House on Hillsboro

One Week Later

 

Picture above:  Here is the desk off of the kitchen.  I have decided to top it in the same Caesar Stone I will put on the kitchen counters.  The upper cabinets will be covered with doors and are deep enough to store my printer, freeing up the top of the desk of everything but my monitor so that I will have space to lay paper and write.  The cabinet below will store my hardrive.  There will be lighting mounted flush under the upper cabinets and a corded wall phone mounted on the wall on the left - the one in the house that will work even when the power is out.  The guys will create several tunnels through the wall into the pantry so that all my computer/printer cords can be organized in there and out of sight.  And not underfoot!

 

Picture above:  The bannister made by hand by the builders.

 

Picture above:  Master bedroom with finished ceilings! looking through master bath and into the closet.

 

Picture above:  Master bath counter tops.  I wanted something seamless and shiny and white to match the tubs and toilets.  I went with the cultured marble from Lowe's and while I had no fewer than five nightmares that they didn't fit, they did!  And I am really happy with them.

 

Picture above:  Can you believe it?  Flooring!  Not only have I finally committed to something but I LOVE it, it was UNDER budget ($2.77/square foot), and some is even installed!  It is a SwiftLock laminate from Lowes. 

 

Picture above:  The master closet is finished except for a small piece of trim that will finish the molding around the floor.  Ray built the custom closet system after a quick consult with me and it is so nice.  The shelves on the right will serve as the bathroom storage for towels and such.  The thought of filling the rest of the space neatly with our things AND having space for it all is so exciting.

 

Picture above:  Here is Ava's cultured marble counter top.  Perfect fit!  And, yes, that is a shell sink.

 

What?  She really loves the ocean. 

 

Picture above:  This morning they laid the floor in her room and closet. 

 

Here is one of the windows in Jack's room.  I had fifteen or so lights in various spots throughout the house that I wanted to match and be relatively simple and inexpensive.  I found the school house-esque ceiling mount at Lowe's for $30.00 a piece and was thrilled to death. 

No stone progress this past week.  Here's hoping for Monday!

First Floor Update

Um, I've fallen a bit behind with the blogging.  I really have nothing to say for myself except that it must have something to do with a computer that will not cooperate.  Or the fact that I have had 67 house decisions to make every single day.  Or that I have spent nearly all of my free time in home stores or plumbing warehouses or on the road somewhere in between.  Or that I went from walking over each evening and finding nothing to report to finding lots and lots of progress and feeling overwhelmed about what to photograph first in the quickly fading light of day. 

Or this sweet baby I am making.  (Second trimester!)

Or a particularly exciting recent development.

Or that school is out and glorious summer is here. 

But I am not complaining just explaining.  I am thrilled to death with the house and things have been going so well - house building and baby growing. 

Here's some of the latest:

 

The house is white and I love it! 

 

The roof is nearly complete.  They had to stop there near the middle to wait for the stone to arrive so that they could bring the chimney through the roof before laying the tin around it.

And finally,

 

it is here and waiting.  Rumor has it they will start laying it on Wednesday. 

 

Picture above:  pantry entrance

 

Picture above:  pantry looking left  The same shelves are on the right .

 

Picture above:  Here are the tile I chose for the kitchen and pantry floors after a very, very long search.  They are made to resemble the clay tiles in old Italian farmhouses.  The tile felt right but I could not for the life of me decide between the light or dark.  Then I had an idea.  I have always loved the old black and white checkered tile kitchens but would never be THAT bold but I could checker these two colors on the diagonal and have a similar, more subtle effect.  I will use the 3x6 wall tile for the back splash.

 

Picture above:  the dining room ceiling, still to be painted    Beautiful.

 

Picture above:  master bedroom ceiling

 

Picture above:  laundry room

 

Picture above:  Master Bath  In real life the paint isn't the least bit green (It's a really light cream) and the wallpaper is breathtaking and not at all pink (more gold).  I just couldn't capture it, Becca.  So sad.

Frank, however, is exactly like that in real life.

 

Picture above:  view into water closet   The floors are perfect.  I love them so.  I have decided to put them in the laundry room, too.

 

Picture above:  wallpaper detail   So sweet.  This wallpaper is the most delightful thing I have come over to find yet.  I am already regretting that I didn't have the time to find more wallpaper for Jack and Ava's bedrooms. 

 

Picture above:  vanity wall

I can't believe we have come this far. 

Beadboard

 

 

 

We are slowly getting there!

The bead board has been installed in Jack's bedroom.  I had them finish the top with a two (three?) inch ledge instead of just a trim piece.  It looks wonderful plus you can use it to lean pictures and such against the wall or to sit tiny horse or zebra or giraffe or rhinoceros figurines and anyone that knows Jack can tell you that will tickle him to death. 

The white primer is so soothing and beautiful that I am almost scared to walk in the room the first time after they paint.  Choosing paint was so hard for me and I have a history of never liking paint when it first goes up even if I come to love it later.  They are painting now, the first coat is on in most rooms and walking over in the evening has a new touch of fear to it.  I am fairly certain that painting is my least favorite part.  I'll let you know how many I got right and how many I didn't.  I am hoping for at least 50/50!

The rain.  Our little pond is breaching the levee as we speak and Hillsboro Road is completely covered in several places.  Today is so dark and stormy the guys can't work at all AND rain is predicted every day this week.  We need several sunny days to stain the outside and install the metal roof.  In the meantime, I am officially needing wood floors.  Decision time has come. 

Windows Framed

 

A window is framed!  And this may not feel like big news, but it is one of the only bits of non sheet rock progress we've had in weeks. 

That sheet rock is quite a job.  Let's see, first they hung the sheet rock.  Then they taped the seams.  Then they mudded the tape, screws, and nail heads.  Then they sanded it.  Then they reinforced all the corners with metal stripping.  Then they taped and mudded again.  And sanded again.  Then they primed the walls.  Then they sprayed a light texture on all the walls not to be wallpapered.  And that is where we are now. 

When I pulled up last night at 10:00pm (loooong day) to unload the fans and lights I had purchased (yes!), I walked through the house with a flashlight and...as far as I could tell...I think...all the walls and ceilings are finished!!!!  That means a) exciting stuff begins next week and b) I really have to make a final decision on paint and wallpaper THIS WEEKEND.  And let me say, these are decisions I should have made a long time ago.  I was funny about wanting to wait to make a lot of the decisions about the finishing part of the house until the time I could actually buy them and bring them home, partly because my plan seemed to change frequently (once the house is finished I should probably never look at another home decor magazine again) and partly because a lot of the products are so fickle.  Like tile (the worst)!  And flooring.  And even appliances.  And having an entire plan built around something that is all of the sudden discontinued is heart wrenching. 

BUT, paint and wallpaper for the most part does not fall into this category.  Most are around for years and years.  I've said this before but it is so hard to know where to start with the design of a room.  Like the bathroom, for instance.  I wanted to choose tile THEN wall color.  But if you wait for the entire house this way, all of the sudden you have a lot of decisions to make fast. 

The good news is, I finally have a plan coming together and though it started out as a hopeless mess, I am starting to feel pretty good about it all.  The thought of having all these paint/wallpaper decisions behind me is so exciting.

But back to the window.  I was thrilled with them.  So simple and perfect.  This window in Ava's closet is the only one complete but I noticed all of the other windows pieces are cut and primed and waiting to be installed. 

Still Here!

Blame JD.  He is so exhausting with his energy and ideas.  When he is home we are so busy it is nearly impossible to sleep, much less blog but can you blame him?  I apologize for not updating but at least I am consistently inconsistent.

BUT, although a lot of time has passed, nothing too visually exciting has been going on.  For the past few weeks, it has been all sheet rock, plumbing, wiring, and duct work so it seems like things have really slowed down but it is all necessary, important stuff.  It just doesn't make great pictures.

Here is the latest.

 

Picture above:  The finished window boxes.  I love them.

 

Picture above:  The view from the middle window.

 

Picture above:  Screened porch.  The plywood floors are temporary, of course.  The outer walls will be finished and screened and the kitchen wall to the left will be covered in stone. 

 

Picture above:  Exterior doors are in!  Front door.  I chose a solid wood style because I like to be able to cover all windows at night and didn't want to have to worry with awkward door window coverings.  Deciding what color to paint it will no doubt be one part thrilling and one part torture.

 

Picture above:  Kitchen door to screened porch.

 

Picture above:  Great room double door to back porch.

 

Picture above:  Laundry room door to back porch.  So, these doors - I worried to death that I wouldn't like them but I do!  I went with the enclosed blinds because I love a door with lots of glass but there are no good options for covering them.  The mechanism works so well.  You can raise and lower the blind and open and close them to any degree.  As to whether they hold up well, only time will tell.

 

Picture above:  In the evening, the light through the dining room windows is amazing.  By the time the sun sets it covers the entire great room floor and out through the french doors.

   

Picture above:  Ava's room.  Well, unless the baby is a boy.  Then we might have to make this the boy's room.

I'm pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Around the House

 

Yes, yes, yes.  Perfect.

 

Picture above:  Front door, looking in and to the left. 

 

Picture above:  On the other end looking toward front door.  Frank is sweet.

 

Picture above:  I do believe the fireplace is our favorite thing in the whole house.  I began to worry that when they finally built it in it would feel big and obtrusive because I had gotten use to nothing being there, but it feels just right.  It will soon be covered in a stone veneer that will come down over the top three rows of the white fire brick so the opening won't seen so tall.  They will also build a hearth. 

Over the weekend JD and I sat our lawn chairs where the couch will go and imagined watching tv.  It wasn't awkward in any way!!  It is definitely not too high.  Relief!

 

Picture above:  Master bath tub nook and shower on the left.  Because the shower is seven feet deep, I made the decision to make the outside wall a half wall.  The top will be covered in glass and the door will be glass.  It will definitely feel brighter and less claustrophobic when you are in the shower but I am having second thoughts about the way it looks from the point of view from the tub.  Another tricky compromise.  I think it was for the best, though.

 

Picture above:  Across from the tub nook.  The original plans showed dual sinks with knee space in the middle and one long counter top.  I think I have decided to have a sink on the left, counter top with knee space (a vanity) on the right, and floor to ceiling storage in the middle - drawers below to store the little stuff and large cabinets above to store towels.  Otherwise, the only storage will be in the master closet (the plans show a built in linen closet there). 

The space is 9'4" long, so if the built in was about two feet wide (the width of two rows of folded towels) each side would still have 3 1/2 feet of counter space.  Do you think the space will feel crowded?

 

Picture above:  The landing at the top of the stairs.  Door to Ava's room on the left.  Eventually, the floor to the left of the stairs will be cut out to the floor joist creating a space to look down into the foyer from the second floor.

 

Picture above:  Looking into Jack's room.

  

Picture above:  Jack's room view from his bathroom.

   

Picture above:  Looking out Jack's door at the bookcase.  Ava's room is so full of saws and sheetrock and such that I am not able to get a good picture now. 

Aren't we making progress!  Building this far has been an absolute pleasure but the hard part (for me)is about to really begin.  Lights, paint, wallpaper, counter tops, sinks, appliances, and MORE FLOORS.  Oh, dear. 

Tile, Part 1

Ava's Bathroom:  White Oct/Dot,  Home Depot

 

Jack's Bathroom:  Home Depot

 

Master Bath:  2" Creamy Hex, Home Depot

 

Home Depot came through!

More, later.  Soon, I hope! 

Dash & Albert

I spent nearly the entire day today looking for tile and, as expected, I have been a wee bit indecisive, a problem brought on mostly by the fact that I have no idea what I am doing AND the other unfortunate fact that my tastes seem to differ from what is currently popular so that all the good, contemporary advice the nice salespeople have to offer goes in one ear and out the other. 

I did make one major exciting discovery today.

 

Dash & Albert rugs!

I have been trying to choose paint colors but where do you start?  We have no decent bedding to coordinate with.  No curtains.  No upholstered furniture.  So, if you are staring with nothing what drives the room?  Take the dining room for example.  Mine will have a window seat with pillows, a table and chairs, and a rug, none of which I own yet.  I decided to find a rug I loved and start with that which proved to be much easier said than done.  I wanted simple rugs made of a natural material (there are some weird rugs out there!) that are reasonably easy to clean and reasonably priced. 

Hello, Dash & Albert.  I am in love.  Their prices range from a 2x3' for $28.00 to a 9x12' for $385.00, with several sizes in between.  They are 100% hand-loomed cotton, are reversible, and come in 180+ colors!  I'll need one for each of the three bedrooms, the dining room, great room, and possibly a runner for the loft and I love that I could cover all that with their rugs and have a bit of uniformity from room to room. 

They have great cotton throws, too.

 

Perfect for the foot of a bed. 

Now to choose which ones.  Shute.

Laundry Room

Several weeks ago, on the day before the plumber was to come out for the first time, Ray (Alvin's brother) asked me if I had designed the laundry room yet.  I laughed because I thought he was kidding but as he stared at me with a straight face it dawned on me that he was dead serious.  Me?

He explained that it was MY laundry room and because I had moved it from what was in the original plan there was a totally blank slate so someone had to design it - might as well be me.  Oh, and they needed it by that afternoon. 

I walked back home, mortified.   But then I got out my trusty graph paper and the more I thought about things the more fun it became and I figured out that I rather liked making the decisions for myself.

And by lunchtime I had this.

 

Way back when I was first considering this house plan I decided to move the laundry room from off of the kitchen to the place it is now that was originally a half bath.  For one, I don't like laundry and food sharing a space.  And two, I have always wanted a walk-in-pantry and thought this kitchen was borderline too small to not have a pantry of some sort.  And three, I wanted to be able to access the laundry room from the back porch.  And four, I wanted the laundry room to have the 'lockers' that have become so popular recently (I think they are brilliant.) And five, I really, really wanted a laundry room that could handle a full sized ironing board and a utility sink and a bar for hanging clothes.  Whew.

   

Picture courtesy Nonnie Bear.

The picture above is one of the most beautiful laundry rooms I have ever seen.  And the biggest.  The lockers here are what I have in mind except mine will not be recessed into the wall.  One for each person - to hold back packs, purses, wallets, coats, cameras, umbrellas, hats, keys, cell phones, shoes, etc. 

   

Picture courtesy Nonnie Bear.

Shannon recently posted the picture above and it was the first time I had seen under counter storage for laundry baskets.  I love that!  Maybe the three feet of counter to the right of the dryer could become four cubbies one on top of the other?  One for whites, cold water, hot water, and clean clothes on top.  

Right now we have this.

   

There is plywood covering the window because this particular one hasn't come in yet.  It will be a casement window, different from the rest.

 

I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Sheetrock, Plumbing, Electrical

 

Picture above:  Master bedroom

 

Picture above:  First floor heating and cooling unit.  There is a separate one for the second floor.  Laundry room on the left.  Master bedroom on the right.

 

Picture above:  Master bath shower.  Master bedroom on the left.  Master bath on the right.

 

Picture above:  View into master closet from master bath.  It's a doozy.  There is another window to the right.  JD and I won't know what to do with ourselves. 

 

Picture above:  The closet area I turned into a built in bookcase.  Second floor heating and cooling unit will go there on the right and the fireplace will come up to the right of that.  Window nook on the left.

   

Picture above:  Jack's room

 

Picture above:  Ava's room.  I am having heck making a final decision about furniture placement in this room.  Every room, really.  It matters because the phone jacks and coax go in now.  I wish I had thought about thinking about that a long time ago.  It just never occurred to me.  But I am learning!

As a side note, I recently realized that house plans are on the same scale as graph paper.  I honestly had no idea!  One square foot is equal to one graph paper square so you can make to scale cut outs of your furniture and place them around the house really easily.