Bathroom a la Purple

Time to enjoy all our hard work. I'm feeling very blessed! 

Carpet, Theatre, and a Toilet

Well... we have finally reached the end stages. And our motivation is slowly leaving.

It's pretty exiting to see an empty space turn into a beautiful place we can enjoy for years.  T's hard work, hours of labor, and diligence is just about over. There's still shelving for closets, putting everything BACK in the closets that's been in boxes for months, a few window coverings and other little things that take time but we feel the end is in sight. Now maybe T can be done indoors and get on his bike, and enjoy the great outdoors.

Volunteer

He's still at it. His shirt says it all! Our carpet install is next week so the final push is on: baseboards, window casing, trim work, wood floor, final painting and caulking.  We are our own HGTV show right now just without the cameras or commentary. The girls and I help out where we can but the heavy lifting... it's all him. My Superman.

 

 

How About Some Privacy?

Doors will do it!

Painting 101

Painting.

 

Before one paints a lovely wall color, one must prime the wall. This one does the night before they board a plane for an island. At least that's what we do.

 

And once one returns from am amazing getaway and has dark brown cocoa skin, they immediately depart the plane and pick up the paint brush promptly to begin again. At least that's what we do.

 

Painting is a chore but must be done. It's the foundation on the canvas. When it is done, you breathe a sigh of fresh air.. literally and call it a day, or two, or three.

 

I swore that when we painted our last home of 3500 square feet, I was done. Never again. Lesson learned. Never say never.

 

 

Bathroom Smathroom

Bathrooms. I love bathrooms. Have ever since I was a child. Whenever we went somewhere like a restaurant or fancy hotel with my parents, this little blonde-headed girl with long pigtails swinging side to side, would go to the bathroom to see if it was clean, how they decorated, and did it meet my expectations. In model homes I would  go straight to the master bath to see how it was are laid out. Seriously, I even drew one out on paper for a home in my "someday" file. Sometimes in life though you're given a predetermined space and you try to make it awesome. I've enjoyed this bathroom design challenge but had a few hiccups that felt more like pneumonia along the way. The pipes and walls HAD to be laid out a certain way unless we jackhammered to start all over. Not happening, sooo we had to find a way to make it work. I searched online for cabinets that didn't cost a fortune. ( Have you looked at how much bathroom cabinets are lately?)  T had the idea of looking on Craigslist for one that would fit the space. Great! I like the idea of repurposing so this is a win/win.

 



We scored this one for a few dollars and Boo went to work chalk painting it for me before she left for California.

 

Then there was getting it INTO the bathroom.

And getting it level. T is giving instructions on leveling this bad boy. You can tell Hollywood is so enthused.

Tile. Also quite the expense. Who knew!  Looking for a career? Try tile laying. This one seems to be making bank. I choked just a little on the estimate. I knew what I wanted going into the project.  I had color schemes in my mind and now to just find what works for this picture embedded in my brain. We wavered on the size of the tile a couple times and looked at three or four accent tile choices but over all I had this vision in my mind. It's slowly happening. We did make a few concessions along the way but I think when it's done, I'll be pleased.

 

 

Next step is to seal the counters and the shower.  Lots of little details in here from baseboards to cabinet touch up to décor. We are so close to completion!! Can. Not. Wait.

Tape and Texture

Short, sweet, and to the point. We have finished walls. I will say, the craftsman who completed this was VERY complementary of T's sheetrock work and he even brought us muffins to eat. We've had some great subs!  

 

And Then There was more Sheetrock

I am just gonna say it. This man is amazing. He has taken a blank slate and made it into a place we can enjoy. I love that he is able to accomplish this for our family. The hours have been long and the work relentless but he has done it and done it well.

 The door to the basement that kept the house separated is now gone. When he did this, little did we realize just how much dust was still flying around. Let's just say my dust rag and vacuum isn't cutting it anymore.

Next step: bullnose corners.

Mom and Dad came for a visit over Easter weekend and Dad was able to put on his tool belt and help out. It has been fun to have extra hands helping out along the way.

 

 

Sheet rock, sheet rock, sheet rock. Seriously, this was one of the biggest parts of the job if not the biggest. It took a long time to accomplish but here we are... next step, tape and texture.

Ceilings and Good Friends

These two. Let's just talk for minute about these two. I've heard Jane's name for years as T has worked with her at the Mother Ship. I knew she was my husband's friend but never did I think she would become MY friend. Why? Well.. she was here and I was there; those 1000 miles a part can kind of stifle a friendship that's established, let alone begin a new one. And wouldn't you know it, God's plans are sometimes strangely different than our own. When we found out we were moving here, Jane was SOOO excited. She started communicating all things Washington. She helped me with school choices, she even looked at our short lived rental for us. She and Wes met us at Starbuck's on our exploratory trip out here months before we moved and when we arrived in Washington brought us FOOD and HUGS and SUPPORT. All things that I needed. This one, she is my first Washington friend. Now her husband, Wes, became our second friend. Literally the evening we pulled into the rental home, after hours upon hours of driving, these two had us over for dinner. Seriously... when God handed out the gift of hospitality, these two got a double portion. They just know how to love on people. So fast forward. We are now ready to sheetrock and Wes KNOWS the trade.  He's in the tech world but as conversation would go, he did this years prior. Oh Thank you Jesus again! He willingly said,"I want to help!" No thought to the sacrifice of time and energy it was going to take, Wes and Jane jumped in with both feet.  So these two... can't say enough! Just.so.thankful.

 

 

 

Time to Insulate

insulate

[ ˈins(y)əˌlāt ]

VERB

verb: insulate · third person present: insulates · past tense: insulated · past participle: insulated · present participle: insulating

1. protect (something) by interposing material that prevents the loss of heat or the intrusion of sound:
   "The room was heavily insulated against all outside noise."
   synonyms: wrap · sheathe · cover · coat · encase · enclose · envelop ·

   heatproof · soundproof · pad · cushion

    

The Bing definition sentence is perfect! This will be our theatre so an insulated room from all outside noise will go a long way! 

 

 Lina is ready for work. We all looked like outlaws  making sure we protected our lungs from this pink stuff.

We have to keep some things down in the basement as we work since we are lacking space in other areas of the home for storage; boxes, furniture, random household items. The furniture is going to need some spring cleaning before we sit down and the picture albums might just need the air compressor blowing away the dust too before they are lovingly placed on a shelf again. As beautiful as PINK is, we are ready for another layer of covering to create a finished wall.  Moving on to sheetrock next.

Let there be electricity, I mean light!

And so on the second month, the electrician came. He worked alone and worked fast. Inspected, check. Then the moment arrived... we have lights!!  

T and Boo installed 18 or something like that recessed lights. The electrician installed the room lights and wire for the bathroom fixtures. Now when T is done with the sheet rock and whatever else, the electrician will come back to do the finish work.

 

 

This room required the most lights. After talking with my lighting designer brother, doing more research and then finally coming up with a design, Terrell and Boo installed 14 lights in this space.

Now to buy more bulbs. It will be an awesome hang out, movie watching space!

 

One more HUGE step towards a finished basement. Whoo Hoo!!