Day Twenty-Three: The 'Finish' Line, Sort Of.

Not the finish line that one might think because today, I deviate.

Note: Please keep your deviant thoughts to yourself.

Today I deviate from the construction progress report to discuss the actual important stuff: The Finishes! Ah, yes. The Bling! The Bang! The Really Scary Choices because if-people-don't like them-I can't-blame the stupid-previous-owners!

Note: However, I have a theory that if you throw enough money at nearly anything, it will look great. Therefore, things are going swimmingly.

First, the flooring.

Kobra Bamboo Flooring will cover the entire surface of the Great Room. It's actually a bit darker than this sample.
Sort of.

Not My Actual Cabinetry.
But it will be simple and white. And similar. Sort of.

Kitchen Backsplash
The tile will extend to the ceiling above the range top.

The tile wall will sort of look like this.
Sort of.

Alaska Granite will be on my Prep Island. In real life, it's kinda shimmery. Like me. Sort of.

Everest White Quartz on the Eating Island and the remaining countertops.
Yes, I said two islands. I know, I know.

 Yes, it's quite neutral, but worry not. There will be happy, glorious color!

Yellow, anyone?

Heck, yes!

Day Twenty-Two

How time flies when you're sequestered in the back of your house with just The Hub, your Dog and three televisions ...

Note: Well, think about it. All of the time I used to spend vacuuming and dusting and whatnot is now available for other pursuits, i.e. watching television.

Oh, that's not altogether true. I also find myself eating ice cream and napping.

Oh, enough of this gibberish.

The Great Room, it all it's Demolition Glory.
The cement pad is the remnant of the hideous fireplace that "graced" that spot. The interior wall will be demolished next, expanding the room to the outer wall. I am standing in the "kitchen" area. The room itself is about 1200 square feet. I am sad that the adorable fir floors are not salvageable.

The New Staircase Wall! 
We are thrilled to have an interior staircase. Woohoo! 

The Staircase Wall from Outside. 
Yeah, it looks a little funky at the moment. But you get the idea.

Our "Current" Living Room
aka The Guest Room in its previous (and again in its future) life. 

My Laundry Room/Kitchen
and yes, there is also a full-sized refrigerator in there!

Windows and sliding doors are going in this week and that final interior wall is going ... going ... going ... You'll just need to stay tuned!

So, think of me washing dishes in my laundry sink and waking to the sounds of hammering everyday!

Day Eleven!

How time flies when you're spending money!

The plywood has topped the new extended roof structure and awaits the roofers tomorrow.

Note: Yes, that is a cash register in the background ca-chinging and ca-chinging!

Interior demolition begins Monday to bring the new structure "into" the house. We're excited for that moment, but progress is definitely being made on our Little House on the Hill!

The back of the house is getting a new facade!

The location of the 12' foot sliders and transom windows is now obvious!

Before: Notice the window of the guest room
 and the stair railing ...

have both disappeared! There are three windows framed above
 to let in light from the stairwell windows.

In other news, the Porta Potty Guy came with a great big truck and a real long hose and a 500 gallon tank to do whatever-it-is-he-does with the "material" in the potty. I'm glad he came by because the material was beginning to simmer in the warm sun and well, you know.

That job really sucks, I'm just saying.

Day Three: I've Been Framed!

Actually, I am in the process of being framed.

So The Contractor and The Sidekick are sawing and nailing and measuring, twice of course. And progress is being made, yes!

The back of the house taken while balanced on my flip flops and sliding down the hill and shading the sun from my eyes and hollering to The Hub, 'Where's Rubi, where's Rubi?"

The Great Room is growing!

View from the street while standing on the planter and holding the camera above my head.

Nothing says 'Classy' like a Porta Potty in front of your house. Sweet!

Day One: The Prequel.

What comes before The Beginning? The Prequel to The Beginning, which somehow, in my excitement to Begin, I neglected the process of explaining The Beginning.

So, long story short, we've spent $$$$ on permits and reports and designs and whatnot. Our little house will endure at least three phases of renovation, with the last occurring sometime after pigs fly, probably. But nevertheless, we've made it this far!

My current 'Great Room' concept with the living/dining/deck. Come on, admit it. That fireplace is ROCKIN'! Not.

My fancy kitchen. What else can I say, really?

My outdoor deck, which I have loved. That's the staircase at the end, which leads to our future game room/man world/guest suite

Our first phase involves punching the back of the house back eight feet to encompass the existing porch area. Doing so encloses an outdoor staircase to the lower floor--yes, I said an outdoor staircase, does that seem odd to you?--and ups the square footage of the house to over 3200 square feet. The emphasis of this first phase is to update plumbing and electrical, expand the great room area and install my new kitchen! Because our house screams The Jetsons, we will stay true to its mid century roots and being it back to its glory, although I doubt it ever had glory, per se. 

A reminder of why we bought this house in the first place! My view, my view!

Day One!

The day has arrived! After nine months of planning, saving, fretting, dreaming and hoping, the day has arrived!

Note: No, not a baby, silly.

But, The Little House is being reborn!


So, the Demo Fellow came in his great big truck. And the Contractor came with his great big truck. And they went to work.

And they huffed and they puffed and blew the chimney down! Actually, they huffed and they puffed as they whacked the chimney down with big old sledge hammers and the whatnot.

The back porch/deck is no more. My new kitchen/dining/music room wall will take its place on the back edge. And yes, those are my stairs al fresco!

The Contractor advises me that things went great today! Things went swell today! They found no rot, no mold, no asbestos and no dead bodies in the rafters!

This remodeling thing is a cinch.


Heck, yes!