Drive east on Bayard Park Drive, and you will find a 1940s cottage-style home with a gray exterior. Muted shades have been all the rage in terms of paint trends, and certainly this house’s curb appeal draws from the understated-yet-cozy feel of popular cottage and farmhouse style abodes.
Painted gray brick is trimmed neatly in a bright white, offering a delicate juxtaposition between the hues. But if you walk along the street in late summer, fresh blooms offer a brighter, more surprising contrast.
“We bought the house in the fall, so we had no idea that we’d have such pretty azaleas and hibiscus,” says homeowner Laura Ballard, who purchased the home in 2018. “As we’ve lived here, we’ve fallen in love even more with the exterior.”
Bursts of white and lavender azaleas perk up in summer and are offset by coral-hued hibiscus. To add more color, Ballard planted daylilies and placed potted plants, enhancing the petite front porch that she decorates according to season. By fall, bright gold mums will line the porch. Ballard chooses their shade to match the colors of the home’s front-facing stained-glass window.
“There’s a little tomcat that pops by for a visit,” Ballard says. “A calico named Chloe had been a constant companion — everyone thought that she had been my cat because she would recline on the bricks on the side porch.”
The porch has become somewhat of a local cat hotspot, with Ballard even setting out a bowl of fresh water for the felines.
“Clearly, we love our cat neighbors,” she says. “And we really like the way this home looks, simple and neat. We plan to keep it that way, a classic look.”
