IKEA kitchen

I think one of the biggest mistakes a person can make when remodeling their house is to skip over the IKEA kitchen design center.  The hardware and the functionality is the same (if not better) than many custom millwork products - and the price is much, much less.  It's a win-win (except for the custom millwork guy).

From what I've read, a custom kitchen of our size would have cost about $35,000-50,000.  We're paying less than ten.  And that includes soft close drawers, good quality hinges, pull-out shelves, etc.  All of these upgrades are standard at IKEA.  Sure, you don't have a ton of choices for cabinet fronts... maybe 10 or so, but the lack of choice is well worth the reduced cost.

We're going to go with the gray high gloss cabinets.  Something like this:

Someone told me that Europeans do not put any aesthetic value on cabinetry which is why IKEA cabinets are fairly simple, sleek, and detail-less, and I think it is brilliant.  There is nothing that dates a house more quickly than a bad set of cabinets, and maybe some bad tile or shag.  IKEA Kitchen gets it right.

On Black Friday, we braved the IKEA crowds.  It really wasn't too bad.  Maybe because we got to the store 2 hours prior to opening (thanks, Mom) to wait in "line" (we were first, very first)?  Eventually, we were able to spend an hour with an IKEA designer.  He printed a 7-page list of parts that we'd need and we went and pulled everything off the shelves... ha, no way... that would take hours, or days.  Instead, we paid $90 for IKEA to pull everything off the shelves for us AND to deliver and carry everything into our home (up the stairs).  This has got to be the best Black Friday deal I've ever found.  I would have paid quite a bit more for that service, but...shhh.

Yeah, our kitchen came in a lot of boxes (our contractor claims, "hundreds") but we saved (A LOT OF) money, and we got a quality, stylish (and timeless) kitchen with all the bells and whistles.

Can't wait to get it all put together!

Drumroll... The Angled Soffit.

Still siding... but much, much closer

We should have the siding all wrapped up by Christmas.

Grohe Blue

Not gonna get it, but... the Grohe Blue is probably one of the coolest products I've come across throughout the remodel (so far).

This is a Grohe kitchen faucet system that offers three types of water on-demand: (1) cold, filtered water, (2) cold, medium-sparkling water, or (3) full-sparkling water.  We go through quite a bit of sparking water so this was definitely on the "wish list" for a few minutes.  The retail price is over $3,000.  A little steep - okay, a lot steep.  We'll cross it off the list for now.

I wonder how much sparkling water you'd have to drink to make the numbers work?

Still siding...

The soffits are coming along.

If you look closely, you can begin to see the angled soffit design of the Southwest corner.

These are a few of my favorite things

Now that we're approaching the home stretch, it is fun to look at accessories for the new pad.

Some of my favorites:

The "merde" pillow, by Alexandra Ferguson (allmodern.com), because it doesn't seem quite as bad if you say it in French.  I'm pretty sure Santa will still come.

Cozy, wool blankets by Eleanor Pritchard.  (eleanorpritchard.com/)

Everything she does is fabulous!

State shaped cutting boards by AHeirloom.  These look really cool except they are small... cheese plate?








And, of course, the Nest Thermostat, and the Spore Doorbell!  The Nest can be controlled by your smartphone so you can change the temperature of your house from anywhere.

The Spore Doorbell is a family-run, Seattle company.  The owner went to school in Bellingham so we've gotta support him.  And the doorbells are just cool.  The black-on-black, matte finish, is really fun.  sporedoorbells.com

 

Toto Aquia vs. Kohler Persuade

Drumroll... we went with the Kohler Persuade... with the soft close, easy-clean lid.  (I'm only blogging about this because so many people have asked me which toilets we chose... who knew there was such an interest?  It has been the number one question after, what color paint?  And since I don't know the answer to that one, I chose to write about toilets.)

Truth be told, I actually think the Aquia is a prettier toilet.  But the Kohler is made in America.  And although I didn't think it would, that felt important to me.  Maybe since I made the decision in the middle of the government shutdown and I'm a proud American?  Anyway, the Kohler also comes with the "pop off" easy-cleaning toilet seat.  If you're in the market for a new toilet, this is a feature you must see to believe.  (Particularly wonderful for those who are potty training 3 year old little boys.)

It's also about an inch narrower than many other "standard" toilets.  The shape of the bowl and stand make it easy to clean - not many nooks and crannies.

It retails for $551, but a contractor's discount brings it to $317.  Not bad at all.

Soffits - Stage 1

The text from our contractor read, "Soffit dilemma averted," which I read as "soffit crisis averted."  Finally.  We've convinced a team of 3 extremely patient Russians to get started on our project.  They, along with all of the other siding specialists we tried to hire, cannot comprehend why we want the soffits to be angled (and they too tried to convince us to use a flat soffit design), but I held my ground and they finally started piecing together our complicated, angled soffit design.  

The mathematics of it is too boring to explain... but it is actually a very difficult soffit to engineer so hats off to our siding team.  So far, with only one soffit finished, I already think it looks fabulous!  And yes, it was worth the wait...

We are also taking a somewhat unconventional approach by not trimming out our windows.  The siding will meet up with the window frame.  It's a cleaner look for this style of modern house.

Well, only about 2 more weeks to go with this soffit/siding process...

I'm jumping on the band wagon

I know that ombre products have been all the rage for awhile now but I'm just now getting on board.  ("Ombre" - when something fades from dark to light, or one color to another)

 
 
I love the concept.  It's fun and unique and interesting.  That's probably why I was also set on my yellow ombre fireplace idea.  Remember this from way back when:

But I've ditched that idea in search of a better opportunity for ombre.  And I've found it.

Ben came across a company called Hakatai.  They are a small tile company out of Ashland, Oregon, that will do custom ombre glass tile design.  Once we started playing around on the website's custom design tool, we were hooked.  Here are some ombre tile installations that we like:

Not sure exactly where this will end up but we're currently working with Hakatai to create something fun, something unique... and something OMBRE!  Just saying the word "ombre" makes me feel like drinking a margarita.   

Black beauty

I never thought I'd fall for a black sink but I'm kind of digging it!  The picture looks amazing.  Unfortunately, when you get up close and personal, it has speckles in it.  As Quinn would say, "So sad, too bad."  

We have to do what?

Ben really wanted a built-in speaker system.  I didn't care, at all.  I like music but I don't really care how it gets from the "system" to my ears.  And I didn't really feel compelled to spend money on this type of upgrade.

But, we decided to compromise.  Ben could get the system and speakers that he wanted but we would need to install them ourselves.  He went all out with lots of speakers, lots of zones, iPhone controls...  it seems like a very "smart" plan.  (My only request was a speaker in the powder room because, well, just because.)

When we showed up to the house on Saturday afternoon, we were very disappointed to see this:

That little brass lock on the gas meter means that Puget Sound Electric didn't show up to turn on the gas and the furnace, not that we should have expected them to come so soon (our "service window" was 8 am - midnight.  Gosh, I used to complain when Comcast gave me a 4-hour window.)  So, we'd have to complete our installation in 29 degree chill.  We bundled up and got to work!

(About an hour into the project, the PSE guy showed up and fired up the furnace.  It only took about 30 minutes to get the house up to a balmy 40 degrees.)

The project went well but it was hard.  We disagreed about whether the switches needed to line up exactly or whether a 3/8 inch difference was allowed.  We are both type A... but I'm more of an A- when it comes to the "perfectionist" category.  3/8 inch in either direction wouldn't bother me a bit but Ben would have hot flashes every time he passed it, so we moved the switch to its "perfect" location.  I already feel sorry for the tile guy.

We didn't finish the project... we had to run off to get a Christmas tree... but we worked hard and made some good progress.  As I write this, Ben is at the house finishing up what we started.  I'm "holding down the fort" by watching some Chelsea Lately and KUWTK. 

It was nice to have a small project so we could feel like we've paid our dues in the "sweat equity" category (ha!).  I hope one of our (many) future dinner parties will enjoy the ambiance we've created... and I promise to always have my music paired perfectly with my meal.  

Check, check, check

Okay, it's been awhile since I've really written a good, substantive post (and this won't be one either) but I feel like we've reached a good milestone today.  From here on out, things should be a little more "fun."  We've finished up most of the (boring) mechanical stuff and now we're onto the finishing stage.

Plumbing inspection - check.
Electrical inspection - check.
Framing inspection - check.

The bones are there.  Now we get to have fun covering them up with flooring, siding, paint, carpet, doors and other fun things!  (Of course, this is also the time when everyone says "you'll go over budget."  We'll see.)

Finally

We've been waiting for quite some time to see how the roof line would look after the entryway was completed.  Here it is!  Now we just need to find someone to start building out our (overly complicated but extremely cool) soffits.  So far, four companies have said no.  Hmmm...

Entryway

If you've ever wondered what "pin piles" look like (and you probably haven't)... well, here they are:

These "pin piles" saved us from having to put a 4' by 4' concrete footing in our finished basement.  Actually, I think we would have needed two footings.  Since our structural engineer never actually visited the property, he assumed that these footings wouldn't be an issue.  Well, they were.  The "pin piles" ended up being a great solution (even though they required more engineering, their own inspector and special drilling equipment), and finally, they are in and they have passed their special inspection.  We can start building the new entryway!

The entry should be finished this weekend.  Electrical will go in next week.  And now, we're just a couple weeks away from drywall.

Beautiful Seattle Day!

It is beautiful day in Seattle to be building a house.  I had to stop by to see the progress and get a long-awaited answer to my question.  Can we see Mt. Rainier from our new 2nd story?  Answer:  Yep!  Although it's a bad picture and a bit hazy, the mountain is definitely there.

Now, could someone please come and trim that tree?

Here is the "Drink Wine" part

It's so pretty... just needs some wine.  Donations accepted.  It's the Electrolux Under-Counter Wine Cooler.  We choose it because of the pro handle to match our new appliances, the UV light filter, the hidden (child-proof) controls, the slide-out drawers... nah, actually just because of its good looks.  Although, now that I've listed all of it's qualities, it does seem like a good buy.

Sure wish we had room for two of them!

The good news about our new and improved wine cooler is that we have an excuse to make a trip to Walla Walla, as if an excuse is ever needed.

First fixture in!

The first fixture is in!  It's the kids' bathtub - the Kohler Villager bathtub - a great selection for kids because the side is lower than usual and the tub isn't quite as deep.  Another great suggestion from the Build LLC blog - http://blog.buildllc.com/.  If I could buy stock in a blog, that's where I'd put my money (and this one, of course).  We've relied on their blog numerous times throughout our project.  

Railings

Love, LOVE this look, but particularly interested in the railings...

I know glass can be a huge PITA to clean but it looks so fabulous and creates more openness.  I'm a big fan of the glass railing without a wood rail on the top.  It looks fragile but I've been assured that an adult can lean up against the glass or knock into it fairly hard without any problems.  It would be commercial-grade glass.  Although we're waiting to hear back from the fabricator, our plan is to steal this idea.  The "posts" are more squared off too which creates a modern look.  Per code, we will need a railing... it will go on the opposite (non-glass) wall.

I'm curious about the corrugated steel over the fireplace.  I like it.  Antlers... very cool (!)... but it's been done.

Carpenter Ants!

We're back from sunny and beautiful Tucson and we were welcomed home to a colony of carpenter ants.  Yuck.  They apparently decided that the South side of our house was the perfect venue for a little dinner party.  

I emailed this photo to Ben with the title, "They found carpenter ants," to which he responded, "well, maybe they can help get the project done faster.  The more carpenters the better, right?"  Ha.  Dad joke.

The ants seem to be gone now after some type of chemical application.  I can't say the ants really bothered me though.  I usually head to Tucson concerned about tarantulas and scorpions, but that was before last week when I learned about (and ducked to avoid) large, flying tarantulas hawks.  They aren't hawks at all... but extremely large, slow-flying spider wasps that have a sting ranked 2nd in the world on the Schmidt Pain Index.  And they hunt tarantulas.  Yikes.  They must have a good PR team.  

Windows and Stairs

Eventually we'll have floating stairs... but this is the current view with the original stairway wall opened up and the temporary stairs going to the new upstairs.

And, the first of the windows are in!  They are Anderson 100 Series - antique bronze on the outside and white on the inside.

HVAC and plumbing will get started tomorrow.  

Happy 1st Birthday Julesie!

You are so sweet and cute and special to us.  Happy 1st!  

Full Court Press

This is going to be a busy, busy week.  There were about 8 men at the job site today!

The windows should get delivered today and will be installed over the next 2 days.  We are so excited about how large the windows will be, although apparently they will require a special contraption to hoist them up.

The roof, fascia and gutters will be completed this week.  Our funky, angular soffits still won't be designed until the siding team gets started.  

Our first inspection was completed today... and so the new foundation for the entryway should be poured tomorrow.  The framing of the entryway will happen on Wednesday.  This is when the exterior of the house will really take shape.  There will be another extended soffit over the entryway as well.

There are temporary stairs up to the second floor now so we can go upstairs and walk around.  Now I can finally get up there and determine if our hallway is too small... although nothing I can do about at this point.  If it feels too small or narrow, we may have to consider a special wallpaper or design idea (maybe different lighting?) that will make the space feel larger and more open.

It seems like the perfect time for a trip to Tucson - with low 80s and gorgeous views - so we're off.  Hoping to finally spot the (mythical?) javelinas (also known as a skunk pig).  My dad says, they are so ugly that they are cute.  But anything with the nickname "skunk pig" can't have much going for it.

Build house, drink margaritas.  And as Quinn says, "Can we have some of that green stuff?" (AKA guacamole)

Tarps failed again...

... and we got wet.

 The water came in through the roof and soaked the main floor.  Some of it leaked through to the (completely finished) basement.  Now our contractor is forced to take out drywall in the basement and dry it all out.  Our main concern is mold.  

Raise the roof

The lower section of the roof is on!  (The lower section will be 8'3" and the upper section will be 10'.)

We are able to get a peek at our extra deep soffits.  They'll stick out 4 1/2 feet in the front and back, and 18" on the sides.  I just read an article about how Frank Lloyd Wright's deep overhang's have been "out of fashion" for awhile now... especially now that people are buying more heat pumps to help with heating and cooling their homes.  But we're bringing 'em back!  (And I certainly don't agree that they've gone out of fashion anyway.)

Apparently, there is a mathematical relationship among roof overhang, roof slope, soffit height and the sun, which allows the deep overhang to keep the house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.  Interesting but entirely useless.  I'm pretty sure that the science of solar angles did not factor into our architect's soffit design; it was all aesthetics.  And I thank her for making them deeper than I ever would have considered because they are going to look fabulous!