as we move along . . .

what an exciting day!!

The granite finally rolled in about 2, as I was finishing up a bucket of thin-set, setting some tiles in the shower. It now looks like this, and has a few hours of tiling and grouting to go before it's ready for it's debut.

The kitchen continues to look more and more like it's name-sake. Especially with the addition of countertops to

day. The faucet is not as yet hooked up, but looks so sweet sitting there waiting for me!

The granite went in pretty smoothly for something that weighs upwards of five hundred pounds for each piece!

I have a couple of drawers built, and about a hundred to go. I really need to get the cabinet for the ovens built, so that it can get wired. Then I'll be pretty close to back in business with a "real" kitchen, even if I don't have a final spot for every single item. I've got quite a bit of storage available and now fabulous work space that's actually cleanable (not like plywood!).

recent events . . .

I ordered knobs and pulls last night for the kitchen. I had a hard time deciding whether to go with an oil rubbed bronze finish or a silver-y toned. In the end, this is what I ended up with:

The knobs aren't quite that big in relation to the pulls, but they both have a pewter finish. Both are from Ebay and let me just say, I will be purchasing all my hardware from that resource in the future!

this and that

That . . . .

is now this. A beautiful hallway with laundry room and powder room off to the left, stairway and a butler's pantry to the right.

Here is the kitchen in progress. You can see all cabinet boxes and face frames are in the sink is temporarily placed in the island and the cooktop is positioned against the wall in the walnut cabinet.

and that . . .

is now this. An en suite master bathroom!!! Just after taking this picture I hooked up the drains and faucets for the vanity, but that will have to go on the next blog . . .

like a rock . . .

isn't that beautiful!? My own "little" piece of granite. It's being measured and templated today! In a couple of hours!! My bases are in, thanks to my dear mother, and the face frames are on all of my cabinets! They say it takes about two weeks to fabricate the countertops.

Today, I'm on break. It's been three and a half weeks of 16 hour days every day but Sunday, and a LOT of progress has been made. There's still a long way to go, but I'm only doing "lighter" things today. Like painting and planning. Maybe hooking up my master bath vanity. Cleaning, organizing, that type of thing. Maybe even napping! Unheard of!

Crazy Madness!

That's what it feels like we're in the middle of.

We moved, as in drove to our new home from our old home last Monday, and on Tuesday, we unloaded a huge moving truck and smallish trailer of all our earthly belongings (except for the belongings we had already moved). Tuesday afternoon, my dear friend Kristen and her husband Jon helped us cut a rather large hole in our ceiling and by Wednesday evening, new stringers for a staircase were in place and the old one was ripped out.

Since then, we've been doing our level best to unpack some things and at the same

time try to make the new staircase relatively safe for the little people have adopted it as their new playground.

I'm includ

ing a few pictures of where we're at and as soon as I find my other camera I'll post a couple I took of the gorgeous orange shag carpet that was the old staircase.

The new staircase and butler's pantry to be as seen from the existing kitchen.

Downstairs hallway from master bedroom toward kitchen.

upstairs from boys room toward sewing room/bathroom to be area. The stairs are on the right through the door.

Chandelier Update

So, here's where we got to over the weekend!! The frame is done, except for needing a couple more coats of finish. It's made of walnut and receiving a danish oil finish.

Now comes further decision making.

I had originally intended to wrap it with natural linen (on the inside so the frame still showed), but now that I have it this far, I'm second guessing that line of thought. I kind of think it would look great with no fabric and just a bulb, or maybe white linen is a better choice. And then there's the question of a diffuser. So, if you have an opinion, let me know. Either way, I'll post further pictures when it's done!

when your taste gets expensive . . .

build it yourself! Or at least give it a really noble effort. So, I'm working on a chandelier/pendant to go over my island. The frame is built of black walnut and will be about 20"w x 20"h x 14"d.

This is as far as I got today. Cut pieces of frame to length and width, cut lap joints for the top and bottom of the frame, turned the finial to top the piece and drilled through it (my bit was JUST BARELY long enough), and cut two of the . . . trusses? I'm not sure what to call those things that attach the finial to the rest of the frame.

Here's where we're at:

and to go with my horse trough . . .

compliments of Southern Accents

More kitchen inspiration

I adore this kitchen! I especially love this baking station with the stand mixer at a lower height! Not a fan of the totally '80's golden oak, but still think it's a brilliant idea.

I also think this little bench seat built into the side of the island is brilliant! Particularly for anyone who would have a multitude of little sous-chefs around . . . . hmm . . .

all photos courtesy of House Beautiful

the most important things . . .

So, we just found this swing set on Craigslist for FREE and it's in the town we're moving to! We're hoping that the people getting rid of it will let us have it! How awesome would that be?!

Tile love!

The most beautiful tile ever? Very possibly.

she ain't gonna look like this for long!!

Here is the existing kitchen. It's been existing pretty much in this manner since about 1970, I think.

here is the driveway side of OUR HOUSE!!!! Little excited about that.

Also pictured is one of it's adorable new residents.

someone stole my bedroom!!

seriously! There are my windows (minus the blinds, plus linen panels or roman shades), my wicker chair (painted some other color, maybe blue or red) my wood plank walls, my bed with a loved quilt, even my cradle under the window!

http://www.westsidewholesale.com/

So this place has the best price I've found so far on recessed lighting supplies and a lot of other stuff. I checked and it's not to wholesale only either.

and on the home/coop-front . . .

These are the type of chicken coops I want. I think they're inspired and lovely. You can move them (code for moving their fertilizer/bug control properties), cause they don't weigh tons and the bottoms/floors are chicken wire. Plus they're just so CUTE! Won't they be CUTE with my CUTE little banty chickens (CUTE little brown eggs) and CUTE Auracanas (CUTE green and blue eggs) and CUTE quail (CUUUUUUTTEEEE little speckled brown eggs) with their little CUTE head feather thingies!!?!?!? My mother said she doesn't think there is anyone else who picks out breeds of fowl based on how CUTE they or their eggs are, but I disagree. They're out there. I'm sure of it.

so, I just found these!!

and these!!

and these . . .

and, maybe best of all, these

and I adore both of these, but they're a little more than I'd like to spend.

all from Visual Comfort.

Security System

I was thinking about one of these just inside the front door to ward off intruders.

more kitchen beauty

These sconces

maybe not quite this blue, but everything else is pretty close. Love the painted floor again, just not sure I could bring myself to do it to wood. But it's so gorgeous!! Dark walnut island, light (probably not marble) countertops, blue perimeter, clean whitewashed wood plank walls, and something lovely and lit above the island.

the laundry from the Green Home is fabulous!!! Brilliant "built-in" washer-dryer. Why has no one done this before???!

So, I was originally thinking of raising the ceiling in my kitchen/dining all the way to make it cathedral (although chapel is a little more appropriate). Then I ran across this pic which is basically just raising the ceiling to above the collar ties and painting it all and I think it gives a nice architectural look without the expense. Plus leaves lots of attic-y crawl space for insulation. Hmmm . . .

I think this is a pretty cute shower stall idea. Just not sure about the framing of such an item . . .

Bright ideas

i think i need this. in my powder room. maybe two.

Where are you puppy dog?

I know you want me to use this fabric somewhere in my house!

Martha, Martha

Gorgeous bedroom colors!

How adorable is the plaid rug, and especially the tiny little upholstered chair!

Love her or hate her, you can't deny she has great taste . . . although I did come across a bathroom pic on her site which featured a very pink tiled shower . . . .

Not exactly house-y . . .

You can't tell me these aren't the cutest buttons in the world!!!

Hand block printed fabric covered buttons, hand-sewn to their cards like someone cares about them!!!

compliments of http://jezzeblog.blogspot.com/

Also, check out the hand-blocked fabric at http://www.homesweetbyhand.com/

I'm sooooo trying block printing soon . . .

So, should we do every bathroom Tiffany blue?

As a woman, and a firm believer in all things Tiffany, while still understanding that the color of Tiffany is probably about as close as I'm likely to come in this life, I find this bathroom incredible!

Love the french pocket door to the W.C.!!

Not into the buddha, but, BUT! the swirly towel, the uh-maz-ing! clawfoot tub painted tiffany blue, the ottoman, the sweet chandelier (yes, Mike, I know: never above the bathtub), even the charming cafe curtains. Well, no, the print on the cafe curtains. Never cafe curtains. Never.

And just to show that this is a brilliant idea, even my heroine, Sarah, agrees with me!

I know it's not quite Tiffany, but close enough to prove my point!