Beautiful Bamboo flooring!

The cabinets are ready!  Our cabinet maker is waiting on us to finish up so that he can do the install!

We decided to start installing the bamboo floor in the Pantry first... as this is our very first time laying hardwood floor.

First we layed down tar paper... then layed the very first pieces..

Next we layed out some pieces to figure out the cuts.  After we were happy with the dry fitting, we used the floor nailer to set it in place!

So, 5 more feet to go in the Pantry... then MOVING ON into the Kitchen!

Kitchen painted... bring on the floor!

I put a 2nd coat of Red Red Wine (Olympic brand, no VOC) paint.

Rented the sander today too.  We've got to sand the seams on our subfloor.

Tomorrow is a big day for us!  We will prepare the subfloor for hardwood bamboo flooring!  It's going to be a new experience for us!

Our cabinets are all ready... the cabinet maker is just waiting for us to give the OK for install!

And now... 2nd coat of Red Red Wine!

Well, we had a family emergency that put us back a bit this week.

I'm gearing up to put the 2nd coat of Red Red Wine on the walls!

Color in the kitchen...

It was a bold move to put Red Red Wine on the north wall AND the Breakfast Nook.  Many people warned against it...

But, I must say that I ABSOLUTELY adore it!  I love this combination of colors!

You can feel the richness... the warmth of these two colors when you walk into the Kitchen.

Today coat # 2 goes on!

Later this week, we lay the natural color bamboo flooring... then later this month the Red Oak stained cabinets will be installed followed by appliances... then soapstone counters and island.

I can't wait to have a functioning kitchen!!!!  I've been dreaming of pan seared scallops !

Ordered cabinet knobs/pulls...

After going back and forth between oil-rubbed bronze and satin finish for my Kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls... I have decided to go with the warm color of oil-rubbed bronze.

My kitchen cabinets are stained in Red Oak... a beautiful deep warm brown color.  Can't wait to see it all come together!

Oh... last night we pulled out our kitchen/breakfast nook light fixtures... that I ordered last year.  I wanted to check the colors with my paint choices... They go PERFECTLY!

Adding Color to the Kitchen...

Kitchen Progress

How exciting it is after all these many months of dreaming of my new new kitchen... to finally buy paint and get to it!

After thinking long and hard on a color scheme for my house, I decided to go with the beautiful earthy colors of our incredible Bighorn Canyon.  I have always loved these deep rich colors!

So, when I saw Olympic Paint's Audubon collection of paint I fell in love with the colors!

Just finished the 2nd coat of Toffee Crunch in the kitchen ceiling, west, south, and east walls.

Next up is Red Red Wine on the north wall... my accent wall... with the same luscious color all over the breakfast nook!  Can't wait... to paint on Monday!!!

My inspiration...

Tuesday & Wednesday will be kitchen flooring days!  We'll be laying down our beautiful blonde bamboo!

Then... Thursday... fingers crossed... hoping and praying... CABINET INSTALL!!!

Finished priming the kitchen...

Rich and I worked together today to finish priming the kitchen and breakfast nook.  I decided to use tinted primer... THAT is so the way to go!!!

Here's what we did to get to this point....
1. Primed the walls and ceiling.
2. Textured the walls and ceiling.
3. Primed again...
4. Applied yet MORE texture to cover a few "places."
5. Primed over texture AGAIN!

Tomorrow my kitchen will be awash with beautiful color!

I'm priming the kitchen today!

I'm thrilled to report that I am PRIMING the kitchen walls and ceiling today!!!

Wow... sure looks a whole lot better without stripes and dots!

Can't wait to put color on the walls.... but... will have to texture first.

Kitchen ready for priming...

Got the walls & ceiling all sanded down.  I thought that I would texture first then prime... but after googling discussions on this subject, I've decided to:

Prime
Texture
Prime

Then finish with 2 coats of paint.

And now... back to work!

Getting ready to texture the kitchen...

I'm getting ready to texture the kitchen!

Rich put up plastic sheeting over the doorways and windows.  I'll be using wide painter's tape to cover all the outlets, light switches, and can lights.

Still thinking about colors for the kitchen...

Have pushed the cabinet install out to 6/7... but... will be done by my birthday!

Kitchen update 5/18/10

I'm very pleased to announce that the main kitchen area is all sanded and ready for texture!

And... I'm almost done sanding the breakfast nook.

Breakfast Nook...

Well, I'm off to spread some more mud way up at the peak of the cathedral ceiling of the breakfast nook. Up the tall ladder I go with mud pan & mud spreader thingy.

NOT looking forward to sanding up there...

Kitchen progress...

I'm sanding the kitchen ceiling this morning. I'd post pics... but it doesn't really look like much... yet!

Sore muscles...

Worked most of the day sanding drywall in the kitchen. Boy am I sore tonight!!!

Now... got my feet up on a pillow while I look at color scheme books!

I've got all stainless appliances and black soapstone for counters/island... so I'm going to go with warm, rich, earthy colors.

Can't wait till I can put paint on the walls!

Cabinets... mid-May....

Kitchen cabinets to be installed

Heard from our cabinet maker... our cabinets are just about ready!

I picked the install date of 5/13... mid-May!

As soon as I'm done preparing Taxes... I'll be finishing the walls/ceiling in the kitchen!

Rich is working on the Master bathroom... doing plumbing and creating a platform for the antique bathtub.

Wow... time flies!

I can't believe that it's been almost a month since my last post!!!!

We've been putting up sheetrock and mudding...

Rich has switched gears a bit and put on his "plumbing" hat for the master bathroom. He's in the midst of running water & sewer lines for that area.

The main sewer line for the master bathroom (on the 2nd floor) will run down the north wall corner of the living room. So, once that's done... we'll be able to sheetrock the Living Room!

The water lines will be coming up thru that same section and running into the ceiling of the Family room... once that's done... we'll be able to sheetrock the Family Room!

I'm happy to report... honestly... that mudding is going easier for me and I can now envision myself finishing the house!

I promise to take pictures today... and some video!!! Will update this post later tonight.

The Office... progress

Rich and Matthew continue to work in the Office by night... hanging sheetrock.

The Ceiling is up and the Walls are started. Two walls are up!

I spent the afternoon working on preparing the kitchen for primer. My work goes like this... mud... sand... mud... sand... mud... sand... Off I go!

The Office...

Sheetrocking continues....

Big changes! What a difference it makes to have the sheetrock up! I can't believe how much brighter it is in the back hall.

The Office

Worked on the Office yesterday. Ceiling is all sheetrocked. Began the west wall but didn't get much farther than that.

While Rich & Matt installed sheetrock, I worked on taping the back hall.

Back Hall progress....

I ended needing to devote quite a bit of time to my business this week... so didn't get the kitchen painted... sigh...

The house is feeling better and better! It was so awesome to come downstairs this morning into the back hall... with walls and a ceiling!!!! Very strange that the ceilings actually feel taller now with ceiling board on them.

Back Hall

So the back hall and ceiling have sheetrock!

Office

Today the goal is to put up ceiling board and get as far as possible on the walls!

Taping

I taped the back hall and closet yesterday... oh my gosh the closet... it's going to be a challenge finishing walls in there... I did not like it.... very claustrophobic!

Pantry-finished wallboarding and...

Friday was a productive day. We feel as though we made some good progress! Here's a little summary. Sorry no pics or video. I'm borrowing Rich's computer because my Macbook is down... sigh...

Pantry

We finished putting up the wallboard in the Pantry. It's all taped and ready for mudding.

Kitchen

I continued to work on mudding. Mostly yesterday I sanded the ceiling. It's official... my skin does NOT like sheetrock dust. I've got the red bumps today to prove it. Will have to protect my skin... maybe buy a special suit.

Breakfast Nook

Almost done... a few more sheets of sheetrock to go... of course... in the most difficult of places... the cathedral ceiling!

mud... mud... mud...

I'll be mudding the kitchen over the next several days!

Graying all over!

I've just finished work for the day in the kitchen. Made some awesome progress...mudding & sanding!

Oh my gosh, you should see me! My hair is no longer golden light brown... but is GRAY! I'm covered in drywall dust!

I feel really good about how work went today. Guess that I'm getting into the groove with my "Mud Artiste" hat on!

But seriously... tomorrow I will dawn a bandana on my head!

A Video of How To Apply Mud to Finish your Sheetrock Walls

This is what I'm up to NOW!

Here's a video of how to get your walls ready for primer! Mud... Mud.. Mud..

Video: Tape & Mud Walls

Our Kitchen has walls!

We've been working hard... I mean... with great determination!

KITCHEN

Rich and our oldest son Matthew finished putting up the wallboard in the kitchen on Saturday night. YEAH!!!!

BREAKFAST NOOK

However... the adjoining breakfast nook is still without walls/ceiling board. It's going to be a little tricky to finish because of the cathedral ceiling. We hope to get that done tonight!!!

MUD

Today, I will continue mudding & sanding the ceiling & walls in the kitchen. Can't wait to get to the priming stage!!!!

And...

I made a video to share with you so that you could see our progress... but alas... my macbook didn't like that last software update... and is... well... incapacitated right now... sadly... Can't post any more pics/video until I figure out how to fix it! Sorry!

More sheetrocking going up in the kitchen

SHEETROCK WALLS - KITCHEN

Well the kitchen is really taking shape!

Rich and his unwilling teenage helper (our older, almost 16 year old son) are putting up the walls today!

It's looking pretty good!

WARNING: MUD ARTISTE at work!

I'm doing a 2nd coat of mud in the dining room.... mudding... sanding... I AM a self-proclaimed MUD ARTISTE!!! I AM!!!!

Celebrating each step....

Goal... be ready for kitchen cabinets by the end of January!!!

So to that end...

-I finished the first coat of mud on the Kitchen Ceiling!

-Rich added bracing to the studs to support the stainless steel vent hood.

-And... another the top piece of the west wall went up!

Progress!!!!

Kitchen Ceiling.. Mud begins

Today I taped all the joints in the Kitchen Ceiling and began filling screw holes and seams with mud!

Tomorrow all seams will have their first coat of mud!

Rich is planning on starting the walls tomorrow.

Kitchen Progress!

KITCHEN...

Rich ran the wiring for the Vent Hood this morning... then the rest of the day was dedicated to putting up ceiling board in the kitchen.

I am very... extremely... happy to report that: We have a ceiling in the kitchen!!!!

MUD...

While the guys worked in the kitchen... I did some mud work in the dining room. It actually went really good today! Having the mud the consistency of sour cream really makes a huge difference in how smooth you can apply it!

I'm finally starting to feel more comfortable with it!!! Which is a good thing... because I have LOTS & LOTS of mud work yet to do!

Color Scheme...

I seriously have to decide on a color scheme!!!!

The ceiling is going up in the kitchen NOW!

-The stove vent has been wired....

-The cabinets are being built...

Colors???? I love warm earthy colors.

Taping & Mudding... Mudding & Taping...

I worked in the boys' bathroom today putting on another coat of mud.

On Saturday I finished taping the front hall & tonight I began taping the kitchen.

I'm afraid that is going to be my life for a while yet....

I'm done for the day now.

Video Kitchen Update 1/9/10

Video update of work in the kitchen... sheetrock!

The beginning of a Kitchen Ceiling with photos 1/8/10

The beginning of a ceiling in the kitchen. Photos taken 1/8/10.

Ceiling sheetrock in kitchen

The sheetrock for the kitchen ceiling has started to go up!

Houston, cabinets are a GO... I repeat...

Got the final drawing of the cabinets!

Way cool!

They will be Oak with Red Oak stain. I'm going with a simple look for the doors to go with my theme of Antique Mission for the whole house.

I've decided on Red Oak stain because we love antique furniture... so whatever we pick up will on future antique adventures will "go" with the kitchen!

OK,,, so let's get to work now!

The Cabinet Maker is coming tomorrow!

Heard from our cabinet maker today. He's coming tomorrow for final measurements!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

It's Christmas time! I love this time of year!

I'm dreaming of decorating my new house... next year...

And of cooking Christmas goodies to share.. next year...

And... of Christmas dinner in the dining room... next year...

Maybe even a Christmas party... next year!

But until then, the work continues! Rich is out getting 2x4s to prepare the walls for wallboard in the kitchen.

The dining room is all sheetrocked. And the foyer has quite a bit done!

Today I've been taping wallboard joints... and dreaming... of Christmases yet to come!

OK.. .enough blogging... back to work!

Walls in the front entryway

Inside the house continues to take shape! More walls!

Over the long weekend Rich & Matthew put up wallboard in the front entryway.

I've escaped for a short break...

Wait... Do you hear that noise? NO?

It is the sound of progress!!!!

It's Richard, and our sons, Matt, & Aaron hanging sheetrock in the dining room! Yeeeehaa!

And me? I've covered in mud... Been slinging mud in the boys' bathroom!

Caution... Mud Artiste at Work!

Finish work begins in the Boys' Bathroom

The Boys' bathroom is being mudded... butt joints are disappearing, corners seamed, ceiling blended nicely... Caution... the Mud Artiste is at work!

Much work to still do...

I'd post a photo but my camera is being fixed!

Guest Bathroom Update

The Guest Bathroom now has a toilet paper holder... and a towel rack. The mirror has been installed and a 4-light light bar illuminates the bathroom nicely! This is the main bathroom right now... but it will be awesome when I finish the boys' bathroom... because even now... one bathroom is not enough!

Ah... running water in the Vanity Sink!

Rich has been working on some electrical work on the 1st floor porch. The outlets for the Christmas lights is now working!!!! Time to pick up some more LED Christmas lights!

Guest Bathroom Update

The vanity in the guest bathroom has just been sitting there for a couple weeks. Well today we picked up the couple parts that we needed to do the drain. So... as of tonight... we now have one sink with running water in the vanity.

I ordered a pretty shower curtain from Overstock.com. I chose the Morocco one, isn't it pretty?

We also installed the 4 globe light bar and went to install the bevelled edge mirror... but found that it had a chip in one of the corners... I'm so disappointed... BUT... being able to brush my teeth with running water in the vanity sink... puts a smile on my face!

I'll tell you, I've come to truly appreciate life's simple pleasures... like toilets... hot showers... and now... running water in the vanity sink! Wooohooo!!!

The Boys' Bathroom

Mudding... I got quite a bit done today!!! Tomorrow... more mud in corner joints & ceiling joints...

Wayne, if you're out there.... I'm dreaming of cabinets... installed before Christmas!!!

Guest bathroom almost complete... and my spotted self...

Today our bamboo stair treads were delivered... and late this afternoon the balusters arrived!

I'm taking a bit of a house building... I mean... finishing... break. After stressing out over the soapstone delivery... I broke out in a massive hive attach... so bad... that I looked like a monster with puffy eyes and mitts for hands. My mother made me promise that I would go to the doctor....

Pushing myself forward... like a spotted lizard with bulging eyes... swollen all over... but full of determination... I finished texturing and painting the guest bathroom!!!

Took my swollen, red-purple, spotted self to the doctor on Monday. The doctor said... whoa... you have hives! 3 medications and two days later... I'm finally looking somewhat normal... well... except for my spotted reddish hands.

Some of the young women from church came by to see me... they were doing a fundraiser... and exclaimed... as they backed away... WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

So as I wait for my skin to heal... I'm planning my next attack... the BOY'S bathroom!

Painting the Guest Bathroom!

Wow... does this Wagner Power Roller Max work slick! I had to put it on slow speed to keep up with it... no slacking... got to move fast!!!!
Got the painting started! Here's a little video to share with you!

It's time to finish! Bye for now!

Finished priming the walls in the Guest Bathroom

I'm slowly making progress in the Guest Bathroom!!!

I finished priming the walls/ceiling today... even put together my new texture gun and gave it a go!!!

It took a while to cover everything that I didn't want texturized... light switches... lights... outlets... heating vents... the tub/shower... then... I didn't have any light to work by!!!

Well, actually... I made due with one light...

First, I practiced on some odd pieces of sheetrock... then I started in on the toilet area.

Works great!!! Next... need LIGHTING... and finish the texturing of walls and ceiling!

The Soapstone Arrives!

Our soapstone is delivered... thanks to the careful forklift maneuvers and Larry the delivery guy running his lift gate!

Man did I stress out over this delivery!!! Why didn't I take this stuff? I really really really needed it!!!

Soapstone is being delivered... Thanks Nash!

Tomorrow our soapstone will be delivered!

A big thank you to Nash of High Plains Roofing for helping us get these heavy pieces off the truck!

Nash installed our gorgeous antique bronze metal roofing... and the beautiful country red siding! Ok... let's just say that he's awesome! We've so enjoyed working with him!

Got my texture gun yesterday!

I got a texture gun yesterday! I'm trying to decide if I should prime the walls first... or texture first... if you have any strong oppinions... please post a comment!

Well, I'll get it figured out!

Here's a photo of the house!

Soapstone is heavy...

Soapstone is heavy...

Our soapstone is waiting for delivery to the house. It's at the local trucking place.

They called to say that they have NO WAY to get it off the truck... and that we're responsible for that part... umm... OK... ya... right...

Dealing with this issue today!

10/7/09 UPDATE ON SOAPSTONE SHIPPING ISSUE:

Our soapstone folks, M. Teixeira Soapstone of Denver, have been awesome to work with! I didn't realize that I'd need to have a fork lift to get it off the truck because of the size of our slabs!

Texture Sprayer...

Tracked down a texture sprayer that has good reviews. It's available at Home Depot. Will be going to get it tomorrow.

Texturing walls in Guest Bathroom

I started to texture the walls in the guest bathroom using a roller... ummm... I think that I'm going to track down or buy a hopper gun... and spray it on... will be much easier!

Just posted a great video in the drywall reference section on how to use a hopper gun over there... on the right!

The work moves forward... but for now... bed!

Finishing walls...

Finishing walls... I mean the mudding & sanding... is an art form...

Anyone in this profession... deserves every penny... dollar... bucket of dollars that they earn!

I now dub myself... Mud Artist... there... I feel better now.

Update: Washing machine was just installed with brand new stainless steel lifetime warranty hoses. Yeah!!! Onto clothes washing!

Final mudding & sanding of the guest bathroom?

Well, I'm totally wiped from moving yesterday... and boxes are everywhere...

But, I am a woman... on a mission to finish the walls in the guest bathroom! So!

Back to work I go... a sanding... a mudding... and hopefully... a texturing! Whooohoo!

How to finish your drywall... step by step.

Reporting from the dust cloud within the guest bathroom...

The work continues on perfecting the walls in the guest bathroom.

This is my first time working with mud. I've found out the hard way that "less is more..."

I've decided to lightly texture the walls using a roller.

Back to my dust cloud for now.... soon... drywall primer...

Finishing walls in the guest bathroom... mud work part 1

Got the tiling job all done the other day... now I want to finish the walls!

I know... I know... I'm doing things a little backwards... but at least now... if we want... we CAN install the toilet!

I've picked a sage green paint... so better GET TO WORK!

Grout done in Guest Bathroom!

Just finished grouting the tile in the guest bathroom! Yeah!!! It took 3 buckets of Mapei OptiColor to do the whole bathroom.

I was a little scared to get going on the grouting... it was my first time. But honestly, grouting was the easiest part of the tile whole project!

It looks really nice!

Now... to finish the walls! I had to switch gears and get the tile done so that we could install a toilet.

Back to mudding...

Grout almost done in Guest bathroom!

Wow... I've been putting off doing the Epoxy Grout. OK... I was scared based on what I've read and what my Lowes sales people shared with me.

The most important thing when doing epoxy grout is to make sure that you get all the epoxy off the tiles.

I just applied 2 buckets of Mapei OptiColor epoxy grout. I think that hardest part is the clean up.

The great thing about epoxy grout is that it's waterproof... and the grout color stays.

If you're about to do Mapei OptiColor epoxy grout, you may find this Mapei video helpful... I did!

Saturday... 9/19/09

-Door installed to storage space under porch! Under porch storage

-Extra thinset cleared from between tiles in preparation for grouting.

-Some things moved to new house including 2 cabinets from kitchen.

-Basement organized so that we can move the rest of our things from the rental this week.

I had hoped to get to grouting today, but looks like that's on for Monday!

Gas Meter Installed - We Have Hot Water!

The Gas Meter was installed this morning... and now we have HOT WATER!!

Gas line brought to the house

The gas line is now up to the house... now for a gas meter!

Guest bathroom tile update

This is my very first time doing tile. It's been a great adventure! Lots more rooms to tile!

Just got to thinset down the last little bit of tile... then onto GROUT!

Testing the Gas Line for Leaks

The black piping for the gas line has been installed. Yesterday I chased down parts to create a gas pressure test. (We found this forum answer to be very helpful.)

Today Rich completed the install for an outside gas line to the outside grill on the future deck.

We made sure all the valves were closed... and pressured the line to 15 psi. After seeing that it held pressure... we then tested each joint with "Gas Leak Detection Solution."

Everything is perfect!!!

Tomorrow MDU (our local gas utility) will bring the gas line from the property line over to the house and install the gas meter.

More tomorrow!

The Gas Line takes shape

We scheduled with the Gas Company (MDU) to install our gas meter on 9/16, so we've been hard at work installing the gas line in the house.

Gas to the Rinnai unit, our on demand water heater.

The gas line coming into the house.

Running the gas line to the gas stove.

Front Door installed!

We ordered this beautiful leaded glass door over a year ago. And it sat waiting to be installed while we did other more pressing work... like installing windows, electricity, plumbing... sheetrock...

The house has been enclosed for quite a while with a door on the enclosed front porch... but then we had just a big opening into the house. But NO LONGER!

We now have our beautiful front door installed!

It has leaded glass and oak trim (to be stained). It's very pretty!

Rich is installing the handle now...

Tiling Guest Bathroom... laying down tile

The Guest Bathroom floor is taking shape! Hope to finish laying tiles today!

Tile Laying has begun in Guest Bathroom!

It took a while to decide on the tile layout, but once I did... I marked it out, then with my nephew's help... started laying tile!

Once I put down a few tiles, I started to get into a "groove."

**Note to myself**

Always start in the back corner... and work toward a door!

I'm a little more than half way done! Will get back to it on Monday.

Dreaming of a toilet...

Today I plan on laying out tile in the guest bathroom. Actually, I got it started last night...

I will get starting laying tile today! I have to check to see how long it needs to set before grouting.

I'm feeling a little leery of doing the grout. Back when I knew NOTHING about tiling except the dream of having tiled bathrooms... the Lowes salesman... based on what I wanted... and because it's a bathroom install... helped me pick epoxy grout. From everything I've read, I'm going to have to be very very careful with it!

If anyone has experience working with epoxy grout, please DO leave your pearls of wisdom in comments!

Anyway, I'm so looking forward to having a toilet here! My plan is be able to have that in place this weekend!

Laying the Ditra was quite a bit of work... I was so tired when toward the end. But, it's done!

Note to myself on Ditra installation:

-Have a clip hand to hold rolled Ditra.

-Have Ditra pieces pre-cut.

-Have other bathrooms prepped with cut Ditra in case of extra thinset.

-Start first thing in the morning!

Ditra installed in Guest Bathroom!

Well... I put it off... and I put it off...

But finally I decided that I've got to have a toilet installed in this house!!! So, with that motivation in mind...

I got to it!

You should have seen me all covered in thin set and sweat! What a workout, I'll tell you!

Guest bathroom now has ditra installed!!! Next step is to decide the tile layout.