Monday, August 24, 2015

I Really Tried!


The chairs arrived from One King's Lane and I really tried to love them!
What's not to love?  They're upholstered in a camel colored linen, similar to burlap, the legs are limed and they're over 100 years old.  

Here's what they meant by "limed" legs.  The legs look to me like they were just half stripped of their paint.  I would have preferred a solid wood.

The fabric is not a warm color at all.  In fact it looks dead in my house.
Granted, it is beautiful and would work somewhere else, but not with what I'm planning for the new house.  I was hoping for a warmer color. 

I thought about reupholstering just the cushion in leather and stripping the legs, but at the end of the day, it's all about comfort.  
Mr. A tested the chairs for comfort and they failed!
He said he couldn't imagine eating a long, relaxing dinner sitting in this chair!
I guess that's because they're over 100 years old?
Thankfully, OKL will accept returns.
So, back to the drawing board!


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Friday, August 21, 2015

On The Edge

My contractor had a few countertop edge and thickness options mocked up for me to consider.
He especially wanted to know how thick I want my kitchen countertops.  I hadn't given it much thought before.  So I immediately went to Pinterest to research the option of thick countertops.

 This kitchen by Barclay Butera Interiors is close to what my kitchen will look like.  
Black countertops with white cabinets and white subway tile.  I admit, the thick counters look wonderful.

 Another example of an extra thick counter.  It definitely has a more contemporary feel, especially when using this combination of dark material with white cabs.

 I came to the conclusion that extra thick counters look best when using white marble. 
If I were using marble, I would consider this thickness.  It looks substantial and expensive! 

It's something to consider!
However, I feel with black soapstone, I'll keep the normal thickness for the kitchen.
Since I'm also using soapstone in the family room wet bar, I'm compromising and making it extra thick.  The cabinets are black and I'll keep the soapstone gray.

Another decision I need to make is the edge of the vanities.
He sent me this example to consider...

...as well as this one.  Notice the edge is simple but there's a frame around the surface which I'm leaning towards.

Here's another example of that dented surface I love.  
The thickness is a little thin though, but you get the idea.

How about a little fancy corner?
Maybe not.
We took these photos during a research field trip to the design center many months ago.
And now it's time to actually decide.
Trying not to lose my edge here!

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Shopping For Dining Room Tables

You wouldn't think a hardware store would be a place to shop for dining room tables, but the Garrett Ace Hardware in Healdsburg actually has some very interesting tables.


At first, I was intrigued by this rustic pine table with curved ends, but it's not extendable and just a little too rustic for me.


I am in love with this round table for the kitchen, but it's too big.
Since that space is small, I can't go over 48 inches, preferably 42 inches.

This table is a classic farm table but I think I want a trestle table for the formal dining room this time.

Restoration Hardware has a black trestle table that looks interesting.  Notice the herringbone floor underneath?
Anyway, it is 84 inches by 42 inches and with extensions, increases to 120 inches.
What do you think of the color?

It also comes in a medium brown finish.

I'm in love with this table, also from RH, but unfortunately it doesn't extend.  If it did, I wouldn't hesitate buying it.  I love the dark finish too.
When not perusing various stores like Ace Hardware, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, I'm looking online.  
I found this amazing trestle table at Arhaus.com.
It is made from reclaimed wood and measures 86 inches by 39 inches.  There are two extensions, increasing the table to 120 inches long. This is what Arhaus says about this table:

"Each plank of reclaimed wood in our Kensington Table has made a winding journey around the world.  Like well-traveled companions, these tables are characterized by distinctive knots and joint lines.  They display a beautiful variance in grain and color that can't be replicated.  
And within each marking, there exists a whisper of rare history."

I'm just not sure about the width, but I like the fact that it is made from recycled wood and is not from Restoration Hardware!



  I took a chance on these chairs from One King's Lane.  Hopefully they are as good as the description:

"A beautiful set of six French mutton-leg side dining room chairs.  Newly upholstered in nubby linen, similar to burlap, with nailhead trim.  The legs have a great fluid design to them with well executed carving.  The exposed oak of the legs has been bleached and then limed." 

They are antique from 1900-1910 and I'm hoping to find the perfect table to compliment them.
As usual, I have "analysis paralysis" and cannot decide which table.
Your thoughts?



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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Herringbone, Basketweave and Crown

Well, the brick made it all the way up the front stairs to the entry I'm happy to say!
Each landing is herringbone which will be carried into the house only in hardwood.
I guess it's a theme?

The hardwood arrived and is acclimating in the living room.  Installation date is set for Monday, August 25th.
The entry, living room and dining room will be herringbone.

I chose a rustic quartersawn oak in six inch width, but the herringbone pattern will be narrower and the stain will be dark.

The bathroom floors are now tiled!

This is the master bath shower with its marble basketweave floor.
The tile will continue on the floor with a white marble threshold separating the two.
The dots are black in the master....

...while the dots are gray in the downstairs ensuite bathrooms.

Last week, the house was crowned.  
Here's Michael and Febreze, the master finish carpenters at work.

They also installed the doors and moulding.

They are really into crown moulding!
Michael framed out the opening to the family room and then decided the crown was too wimpy, so he mocked up a beefier crown above.  It's actually three pieces.  Much more substantial.
It's beginning to feel like a house, don't you think?


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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

A Lot Of Progress!

I've been told that once the drywall goes in, things start happening very fast.
I'm finding that to be true.  
The drywall is 90% finished and it's starting to feel like a house now.
This is the family room right after the drywall went in.

The wet bar was installed yesterday.  Since this room will be grassclothed, we are just fire taping the walls.
There will be a beverage refrigerator and a dishwasher in the openings, and shelves on the wall flanking either side of the window.
The countertop will be gray soapstone.  

This is the master bedroom, looking into the closet.

Yesterday, the French doors were installed to the closet.  The glass is obscure, so you won't actually see the closet, but it will have a nice glow at night when the doors are closed and a light is on in there.
The closet itself will be delivered next week.

Here's the master bath from a week ago, looking into the shower.
The vanity will be straight ahead.

Here it is now, looking into the toilet area.  The walls are mudded and the floor is floated out, ready for the tile.

This is the tile for the guest bathrooms.
The tile for the master is the same, except the dots are black, not gray.

Across the hall from the master bedroom is the laundry room.
The walls are mudded and the cabinets are installed.  There will be a stacking washer and dryer on the other side of the cabinets.  The floors will be hardwood.

The living room just got a lot of patches.  
Some walls had to be torn out for insulation.

The same with the dining room.  
These rooms have since been mudded and look so nice.

As of today, almost all the walls are mudded.  The moulding is being installed around the windows and doors.  Oh, yea, I have doors now too!  
Baseboards are going in next week.  
The hardwood is being delivered tomorrow.
Outside, the brick is almost done.
And my garage doors are being installed on Friday!
A lot of progress!

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