We're getting closer...

So much has happened in the last few days!

We've got cabinets, we've got lights, we've got a range, we've got laundry again!

We've got a toilet in the powder room!

Monday saw the installation of our cabinets from JMV Woodworks. Our main contact there Jon was fantastic. He really hit the nail of what we wanted to do and we're thrilled with the results. There are some little niggly things to fix, but we're in pretty good shape. One of the things that needs to be fixed is the cabinets in powder room. We went through the handle placement with our installer, but unfortunately he installed them incorrectly. New cabinet doors have to be cut, stained and installed. The installer probably got an ear full when he got back to the shop!

Next up was the electrician. All pot lights and puck lights in the cabinets were installed. Also, all the in floor heating was connected and it feels fantastic!

Then the gas installer came and we've now got a range! We can cook!!

We met with the counter top guy after work and we should have our counter tops in 3 weeks. Shortly thereafter we'll get the sink and everything else can then be installed. Sink, faucets, dishwasher, water and ice in the fridge.

Still waiting on the wallpaper (so we can finish the bathroom) and the pendant lights... stay tuned for more!!

Looking forward to putting everything in the cabinets this weekend!!

Sunday AM Update

So does the bathroom wallpaper look like Mick Jagger should be in there with the rest of the Stones or what? We had fun (insert sarcasm here) putting up this crazy pattern. There was A LOT of waste due to the pattern match so we are short... which I'm so angry about!! There is a three week lead time on this wallpaper and now we're going to have to install the rest later. At least we were able to do the bits behind where the cabinet is being installed, so this won't be held up. Other news is that the floor looks FABULOUS. We're really happy about it. We really wanted to mimic the look of poured concrete but knew that actually doing this was a) super expensive and b) not the best idea in an older house as shifting can occur. So we got these great tiles and we love them.

I was up at the crack of dawn to hit the Gardenworks 'Sunup to Sundown' Sale that started at 5.22 AM Saturday morning. I got some lavender for the front and some bamboo for the side of the house. The plan is to plant it against the neighbours concrete wall so that we are not staring at it while standing at the kichen sink. Should be covered in a year or so!

Well, it's off to the backyard again to do a little work. Roses need to be cut back to bloom again, tomato flowers need to be pinched off... it just never slows down in the burbs!!

Big Saturday continues...wallpaper and paint job

Big Weekend is underway

Here's a taste, more to come...

Paint Paint Everywhere

Tonight we painted! We primed all the drywall and all the mudded parts. We also filled any little holes we found. Simon painted the ceiling... a really tough job!

And I did all the little bits. Tomorrow the final little pieces of tile go in and then the grout goes in on Friday. On Saturday we'll do the actual colours. White (I know, I know, but it's our thang!) and grey - I know, it's a variation on white, but hey, it's a colour!! :)

Earlier in the day we went to Margranite in Burnaby and picked out our countertops. We went with a gorgeous Staturietto (totally spelled incorrectly). It has beautiful veining and I can't wait to have it installed. Caprice Countertops is fabricating and they will come next week for final measurements.

Monday is the big day!! The cabinets arrive and will be installed over Monday and Tuesday.

We're getting closer...

Finally Floors

Today the flooring went in! Ernie started the flooring and it looks fabulous! The tiles are from Olympia Tile in Burnaby. We really wanted to go for a concrete look and so we selected 2 x 1 foot grey tiles. They will hide the dirt and since we put in the in floor heating, they'll keep us toasty warm. Plus they look fantastic already!

The drywall has almost all been mudded now. We had pot lights put in the ceiling and all the electrical outlets were moved horizontal and some into new locations. We also had to install the pendant lights and a transformer for the lights in the cabinets. The drywall needed to be replaced where the old cabinets were and where the half walls were needed to be replaced as well. Also, because we moved the window over 3 inches, some drywalling and corner beading was needed. Same with the pass through. Because we purchased a wider fridge, the pass through needed to be brought in 2' inches. All of these small things will make such a big difference!! I hope we can start painting soon, as we've got lots of ground to cover before the cabinets are installed on the 22nd. I CAN"T WAIT!!

In other news... we selected our pendant lights last weekend and they should be here in two weeks. We purchased from The Light Store on Broadway. After checking out literally a thousand different styles, colours and shades we decided to go with a gorgeous glass from Italy. We had to make the decision from a photo so here's hoping the colour looks as good in real life as it does in the photo!

This weekend was a big weekend for the yard. We trimmed back everything. Simon did the hedges in the front. I did the tree on the side and all the greenery on the side of the house. We also spent some time with our little tomatoes, urging them to grow, grow, grow!!

The heat is on

The heating coils for the flextherm heated floors were installed over the weekend and Ernie laid the leveling compound yesterday. Things are actually moving along! The only downside is that we can't use the laundry tub for a few days, and that's where we were doing the dishes! Looks like everything goes to the bathroom sink upstairs...

In other news, Simon found a "communal raccoon latrine" along the side of the house. After cleaning it up and blocking it off with fence posts, he went to Rona and purchased chicken wire and some galvanized metal stakes so he can strategically cover parts of the flower beds and garden. If this doesn't work he is moving to phase 2 of 'Operation: Garden Storm'...razor wire. Stay tuned...

Tiles and Windows and Lights oh my!

This weekend we crossed A LOT off our list!

Ernie, our carpenter extraordinaire installed the new kitchen window. While we didn’t initially plan for a new window, we replaced it for a number of reasons. One, if we didn’t do it now, we’d be stuck with a 25 year old brown metal window in our gleaming new white kitchen. I didn’t want to look at it for years to come and say ‘why the heck didn’t we just replace it?’. Two by moving the window over a whopping three inches, we gained enough room to get a bigger lazy susan. How glorious! (Said a bit cheeky.) Seriously, it made a lot of sense. So, now we’ve got a new window. Just need to finish the siding, give it a quick paint (which we’re doing ourselves to try and keep costs down) and Viola! A gorgeous new window!

Next off the list were door handles. Again, new doors were not something we planned, but it makes sense to replace them now, when we’re redoing the trim around every door. Also, we’re replacing from the four panel old school, more traditional look – to a plain door. This obviously necessitated new door handles. Out with the brass and porcelain old ones! We found exactly what we wanted at Windsor Plywood on Marine Drive in North Van. We were in and out in less than 10 minutes.

Next was to Full House http://www.fullhouseconsign.com/index.php  where we purchased 8 dining room chairs. I had my name down for the next shipment of original Arne Jacobsen Series 7 chairs with arms from Denmark. Two – Three times a year Full House sends a buyer over the Denmark and they come back with a container or two. This time they came back with 8 gorgeous chairs!

After loading up the car it was off to the Light Store http://www.lightthestore.com/ on West 41^st to look at pot and pendant lights. Our cabinets are coming with puck lights already, so we are just on the hunt for ceiling lights. We started off looking at pot lights and quickly learned that the least expensive ones were $30 and the mid-range go for $60 a piece. Considering that we needed sixteen of them (enough for the kitchen, TV Room, laundry room and bathroom) we had a small heart attack and then moved on to the pendant lights. We narrowed it down to three choices. We still have some digging to do, but it was a great first start. On the way home we decided to stop at RONA to see about the cost of their pot lights. We ended up purchasing 8 for $65!! We got all 16 we needed for $130!! And they look fabulous!! It just goes to show that you can get good stuff at your local DIY – you just have to do the research and know what you are looking for.

This week the rough in for the gas and some plumbing goes in. Then the re-dry walling with happen. By the end of next week we should have heated tile floors!!