Phase II: Library.c. (90% Complete)

Library:

Huzzah!
Yes, that is LEGO. Now you know our dirty little secret.

Elements & Future:
Besides the bamboo hardwood, all the beefed-up structural you can't see behind the walls, some electrical manouvering, and building in the bookcases, we're not comitted to saying this is the "FINAL" of this room.

Heck, we can't even commit to curtains yet.

Maybe it had to do with having to delay the installation of the bigger window (to look over the also delayed Garden) that tumbled this house-of-cards Library design? Anyhoo... sometimes stuff happens.

Originally, we were envisioning a dark & moody deep teal all-over vibe... but somewhere along the way we got lost & so went with the white + furniture we already had (it's the fallback decor for when we are un-decided... paint is a pain-in-the-ass but easy to change). Now that it is at this stage, the Dining Room is near completion, and the remainder of the main floor (Kitchen, Main Bath, Living Room, Foyer) are starting to suss themselves out into their final-final incarnations, the original deep-teal all-over seems more & more the right move. We are craving more saturation of personality for this space (that seems downright boring at the moment). Sure, this means re-painting the bookcases (zomg... +80 hours here we go!), sourcing out a wood-desk & re-upholstering or sourcing a new chair, + other things not considered as of yet... so we're going to just lay-low for a while, and be content with this space for working in as is (which, to be opportunistically optimistic, is still kinda awesome with the plants & the modern-rustic mishmosh jive).

Patience being a virtue & all...

Phase II: Library.b.

Boom.
Damn things took a century to paint. But oh-so fabulous!

Still to do:
Electrical face-plates & light installed, shelf inserts installed, curtains & decor/move-in.

Future:
Wallpaper (ahem).
Bigger window @ East end. More light!
More storage: tossing around the idea of a slim fauxdenza on the North (the big blank one) wall... will see how the current layout works once move-in has commenced.

But at the moment... we're busting asses o'er here to get the house together for the great annual influx of far-away friends! This year... house is so different than the last... it's pretty frickin' amazing what can be done in a year if you cut out the non-essentials like sleep and fun haha *sigh*.

Merry Merry & whatevers y'all. We hope you find sweet second-hand/handmade-local scores for your kids to play with, gift the grown-ups in your life food/shelter with hugs/smiles, and give & receive to each other your time & attention... keep it real & out of the landfill, folks!

Phase III. Family Bath.b. (update)

Ooh-la-la! Sexy Plumbing!
What a mess.
But on our way...

Budget dictated, at $450 we are scrapping the lux towel-warming goodness... for now. Still wiring for it according to the specs, and hoping the magic renovation-fairy will grace our hard-work with it's shiny warming happy glow sometime soon :)
Until then... normal-temperature towels for us! #firstworldproblems

...and a Library update:
We're installing & painting out those bookcases like a boss.
Budget also dictated no wallpaper this time around... hooboy that magic renovation-fairy will be busy @ our house!


While the work is truckin' along... we celebrated our 2nd anniversary here @ the House on Sunday. Although we're still in the thick of it, and with little time to come up for air (with no prospects in the near future), it's nice to take a little time & reflect upon what we've accomplished. Not so lazy after all! Gold star right here, folks.

Opinion Poll: Library

While we complete the drywall, still chuckin' around the wallpaper schematic... and running out of time to order & install! Feelin' the white rabbit vibe over here. Needless to say, we've gone from black to blue to orange with our colourway... a little throwback from the audience would be helpful. What say you? A stunner with rich orange wallpaper (Pomegranate), or the adorable Abigail Edwards black & white with the orange punch of colour in a rug? #firstworldproblems

Pomegranate

Winter

Elements to consider:
Dining Room is white on white w teak & lucite bling, cowhide & natural fibres... with the serious consideration of Emerald velvet curtains (but these are not visible from the Library).
Bookcases are white with medium-dark grey backboard.
Hardwood is an expresso stained Bamboo.

What else is kickin' in the digs? Well... Plumber gave our house an ill-bill, so we're replacing our stack & moving our water meter (while installing the expansion tank) + the usual waiting and flakiness of trades-folk in this Boomtown. So, we're busy waiting and agonizing over Library wallpaper as we drywall :P

Phase II: Library.a. (again)

Library:
(previously Phase I) April 2012 was our last update on this room.
This room (my personal favourite room) has been a point of contention, as the roofing debacle resulted in it's flooding (spring 2013) and subsequent demolition of all the work we had invested to that point. Boourns.
So... here we are again.

Thankfully, we can save the Bamboo flooring (installed 2012).

Newspaper insulation: circa 1971! Oh house...  <3

When this addition was added, the exterior siding was not removed! Holla!

We added extra structural to the walls & ceilings so as to support a "Green Roof" in the future..

Next Up:
Insulation, drywall, yada yada.
Hang in there, baby.

Phase I: Library.a.

Library:
Situated off the Dining Room through doorway smack-dab in the centre of the E wall; perfect for a secluded "adult" space in the house & full of morning light.

Deconstruction:
Wowie this carpet is grody! And not in a steam-clean-&-fix kinda gross, but synthetic and 1980's and stained with (gag) many stains i don't want to think about. So... needless to say it comes OUT! So very satisfying.

Light fixture in the centre of the ceiling will also be re-located, to suit a more sophisticated space. As well, some wall on the North end replaced (from past water damage).

Reconstruction:
A relatively small space, with simple renovations.

Flooring:
In place of the hideous carpet, we've sourced some Bamboo hardwood (I know.. I know... a different flooring again? I'm crazy? noooooooooo! well, yes, but... you don't get to judge me) and it goes in lickity split. I will justify the flooring choice by it being a. the same tone as the hardwood throughout the Main floor, and b. that a door will break the space apart from the rest of the house.

Elements of Design:
Bookcases:
Retrofitting the off-the-shelf bookcases that came with the house will be a several-week-long project to become built-ins. Plus, we must have a place to house the babies (vintage record player, reel-to-reel, vinyl collection). I'm envisioning glossy teal bookcases... yowza! We want to create something vibe-ing on the subtly alluring, artistically moody, and play to the "adult" space of the room.

Transition:
Sightline is direct from the Dining Room, so decor will evolve simultaneously. The Dining Room is proving my design nemesis... darn you Dining Room!

The ceiling is a gong-show (different levels, slope), but we hope to remedy that with some keen design & furniture placement. We could coffer or place false-beams in the ceiling to transition the eye... but I'm totally not feeling it.

Mmmmmmmmm... this space will be studiously delicious!