Intermission: Still life in 619

In the summertime... we got busy with a few this & that's. Here's some shots of life in the house as we know it... and where it is likely to stay while we move on to complete the big gaping hole in our house Master Bedroom.

Phase II: Living Room.a.

Features: Original hardwood floors & some mouldings, South & West facing windows, addition space.

Floorplan: Awkward layout with doors on the East & South end. An addition (circa 1970) increased the square footage on the West end but the left a "doorway" effect in the wall, dividing the full potential of the space. We spent our full construction budget on the Kitchen and Dining Room, so these features are now a "delightful quirkiness" to design arond. Yay.

Process: Insofar we've been utilizing this space for a multi-purpose-not-a-flithy-construction-zone room. With the major construction out of the way, we can at last inhabit the Living Room as a Living Room... how quaint! 

Dreams: To have some living space to relax in during the long winter ahead! Without available funds (yet) and some major reconstruction on our plates for the time being, it will prove a challenge.

Elements of Design:
Re-use of the shag rug from 223 (aka "the dog"), vintage-finds, and a mid-century style couch are our trusty staples. I'm thinking tweed-jacket-with-elbow-patches hipster-english-Professor type personality out with his vintage-loving ultra-feminine-smartypants girlfriend at a private book-reading before an evening of contemporary jazz and cool-cat schmoozing + reefer kind of look. Boom.

Next Up: Painting, some deco & textiles (full-length drapes, throw pillows, etc.) in the coming weeks in-between the apple urban harvest and other day-to-dayness.

Future: Hopefully (fingers crossed, peeps!) this coming winter we will complete the custom wainscoting on the lower half of the walls, re-fit the crowns & baseboards (which are in a sad sorry state of DIY from the previous installer), and find that elusive teak chair to re-finish (anyone have one to donate in exchange for organic handmade applecake/applesauce/applepie/applejuice... anyone? call me).

Many other things to occupy this mind in the tender meanwhile... like perhaps the enormous list of tasks to complete the Main Floor Bath, Kitchen, and Dining Room!

Phase I: Kitchen.c. (Update)

Kitchen Update:
A taste more progress has been made to the Kitchen, although delays are still being introduced (waiting for the remaining cupboard elements & island components).

Progress:
Countertops: granite. Hoo boy this was a struggle! Causing the major delay & major hassle to this project due to poor business practices by this company (Creative Glass & Mirror). Impressed with the granite quality, not impressed with the people & their mile long excuses... booooo. Learning experience! Yay.

Plumbing & Electrical: in. Hoorah! Much eating and rejoicing commenced. The best: dishwasher! My hands may return to their former glory.

Backsplash, trims & mouldings (extra care here by the man to create craftsman mouldings), open shelving, and some select pieces of furniture.


She's coming along... but now we must focus elsewhere as the prairie summer rolls...

Intermission: in the Kitchen and beyond

Since the three five eight week delay has had our undivided attention whilst drudging through the nine circles of home renovation hell, I've been dreaming more about the kitchen & how freaking awesome it is soon to be eating homecooked everythings... and, of course, more decor porn...

Phase I. Dining Room.b.

Dreams:

My design "challenge" room so far, but it is coming together. Originally we were thinking dark & moody... but things have turned and I've reneged upon a "white walls are bad" attitude. Surprise! 

Searching for inspiration... revisiting Wright's Falling Water until dreaming strictly in Bauhaus, something clicked for me yesterday while contemplating the Panton chair.  

Wegner's wishbone chair. Paired with our cherry dining table (a sentimental piece being our first "real" furniture together as a couple) upon a natural fibre (hemp weave) rug, and sourcing out a mid-modern credenza (fingers crossed!) are now the jumping-off point(s). 

Next Up:

Locating some of the actual furniture pieces without breaking the bank, completing the construction of walls & architectural elements. Painting... ah yes... still struggling with the aspect of colour in this room (though it's obvious how I feel about Teal)... we'll have to see what develops once the Kitchen, Library, and Living room (all adjacent to the Dining Room) are well on their way... (still waiting on the Kitchen btw).