Oh yeah, I was gonna say bird house....here's what my MIL has on the outside of her big red barn..birdhouse boot Or I use a pair of old rubber boots by my front door. Sometimes they are empty and sometimes I put fake flowers in them for seasonal arrangements. Hope this helps. Love, Jules

Hi Trailrunner- I actually attached my boxes to the window. I used some scrap wood and I cut two shorter pieces for the sides and two pieces that were the width of the window. I primed and painted each piece before attaching it- I used a commercial grade primer- 2 coats. And used Valspar exterior/interior spray paint- 3 coats. The box is put together with outdoor screws and is screwed into the window. I used two eyescrews and heavy gauge wire to hang them on the fence- they just loop over the pickets. I did the first two windows in a pale blue and I picked up two different windows that will be done in the pale yellow. I just started it the other day- hopefully the weather will clear up so I can finish them. I apologize for the dull pictures- we have had zero sunshine today...i'll post more pics when I finish the other two. I wouldn't spend the time taking them down to raw wood- the blue ones I did first- I just went over them with a steel brush to take off some loose paint flakes. If you by chance have the wood from the one that broke- they can be put back together very easy.

The purpose of double paned windows is the air between acts as an insulator. If you have old wooden windows and there are not two sets of them (an interior and an exterior) to make air between the windows then upgrading to new windows will help a lot. If you have two sets of windows to make the air gap then sealing them properly (weather stripping and caulking) to prevent drafts and leaks into the insulating air gap will be your most cost effective option. If you are getting new windows you might as well get the good ones with argon between the panes as the cost to install them is a big factor and you might as well install a good product. If you stick with the wooden double pane setup (two windows with air gap) then look at interior storm windows for more savings after proper sealing of the old windows. Climate seal is the interior storm window that attaches with a magnetic seal. Innerglass is another interior storm window brand that has compression fit, double hung, and sliding interior storm windows.

I would remove the existing rough wood trim and cap/trim it with the white trim style I see throughout the space. Then, add a small potted plant for warmth with a small framed photo and ceramic dish for keys beside it. Course, styling it for resale a plant or nothing would work fine too. Love the combination of the wood flooring, stone entry and front door finish. You've done a lot of great updates!