1st Floor bathroom... PRIMED!

No more dots & stripes!!!!  This is what the 1st floor bathroom looked like this morning....

And here's what it looks like with the first coat of Primer!

Next up... Touch Up...  then 1st coat of Willow Tree by Olympic paint.

1/2 an island...

First I want to say that my husband is AWESOME!  He's been working hard on putting our kitchen together... and it's coming out beautifully!

Today he cut one of the big slabs of soapstone...

Then.. with help... we hifted half of the island top into the house and placed it on the island.  Man o man... was that piece HEAVY!!!

So here it is... 1/2 an island for now...

Here's a close-up....

When we put Mineral Oil on the soapstone it will turn black and you'll see all the beautiful white gray veins!

A view of the NEW Kitchen....

Here's a view of the kitchen with the stove in place.  The soapstone countertops have NOT been installed yet... and where that blue ladder is there on the left, that's where our fridge is going to go.

I called a plumber the other day to come hook up my stove.  I'm really anxious to fire it up!!!  I've been without a stove since October... so I'm really really really really ready!

Anyway, the plumber didn't commit to WHEN he would come this week... I'm hoping it's tomorrow!

This is the desk area of the kitchen.

To the left of the stove is a drawer microwave and beneath that is a warming drawer.

Hurry up plumber guy!!!

We'll be working on the soapstone counters this weekend!

1st floor bathroom

Yesterday I got all the taping done for the 1st floor bathroom.  Today I will apply the 1st coat of mud!  My goal is to have the walls & tiling done before 7/22... just before our town's big Pioneer celebration... when classmates and family gather from near and far!

Our Kitchen coming together...

Putting the vent exhaust hood in place.  A big thank you to Matthew, Aunt Shirley & Uncle Tony for helping us hold up the hood (several times...) while Rich screwed it into place!

Here it is!  The vent hood is all installed!

Wow... what a productive weekend!!!

On Friday, Wayne Moore Custom Cabinets (Deaver, Wy) installed the top cabinets.  They come back on Monday to finish up the job!

Rich installed the microwave & warming drawer (and hood as mentioned above) then got all the wiring done!

On Monday, I will call the gas company to install my awesome BlueStar 60" gas range!

CABINETS!!!!

The Pantry cabinets are all installed... just waiting on the doors to be installed!

The  Kitchen cabinet above the sink (around the garden window) goes up!

The Kitchen cabinets surrounding the fridge/freezer area are in place.

The Kitchen Desk area is in place!

Hmmm... I am missing the photo of the cabinet above the stove!  Will post that later!!!

It's cabinet install day for the Kitchen & Pantry!

The day has finally arrived...

Cabinets parts are scattered throughout the 1st floor... awaiting installation!

I have dreamed about this day since 2003 when we decided to build our own home!

I have been dreaming about my new kitchen... the colors... the appliances... the cabinets... TODAY it all comes together!

I can't wait for the installing to begin!!!!!

7/7/10 is the Day!

Kitchen...
Rich finished the Kitchen floor!  It looks so awesome!  I love the bamboo!

Pantry...
I finished putting the 2nd coat of paint in the Pantry.  I decided not to texture this room.  The mud work came out pretty good.  The little texture there is on the walls came from the roller.

Cabinet install Wednesday 7/7/10!
Kitchen & Pantry will have cabinets installed on Wednesday!  I am so excited to see them... and FINALLY have a kitchen!!!

Of course... we'll next need to install the appliances then cut the soapstone, then install it before the kitchen is complete!  But... oh my gosh... I'm to have a place to store my kitchen stuff... and working appliances THIS WEEK!!!  (Hopefully I'll be able to get the gas company out to install my stove this week too... Rich could it... but it's a "warranty" thing.)

Looking forward to....

-Pan-seared scallops with grilled veggies
-Rich's fabulous clam chowda
-Baking sour dough bread
-Cooking Pizza
-Having company over!!!!

Will need counter stools soon too!

Pantry 1st coat of paint...

Update on the Pantry....

Just finished putting on the first coat of paint!  I went with Olympic color Toffee Crunch.  It's a warm golden color!

I really like Olympic paint!  It says no VOCs on the label... the paint doesn't smell... and I can paint all day long without getting a headache.

Will finish up in the Pantry tomorrow!

Then it will be ready for the cabinet install on Wednesday 7/7/10!

Wed 7/7... I can hardly wait!

The date for our cabinet install has been set for Wed, 7/7!

The Kitchen cabinets and Pantry cabinets will be installed!  I'm going to have a kitchen!!!!

I am sooooooo excited!

Got to finish up the painting in the Pantry tomorrow... thinking.... boy's bathroom next... um... or... Laundry room... hmmmmm...

Pantry is Primed!

Here's the Pantry with screw holes, seams, and corners covered in mud.

It took most of Saturday to do all the sanding.

Today, I sanded a little bit more then painted on my tinted primer.

This is a photo of the Pantry all primed.


I really LOVE working with tinted primer!  It's so exciting to see color after looking at dots & stripes.

Great strides!

The Pantry is ready to be PRIMED!  I sanded and sanded for hours today.  Yeah!

On Monday, I will break out the Primer and get to work... after priming, I will apply texture then  prime again before beginning the final paint color!  Once the painting is done... the Pantry will be ready for cabinets!


Rich worked all weekend to install the bamboo hardwood flooring.  He did an awesome job!!

There's just a little bit left to do!

About 1/3 of the Family room floor is done as well... but we still need to put up sheetrock in there.


We pushed the Bluestar 60" double oven range into place and installed the stainless steel backsplash and shelf!

We'll be ready for cabinets very very soon!

Operation: "Prepare walls/ceiling for primer" in Pantry

I'm back at it today.  Taped & put the first coat of mud in the Pantry closet.

Just finished sanding 2nd coat of mud on the bottom half of sheetrock.

Now ready... after a short break... to put on the 2nd coat of mud on the top half of walls, corners, seams, and ceiling.  Want to get the 2nd coat done TODAY!

Pantry Walls/Ceiling

Work continues tonight on the kitchen flooring, but over the next few days... I will be transforming the Pantry walls & ceiling from unfinished wallboard... to ready for cabinets with paint!

Here's a short video that I took.

Kitchen flooring has BEGUN!

The hardest part of laying flooring is getting your starting point, well that's according to our experience.

The first 2 long rows are down, should go pretty fast now.... "she says... : ) "

I got the beautiful new Pantry floor covered in cardboard then layered on top with thick brown construction paper to protect it.

Now I'm ready to put more mud on the walls.

But first... got to mix up a new batch of mud!

Bamboo flooring done in Pantry!

The Pantry floor is DONE!

It's a beautiful natural color bamboo... and... it's going to be throughout the house with the exception of the bathrooms, porches, and back hall.

Still to be done, as you can see... are the walls and ceiling.  I will cover my beautiful new floor with thick construction paper while I finish up in there.

And now... onto the KITCHEN floor... 

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 !