We're Back!

Did you miss us? We've been shamefully absent for, oh, about two months now. But I figure we all could use a breath after the big remodel job. We spent the holidays enjoying our newly comfortable home and getting the rest of our house back in order following all the excitement of renovation. I think it's safe to say we're officially settled though, and loving every minute of it.

Over this past weekend, we finally got around to a few overdue final touches in our bathroom. I ordered a custom plantation shutter while we were under construction and it arrived, so we got it installed much to our (and our neighbor's, I'm sure) pleasure.

So, remember this view? Here's what we've been living with (and ducking around - houses in our neighborhood are built in true old style aka close together):

And here's what it looks like now:

And a close-up of the shutter:

It's great to have the room closed off from the outdoors, and we love the dark wood to balance out the dark door and accent the bright white bathroom. And the best part is we still get some nice light in the room. We chose a divided shutter so that we can keep the main part mostly closed and leave the top few slats open, which lets a surprising amount of light in.

And see the shower curtain?

I finally got around to replacing the "don't-let-it-touch-my-skin" polyester shower curtain we hung when the shower was installed. We realized after everything was finished that our tall shower would not work for a standard 72" shower curtain (it didn't even hit the top of the tub) and selection in 84" shower curtains was pathetic - they were all polyester and/or covered with palm trees. No thank you. So we got by with a cheapo polyester one while I figured out a plan.

So here's a photo of the gross shower curtain that catches all your hangnails:

And now, our new and improved, soft and pretty shower curtain:

The new curtain is made from a linen tablecloth that I got on sale ($12!) at Pottery Barn. I added button holes to the top and hemmed the bottom so that it would fit just right. It makes for  a great, clean look and feels great to the touch. What more could you need?

A New Kitchen

A New 1/2 Bath

A Finished Bathroom

Delayed

It's been a while since we've updated, reason being there's not really anything to update. As we've mentioned before we're basically a bathroom door away from completing the remodel. Seems easy right? Apparently not so much. We've been sent the wrong door twice, and the right door is currently on backorder until mid-December. So we're just waiting. And waiting.


Still loving the space though, and it doesn't lack much function for just the two of us. Maybe a bit awkward for company though . . . . . They're going to put up a temporary door to make things at least work while we wait, and hopefully the correct door will arrive as soon as possible so we can get on with things!

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you're like me, you've been cleaning and shopping the past few days to gear up for the big weekend. We're helping my sister host 22 tomorrow at her house, and then making breakfast for everyone here the next morning. It will be great for them to see the house - the last time most of my extended family saw it was November 2009, when we'd only been here a few months, and let me tell you - it was not pretty.

That said, we've had a lot of details fall into place over the past week to get us ready, and we're pretty excited to show you guys. We're not quite finished here, but getting pretty darn close. 

Lighting has gone in this week, and in case you haven't caught on, I'm a sucker for details like these. I've had our fixtures in the basement for months (one of them for years) waiting for this moment, so it's a bit one. We chose schoolhouse lights to go throughout the kitchen. They create a great warm glow, and add an interesting shape to the big open ceiling. 

Over the sink we opted for a barn-style pendant. We like the simple, rustic look and the glow it casts on the white fireclay of the sink and chrome of the faucet. The brown of the kitchen lights also brings in the brown of the cabinets. 

We're suckers for Edison styled bulbs, so we couldn't resist one in the pendant.This one is called "squirrel cage" which I can't help but love.

And finally, we have undercounter lighting to make our backsplash glow. Here's the effect from in the room:

And here are the lights themselves. We opted for LED fixtures, which cost a bit more but are super efficient and have very long-lasting bulbs. 

Here's the room all lit up from the back door.  It's a huge change from the old room, which had one fluorescent fixture in the middle of the room that didn't even work. I spent much of the past two years cooking beneath the bulb in our range. Needless to say this is a tremendous improvement, both in look and in function.

Oh, and did I mention our half bath was installed? YAY! We dusted off the wall-mount sink and rustic little faucet on Monday when we very enthusiastically welcomed the plumber. He got everything in in a day, and the electrician got this pendant light (this is the one I've had for years) all wired in today.

I'm obsessed with this little room. I just love the quaintness and charm of it, not to mention that I no longer have to go upstairs when nature calls. What an idea!

And here's john, all tucked in his little corner. Doesn't he look right at home? 

Don't miss the fleur-de-lis towel hook. I just couldn't resist.   

But wait, there's more! Our upstairs bathroom is now fully functional. Well, almost. It's lacking a rather minor detail - a door. That's right, it's wide open! Not that we really mind, but we might have to hang a sheet for when my brother and sister-in-law stay with us this weekend.

There are some new additions though - notice our his and hers medicine cabinets, all lit up from above. We had some height challenges in getting these right - they started too low (my 5'6 fault) and then landed too high (C's 6'5 fault) and then we got them right in the middle. We're already filling them and enjoying their usefulness.

Notice the fabric reflected in the cabinet on the right (which is mine, in case you were wondering)? That's a butterfly tablecloth. Don't worry, it's definitely not a permanent bathroom addition. I ordered a custom plantation shade to cover the window, but it will be another month or so before it arrives, so we're making do in the meantime. So . . . . no bathroom door or window covering. It's basically a nudist bathroom for now. Fixes to come soon, we (and our neighbors) hope.

And a bit more his and hers - cute little towel hooks. 

Here's the lighting up close. The vanity lights were inexpensive finds from Signature Hardware, and the overhead schoolhouse light is World Imports from Amazon (same as the kitchen fixtures, except silver instead of bronze). 

So that's where we are for now. The contractor is nearing the end of his time with us - basically the door and some paint/trim finishing to go. I bet he's really going to miss us!

Now I have to go brine a turkey. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Wall Decor - Kitchen Style

Here are a few additions to the blank walls we're left with in the kitchen.

Pots and pans were a must for B. I wanted a cool way to store wine on the walls. Personally, I'll take a cool wine rack over artwork any day of the week.