Final Touches

Jay installs the mailbox with carbon fiber post, 5-8-15

We have a mailbox! Jay had a carbon fiber post custom made by Sunbacker Fiberglass.

 

I've been waiting months for my kitchen walls to be red. Tanya carefully painted them  today.

Now the new kitchen looks like our current kitchen which we love. Now the new house feels like home. Later note: 8/1/18 For future reference I'm posting info about our kitchen faucet (same as the one in the Renton house) Kohler K-596-VS brushed stainless Single hole pull down.

Gene The Master Painter carefully masked my pantry door and then painted it Sherwin Williams Drizzle Blue (same blue as the stair risers).

 

Love it!

Sherwin Williams Rainstorm Blue looks great against Ralph Lauren Mexico City Yellow in the entry.
A big thank you to all the painters who put the final touches on our house!

Oh Happy Day

This morning we loaded up nine fruit trees, wheel barrow, etc. and headed for the lake.

Jay worked tirelessly to get them all in for the final inspection today. We removed seven trees from the property when we cleared away the old cabin and we were obligated to replace the seven trees.

Oh Happy Day - WE PASSED!
Our heartfelt thanks to Chris Welch and cMac for making our dream a reality.

Amazing Transformation

I received a text this morning from our nice neighbor Marci (lives in the gray house at left in this photo) letting me know the sod had arrived. I drove to the lake (28 minutes from here) to watch it being installed.

This is the view from the master bedroom - landscaping crew is installing sod from the lake edge up to the patio and partway around the south side of the house. What an amazing transformation!

Speaking of amazing...our refrigerator has cherry doors and look at those herky handles! Chris The Finish Carpenter has made our home so beautiful with his careful work. The millwork, the mantle, the attention to detail on everything...all of it perfect.

 I caught him just as he was leaving for the day. A huge thank you to Chris, our Master Finish Carpenter!

Busy Days

The garbage bin in the garage is fully packed in these final days of cleanup. Tomorrow it will be gone.

Kris the Detail Guy is doing the final check for areas that need touch-up. Thank you Kris for making our house perfect.

The plans have really taken a beating since last Fall when our project finally got underway.

We already love our new kitchen!

The fireplace is finished!

The sod will be in by the end of the week thanks to Arnie of Luxor Landscaping.

This is the guy who keeps everything happening on schedule: Mike Howry of cMac, the Superintendent on this job. A huge thank you to Mike for his hard work that has allowed us to sleep at night.

Sunday check-in

The house cleaners were there! Now we can see our floors - cherry hardwood in the Great Room, tile everywhere else on the main floor except the Studio which is Bamboo. I have never seen such clean windows!

Standing in the Studio looking into the Entry.

My bathtub is in but if I were taking an afternoon bath today, look what I would see (photo shot as a reflection in the vanity mirror - click to enlarge)...a boat full of guys fishing for Bass near our dock!

The washer and dryer are together at last! I like doing laundry so I look forward to trying them out.

Drizzle Blue risers

Sherwin Williams Drizzle Blue risers with cherry hardwood. Yay! 

Thanks to Gene The Painter.

April 27, 2015 check in

A beautiful 72 degree April day at the lake today. I was there to measure for one of the bathroom mirrors. The Painter was carefully taping the stairs so he can paint the risers Sherwin Williams Drizzle Blue. The washer was in the laundry room (dryer coming soon), the range is in, microwave drawer and dishwasher. I imagine the refrigerator is on its way. Landscaper Arnie and his crew were working on the lawn and irrigation system for gardens. I hated to leave...

The Painter has given the mantle its first coat of cherry color. Beautiful!

I am loving the pantry already!

The powder room is off the entry, Bordeaux granite is a lovely deep red, not as orange as it appears in this photo and the no curb shower is big. We may have to wash Annie is there.

 Love the shelves in the niche in the Studio.

More progress

Lots of activity at the house today. The glass shower doors are being installed. They are beautiful!

Shelves and hanging bars were being installed in closets. Christian was working on my pantry shelves. I came home and began cleaning out my current pantry - I have too much stuff!

Master bath tile is getting light gray grout. Yay!

Getting Close!

Today began with a photo from Chris of the cabinet lighting followed quickly with a phone call from Mike that the furniture store delivered my new ottoman to the new house three weeks ahead of schedule.

I headed over to the house to pick up the ottoman. It was sitting on the porch and while I was struggling with the big box, I was met by "Big T" who kindly loaded it into my car for me.

Big T, big help!

He is the detail person who checks the walls and woodwork for any small corrections to be made but he took time to talk with me and to show me how to dim the entry sconces - I even flushed one of our new Toto toilets, but the best surprise was overhead in the entry: the ceiling light fixture, circa 1930, from the living room of our family home on "M" Street, Auburn, WA. Thanks to the electrician Terry for making it work for us!

Paint

My first visit to the house in 10 days. The Benjamin Moore Water's Edge blue has been added to the bellyband.

The entry is warm and cheery now with the Ralph Lauren Mexico City Yellow walls. Trim is Sherwin Williams Echelon Ecru. Great combination.

We are soooo happy with our Echelon Ecru boxed beams and Grassland walls in the Great Room!

Asphalt

Asphalt 4-7-15

And today, we have asphalt! Jay LOVES his driveway. Thanks to Lakeridge Paving Company, and Jeff Hooper.

graded and compacted

Today our driveway was graded and then compacted with a 10,000 pound roller. It will be paved with asphalt on the first dry day. Jay loves his driveway!

Weather Vanes

Weather Vanes, photo credit Ken Docktor

Our last Easter in our Renton house. It must be a beautiful morning on the lake. Our neighbor Ken sent us a photo of our new weather vanes, installed this morning.

Boom

4-2-15 photo credit Chris Welch, cMac, LLC

To me, the lake side is the front of the house. Here is a photo of the boom over our house pouring the front patio cement. It is a fascinating process - eight guys working in a choreographed dance. We stood on the sky bridge and videotaped the pouring of the back patio. A milestone day!

4-2-15 back patio, outside Studio

4-2-15 front patio

cement forms

Walkway Forms 3-31-15

Hooray! Preparation for flatwork. We met with the two nice guys who are building the forms for the walkways and patio front and back of the house. Jay added another 6 inches in width to the walk making it a generous 5 feet wide. It goes from the entry door of the house to a trellis for Honeysuckle and Clematis at the end of the garage. The trellis is scheduled for April 27-29. Honeysuckle and Clematis will be planted the next day.