For anyone who might read this, though I am not sure if there are any - sorry for falling off the face of the Earth. I found reading back, the blog was getting too depressing - for both myself and probably you as well. So I decided to take a break. There were many depressing things that happened in the mean time - but many now have passed. Since the last blog - disasters that happened included:
- Cracked granite: The day before our exciting granite installation, we were called and told the very large piece for our island was cracked. They attempted to make us accept this and have an island 6 inches shorter than originally ordered, leaving only a 6 inch ledge to sit under. We did not accept this and after much complaining and threatening to cancel entire order, were able to pick out a new slab which turned out to be absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite things in the kitchen.
-Front door handle was missing pieces which still have not been sent so that is extremely frustrating. We literally have had insulation in the dead bolt top area of the door that is cut out waiting on the new hardware for well over a month. Definitely not a company I would recommend.
-Flooring issue still has not been resolved. We are still living with 1/4 of the living room being a completely different flooring. We have been fighting it and fighting it and hopefully some day will find resolution. With the furniture moved in most people will never even notice, however we do and for the amount of money that was spent on the floor, we should not have to live with that kind of mistake.
We finally moved back in my birthday weekend. Things were not done yet but we were ready to go home so we did. Upon moving home, we found our house to be a very ungrateful place. After spending so much time, energy and money remodeling the entire first floor, it must have been mad at us. We moved home on Sunday and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday had flooding in the basement. I had no idea the remodel included an indoor pool!! The first two times was over 6 inches and such a mess. I won't lie, I cried and was very defeated more than anything. We had not even unpacked, still did not have running water on the entire first floor, felt so unsettled, and then had to spend days cleaning up and fixing a destroyed basement. After we finally got those issues resolved, the furnace went out on the coldest night of the year so far on Saturday. Turns out the electrician did not pull the wires correctly and never reattached the furnace, just the heat pump, into the new breaker box. We paid to have the entire box updated and new wiring since the house was so old and ended up without a furnace - awesome!!
Eventually however, though things still like to stop working now and then, we are back in and starting to settle. This weekend, almost a month after moving home, I finally got pretty much everything put away and cleaned up. It was quite the task to say the least. We felt like we moved to a new home. Having to clean and find new homes for everything and find a new way to organize - especially with a 2 year old with way too much stuff - not to mention all of the new things she just acquired from the holidays. Yesterday we had to cerrara marble backsplash installed and it is one of the most beautiful parts of the kitchen. It just makes me smile looking at it. It is gorgeous and pulls the whole thing together. I could no be happier with it. We also had quartz countertops installed in the laundry room which now, other than hooking up plumbing to the sink and putting some shelves up in the new coat closet, is also almost done.
The holidays came way too quickly and were exhausting. After such a long 3 months living away from the house and all that came with moving back in the house, it seemed like a blur this year. Couple that with the fact Madelyn has decided it is a great idea to wake up at 545 each morning, and life still seems like a blur.
However, the house is almost done and is completely amazing. More than I could have dreamed for or imagined. The finished product is one to be proud of. So much hard work, years of saving and planning, being on the verge of divorce several times through all of the stress - we almost have the home we have always dreamed of. I walk in and feel like I am living in a magazine - well until I enter the living room I had cleaned before Madelyn woke up but now is littered with toys and clutter. We spent several hours at Ikea before Christmas buying every shelf and organizational helper they had - hopefully we soon will find a way to contain her belongings. I don't that I ever recommend an experience like this for anyone else. Yet, we have everything we could have ever imagined in details that are all ours. Small little things that mean so much to me are everywhere. That is something you can only get by experiencing something like we just went through. It was not easy - I won't lie. So many decisions, so much work - on top of an already filled, busy, life working full time and raising a child. After the finishing touches, which seem to never end, are done however, I will hibernate the rest of the winter. In spring, the inside of our house will finally rival the outside, where we spend every nice day enjoying our 8 acres. Soon I will post the drastic before and after photos. Even it being mine and living through it, I can hardly believe the transformation!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Was supposed to be a big week.....
Over the weekend, we finished the painting!!! YEAH!!! Now comes the touch ups and cleanups which I also dread. Sort of anything at the house I dread right now. Just seems like such a never ending ordeal - I wish I could just twitch my nose and everything would be clean and perfect and moved back in and decorated..... too bad I do not possess such a wonderful power. Last night was a lot of fun. Matt and I spent two hours on our hands and knees scrubbing the hardwood floors getting them ready for cabinet installation. They do look beautiful which is exciting - however the bruises all over my legs are not quite as attractive. Good thing it is pant season! ;)
Last week I was very excited to start this week. We originally had scheduled all construction outstanding to be complete - finish the floors, install the toilet and sink in the bathroom, fix some minor blemishes, install the new front door, etc. We were told originally cabinets would be installed Wednesday - Friday so we rescheduled that stuff for next week so they would not be in each others way. Friday afternoon Matt and I headed out to Miller Cabinets for a walk through to see how our cabinets were built and a sneak peak at the cabinets. After the tour we arrived at a pile of wood..... Some empty boxes, a pile of door and drawer fronts all unpainted. Matt seemed excited while I found myself bewildered. Apparently it showed on my face as Matt asked several times what was wrong. Um other than the fact I was told our installation would occur in 2 business days and there are dozens of unpainted, unfinished, not put together pieces of wood be described to me as my "cabinets", I don't know what is wrong?!?!? We were assured they were next in line for the paint booth and were on time. Come Monday, no word from the scheduler. Tuesday after several calls with no answer, we were called back and told they were primed..... not what I wanted to hear. Wednesday still no call from a scheduler so we call again. Still nothing scheduled though assured they will be installed but perhaps not starting until Friday now. Awesome! The granite people threatened to push back our date once again due to the fact our cabinets are not installed. They are coming Monday to template the granite. We lied and said they were installing tomorrow otherwise the granite install date will be pushed until December which is unacceptable!!! We have been assured the base cabinets will be available to be templated by Monday and they better be. I am just so sick of waiting and on a week that I was expecting so much progress, I have only found disappointment. Sort of heartbroken by it all. Hopefully next week will be better......
Last week I was very excited to start this week. We originally had scheduled all construction outstanding to be complete - finish the floors, install the toilet and sink in the bathroom, fix some minor blemishes, install the new front door, etc. We were told originally cabinets would be installed Wednesday - Friday so we rescheduled that stuff for next week so they would not be in each others way. Friday afternoon Matt and I headed out to Miller Cabinets for a walk through to see how our cabinets were built and a sneak peak at the cabinets. After the tour we arrived at a pile of wood..... Some empty boxes, a pile of door and drawer fronts all unpainted. Matt seemed excited while I found myself bewildered. Apparently it showed on my face as Matt asked several times what was wrong. Um other than the fact I was told our installation would occur in 2 business days and there are dozens of unpainted, unfinished, not put together pieces of wood be described to me as my "cabinets", I don't know what is wrong?!?!? We were assured they were next in line for the paint booth and were on time. Come Monday, no word from the scheduler. Tuesday after several calls with no answer, we were called back and told they were primed..... not what I wanted to hear. Wednesday still no call from a scheduler so we call again. Still nothing scheduled though assured they will be installed but perhaps not starting until Friday now. Awesome! The granite people threatened to push back our date once again due to the fact our cabinets are not installed. They are coming Monday to template the granite. We lied and said they were installing tomorrow otherwise the granite install date will be pushed until December which is unacceptable!!! We have been assured the base cabinets will be available to be templated by Monday and they better be. I am just so sick of waiting and on a week that I was expecting so much progress, I have only found disappointment. Sort of heartbroken by it all. Hopefully next week will be better......
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Painting, painting and more painting.....
Things are finally starting to move forward at the homestead and we are hoping to move home in a little over a week, the weekend of the 19th. I cannot wait!! Having my own house, or even better, a much improved house, back will be great. Mom and dad have been wonderful and the living conditions are great, having our own entire floor, bedrooms and bathroom, but nothing compares to your own home - and a garage now that winter is approaching. Everything that has been ordered and in chaos and on backorder is finally starting to arrive. The pendants are in! We have not seen them yet but they have arrived. The front door came, and apparently we should never order products with glass again, because the glass was broken on it. It has been reordered and hopefully will arrive next week. Cabinets are supposed to be complete Monday and installed later next week. I am so excited, however very nervous to see them as well. We spent so much time designing, and even more money building them, I hope they are all we have dreamed they will be. The granite is scheduled for the week of the 28th and our backordered backsplash tile should arrive that same week. We finally got a good deal on a replacement cooktop and it should arrive on the 22nd. Hopefully no more problems or delays with any of these items. I am ready for this project to wrap up. My hopes of having everything complete before I turned 31 is seeming less and less likely. At least I will celebrate at my own home though...
Lately it seems like every spare moment is spent painting. There was so much to do. It is getting less and less overwhelming as the rooms start to be completed. After painting until midnight on Saturday and 9 hours straight on Sunday, and whenever possible since, only the kitchen and brick room are left to be painted. Thank goodness. Thanks also to my dad who is a freakishly fast painter. Without Matt and I getting in his way, he probably would have had the entire house painted twice by now!! I will be happy never to see a paint brush again for a long time however once we finally finish! The color choices have been made and I am pretty happy. I spent literally almost 6 hours on a feature striped wall in the hallway from the kitchen to the living room. I am happy with the way it turned out. People are going to either love it or hate it which I am fine with. I think it is a nice addition to our once all tan painted home! Pictures will come as things start to finish up.
Once the painting is done - the house needs entirely bleached!! It is so dirty and has not been lived in but was inhabited by smoking (not in the house of course) contractors so it has an odd smell. Everything has inches of dust and the my upstairs bathroom has been destroyed by being used by contractors and ourselves for cleaning dirty paint stuff. Hopefully this weekend the painting will be finished and everything will be cleaned up. Progress is being made which is encouraging. Again, I am just so ready to go home.
Lately it seems like every spare moment is spent painting. There was so much to do. It is getting less and less overwhelming as the rooms start to be completed. After painting until midnight on Saturday and 9 hours straight on Sunday, and whenever possible since, only the kitchen and brick room are left to be painted. Thank goodness. Thanks also to my dad who is a freakishly fast painter. Without Matt and I getting in his way, he probably would have had the entire house painted twice by now!! I will be happy never to see a paint brush again for a long time however once we finally finish! The color choices have been made and I am pretty happy. I spent literally almost 6 hours on a feature striped wall in the hallway from the kitchen to the living room. I am happy with the way it turned out. People are going to either love it or hate it which I am fine with. I think it is a nice addition to our once all tan painted home! Pictures will come as things start to finish up.
Once the painting is done - the house needs entirely bleached!! It is so dirty and has not been lived in but was inhabited by smoking (not in the house of course) contractors so it has an odd smell. Everything has inches of dust and the my upstairs bathroom has been destroyed by being used by contractors and ourselves for cleaning dirty paint stuff. Hopefully this weekend the painting will be finished and everything will be cleaned up. Progress is being made which is encouraging. Again, I am just so ready to go home.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Been Awhile...
Sorry I haven't written in awhile. Life is super crazy. Construction technically is done at the house. There is some finishing work to be done but the regular daily construction crew has left. The laundry list of things we are waiting for seems to grow daily and includes:
-Front door
-Cabinets - kitchen and laundry room
-Granite
-Backordered backsplash
-Resolution on flooring issues
-Cracked cooktop that had to be returned
-Installation of sink and toilet in first floor bathroom
-Pendants - yes you read that correctly, we finally ordered some - lets hope we like them
That is all I can think of off the top of my head but the waiting game is definitely not fun. I am past the point of agreeing with Madelyn and our dog Max, I just want to go home! I am so ready for EVERYTHING to be finished and settled back in, ready to enjoy some of my favorite times of the year - the holidays!! Cannot wait to bake cookies and make meals and entertain in my new house!! However, it just seems like it will never come. Some days now I just feel defeated going into the empty house that is in such disarray. It is so dirty and sort of smelly, not to mention empty and the entire 1400+ square foot first floor needs primed and painted. The ceilings have finally all been repainted and slowly the walls, after a ton of new spackling and sanding to fix the damage of 35 years of wear and tear, are starting to get primed. It is such a huge and overwhelming task. I think I just need to take one room at a time because when I sit and look at the entire first floor that needs so much work, my heart races, I start sweating and have trouble breathing. Matt, other than a bout with a fever, has been very good about working a lot at the house. It is hard for us to both get there with Maddy demanding a lot of attention as always when I am not at work. Hopefully this weekend we will complete the painting and I will feel much better about the entire situation. Even just like a finished laundry and bathroom I think will make me feel better actually seeing progress.
Since I last wrote there has been some drama. Some how we came up about 150 square feet short on flooring. We had to order 5 extra boxes and ordered from the same company the other 1000ish feet came from. We installed brazilian walnut flooring which we have dreamed about since purchasing the house. It was love at first sight when we looked at flooring. It is an exotic hardwood so it is very strong and durable with two large dogs and a 2 year old running loose around the house. Most of the pictures and samples we saw were a very dark brown, almost black and dark green tones to the floor. When they installed the floor, it seemed redder than we expected. We were assured it was brazilian walnut, all of the boxes were labeled the same and were showed brazilian cherry which is much more red. Though it is beautiful, it was not as we expected. Since we were assured it was the right wood, we did not push the issue. When the next 5 boxes came and were installed, it looks like a completely different flooring. The dark browns Matt wanted appeared in the new flooring. This not only upset Matt because it is truly what he wanted, also 2/3 of the living room looks COMPLETELY different. With the amount of money spent on the flooring and installation, this is not something we are going to let go. We will fight until it is resolved because this is not our fault. I cannot imagine with all of the money we have invested, time we have spent completely moving out of our house, to make it perfect, living with a floor that bothers me every time I go in noticing it is clearly two different colors. We have filed a complaint and claim and are waiting on a resolution.
Second large drama comes with the cooktop. We built in the ovens in the wall so there is no microwave or hood over the cooktop so we have to find a cooktop with built in ventilation system. There are only 2 companies that actually sell a 5 burner 36 inch cooktop with built in ventilation. The prices between ordering online and buying in the store is over $300 difference. So where I was wary about buying online, after reading several great reviews, I figured the $300 savings was worth the shot. The cooktop was delivered and when we opened it, the glass was shattered. We filed a claim and actually were refunded our money, however the company we purchased it from no longer delivers to our zip code. We checked two other online sites, and they are stating the same thing now. This leaves us with no choice but to purchase from a store and pay over $300 more for the exact same product. Makes no sense to me and I find it very frustrating. $300 is like my sink for the laundry room, just another issue throwing the budget over.
The laundry room has now become another show piece. After spending time with Lowes and getting ideas, their prices were more than our cabinet builders to install with hardware so now Miller Cabinets is doing our laundry room as well. I think it will turn out very nice and functional. JD at Miller Cabinets in Plain City has been so fantastic. If you ever want custom cabinets, he is amazing, has great ideas, is easy to work with, and is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. I highly recommend him. The only disappointment however is the cabinets that were supposed to be done Friday are not going to be done and installed until "the week of November 14". I say that because they call on Monday to schedule installation later in the week. So it will probably take the entire week to complete it. Sadly, this throws off our granite templating and installation so we will wait longer now for that to get installed.
We have also been in search for the perfect granite. We picked out our steel grey but have still not found the perfect Alpine White - also called like 10 different things however it cannot be found. I fell in love with it at a different granite store where the prices were much higher. After scouring 4 different warehouses, we have yet to find what I originally fell in love with. One of the manufacturers has a delivery that is late, was supposed to be there October 15th, so we are hoping it has our perfect piece. This granite is for the 5 x 9.5 island which is the centerpiece of the kitchen. I want to love it and it to be perfect so this is a bit of a stresser. Hopefully it is resolved quickly as well. The granite person we are working with has been helpful, always answers his phone or calls right back, and was significantly less than 4 other local granite companies. I will wait until after installation for a final review and referral but so far have been pleased. We are getting the granite for both the kitchen and laundry room - yes you read that right we are putting granite in the laundry room now - for the same price as granite alone at all other stores.
Paint colors are also an issue at this time. This must be resolved quickly as we are hoping to finish painting this weekend. I am very indecisive and colors I think I like in the store I buy samples of and hate on the wall. I am pretty sure I have gone through 9 different samplers so far without really LOVING anything. Perhaps I should just paint the entire first floor tan again.... seems an easier answer. This is a boring copout however so I will push through and remain on my search for the perfect shades.
Well, I am sure I am missing things as it has been a crazy month and I lost track of everything. Luckily however I am yet to lose Madelyn - though I might have lost my mind. Hopefully from here on out things go smoothly and we finish quickly. My birthday is fastly approaching, one month from today, it would be nice to have everything done, installed, and settled back in at my own house as I start my 31st year of life!
-Front door
-Cabinets - kitchen and laundry room
-Granite
-Backordered backsplash
-Resolution on flooring issues
-Cracked cooktop that had to be returned
-Installation of sink and toilet in first floor bathroom
-Pendants - yes you read that correctly, we finally ordered some - lets hope we like them
That is all I can think of off the top of my head but the waiting game is definitely not fun. I am past the point of agreeing with Madelyn and our dog Max, I just want to go home! I am so ready for EVERYTHING to be finished and settled back in, ready to enjoy some of my favorite times of the year - the holidays!! Cannot wait to bake cookies and make meals and entertain in my new house!! However, it just seems like it will never come. Some days now I just feel defeated going into the empty house that is in such disarray. It is so dirty and sort of smelly, not to mention empty and the entire 1400+ square foot first floor needs primed and painted. The ceilings have finally all been repainted and slowly the walls, after a ton of new spackling and sanding to fix the damage of 35 years of wear and tear, are starting to get primed. It is such a huge and overwhelming task. I think I just need to take one room at a time because when I sit and look at the entire first floor that needs so much work, my heart races, I start sweating and have trouble breathing. Matt, other than a bout with a fever, has been very good about working a lot at the house. It is hard for us to both get there with Maddy demanding a lot of attention as always when I am not at work. Hopefully this weekend we will complete the painting and I will feel much better about the entire situation. Even just like a finished laundry and bathroom I think will make me feel better actually seeing progress.
Since I last wrote there has been some drama. Some how we came up about 150 square feet short on flooring. We had to order 5 extra boxes and ordered from the same company the other 1000ish feet came from. We installed brazilian walnut flooring which we have dreamed about since purchasing the house. It was love at first sight when we looked at flooring. It is an exotic hardwood so it is very strong and durable with two large dogs and a 2 year old running loose around the house. Most of the pictures and samples we saw were a very dark brown, almost black and dark green tones to the floor. When they installed the floor, it seemed redder than we expected. We were assured it was brazilian walnut, all of the boxes were labeled the same and were showed brazilian cherry which is much more red. Though it is beautiful, it was not as we expected. Since we were assured it was the right wood, we did not push the issue. When the next 5 boxes came and were installed, it looks like a completely different flooring. The dark browns Matt wanted appeared in the new flooring. This not only upset Matt because it is truly what he wanted, also 2/3 of the living room looks COMPLETELY different. With the amount of money spent on the flooring and installation, this is not something we are going to let go. We will fight until it is resolved because this is not our fault. I cannot imagine with all of the money we have invested, time we have spent completely moving out of our house, to make it perfect, living with a floor that bothers me every time I go in noticing it is clearly two different colors. We have filed a complaint and claim and are waiting on a resolution.
Second large drama comes with the cooktop. We built in the ovens in the wall so there is no microwave or hood over the cooktop so we have to find a cooktop with built in ventilation system. There are only 2 companies that actually sell a 5 burner 36 inch cooktop with built in ventilation. The prices between ordering online and buying in the store is over $300 difference. So where I was wary about buying online, after reading several great reviews, I figured the $300 savings was worth the shot. The cooktop was delivered and when we opened it, the glass was shattered. We filed a claim and actually were refunded our money, however the company we purchased it from no longer delivers to our zip code. We checked two other online sites, and they are stating the same thing now. This leaves us with no choice but to purchase from a store and pay over $300 more for the exact same product. Makes no sense to me and I find it very frustrating. $300 is like my sink for the laundry room, just another issue throwing the budget over.
The laundry room has now become another show piece. After spending time with Lowes and getting ideas, their prices were more than our cabinet builders to install with hardware so now Miller Cabinets is doing our laundry room as well. I think it will turn out very nice and functional. JD at Miller Cabinets in Plain City has been so fantastic. If you ever want custom cabinets, he is amazing, has great ideas, is easy to work with, and is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. I highly recommend him. The only disappointment however is the cabinets that were supposed to be done Friday are not going to be done and installed until "the week of November 14". I say that because they call on Monday to schedule installation later in the week. So it will probably take the entire week to complete it. Sadly, this throws off our granite templating and installation so we will wait longer now for that to get installed.
We have also been in search for the perfect granite. We picked out our steel grey but have still not found the perfect Alpine White - also called like 10 different things however it cannot be found. I fell in love with it at a different granite store where the prices were much higher. After scouring 4 different warehouses, we have yet to find what I originally fell in love with. One of the manufacturers has a delivery that is late, was supposed to be there October 15th, so we are hoping it has our perfect piece. This granite is for the 5 x 9.5 island which is the centerpiece of the kitchen. I want to love it and it to be perfect so this is a bit of a stresser. Hopefully it is resolved quickly as well. The granite person we are working with has been helpful, always answers his phone or calls right back, and was significantly less than 4 other local granite companies. I will wait until after installation for a final review and referral but so far have been pleased. We are getting the granite for both the kitchen and laundry room - yes you read that right we are putting granite in the laundry room now - for the same price as granite alone at all other stores.
Paint colors are also an issue at this time. This must be resolved quickly as we are hoping to finish painting this weekend. I am very indecisive and colors I think I like in the store I buy samples of and hate on the wall. I am pretty sure I have gone through 9 different samplers so far without really LOVING anything. Perhaps I should just paint the entire first floor tan again.... seems an easier answer. This is a boring copout however so I will push through and remain on my search for the perfect shades.
Well, I am sure I am missing things as it has been a crazy month and I lost track of everything. Luckily however I am yet to lose Madelyn - though I might have lost my mind. Hopefully from here on out things go smoothly and we finish quickly. My birthday is fastly approaching, one month from today, it would be nice to have everything done, installed, and settled back in at my own house as I start my 31st year of life!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
So BUSY!!!
It has been awhile since I posted because life is so hectic - not to mention I am homeless! :( Maddy and I - and now Matt since our electricity and water has been off for several days now - are all living with my parents still - oh and the dogs! Cannot forget them. It seems like even though we hired professional to handle the remodel for us, the task are insurmountable! There are still so many decision to be made each day, things to find, decisions to be made.... I leave my full time job to go home to a needy 2 year old and another full time job of co-managing - with the help of Matt - the reconstruction of our house. It doesn't even feel like the same house any more which is pretty incredible in itself. So much has been going on lately, I don't know where to start and probably will forget a lot. To start, our taste is incredible. Some how Matt and I can walk into any store - probably even the grocery store, and if we need to pick something out we always only like the most expensive things. I think it truly is a gift. If we got paid for every time we heard the word "premium" or "upcharge", our budget would start decreasing instead of increasing!
For example, the simple cheap half bath remodel. We took everything out and were going to simplify with a pedestal sink and toilet. Sounds simple and cheap right?? Apparently not. We only liked the large pedestal sink and matching toilet by Kohler which of course were much higher than everything else. Again, truly a gift. After searching days and several stores finding nothing comparable, we just purchased them. So next time you are at our house, take time to truly enjoy the luxurious new toilet and sink.
In the laundry room we currently have a large fiberglass double sink really deep sink that we love. After many stores, we found they no longer make something like this that is that large and can be wall mounted, we would have to get a sink base and purchase a large kitchen sink to put in it. Again, additional cost for large stainless single bowl sink PLUS now purchasing a cabinet to put it in. Not to mention we needed other cabinets to replace the old ones we took down, and every laundry room needs granite countertops of course - right?? Apparently in our house. We also built a closet into the laundry which is the first thing I notice when I walk in now, though it is also the only thing at all in that room, but will be very functional and was definitely needed after removing the hall closet.
The largest change has come in the kitchen. After 6 months of planning and picking the perfect design, we have changed it. At first we were going with a curved two tiered island. The whole idea was opening the house up giving it a very fluid, open look. Furthermore, with Maddy, the two tiered island I was contemplating a lot its functionality as she is so young. After much thought, we changed the island to a very large single level rectangle. It is lower so Maddy can do her art, eat her meals, just hang out at a lower level with me while I am cooking and working in the kitchen. The change came about as well because when we went granite shopping I found a beautiful Alpine White though it is actually a marbled gray granite. Matt wasn't sure how it would look with our cabinets so googled kitchen images. In doing so found some pictures with different island and exterior wall granite. So now, we are doing a dark gray cabinet on the island color with the Alpine White granite and a steel grey granite on the wall cabinets which are still white. A little more modern and contemporary but very custom and unique and we enjoy it. One other alteration we made which I love too much is the cabinet above the built in ovens now will swing upwards and we are putting a 27 inch tv hidden inside. We had the cable and electricity moved to make this work. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and with the large island to gather around, I wanted a tv but not noticeable. The hidden tv in the cabinet is going to be one of my favorite features of the remodel I think!! For years when we moved in I had a crt old school huge 27 inch tv that sat in the corner and I loved it. I have missed it ever since we moved it so I am glad to have this new addition.
One thing still lingering is the PENDANTS! I hate pendants just to clarify. Pretty much the only thing Matt and I argue about is the stupid pendants. I pretty much have given up and don't care any more but Matt's taste is outrageous on the only ones he does like so I have had to step back in after conceding my opinion to at least regulate the costs. We found something new today which comes out next week and is on order for us to view. I am hoping it is the one and this horrible process of pendant searching comes to an end. It truly has been one of the worst parts of the remodel. If I knew it was going to be like this I would have just done all cans in the kitchen.....
Speaking of, the cans are looking wonderful!!! Before the remodel we had no overhead lighting in the house! It was awful!! Both living rooms were horribly lit be lamps and the kitchen has several darks spots. Our first floor now has 32 cans, 3 eventual pendants and under cabinet lighting. We are not going to know what to do with so much light. I hate dark though so it is going to be another wonderful addition.
Progress is being made at the house. They have less than a week to be out, and I am more than ready to move back in. Hopefully they stay on track. It looks like we will be moving back in 1-2 weeks before the cabinets are done, then the granite will take an additional 1-2 weeks after the installation of the cabinets, but we can still be back home, just without a functioning kitchen. So far however, so good. I like the progress, am so happy with the open huge feeling the house has now, and just cannot wait to see it all come together. Knock on wood, other than some minor hiccups, the remodel has gone pretty smoothly so far. Hopefully it finished up the same way.
For example, the simple cheap half bath remodel. We took everything out and were going to simplify with a pedestal sink and toilet. Sounds simple and cheap right?? Apparently not. We only liked the large pedestal sink and matching toilet by Kohler which of course were much higher than everything else. Again, truly a gift. After searching days and several stores finding nothing comparable, we just purchased them. So next time you are at our house, take time to truly enjoy the luxurious new toilet and sink.
In the laundry room we currently have a large fiberglass double sink really deep sink that we love. After many stores, we found they no longer make something like this that is that large and can be wall mounted, we would have to get a sink base and purchase a large kitchen sink to put in it. Again, additional cost for large stainless single bowl sink PLUS now purchasing a cabinet to put it in. Not to mention we needed other cabinets to replace the old ones we took down, and every laundry room needs granite countertops of course - right?? Apparently in our house. We also built a closet into the laundry which is the first thing I notice when I walk in now, though it is also the only thing at all in that room, but will be very functional and was definitely needed after removing the hall closet.
The largest change has come in the kitchen. After 6 months of planning and picking the perfect design, we have changed it. At first we were going with a curved two tiered island. The whole idea was opening the house up giving it a very fluid, open look. Furthermore, with Maddy, the two tiered island I was contemplating a lot its functionality as she is so young. After much thought, we changed the island to a very large single level rectangle. It is lower so Maddy can do her art, eat her meals, just hang out at a lower level with me while I am cooking and working in the kitchen. The change came about as well because when we went granite shopping I found a beautiful Alpine White though it is actually a marbled gray granite. Matt wasn't sure how it would look with our cabinets so googled kitchen images. In doing so found some pictures with different island and exterior wall granite. So now, we are doing a dark gray cabinet on the island color with the Alpine White granite and a steel grey granite on the wall cabinets which are still white. A little more modern and contemporary but very custom and unique and we enjoy it. One other alteration we made which I love too much is the cabinet above the built in ovens now will swing upwards and we are putting a 27 inch tv hidden inside. We had the cable and electricity moved to make this work. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and with the large island to gather around, I wanted a tv but not noticeable. The hidden tv in the cabinet is going to be one of my favorite features of the remodel I think!! For years when we moved in I had a crt old school huge 27 inch tv that sat in the corner and I loved it. I have missed it ever since we moved it so I am glad to have this new addition.
One thing still lingering is the PENDANTS! I hate pendants just to clarify. Pretty much the only thing Matt and I argue about is the stupid pendants. I pretty much have given up and don't care any more but Matt's taste is outrageous on the only ones he does like so I have had to step back in after conceding my opinion to at least regulate the costs. We found something new today which comes out next week and is on order for us to view. I am hoping it is the one and this horrible process of pendant searching comes to an end. It truly has been one of the worst parts of the remodel. If I knew it was going to be like this I would have just done all cans in the kitchen.....
Speaking of, the cans are looking wonderful!!! Before the remodel we had no overhead lighting in the house! It was awful!! Both living rooms were horribly lit be lamps and the kitchen has several darks spots. Our first floor now has 32 cans, 3 eventual pendants and under cabinet lighting. We are not going to know what to do with so much light. I hate dark though so it is going to be another wonderful addition.
Progress is being made at the house. They have less than a week to be out, and I am more than ready to move back in. Hopefully they stay on track. It looks like we will be moving back in 1-2 weeks before the cabinets are done, then the granite will take an additional 1-2 weeks after the installation of the cabinets, but we can still be back home, just without a functioning kitchen. So far however, so good. I like the progress, am so happy with the open huge feeling the house has now, and just cannot wait to see it all come together. Knock on wood, other than some minor hiccups, the remodel has gone pretty smoothly so far. Hopefully it finished up the same way.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Moved Out
The last couple weeks have been insane. A lot of progress has been made though and construction truly will begin MONDAY! FINALLY!!!! So exciting. What is not exciting however is that I no longer live in my house. Last weekend was a very busy weekend of removing the flooring , furniture and cabinets from the first floor. I personally chipped out all of the tile and sub floor in the hallway which was no easy or fun task. However it did beat Matt and Eric removing 30 year old nasty stained pooped on too many times to count horrible carpet and padding and nail strips - so tile removal truly was the better option. Once completed however it was very obvious the house was no longer child or pet safe so Maddy, Apollo, Max, Lola and I have moved in with my parents. They currently are in Italy so we have the place to ourselves but they do return Sunday night so that should be interesting. Hopefully we can move back in to our own home very quickly. Things with the original contractor ended up not working out with scheduling issues so we have hired Shawn to do the entire project. I am very happy with this decision as we have been very satisfied with him and all he has been able to do for us so far. Furthermore, he claims 2-3 weeks and he will be completely out of our house which is fantastic - less time living with the parents! This is just his construction - the demolition, moving of the walls, inserting the window, finishing work, new front door and installing the hardwood and new sink and toilet. When he is done we still will have to paint, install the cabinets, granite and appliances and finish all of the trim work. When his work is done however, we will at least be able to move back into the house so that is what is most important. Madelyn has been suffering some anxiety issues with all of the madness in our lives right now. We went on vacation so she stayed somewhere else for a week, and was with me 24 hours a day for 10 days straight. After only 3 days home, she went and stayed with Matt's parents in Cincinnati for 4 days without us. When she came back she was babysat by other people while we worked on the house, only to move her out of her own house completely now. Furthermore, she is used to spending every day with my mom who she adores. With mom being gone she has had different babysitters which has been confusing to her. She has become a very clingy child constantly hanging on to me telling her sitter she misses me at all times. My independent doesn't need me little child is starting to have issues. So the sooner life gets back to normal for her, or for all of us for the matter, the better!! Below are some pictures of the destroying of the kitchen we did this weekend.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Back to reality
Last week we headed to Destin Florida for a nice, very first family vacation. Madelyn was super excited to go to the beach. However the massive waves from tropical storm Lee scared her away from actually going in the ocean, and she stood on the beach screaming "Go away waves, I don't like you!" Such a character she is. It was very relaxing, with daily naps, laying on the beach and playing in the pool. No decisions about pendants, wiring, cans, hardware, paint.... to be made. A nice escape from what had become a very overwhelming stressful consuming remodel. I asked Matt if I could become a vacation housewife - stop working and just hang out at the beach and pool with Maddy all day but not worry about cooking or cleaning, but he rejected my offer. Perhaps it is time to find someone to support that dream lifestyle of mine! :) Hard to come back to reality and work and the madness of the remodel. Things are progressing along however. Everything seems to be lining up and we are hoping to start Monday, September 19th. We have to order the cabinets this week and finish clearing out the first floor, the cabinets on the first floor and all of the flooring. Might be in for a busy weekend!! Progress is being made and Matt's precious budget has been blown, but he has stopped freaking out about it. I have no idea when this project got so big or so expensive. Hopefully in a very timely manner however our house is put back together better than we can even imagine and it will all be worth it.
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