5/29/12 - Kitchen Update

The kitchen is nearly complete.  Kristin tiled the counter top and back splash and I installed the sink along with the butcher block counter tops.  I also installed a custom designed kitchen fan and Kristin constructed the shelving around it and a plywood housing for the ducting.  We will be removing the blue protective cabinet coverings this weekend.  Only a couple punch list items and we can call the kitchen done!

Tiled portion of the counter top (at 38 inches) the butcher block portion (at 36 inches)

The guts of the kitchen venting system.

The shelving and duct housing.

5/29/12 - Built-in's complete (mostly)

Kristin has finished up most of the built-in shelving and cabinets.  

Additional bench added

More mudroom shelving.

4/30/12 - Built-ins and general update

I apologize for such a long gap since our last post.  Much has been done:  Water heater installed, mudroom tiled and grouted, bath room tiled and grouted, Kitchen almost completed, and work on built-ins.  We also had our well water tested and it passed with flying colors.

Its important to note that Kristin has taken on the job of building and installing all the cubbies, shelving, and benches.  As you can see from the picture below the built-in are simple but beautiful and really fit into the theme of the house.  I never knew Kristin was such a good carpenter.  

Mudroom with cubbies, shelf, and coat hooks.  Note tile at edge of card board.

Boys room shelving and closet.

Bathroom sink with built-in shelving and hanging light.

First component of a 3 component bench system for dining area.  The other 2 components will be along the far wall.

Kitchen mostly put together.  Cabinets will be white, the blue is a protective film.  Note ceiling fan at right.

2/12/12 - Stairs to loft

The stairs to the loft are almost finished.  What you see in the pictures are the installed brackets with the unfinished treads just sitting on the brackets.  Kristin had the brackets welded out of plate steel and then she painted them gray.  The treads are made out of regular 2x8 stock that was sanded and routered.  They will be finished with linseed oil.  If you look closely you will notice the basement hatch underneath the stairs.

Looking from living room through to the bathroom. 

Looking from bathroom into living room.

From downstairs bedroom to living room.

2/12/12 - Kitchen work

We have started putting the kitchen together.  Kristin recently made an Epic 1 day road trip to Ikea in Philadelphia and returned with a pickup truck full of cabinets (and other stuff).  I built the toe kicks and she has put all the boxes together.  We are both really happy with the way the kitchen is laying out.  At this point we are on hold until the refrigerator arrives.  I also wanted to finish the stairs and get the plumbing inspection before we focused on the kitchen.

1/28/12 - Flooring is REALLY finished

Kristin spent about 5 whole days sanding, cleaning, patching, urethaning, sanding again, cleaning again, urethaning, sanding again, and urethaning 1 final time.  Our lovely pine floors now have 4 coats of a whey (yes the cheese by product) based polyurethane.  Its made by Vermont Coatings and although not completely natural its as close as we could get and still end up with a hard finish.  We can now start building out the kitchen's (as you can see our cooking stove has arrived) and bathrooms.  This is a big step and we are all very excited. 

1/2/11 - Flooring finished

Today was a big family work day and we finished the wood flooring throughout the house.  Kristin selected and cut the pieces to length and Grey made any necessary scribe cuts and nailed them in.  Mean while Eli and Asa put on light switch and outlet covers and then built a massive bon fire outside to roast marshmallows.  BTW we had our electrical final right before Christmas and we passed with only 3 corrections.