Showing posts with label construction saga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label construction saga. Show all posts
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Construction saga: Floor plans
Several people have asked to see a floor plan of my new "modernist nest." This is hand-drawn and not precisely to scale, but the room measurements are accurate. For more information about the space, you can read my post Construction saga: The final analysis or search keyword construction saga to find all posts about the project. (I know this is old news for those of you who followed the saga from beginning to end, so bear with me while I bring a few new readers up to speed.)
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Modernist Nest featured on Houzz
She came out last Saturday and did a phenomenal job photographing my home...and an even better job capturing our multigenerational vibe. She's a beautiful, warm woman with an infectious smile, and I knew I'd be in good hands the minute we met. I'm so honored that she chose to write about my house. The article is wonderful, and I do hope you'll check it out.
Images from houzz.com
Sunday, June 30, 2013
The missing room: Laundry room/walk-in closet
When I did the big reveal of the "modernist nest," there was one room I didn't photograph...the laundry room/walk-in closet. Once I moved in, I decided to make some changes that I thought would result in a more efficient and attractive space, so I was in the middle of those alterations when I showed you my new home. Admittedly, it's the least exciting spot in the house, but several people have asked about the "missing room," so I thought I'd give you a peek.
For those of you new to the blog, several months ago I invited my daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons to move into my primary residence, and I designed a secondary suite for myself behind the main house where a freestanding carport and large workshop originally stood.
The room is 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide...the same length and only a foot narrower than my kitchen. One wall houses the washer and dryer in an partitioned nook at one end, as well as a large closet with a pair of bi-fold doors that conceal a broom closet with storage on one end and the hot water heater and air conditioning unit on the other. The opposite side of the room also has a partitioned nook with shelving. The rest is closet space.
I designed the apartment to simplify my life, and one of the things I did that helped streamline chores was to eliminate the traditional bedroom closet and put a clothes rod, shoe bags, handbag hooks and chest of drawers in the laundry room. Now, instead of taking clothes to the bedroom, I get them out of the dryer and simply turn around to hang them or put them in drawers...a handy little time-saver. Out-of-season clothes are stored in decorative plastic bins above the clothes rod.
I originally had a three-tiered chrome cart that I planned to put laundry baskets on, but it turned out that I liked the concept much more than I liked the reality, so I moved the cart to the patio to provide a workspace for grilling and a handy place to stash outdoor toys. To replace the cart in the laundry/closet, my daughter and I built deep pull-out shelves that hold infrequently used items in back and laundry baskets in front. I painted the shelves black for a little interest against the white walls and chose black closet accessories, such as shoe bags and hangers. The DIY project only cost about $50, but it gave me a good bit more storage space and a better system for sorting laundry.
The finished space is much better organized, and it has a less utilitarian look than it did before.
For those of you new to the blog, several months ago I invited my daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons to move into my primary residence, and I designed a secondary suite for myself behind the main house where a freestanding carport and large workshop originally stood.
The room is 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide...the same length and only a foot narrower than my kitchen. One wall houses the washer and dryer in an partitioned nook at one end, as well as a large closet with a pair of bi-fold doors that conceal a broom closet with storage on one end and the hot water heater and air conditioning unit on the other. The opposite side of the room also has a partitioned nook with shelving. The rest is closet space.
I designed the apartment to simplify my life, and one of the things I did that helped streamline chores was to eliminate the traditional bedroom closet and put a clothes rod, shoe bags, handbag hooks and chest of drawers in the laundry room. Now, instead of taking clothes to the bedroom, I get them out of the dryer and simply turn around to hang them or put them in drawers...a handy little time-saver. Out-of-season clothes are stored in decorative plastic bins above the clothes rod.
I originally had a three-tiered chrome cart that I planned to put laundry baskets on, but it turned out that I liked the concept much more than I liked the reality, so I moved the cart to the patio to provide a workspace for grilling and a handy place to stash outdoor toys. To replace the cart in the laundry/closet, my daughter and I built deep pull-out shelves that hold infrequently used items in back and laundry baskets in front. I painted the shelves black for a little interest against the white walls and chose black closet accessories, such as shoe bags and hangers. The DIY project only cost about $50, but it gave me a good bit more storage space and a better system for sorting laundry.
The finished space is much better organized, and it has a less utilitarian look than it did before.
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| Combination laundry room/closet with four new pull-out shelves and bins for out-of-season clothes |
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| Close-up of three Piet Hein grooks hung between two sets of bi-fold doors (broom closet and a/c closet) |
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| Labeled laundry baskets in a much smaller size than I've ever used... to encourage doing smaller loads so laundry day isn't a huge chore. |
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| Ironing station on the dryer for touch-ups when I don't want to set up the board (I discovered the magnetic ironing pad on Pinterest. It's great!) |
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Construction saga: The final analysis
The construction saga has finally come to an end. I've been in my "little modernist nest" for a couple of months now, the big reveal finally took place yesterday...if somewhat anticlimactically, and all that's left to do is analyze what I did right and what, with the benefit of hindsight, I would do differently. (This may be a lengthy post that only interests people who are about to embark on a construction project. I won't be offended if you don't read it all. Some of you might want to skip right to the close-up shots of some of the things people have mentioned in their comments.)
First of all, I'm pleased with the layout of the apartment. I drew the plans myself, and my contractor was surprised at how accurate my first (and untrained) effort was. The apartment was built on an existing 26 x 26 slab that formerly housed a two-room workshop/storage area and carport with additional storage. Because of existing plumbing, I put all the rooms (bathroom, laundry room and kitchen) that required water on one side of the house. On the other side, I put my bedroom and living room. Very linear, but very efficient. Because the apartment is only 676 sf, I had to get creative with every inch of space.
Kitchen Pros: I put a counter and stools in my kitchen, since I don't have room for a table, and it's just the right height for eating or for use as a desk. The room is about 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) wide with 4 feet (1.2 meters) of walking space...not large by any means, but not cramped at all. I had stainless steel appliances in the main house, and I was ready for a change, so I chose black. I also chose black light fixtures, matte black faucet and drawer pulls and a black ceiling fan. I love the effect with the birch cabinets and white walls...a nice contrast that gives a surprisingly airy look. My tile is a slate-look porcelain. The previous owner of the main house installed a similar color real slate (unsealed), and while I loved the color, it hasn't been durable, and it is hard to clean. The tile in my new kitchen solves those problems and still gives me the look of slate.
Kitchen Cons: While I love the color of my Silestone countertops (black with just the slightest hint of a brown fleck and white speck), I don't like that the oil from my fingertips leaves a smudge every time I touch them, which I didn't notice on the small sample. Also, if I don't dry them really carefully when I wipe them down, they streak. It's almost as if there's a thin film left during installation that wiping down with Windex isn't removing. I'm sure there's a cleaner that will solve the problem. I just need to do a little more research.
Walk-in Closet/Laundry Room Pros: I take clothes out of the dryer, turn around and hang them up or put them in the chest of drawers. What's not to love about that? It might not work for a family, but it's the best thing since sliced bread for a single person. The room is 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide. The washer and dryer are on one side, along with a closet with double bi-fold doors that houses the hot water heater and air conditioning unit, as well as the vacuum, broom and mop. The other side of the room has a clothes rod and chest of drawers. A shelf above the rod holds out-of-season clothes in plastic containers. A partitioned-off area across from the washer holds laundry baskets for dirty clothes.
Walk-in Closet/Laundry Room Con: The only thing I plan to do is put built-in shelves in the partitioned area to hold the laundry baskets. I already had a large rolling stainless steel cart that fit perfectly in the spot, and I thought it would hold four laundry baskets, but I haven't been able to find baskets the right size, so building shelves is a quick and inexpensive fix. I'll take them all the way to the ceiling, so the things that are being stored beneath my clothes (sewing machine, luggage, step stool) can come off the floor and make the room look less cluttered. When I get this done, I'll post pictures.
Bathroom Pros: I love my bathroom and wouldn't change a thing. It is 12.5 feet long (3.8 meters) by 7.5 feet wide (2.3 meters) and feels perfectly roomy. The walk-in shower is 7.5 feet long (2.3 meters) by 5 (1.5 meters) feet wide. I used the same tile as in the rest of the house and added a row of trim that is made of 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) slate, white frosted glass and white opaque glass tiles. I decided to go with birch kitchen cabinets instead of bathroom cabinets, which gives me more storage and more counterspace. I used Venetian bronze faucet, shower head and handles, drawer pulls and accessories, with a white vessel sink and smooth-side toilet, which is the only kind I'll ever buy from now on...so easy to keep clean. The medicine cabinet has a plug inside, so my electric toothbrush and rechargeable razor don't have to be in view. I also installed a storage unit that could be built into the wall to keep the plunger, toilet brush and cleaning products out of sight.
Bedroom Pros: My bedroom is the one room where I had to sacrifice space, but I was working within the confines of the existing foundation, and I decided that all it really had to do was hold my queen size bed. It is 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) by 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) and opens onto a small garden behind my house by way of a sliding glass door, giving enough light to keep it from looking cramped. I also decided to use a partial wall/room divider between the bedroom and living room, which allows light from the living room windows to come in and gives the room a more open feel too.
Bedroom Cons: One thing I didn't think to do was tell the electrician what exactly where to install the breaker box, which is on the back wall of the bedroom. It's a large box (because, for some reason, when the house was built in 1950, it was set up to control the main house too), and he mounted it high on the wall. I had planned to cover it with a picture, which meant I had to hang the picture higher than I would have liked, since the cost to move it was prohibitive.
Living Room Pros: The living room is 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide and 14 feet (4.3 meters) long, which holds a large sofa, coffee table, two side tables, a credenza and two chairs and ottoman. I love the vintage look of the partial wall/room divider it shares with the bedroom. I did think to have a plug installed high on the wall behind the TV. The rest of the cords are fished through the walls.
Living Room Cons: The only thing I wish I had done differently is tell the HVAC installer where I wanted the thermostat. Left to his own devices, he put it in the living room on the wall where my TV is installed. It could just as easily have been on the other side of the wall in the laundry room.
Miscellaneous Cons: All the cons come from my lack of forethought...and the fact that I'm very picky. The remotes for my ceiling fans are an icky off-white plastic, and if I had planned ahead, I would have told the electrician not to mount them on my white walls. I also would have had him install the electrical outlets in my kitchen a little lower on the wall, and I would have put an outlet in the pantry so the electric can opener could be hidden away. I would also have had more electric plugs installed on the exterior of the house, as well as a faucet on the exterior, as it's a little bothersome to have to drag a hose across the yard to water.
All in all, I am thrilled with the way my "little modernist nest" turned out. It's compact but feels very roomy, it's extremely well soundproofed, so even if the grandsons are playing outside, I can hardly hear them. The frosted glass gives me plenty of light, along with plenty of privacy. Best of all, as I expected, its small size makes it extremely easy to keep clean and organized. I can zip through here and have everything dusted, swept, vacuumed, mopped and polished in less than 30 minutes, which is great, because I've found that keeping it neat and tidy makes it seem more spacious.
And is living in such close proximity to family working out? So far, yes. My grandsons come over several times a day, which I love, while my daughter and SIL and I give each other a little more space. From the very beginning, we intended to run our own houses as separate entities, getting together for meals or other activities as we might if we lived across town from each other, rather than in each other's yards. We're a very close knit bunch, but we all enjoy our privacy and alone-time, and having two self-contained homes makes that work out for us much better than living in one house.
First of all, I'm pleased with the layout of the apartment. I drew the plans myself, and my contractor was surprised at how accurate my first (and untrained) effort was. The apartment was built on an existing 26 x 26 slab that formerly housed a two-room workshop/storage area and carport with additional storage. Because of existing plumbing, I put all the rooms (bathroom, laundry room and kitchen) that required water on one side of the house. On the other side, I put my bedroom and living room. Very linear, but very efficient. Because the apartment is only 676 sf, I had to get creative with every inch of space.
Kitchen Pros: I put a counter and stools in my kitchen, since I don't have room for a table, and it's just the right height for eating or for use as a desk. The room is about 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) wide with 4 feet (1.2 meters) of walking space...not large by any means, but not cramped at all. I had stainless steel appliances in the main house, and I was ready for a change, so I chose black. I also chose black light fixtures, matte black faucet and drawer pulls and a black ceiling fan. I love the effect with the birch cabinets and white walls...a nice contrast that gives a surprisingly airy look. My tile is a slate-look porcelain. The previous owner of the main house installed a similar color real slate (unsealed), and while I loved the color, it hasn't been durable, and it is hard to clean. The tile in my new kitchen solves those problems and still gives me the look of slate.
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| Tom Dixon-style light from Menard's, IKEA cabinets, Target spice rack, Moen Arbor faucet, Pegasus sink, Crate and Barrel bowl, Wal-Mart planter |
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| Tom Dixon-style lights from Menard's, my daughter's FabPats prints,stools by Gus*Modern, Silestone Night Mist, Behr White Fur paint, Style Selection Castle Stone porcelain tile in Harvest color from Lowe's |
Kitchen Cons: While I love the color of my Silestone countertops (black with just the slightest hint of a brown fleck and white speck), I don't like that the oil from my fingertips leaves a smudge every time I touch them, which I didn't notice on the small sample. Also, if I don't dry them really carefully when I wipe them down, they streak. It's almost as if there's a thin film left during installation that wiping down with Windex isn't removing. I'm sure there's a cleaner that will solve the problem. I just need to do a little more research.
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| Silestone smudges...not good! |
Walk-in Closet/Laundry Room Pros: I take clothes out of the dryer, turn around and hang them up or put them in the chest of drawers. What's not to love about that? It might not work for a family, but it's the best thing since sliced bread for a single person. The room is 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide. The washer and dryer are on one side, along with a closet with double bi-fold doors that houses the hot water heater and air conditioning unit, as well as the vacuum, broom and mop. The other side of the room has a clothes rod and chest of drawers. A shelf above the rod holds out-of-season clothes in plastic containers. A partitioned-off area across from the washer holds laundry baskets for dirty clothes.
Walk-in Closet/Laundry Room Con: The only thing I plan to do is put built-in shelves in the partitioned area to hold the laundry baskets. I already had a large rolling stainless steel cart that fit perfectly in the spot, and I thought it would hold four laundry baskets, but I haven't been able to find baskets the right size, so building shelves is a quick and inexpensive fix. I'll take them all the way to the ceiling, so the things that are being stored beneath my clothes (sewing machine, luggage, step stool) can come off the floor and make the room look less cluttered. When I get this done, I'll post pictures.
Bathroom Pros: I love my bathroom and wouldn't change a thing. It is 12.5 feet long (3.8 meters) by 7.5 feet wide (2.3 meters) and feels perfectly roomy. The walk-in shower is 7.5 feet long (2.3 meters) by 5 (1.5 meters) feet wide. I used the same tile as in the rest of the house and added a row of trim that is made of 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) slate, white frosted glass and white opaque glass tiles. I decided to go with birch kitchen cabinets instead of bathroom cabinets, which gives me more storage and more counterspace. I used Venetian bronze faucet, shower head and handles, drawer pulls and accessories, with a white vessel sink and smooth-side toilet, which is the only kind I'll ever buy from now on...so easy to keep clean. The medicine cabinet has a plug inside, so my electric toothbrush and rechargeable razor don't have to be in view. I also installed a storage unit that could be built into the wall to keep the plunger, toilet brush and cleaning products out of sight.
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| Howard Elliott Raphael mirror, CB2 Seam bath accessories, Delta Lahara faucet, Kohler vessel sink |
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| American Standard Cadet straight side (concealed trapway) toilet, Moen Eva tank lever,Sanicare hand-held bidet, Nate Berkus towels from Target, original photography by my daughter |
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| Tessera Square Tundra glass and stone mosaic tile |
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| Hidden behind in the corner behind the door is a Hy-Dit wall cabinet for plunger,toilet brush and cleaning products and a CB2 Contact stool for putting on makeup |
Bedroom Pros: My bedroom is the one room where I had to sacrifice space, but I was working within the confines of the existing foundation, and I decided that all it really had to do was hold my queen size bed. It is 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) by 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) and opens onto a small garden behind my house by way of a sliding glass door, giving enough light to keep it from looking cramped. I also decided to use a partial wall/room divider between the bedroom and living room, which allows light from the living room windows to come in and gives the room a more open feel too.
Bedroom Cons: One thing I didn't think to do was tell the electrician what exactly where to install the breaker box, which is on the back wall of the bedroom. It's a large box (because, for some reason, when the house was built in 1950, it was set up to control the main house too), and he mounted it high on the wall. I had planned to cover it with a picture, which meant I had to hang the picture higher than I would have liked, since the cost to move it was prohibitive.
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| Unfashionably high picture |
Living Room Pros: The living room is 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide and 14 feet (4.3 meters) long, which holds a large sofa, coffee table, two side tables, a credenza and two chairs and ottoman. I love the vintage look of the partial wall/room divider it shares with the bedroom. I did think to have a plug installed high on the wall behind the TV. The rest of the cords are fished through the walls.
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| Jenn Ski print, Target jute pouf, IKEA sheepskin throw,Hip Haven bullet planter, frosted glass side lites |
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| Beautiful macrame hanger made by the immensely talentedPippa of ouch flower holding a fat lava pot,Vitra Eames house bird, CB2 Space vases |
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| George Nelson repro clock, vintage Ib Kofod-Larsen chair, Fenton gourd vase, Crate and Barrel Nalan planter, West German bowl by Scheurich |
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| Allen + Roth Mazon ceiling fan, Lamps Plus tripod lamp, West Elm Branch side table, Ekornes Alpha recliner and ottoman, Tibetan lamb pelt from curlyfurs.com, Crate and Barrel and CB2 pillows, vintage walnut coffee table, CB2 Tornado side table, Tandy cowhide rug, Miro and Rothko prints |
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| Clockwise, from top left: vintage Giovanni de Simone bottles, CB2 Neville House snow globe, vintage WestGerman fat lava vase by Scheurich, Crate and Barrel Arashi vase, CB2 Jack vase, vintage West German vaseby Scheurich, vintage handcarved bird, vintage West German pitcher by Bay, vintage Castor Cooper pewtervase, vintage Alvino Bagni lidded vase, Dansk candleholders, West Elm rocking bird, old-but-not-vintage(c. 1990) Royal Haeger vases by Larry Laslo, vintage Danish candlesticks, vintage Aldo Londi cat for Bitossi (To see close-ups, go to my Pinterest board.) |
Living Room Cons: The only thing I wish I had done differently is tell the HVAC installer where I wanted the thermostat. Left to his own devices, he put it in the living room on the wall where my TV is installed. It could just as easily have been on the other side of the wall in the laundry room.
Miscellaneous Cons: All the cons come from my lack of forethought...and the fact that I'm very picky. The remotes for my ceiling fans are an icky off-white plastic, and if I had planned ahead, I would have told the electrician not to mount them on my white walls. I also would have had him install the electrical outlets in my kitchen a little lower on the wall, and I would have put an outlet in the pantry so the electric can opener could be hidden away. I would also have had more electric plugs installed on the exterior of the house, as well as a faucet on the exterior, as it's a little bothersome to have to drag a hose across the yard to water.
All in all, I am thrilled with the way my "little modernist nest" turned out. It's compact but feels very roomy, it's extremely well soundproofed, so even if the grandsons are playing outside, I can hardly hear them. The frosted glass gives me plenty of light, along with plenty of privacy. Best of all, as I expected, its small size makes it extremely easy to keep clean and organized. I can zip through here and have everything dusted, swept, vacuumed, mopped and polished in less than 30 minutes, which is great, because I've found that keeping it neat and tidy makes it seem more spacious.
And is living in such close proximity to family working out? So far, yes. My grandsons come over several times a day, which I love, while my daughter and SIL and I give each other a little more space. From the very beginning, we intended to run our own houses as separate entities, getting together for meals or other activities as we might if we lived across town from each other, rather than in each other's yards. We're a very close knit bunch, but we all enjoy our privacy and alone-time, and having two self-contained homes makes that work out for us much better than living in one house.
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| Green space behind house |
Friday, May 31, 2013
Welcome to the Modernist Nest
...or as my grandsons call it, Grammo's Little House. Many thanks for your support and encouragement during the construction process and your patience as I readied it for the day I could finally invite you inside.
Tomorrow I'll share a few close-ups before I wrap up my construction saga. They will include the room divider, which has already changed since the photo was taken (thanks to a mix-up by the postal service), as well as the beautiful macrame hanger sent to me by the fantastic Pippa of ouch flower, which I've been waiting to show you in its place of honor.
If you see anything that makes you curious, just ask. I'll be sure to give you a closer look and whatever information you want...or you can check out my Pinterest boards entitled Materials.
Construction by JC Construction and Remodeling, Jose Camarillo (owner) and crew
Photos by Home Snappers
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Reveal update
The photographer's website promises a less than 24-hour turnaround, but when I told him that these were going to be for a blog post and possible submission to a magazine, he said they'd probably spend a little more time than usual on them...but assured me I'd have them by mid-week.
Well, by my calendar, Wednesday is mid-week, and the photos aren't here yet. I emailed this morning and told him I had a Wednesday deadline on the blog post, but I haven't heard back. I'm sure that means he's working diligently, without stopping for meals or bathroom breaks, to finish my images!
Still, Wednesday is 6 hours and 15 minutes away from being over, and I guess it's possible that I could still get the post in under the wire. I've been in bed with a horrible head cold all day, but I promise I'll check my email periodically.
I have to admit, though, that this is a fitting ending to a construction saga and landscaping project that has had more than its share of delays. A speedy turnaround on the photos just wouldn't have seemed right. :)
UPDATE: Thursday, 9:30 a.m.--I heard from the photographer. He's promised the photos by early afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed.
UPDATE: Thursday, 3:55 p.m.--Is it just me, or does "early afternoon" mean 1:00 or 2:00? It's almost 4:00, and I think we've passed "mid-afternoon" and are headed straight for "late afternoon." I'm going to take more medicine and head back to bed.
Well, by my calendar, Wednesday is mid-week, and the photos aren't here yet. I emailed this morning and told him I had a Wednesday deadline on the blog post, but I haven't heard back. I'm sure that means he's working diligently, without stopping for meals or bathroom breaks, to finish my images!
Still, Wednesday is 6 hours and 15 minutes away from being over, and I guess it's possible that I could still get the post in under the wire. I've been in bed with a horrible head cold all day, but I promise I'll check my email periodically.
I have to admit, though, that this is a fitting ending to a construction saga and landscaping project that has had more than its share of delays. A speedy turnaround on the photos just wouldn't have seemed right. :)
UPDATE: Thursday, 9:30 a.m.--I heard from the photographer. He's promised the photos by early afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed.
UPDATE: Thursday, 3:55 p.m.--Is it just me, or does "early afternoon" mean 1:00 or 2:00? It's almost 4:00, and I think we've passed "mid-afternoon" and are headed straight for "late afternoon." I'm going to take more medicine and head back to bed.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Post-construction saga: SNAFU
I'm not intentionally being coy. I really do plan to reveal my new modernist nest soon. In fact, I intended to reveal it long before now. However, there's no accounting for weather or for workmen. Or for moving the store, which is causing the current delay.
I've vowed not to do the full reveal till everything is finished, and right now the entire back yard is torn up and covered with weeds. Not just the part in front of my new apartment. I mean the entire back yard.
My daughter and SIL decided...and very rightly so...that the original layout of the yard, while perfect for a single older woman, was not conducive to play for the boys. The yard is small, and most of it was taken up by shrubs and flower beds, leaving very little grassy area in which the grandsons could cavort and commit mayhem, so my SIL wielded his mighty chain saw and removed the shrubs. Then it rained. By the time things dried out, the brush was very brittle. We decided we didn't want the headache...or the cuts and abrasions...of hauling it off, so we set about hiring it done. The first person who was supposed to come didn't show up, but we were luckier the second try...although that person came so late that he had to work by porch light.
Then it took a while to get all the roots tilled up. That was no fault of the workman with the tiller. He had to wait until several other things were done...particularly getting someone to flag the gas line, which we rightly assumed ran directly under the area to be tilled. More rain, this time with hail, caused a couple of delayed visits.
My SIL also had to wait for the flagging before he could jackhammer out a couple of sidewalks. One originally went to the carport/storage area, which was converted into my kitchen, closet/laundry room and bathroom, so it had become The Sidewalk to Nowhere. The other, in front of my apartment, was an eyesore and needed to be replaced.
Once that was done, the tilling had to be further postponed till we could get someone out to haul off all the rock and concrete my SIL had so dauntlessly and manfully broken up. There came the rub. The guy, who had delivered a diatribe against "flakes on Craigslist" when he hauled off the brush, stood us up the first evening he was supposed to come back. And the the next. And the next. Then it rained again. And rained. And then it was muddy for several days, delaying the haul-off even further. The guy finally showed up and took away most of the debris.
In the meantime, though, we discovered that the rest of the rock in front of my new apartment, which we thought we could finish digging up in a snap with a shovel, was buried so deeply that it would need to be jackhammered as well. The tardy rock hauler said he'd loan my SIL his jackhammer...to save another rental at Home Depot...and he also said he'd come back to pick up the last of the rocks the next day when he got his jackhammer. He finally showed up a week later. I opened the gate for him and then went back inside, only to discover that he had picked up his jackhammer but had left behind the rock.
The tilling was finally finished, and our brand new rake immediately broke. More delay was caused by trying to find the receipt and then time to exchange it. I think this is a perfect example of how the acronym SNAFU and Murphy's Law came into being.
So at the moment, the plan is to go on a marathon landscaping finish-up as soon as the last piece of furniture is moved into the new store location. Till then, we have a yard cart full of rocks that we're going to have to find a place to dump, dirt that needs to be spread, nandina and boxwood stumps/roots that need to be picked out of the dirt, an I-kid-you-not boatload of weeds...and sand. Where the sidewalk came up in front of my apartment, we found a ton of sand that was put down in 1950 when the house was built. After staying put for 63 years, it now migrates into my apartment in copious amounts every time the door opens. That doubles when the grandsons enter. They sit in it to play with their toy cars and trains, so they track in shoesful and pantsful. That is, unless they're busy committing the aforementioned mayhem, such as having stick fights or throwing chunks of concrete at each other. (Thanks for leaving those behind, flaky brush/rock hauler man.)
I've vowed not to do the full reveal till everything is finished, and right now the entire back yard is torn up and covered with weeds. Not just the part in front of my new apartment. I mean the entire back yard.
My daughter and SIL decided...and very rightly so...that the original layout of the yard, while perfect for a single older woman, was not conducive to play for the boys. The yard is small, and most of it was taken up by shrubs and flower beds, leaving very little grassy area in which the grandsons could cavort and commit mayhem, so my SIL wielded his mighty chain saw and removed the shrubs. Then it rained. By the time things dried out, the brush was very brittle. We decided we didn't want the headache...or the cuts and abrasions...of hauling it off, so we set about hiring it done. The first person who was supposed to come didn't show up, but we were luckier the second try...although that person came so late that he had to work by porch light.
Then it took a while to get all the roots tilled up. That was no fault of the workman with the tiller. He had to wait until several other things were done...particularly getting someone to flag the gas line, which we rightly assumed ran directly under the area to be tilled. More rain, this time with hail, caused a couple of delayed visits.
My SIL also had to wait for the flagging before he could jackhammer out a couple of sidewalks. One originally went to the carport/storage area, which was converted into my kitchen, closet/laundry room and bathroom, so it had become The Sidewalk to Nowhere. The other, in front of my apartment, was an eyesore and needed to be replaced.
Once that was done, the tilling had to be further postponed till we could get someone out to haul off all the rock and concrete my SIL had so dauntlessly and manfully broken up. There came the rub. The guy, who had delivered a diatribe against "flakes on Craigslist" when he hauled off the brush, stood us up the first evening he was supposed to come back. And the the next. And the next. Then it rained again. And rained. And then it was muddy for several days, delaying the haul-off even further. The guy finally showed up and took away most of the debris.
In the meantime, though, we discovered that the rest of the rock in front of my new apartment, which we thought we could finish digging up in a snap with a shovel, was buried so deeply that it would need to be jackhammered as well. The tardy rock hauler said he'd loan my SIL his jackhammer...to save another rental at Home Depot...and he also said he'd come back to pick up the last of the rocks the next day when he got his jackhammer. He finally showed up a week later. I opened the gate for him and then went back inside, only to discover that he had picked up his jackhammer but had left behind the rock.
The tilling was finally finished, and our brand new rake immediately broke. More delay was caused by trying to find the receipt and then time to exchange it. I think this is a perfect example of how the acronym SNAFU and Murphy's Law came into being.
So at the moment, the plan is to go on a marathon landscaping finish-up as soon as the last piece of furniture is moved into the new store location. Till then, we have a yard cart full of rocks that we're going to have to find a place to dump, dirt that needs to be spread, nandina and boxwood stumps/roots that need to be picked out of the dirt, an I-kid-you-not boatload of weeds...and sand. Where the sidewalk came up in front of my apartment, we found a ton of sand that was put down in 1950 when the house was built. After staying put for 63 years, it now migrates into my apartment in copious amounts every time the door opens. That doubles when the grandsons enter. They sit in it to play with their toy cars and trains, so they track in shoesful and pantsful. That is, unless they're busy committing the aforementioned mayhem, such as having stick fights or throwing chunks of concrete at each other. (Thanks for leaving those behind, flaky brush/rock hauler man.)
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| If dirt is your thing, we've got it. |
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| Did I lie about the weeds? |
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| Or the sand? |
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| A few baskets have been hung in back, along with some well-placed flags telling us where we can dig. |
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| A few more have been hung in front...but, as you can see, it's still looks like a war zone. The plastic lid as a stepping stone is a nice touch, don't you think? |
Soon. Very soon.
::SIGH:: I hope.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Post-construction saga: Closer, ever closer
This is the last tease. The very last. Well, except maybe for one of landscaping in progress...but I'll try my best to refrain. I know I'm a hopeless perfectionist, but I'm not going to have "big picture" photos taken till everything is just the way I want it.
And, trust me, that will be very soon. The countertops are in, plumbing is hooked up, and the cedar porch overhang has been built. All that's left to do is some digging, some planting and some mulching.
And, trust me, that will be very soon. The countertops are in, plumbing is hooked up, and the cedar porch overhang has been built. All that's left to do is some digging, some planting and some mulching.
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| Cedar porch overhang just begging for hanging plants |
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| In spite of a recent cold snap, the trees are turning green. |
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| Hardware is on, appliances are in and countertop is installed. |
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| Faucets are hooked up, in the kitchen... |
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| ...and in the bathroom |
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| I'll end with a completely gratuitous shot of Grandson #2, my curlytop. |
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Post-construction saga: Trading one mess for another
I'm all moved in, and I almost have my new modernist nest decorated. The cedar overhang/porch cover will be built in the next few days, as soon as a special order of lumber comes in. Countertops will be installed on Friday, which will allow me to get the kitchen and bathroom in order. Right now, they're in an unbelievable state of disarray.
However, both rooms are downright tidy compared with our driveway, which is covered with all manner of detritus from the big move. What you see below is the last of it. My SIL is on his way home from Dallas (where he has been looking at possible new locations for the store) so we can take one last trailerload of boxes and trash to the solid waste drop-off, better known in these parts as "the dump."
Three or four previous loads made a pretty good dent in the trash we generated, along with numerous trips to the curb with some pretty fantastic non-trash items that we simply didn't have room for. You know you're exhausted from a move...in this case, two household moves simultaneously...when you don't have the wherewithal to list things on Craigslist and just keep saying to each other, "Put it on the curb."
I imagine we made quite a few "curb thrifters" happy this past week, since here are a few of the things they were able to pick up, absolutely gratis:
We had simply reached that numbed-out delirium that comes when you've carried so many boxes that your feet and back don't even hurt anymore, because your brain is too tired to process the messages from your screaming muscles and nerve endings. That's when stuff starts going to the curb.
However, both rooms are downright tidy compared with our driveway, which is covered with all manner of detritus from the big move. What you see below is the last of it. My SIL is on his way home from Dallas (where he has been looking at possible new locations for the store) so we can take one last trailerload of boxes and trash to the solid waste drop-off, better known in these parts as "the dump."
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| Pile of leftover construction material |
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| Overflowing trash bins |
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| The last of many boxes...but I do have an orange door! This was the spot where most of the construction trash was piled, so the grass is gone,and the dirt is packed rock hard. Landscaping will start soon. |
Three or four previous loads made a pretty good dent in the trash we generated, along with numerous trips to the curb with some pretty fantastic non-trash items that we simply didn't have room for. You know you're exhausted from a move...in this case, two household moves simultaneously...when you don't have the wherewithal to list things on Craigslist and just keep saying to each other, "Put it on the curb."
I imagine we made quite a few "curb thrifters" happy this past week, since here are a few of the things they were able to pick up, absolutely gratis:
- a Carter Brothers scoop chair
- a pair of mid-century nightstands
- a Joe Colombo Boby art cart
- a ton of practically new Crate and Barrel throw pillows (color change!)
- a very large triple eyeball floor lamp (In our state of fatigue, rewiring it just seemed too daunting.)
- several sets of new and vintage glassware, including about 32 pieces of green Anchor Hocking Soreno
- an easel and wooden artbox full of oil paints and brushes
- numerous framed prints, including some really nice lithographs
- a Drexel Profile dining chair
- two chairs, a chaise and a table from a Woodard wrought iron patio set (I kept two chairs and some stacking tables.)
We had simply reached that numbed-out delirium that comes when you've carried so many boxes that your feet and back don't even hurt anymore, because your brain is too tired to process the messages from your screaming muscles and nerve endings. That's when stuff starts going to the curb.
After a little rest, there are a couple of pieces I could kick myself for throwing away, but I really didn't have room for them, and I'm sure several people whose mid-century blogs I haven't found yet are posting as we speak about the unbelievable curb treasures they scored. It feels nice to make somebody happy!
I promise to quit teasing soon...um, as soon as there aren't empty fast food bags, mops and various cleaning products and dirty laundry sitting around. Till then, here are a few snippets of what's happening inside.
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| Over the sofa |
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| Beside the front door |
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| Another corner of the living room |
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| A peek at the bedroom |
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| The first arrangement of the built-ins...before any editing has been done |
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