It's Here!

The media console, that is. It's the Ming Media Cabinet from Ethan Allen in the "aged teal" color.

We've also ordered the tile for the kitchen backsplash. It has a little bit of a metallic sheen.

When sealed and installed, it will look like this (I hope).

Living Room Update

This weekend I "moved in", which really means we moved the big stuff. Quite a few things still have to make their way over from my old place but it should all be done by the end of the week. Finding room for everything is still a huge challenge.

I thought I'd share a little update on the living room today. We're nowhere near done, but at least there's furniture!

Before:

During:


Right now:

We're waiting for the new media console to arrive, blinds have to installed, the coffee table has to be replaced/refinished, pictures will be hung, the chairs have to be reupholstered, etc., etc., but we have somewhere to sit!

Kitchen Update

The counters are in. I love them!

The ovens and faucet have been installed too, but I'll share that after we get all the drawers and things back in. Be sure to have a look at my previous posts here and here for the "before and during" photos.

Next up - backsplash decisions!

Bring it on, granite people!

We're ready for you!

Dining Room Ideas

The carpets are in!
The granite guys came to make the templates for the countertops yesterday. And took my new sink with them, which gives me the heebie jeebies.

The house is a complete disaster zone but I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on the dining area today. This is the best photo I have of the dining table. It's maple with a butcher block top.

The new chairs are the Seagrass Side Chairs from Pottery Barn. You can also see the new carpet and paint color in this photo (taken in the living room because the dining room is filled with furniture from other rooms).

I'm thinking of this light fixture, but I'm having a hard time visualizing it and don't want to make a mistake. It's "Lucy" by Robert Abbey.

Today I'm off on another quest to find paint for the master bedroom.  As of right now I have 4 Behr paint swatches on the wall and I hate them all. Going to see what Benjamin Moore has to offer.

Busy, busy, busy

It felt like Grand Central Station over here at times today.

First, the dining room chairs arrived two days early. I'm very impressed with Pottery Barn, but finding somewhere to store them while the carpets are being installed has been a challenge.

The carpet guys showed up right on time,

followed by the appliance delivery truck.

We now have everything but (literally) the kitchen sink, which should be here tomorrow.

Kitchen Decisions

We have most of the kitchen decisions finalized!

Range: GE Cafe™ Series 30" Free-Standing Gas Double Oven with Convection Range - two ovens!

Microwave: GE Cafe Series Advantium® 120 Above-the-Cooktop Oven - counter space is very limited in the kitchen (which made the countertops more affordable), so we decided to stick with the over-the-range microwave.

Countertop: Black Pearl Granite in a honed finish. A little scared of this one because I've read that it may be hard to take care of, but it's SO pretty and we're adults, right?

Sink: Gourmet Elkay Kitchen Sink ELUH3120RPD

Faucet: Talis S 2-Spray HighArc Kitchen Faucet, Pull-Down

Progress!

Although we bought fairly high-end items, we did not pay anywhere near retail for any of them.  I'm a big bargain hunter but I was still shocked at the difference between retail and the best prices I found online.

We still have to make a decision on the backsplash and cabinet hardware but figured it would be easier once the countertops are in.

Kitchen Before

Just scheduled the carpet install! Woohoo!

We've been visiting granite showrooms for what feels like forever and will be back there this weekend.
I never realized picking countertops would be this hard. Not to mention what to do with the backsplash!

Today I'm sharing some "before" photos of the kitchen. I think the "after" is going to be stunning - as soon as I can decide on the product and color.

We've bought a new, stainless steel range and microwave and are seriously contemplating replacing the dishwasher. The sink will also be stainless steel.
Unfortunately the refrigerator is pretty much brand new so it's going to have to stay for now.

Merging

Within the next couple of weeks, I will be officially moving from my temporary abode into a "new" place. It's quite exciting but does involve the merging of two people's tastes and belongings. We're setting off on a fairly extensive remodeling and redecorating journey, which has already proven to be fun, but challenging.

Living room before:

The built-in window seat made the room feel smaller and was truly not a comfortable spot. The enormous entertainment center is out of here too.
We're hoping to get the painting done this week before the carpet installers come...if I can make up my mind about the color.

It will get done...

That is my mantra right now.
I did manage to get the caulking around the bathtub done.

See my new bathtub spout?
Off to get a shower head this morning.

Light!

But that's about it.
I'm starting to feel like this project will never end.
Life just keeps getting in the way.

The light went up yesterday. Yay!

It's a little hard to take a photo but, in case you've forgotten, it's this one.

I also have sink faucets.


But not much else...

Sigh...

Guess what I'm doing this weekend

Caulking around the toilet

One word.
Tape.
Do it. You won't regret it.
Because of the curve, I had to tear many short pieces of painter's tape and overlap them to keep the gap even.

Taping allows you to make this kind of mess.

Afterwards, just run your finger along the caulk in one smooth stroke.

Remove, the tape and - voila!

I chose to use caulk that matches the floor rather than the toilet. I think it's less visible than a white line would have been.
I was lucky to find the right color though. Not many choices in silocone out there.

The Flooring Decision

I did quite a bit of research on flooring. I new it was going to be vinyl but there are quite a few options out there.

Some of them:

1. Sheet vinyl - that's pretty much what I had before, so not an option

2. Vinyl tile you glue down

3. Peel and-stick tiles

The big warning about vinyl tile is that you should not install it on particle board. Because the underlayment (new word I learned) IS particle board and I do not have the skill nor the energy to rip it out and replace it, I decided not to go for vinyl tiles.

I finally found this product:

It is called Allure and it's by Trafficmaster.  They claim it's "The Easiest Floor Ever". The advantage is that you don't stick this to the floor.  The sections overlap and stick to each other (See the gray bits?  They're sticky.) This also makes it pretty waterproof. Important in a bathroom. I wanted to post a link to the Trafficmaster web site but they don't seem to have one.  Strange...

I bought the flooring at Home Depot.
About $50 for a 24 square foot box. The bathroom is only 40 square feet so, with tax, $120 total.

Installation was fairly easy, although exhausting.  It took me 12 hours to lay the floor. If I was a man with strong muscles it would probably not have taken as long, but cutting through this stuff with a utility knife is an amazing workout!

Floor in!

I'm sick as a dog this week, but the floor is in!
I still have a few finishing touches to add, but I'm happy.

And the light fixture arrived. I'm a little afraid to open the box. I hope everything is in one piece.

Progress...

This is where it started.

This is where I left it last night.

Guest Bath Continued

Yesterday I went from this
to this

and then this

Ready for flooring.  Yay!

I primed the floor with Bullseye 1-2-3 primer from Zinsser because that's what I had and it's an all-purpose primer. After doing a bit of research for this post however, I found that there are actual waterproof primers out there, which probably would have made more sense.
I really didn't have to prime the floor for the flooring I'm using (more about that in a future post) so I should be OK.  Or I may go out and buy different primer...

Since I had a bit of primer left in the paint tray, I got started on the red walls.



I had an "Aha!" moment yesterday.  It will be a good idea to paint the walls before laying the floor.  No need to worry about drips. Duh!

Today's mission: finish priming the walls and get started on the cabinets.

Now you see it...

Now you don't.

I got the strong 18-year old home for Christmas break to take out the toilet this morning.  Now to get rid of the rest of the nasty floor.

(How do you like my little drain hole cover?)

I've gone and done it now!

Reached the point of no return, that is.

There is some water damage. Crossing my fingers that I won't have to replace the subfloor.




I'm also going to have to deal with two layers of linoleum.

The vinyl tiles I'm considering:

It's a dark bathroom with no windows. Lighter is better, I think.