post 31: too busy to write!

We are moving in tomorrow! Too busy to write more!!

post 30: drawer pulls, flooring, plumbing fixtures, laundry chute

While posting last night's post, I felt REALLY sick. And sure enough, a few hours later I was experiencing the full throes of food poisoning. I won't go into details. Garrett says he's never seen me so sick or laid so low. The good news is that I'm feeling much better! 24 hours can make all of the difference!
So today, Vlad was back and he finished all of the cabinets with drawer pulls and everything!
The painters were killing it too.
And Valentin was back to finish the flooring.
Tomorrow will be a light day, as the flooring needs time to cure and requires light foot traffic.
Thursday, Val returns to do the electrical finish.
Friday, Garrett and I MOVE HOME!

Hello laundry chute! Tell me that's not the slickest laundry chute you've ever seen!

Open chute. <3

Valentine installing the "white cliff" marmoleum plank. About 5 minutes later he had almost the entire floor laid down.

Downstairs bath vanity with drawer pulls installed. Plus it's hard to see? But the back splash is 2cm counter top

Hey hey! Upstairs bath has a sink (it works too!) and a toilet!

post 29: paint, plumbing finishes, counter tops, flooring

We are in the FINAL WEEK. We move in this Friday!!!!
Last week, Garrett and I left town on Friday afternoon and didn't see much of the house since the painters were inside painting the cabinets with white lacquer paint that off-gassed lung-burning fumes. When we got back Sunday afternoon, it looked like the painters had also started painting some of the walls.
Today, COUNTER TOPS were installed! WOW.
And Arnold the plumber came back to begin fixture installation. He did some today and will return tomorrow to finish.
Valentin the flooring guy came in late today and completed the flooring in the master bedroom. He will return tomorrow to do the bathroom and kitchen floor.
Sorry for the bad photography - it was dark when I met Garrett at the house and I took some of these in the complete DARK.

Downstairs bath: shower head!

Downstairs bath: counter top!

Downstairs bath: laundry chute

Downstairs bath: trimmed window to tile

Upstairs bath: shower fixtures!

Upstairs bath: TOILET!

Upstairs bath, vanity + toilet

Valentin is filling out the closet with cork!

Closet got painted today!

This closet got painted too!

Kitchen: counter top, sink, faucet, and soap dispenser!

Kitchen: south elevation long view

Kitchen: north elevation long view.

Flooring: the darker color will go into the downstairs bathroom and the lighter color in the kitchen.

Placing one kitchen plank for effect!

 

post 28: staining cabinets

I walked into the house today and immediately FELT the strong effects of staining chemicals off-gassing. My eyes and lungs were BURNING. That said, I was still able to snap some photos before running out of there.
In more project news, Dmitry says we will be able to move back into the house on 9/30 as planned. There will be at least 1 working bathroom by then. YES!!!! Garrett and I are SO READY to get out of this bunker. We are out of town this weekend - escaping to Black Butte - so no posts while we are gone but expect some major progress next week because by the end of it, we'll be BACK!!!

Kitchen: drawers stained in rich walnut.

Kitchen: more walnut stain

Kitchen: close up of walnut

Downstairs bath: custom vanity drawers painted white. That taped up hole? That's our laundry chute! There's going to be a walnut lid that goes over the top.

Downstairs bath: custom vanity painted white

Upstairs bath: custom vanity painted white

post 27: cabinets and doors

Today's job site report contains many more heart stopping moments. Vlad and his helper are making magic over at the house. Plus, the doors were hung (but the floor tracks not installed yet.)

Upstairs bath: custom made vanity by Vlad has been mounted on our gorgeous tile.

Upstairs bath: peeking inside the vanity.

Upstairs bath: long view inside. All of the elements are there: vanity, skylight, medicine cabinet, TILE ALL DAY.

Upstairs bath: look! we have a bathroom door! Not that it'll be shut that often but nice to have the *option* of privacy.

Upstairs: many elements in view: my gorgeous banister, skylight shining from above, barn door, coast tile peeking out

bedroom 2/office: barn door

Downstairs bath: this is a tough photo to take in the afternoon without an overhead light. But this is the walnut window trim in the downstairs bath. No further pictures today of the downstairs bath: Vlad was working on the vanity and upper shelf when I got there and I didn't want to crowd him.

Kitchen: Vlad's helper installing walnut faces on the cabinet doors. That gap to his right is where the stove will be.

Kitchen: south cabinets. Gap to the left is where the dishwasher will be. Far cabinet is where the sink will be.

Kitchen: long view from the back of the house.

bonus post: stark before/after photos

Looking at the banister today made me want to post some before/after photos. I know it's a little early for that - but I couldn't help myself!!

That old banister. It was a safety hazard and unsightly to boot. Nothing redeeming about it at all. The new banister is ABSOLUTELY LOVELY and functional.

Downstairs bath: before/after. I mean...I don't have to say anything, right??

Master bedroom: no ugliness transformed. But where a couch once sat, a closet has now been built.

Upstairs bath: beautiful tiled wall of "coast" tiles and....Garrett's shirts and pants. Best closet makeover EVER!

post 26: finish carpentry, CABINETS!!

You guys!!!! SO MUCH TODAY!!! Reggie finished the banister! It looks AMAZING. Looks like the doors showed up later like he thought and he didn't get the doors and tracks installed today. Not sure if that's going to happen tomorrow?
Also! VLAD the amazing cabinet maker showed up!!!

Banister: done. Just needs to be sanded and stained.

Doors arrived: too late for Reggie to install them today.

Master bedroom: standing in my closet!!!

Upstairs bathroom: Garrett in his natural habitat: with a tape measure.

Upstairs bathroom: selfie in the shower!!!

Upstairs bath: custom vanity made by Vlad!

Downstairs bath: remember what I said about being 24 tiles short? This is what that looks like. I couldn't take a pic yesterday because Reggie was installing the floor under-layment.

Downstairs bath: another custom vanity made by the AMAZING VLAD!

My heart almost exploded when I walked into the house and saw THESE CABINETS FIRST THING.

Vlad and his helper install our floating fir shelf.

Downstairs bath: this window will look different soon-ish! This is a before pic!