I went for two runs today (don’t worry, the second one was only so I could join some folks for a beer afterwards). I think I can find the time to post all the photos I’ve been meaning to over the last few months before the ball drops. Or I go to bed. We know which is happening first, right?
In the order they should have been posted: first, the bathroom. These are old. The bathroom has been finished for six months or so.
Dammit. Left the seat up.
Old house hack: Bust the center pieces out of an old door. Put plexiglass panels in their places and sand lightly so they become opaque. Done!
Old house hack 2: Capture the space from those long, deep, worthless bedroom closets. Build a cabinet (so easy!), knock out the wall space, and put it through the wall into that now not-so-worthless closet space. Extra credit: add an outlet so you can hide things like hairdryers in it.
Lou Simmons custom bath vanity #2. The entire front face swings open. Black faucets by Brizo. I liked them because they’re black. I didn’t care about the designer who’s better known for gowns. I wished our shower fixtures could have matched, but, you know. $$$$.
Light shades and fixtures (above the sink and the shower) from Schoolhouse Electric. I had been dying to buy something from this company and the bathroom gave me the perfect excuse.
Towel hooks from Brook Farm General Store. They’re fun. Maybe not the most functional when it comes to helping towels dry but that’s not why I bought them anyhow.
Clawfoot tub redux here. It’s matte black with glossy white feet. And a Lou Simmons custom teak grate in it so we don’t have to stand on the curved, rough, rusty bottom.
Moving on to the kitchen! It’s almost all but finished (looking at you, exposed stud).
Here’s the breakdown: Ikea kitchen cabinets. Bosch appliances. Some FOTI (found on the internet) fixtures: sink by Dawn, faucet by Grohe, vent hood by who the hell knows, the price was right. Hacked together Ikea butcher block countertop as table top and Ikea table legs. Giant window and little window that cranks out by Pella. Granite countertops also ordered through Ikea (that look like marble, because we so are not those people on HGTV squealing “GRANITECOUNTERSOHMYGAWDILOVETHEM!”
The light fixture we did ourselves (as IF you couldn’t tell). It involves a steel pipe, brackets, cloth covered wire, bulbs, and some electrical knowledge. It’s also not finished yet as we threw those cords haphazardly around it the evening of our holiday party and need to re-wrap them the way they do on places like Pinterest.
Pro-tip: If you’re going the Ikea route, go there during their annual kitchen sale. We saved 20% on the total package. Sure, I lost 10 hours of my life, but I did get some meatballs and a lesson (or twelve) in patience.
Coming soonish, aka in 2014: Stainless steel backsplash on the wall over the stove. Wall end cap with internal wine rack.
Looks pretty nice, all in all.
Oh, wait. This little space. Where most of our dishes currently rest, we have plans for Lou-built shelves from the floor, going up about six feet. In the middle will be a long shelf that serves as a coffee bar, basically to get our coffeepot and toaster off the counter.
If you have a question or comment about the flourescent lighting, please direct all inquiries to Lou Simmons in the comments. I take no responsibility for them, or for when you go blind because they’re so bright.
Now, a few shots from real, actual food that came out of the above kitchen. We had my family in town for Thanksgiving and then a holiday open house. It’s not that exciting, but the house is clean and looking like a real house. I finally started to see it not as the giant project we’ve been living in, but as a nice home.
I know, it’s only cheese and crackers. But in the background are goat cheese stuffed mushrooms. I ate almost all of them.
Oh hey, our oven works!
I didn’t know it until the day of the party, but all those tools that have been hanging out on the mantel? They actually come off!
I’m sort of obsessed with the blue walls and bookshelf. And look, a cameo by Jesus, who is no longer in the kitchen and instead, in a doorway on the floor.
That black wire thing in the photo below is something we picked up at a local estate sale. I think when it grows up, it’s going to be some kind of side table. Lou?
The horse photo was my grandmother’s and I always loved it.
And finally, because we’re going through house updates, there’s one more very important one that just happened.
Reggie the greyhound! He came home Sunday. Not just a foster, but a forever dog. You know, because I miss vacuuming up construction dust, I thought the best way to deal was to get something that sheds. At least his coat matches the floors.
Happy 2014! Snuck this post in with hours to spare. See you next year! And no, no resolutions about blogging more.
Deep Eaves & Empty Pockets 