In the Home Stretch

I finally got my driveway back. When I got home today, the trailer and dumpster were gone. This is a sign that we're in the final lap. All that's left to be done is the installation of the counter tops, appliances, backsplash, and electrical switches.

A Few Finishing Touches

The installation of the finishing trim for the cabinets has begun. I love the addition of the molding. It's little things like this that make a good kitchen look like a great one.









It looks like we're getting closer to having power and lighting in the kitchen. With the exception of the ceiling fan, all of the light fixtures and bulbs have been installed.

Warm Reception

We found the right color. I was able to dig out a picture of a room from one of my previous homes. Alan matched the paint and found the right color. While the tone is still light and neutral, it is warm... just want I wanted. This was color pick #3. The picture on the left is of the mudroom. It is fully painted in the new color. The picture on the right shows the contrast between 1) the mudroom in the correct color (color #3) 2) the powder room in a darker color I selected 3) the kitchen in color #2.

Color #1 was the gray from yesterday (no longer visible). This morning I picked out two colors that I thought matched what Robin had initially picked. They were warm earth tones, tan to brown in nature. But once the went up... they looked gray also. So, I went home at lunch and pulled out the picture that got us to color #3. Alan was kind enough to stay here until I got home so that he could get my reaction to the mudroom. The moment I entered the room I knew that this was the color. We're set. The kitchen will be painted tomorrow.

If you're going to do any painting, I recommend that you purchase small sample sizes of the colors you want to test. Apply them to different walls; look at them during different times of day under different lighting. I should have done that but trusted the paint to turn out like the swatches. It didn't. So, save your self a little frustration and always put up samples. Benjamin Moore makes convenient 2 oz. samples that can aid you in finding the right color without the major expenditure of quart after quart of paint. For less than $20 you could purchase quite a few samples to test.

Two other big steps were taken at the house today:
1) The measurements for the counter tops were taken. This was being done when I got home for lunch.
2) The plumber came in and began the installation for the new in-ground sprinkler system we're installing.

Cool Reception

Anyone who knows me knows that I like things exactly the way I want them. You pick your own colors for your spreadsheet; but if it's for me... I want it the way I envision it. You pick your colors for your wardrobe; me... probably going to involve navy, blue, gray, and a few red or orange t-shirts along the way. I was disappointed to come home to find that the kitchen had been painted gray. I didn't want a cool color in the kitchen. The gray is contemporary; it's even nice for another room... but not for what I envisioned.

How'd we get here? Well, Robin picked out three distinct colors for the kitchen, all of which were in the color family I was looking for. Warm earthy tones. The swatches were on the dining room table. At some point they were moved. I thought the guys had them; they thought I had them. Once we realized they were lost we reached out to Robin again to identify the colors. I'm certain that this gray was not an option.
1) There were three colors, one for each room. This is one color that is consistent across the three.
2) I have a mental picture of the colors. This wasn't one of them.

This can be easily fixed. No harm; no foul. But I was just a little shocked to walk in and see exactly what I didn't want to see. I almost didn't make a post today. But, hey, if there is only one bad day over the course of 6 weeks that's o.k. Things happen. It's not like the wrong appliances were brought in. Paint can be fixed.

Monday #7

We began the seventh week of renovation today. The trim around the windows and doors was painted. This includes the trim in the mudroom. The rooms probably would have been painted but we lost the swatches for the wall colors. Alan reached out to Robin to get them. The kitchen, mudroom, and powder room walls should be painted this week as well.

I think that tomorrow the measurements for the counter tops will be taken.

The Little Things

On the surface it doesn't look like a lot happened this week, but it's the little things that eventually add up. This week was focused on grouting the floor and installing all of the trim. All but one of the windows and doors were trimmed this week. The one remaining window is going to be replaced and then trimmed. You'll also notice that the faux wainscoating has been added to the walls under the glass block and near the powder room. I'm hoping that next week is when we'll see all of the major items come in like counter tops and appliances.

Rocky inspects the work that's been done
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I'm really enjoying the full light door. It truly brightens up the kitchen. It also makes the room feel much more modern than if it had a half light or traditional door.

A Dual Bonus

Timing is everything! Since the tile for the old kitchen floor extended into the powder room off of the kitchen, we had to take out all of the fixtures to remove the old flooring.

I watch a little bit of HGTV and TLC. Shows like "Curb Appeal", "Flip this House", Flip that House" (yes there is one show with "this" in the title; another with "that"). While the powder room lay empty, I saw no less than 2 to 3 different features on dual flush toilets. So I decided that while the room is torn out, why not put in a new, environmentally friendly toilet.



I've chosen to go with the Aquia Dual Flush Toilet. The TotoUSA site didn't really say alot about the toilet, so here's what our friends at HGTV Pro.com says:

The high-efficiency Toto Aquia dual flush toilet enables users to select the level of water used each time the toilet is flushed -- 1.6 gallons for heavy or bulk waste or 0.9 gallons, for light or liquid waste.

The toilet has a gravity flush with a washdown system that directs 100% of the water through the rim to keep the bowl clean. The sides of the unit’s bowl are pitched to force water toward and through its large 2 5/8" trapway.

Go to HGTV Pro.com

There is no handle. There is only a button to push when you want to flush the toilet. The picture on th left shows the dual flush button. #1? Push the button on the left (it's smaller). For those big jobs... push the button on the right. It makes absoultely no sense to install one of these in the low-use powder room if we still have a water-hog in the primary bathroom. So... we're installing a second one upstairs as well.