yes I love it. HOWEVER, I AM NOT restoring the inside! I am taking out wall, opening up rooms. I AM keeping the original heart pine floors, the beautiful heart pine doors (restored), etc. I will use cottage windows on the back. In the kitchen I am doing a beamed ceiling to the roof-line using the repurposed 1/2 inch PETRIFIED Knotty Pine currently in the DR (office) - My point: I think embracing the structure of home can be done - without living with it inside. And while I will use reference materials in the home - I want light, open and airy! Not dark, heavy and oppressive - as much of victoriana was. YOU could change your home completely to a more cottage feel by using the first model I suggested - adding shakes over your horizational wood lathe; under all roof peakes? And simply changing HOW you apply colors? Adding non-functioning hardware to your garage door - until you can get a new one with cottage doors? Using different materials for lighting fixtures and house numbers? NOT chrome. It is a simple switcheroo! IF you like cottage - then perhaps finding a book at the Library on this period of style home would be the best concept? Simply cover ALL of the Board & Batten with shakes you can stain to match your home? You could STILL use Bermuda shutters on the front windows - for heat protection; privacy; and cooling purposes - I have seen these used all over Las Vegas - especially at restaurants. On your entrance - use a pergola, which incorporates some Arches - stain a darker color - you could still plant vines along here - use a darker flag stone to your entrace way - cool this down again with deep planted materials in a newly built stacked stone planter and CHANGE the front door to an OAK door? ALSO for that FP in the LR - you could have someone build a BOX over it for the base - and cover it with anything you like - bead-board; paneling; stacked stone; I think this would be very simple - it might be more of a modern interpretation - but with arts and crafts - cottage - it is all about the material and color. All of these designs : Arts & Crafts; cottage, Praire was the knee jerk reaction to the overwhelming heaviness of Victorian imposed styles. Let us know - we will be waiting for your fabulous re-do!

Love the glass... contains noise from below, allows for another heat zone... allows light downstairs... and visually opens up the space... brilliant! I love the idea of putting lights inside so that the stairs below are a dramatic accent at night... also brilliant. The railing is very cool... just needs to be a different color... verdigris... gorgeous! The stair treads... the visible part of the treads could be verdigris... this will give a nice solid foundation for the railing. Also... frame the window in verdigris. And then add vertical strips of verdigris colored wood... as in the photo that Genevive posted. The vertical strips will look like paneling or board & batten... depending on the thickness & distance. Both effects are classic looks.

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Today I replanted my Plumeria and the leaves started to droop a few hours later. My husband and I accidently cut off some of the roots. But there was still alot of root attached. Is there anything I can do to perk up the leaves. It was growing so beautifully. This is why we had to replant it. It was starting to block our entry way to our house. Any advise would be appreciated.