Officially homeowners!!!!

We have actually been living in the house since February 9, but Heath officially closed with the bank today! So I thought I should get around to uploading some pictures. We have a punch list that seems to grow each day, but I am sure all homeowners can agree that those lists never really go away and there will ALWAYS be little projects. However, that's part of being a  homeowner!

This picture gives a good perspective of the interior of the house. I am standing in front of the kitchen sink looking back through the eating area and into the stairwell. There is so much natural light that we have found ourselves not turning on lights until it is dark outside! It is awesome!

One of my favorite rooms of the house....obvi the kitchen! Love the lights at top of cabinets, casement window, and chrome bar lights. We are using folded painters tape for our drawer pulls until we purchase them! Innovative thanks to Heath's Mom, Vera!

This picture is of one of my favorite little niches in the house. Its obviously in the stairwell and it is such a cozy, sweet nook. The dresser is from a precious antique/painted furniture shop in Ocean Isle, my Mom found the ginger jar, oil painting was a 2012 birthday gift from my Mom, and my Mom bought me the lamp! So basically I should rename this Nancy's nook :) She's got good taste, she'll even shop for you wink wink Whitney Otto!

 

This is a view of the living room. The buffett is from the same antique store in Ocean Isle. My Mom (yet again) surprised me with it last summer after confessing my love for it one day down at the beach. She is sneaky, but good!

 

Fireplace that Heath built! As mentioned in a previous post..having a fire has become essential to our "winding down" after work.

Some doggy likes it too! Waylon is a fire dog!

 

The stone walkway is not completed yet, one of those punch list tasks.  Heath bought me rectangular tin flower boxes for Valentine's Day, his idea was "why buy you flowers that will die in a week when I can buy you neat flower boxes to have flowers all the time!" I could not agree more!

Heath's idea was the arch and detail in the woodwork at the front porch. It turned out awesome! I bought the bench last year (May!) and knew as soon as I bought it where I would put it and it worked out great! So come on over, ring the door bell, and wait on the bench 'til I open the door :)

 

Upstairs loft/office. Obviously there is no desk chair yet, looking for half painted/half upholstered or acrylic. Guess I'll need to get my Mom on that task!

 

Opposite desk in loft/office. This cream couch was my couch and I really thought I'd sell it once we were in the house but Heath thought it would be nice to have a couch upstairs and with the new, bright pillows (Marshalls find) I couldn't agree more. The sunlight that streams through those windows is awesome and a great napping place!

 

Downstairs half bath. Mr and Mrs. Drye bought us this mirror (Hobby Lobby) and it really is perfect and such a neat shape!

 

 

We are enjoying living in the house! Please come visit soon! More pictures to come when the punch list gets a little more complete :)

 

Love, Caroline

 

 

 

 

The end is in sight!

We are sooooooooooooooo close to finishing the house! We are in "crunch time" where every minute on the weekends and after work are crucial! Heath is out at the house with his father as I update this blog! Kitchen countertops and bathroom countertops are coming tomorrow and the appliances are to be delivered on Saturday! I am giddy! We now have heat and power so we can work later in the night and stay warm...taking full advantage of it! The house looks so cozy at night...can't wait for you to see. Side note: Heath's finger is on the mend. There is a lovely scab but he no longer has to "nurse" it. Still thankful it was not worse.

My sweet brother was up again this weekend helping out. Thomas, Heath, Steve and Shannon (carpenter) built the back stairs that lead off the back porch into the back yard. They are huge and will be awesome for flower pots and such! Last weekend Heath trimmed out the back porch columns with the rough lumber that is the same as the siding. They look amazing!

Here are some recent pictures-enjoy!

 

 

Steve pretending the porch is the Lincoln Memorial and he's Lincoln! HA!

 



Hard to tell, but there is a beautiful stain on the front door! It looks amazing!

My sister gave Heath pine cone fan pulls...perfect fit since the house is surrounded by pine trees!

 

Hearth on the back porch fireplace! Heath is the mastermind behind the plan (of course)! He created the mold to pour the concrete into, let it set, and the other night we took off the mold and TADA...behold...a massive hearth for your bootys and storage under for firewoo. It is super cool and Heath is very proud, as he should be!

 

 

 

Think that's all for now! I will update again soon! Send prayers to help us through this last leg of the adventure...it's been a whirlwind but such a cool experience!

 

Love, Caroline

 

 

Happy New Year!!!

 

*This post was created several weeks ago, but due to blogspot issues (aka not allowing any of my pics to upload) I gave up. So I will now add another post that is more current! Enjoy!

Hope everyone had a relaxing and merry holiday season. We had a chance to break away from the house and celebrate Christmas with our families and it was so nice to be away from power tools, muddy boots, ladders, and WORK! Breaks are so very necessary, especially when a house is being built! The best news of 2013 so far......we are getting close to moving in! The flooring will be completed today (actually as I update this blog, Heath and his father are still out at the house finishing up) which was a monumental accomplishment. We had a minor set back last Sunday evening and it went a little something like this....Heath vs. Table saw....Heath 0, Table saw 1. There was no loss of finger just  loss of skin and  some of his finger nail. It was a blessing from above that it was not worse,  it could have been worse, a lot worse. Heath is now a proud owner of lots of bandaids, gauze, and a finger splint, but again, waaaaaaay better than the alternative.

Enjoy the updated pictures....it really is coming together beautifully! Can't wait for everyone to see it complete!

 

Back porch flooring...stained Cypress!

Family room fireplace. 1/2 stone  1/2 rough sawn lumber

 

 

Heath and his Dad Steve enjoying the "First Fire"

Heath and his Mom Vera enjoying the 1st Fire!          Carrie and Heath...can you tell we are excited?

 

Stairwell...the spindles are still drying in this pic that is why the little spindle details are taped up a little from the bottom.

 



Family room floors are in! They need sanding and stain but they are in!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holi-daze

I say "holidaze" because Heath and I cannot even believe it is December 9! We have been oh so busy since my last post. Lots has occurred. Pictures do not do it justice....the house is coming along great! We were looking back at pictures on my camera and I said "that's enough to make ya cry"....we've have come such a long way since May 22! The finish line is in sight....and we are pulling out the stops so 2013 begins in a new house!

Here is the story of the house through pictures....I may or may not be too tired to add captions...you can figure it out...HAHA!

Stained Cypress tongue and groove flooring for back porch...installation coming soon!



Couffered ceiling...the paint color is Valley Mist...it looks awesome with the Natural walls.



Extremely talented carpenter Doug Elmore putting siding on the master bedroom side of the house! His work is outstanding!



Side note: This is my parents' porch...it was so nice to be home for Thanksgiving and I always love seeing how my Mom  decorated.

The front porch...concrete reinforcement installed and ready for concrete..Waylon approves

Heath laying brick pavers on front porch in a herringbone pattern

What the mortor looks like after its jointed

It's back breaking work, but it looks awesome :)

Bringin' the outdoors in...we decided to put the board and baton siding in the niche in the stairwell downstairs...it gives the inside a rustic feel

The beginnings of the flooring in the master bedroom. The flooring paper/moisture barrier has to be nailed down prior to flooring. Waylon loved walking on it (hence the dirty paws)

Once you get started it goes pretty fast. We had fun picking out each piece!There are some with lots of details and the knots in the wood are gorgeous! The flooring is tongue and groove Cypress from Cajun Cypress in Louisiana

The finished product in the Master. Obviously it's not sanded or stained yet. That will occur right before the move in.

Looking into the Master from the back porch. It really is gorgeous flooring and perfect for this style house! Heath continues to amaze me with just how much he knows and can do!!!

 

Stayed tuned and Happy Holidaze to you!

Lots of changes happening.....

It looks like I am officially updating monthly.....but I like to update with lots of pictures at once instead of 1 or 2 each post. I know, I know..excuses excuses but life is CRAZY...enough complaining...enjoy!

This is the master shower. Sandy colored tile with tan-glass squares for eye-level border. Love the niche for shampoo/conditioner, etc. On the hunt for a teak bench to add another texture and a place to sit! The window will be trimmed out and the fixtures will be chrome! It will be awesome!

This is the master vanity. The color is cinnamon. Hoping to put in limestone counter tops. There will be 2 sinks and 2 of these....

 

Towers that will sit ontop of the counters in each corner that  have small shelves for storage and a light at the top with a glass door for some low-lighting. On the hunt for 2 mirrors if there are any suggestions on where to go, please comment.

This is the bath/shower upstairs. Went with simple yet classy white subway tile with the large and small niche for soaps/razors, etc. The floor is a nice earth tone brown tile laid on the diagnoal. The vanity is espresso with a large linen cabinet/tower. There will also be exposed shelving where baskets will house rolled towels, extra toiletries for guests, etc. Come stay!

The kitchen cabinets were installed a few weeks ago. The style is shaker and the finish is antique white. Obviously the appliances are not installed yet, but you can see where they will go.

 

The peninsula will have 3 barstools (backs facing you) with 2 pendant lights above. The farm style sink will be under the window and the oven/micro combo will be to the left of the sink. The glass doors at the top of the cabinets will house pottery and collectables that will be illuminated by soft light. Will set a nice ambience for the room when guests are over.

 

This is the granite selected...still waiting to see if its within budget...hoping so because it is gorgeous! Looks just like the granite from the inspiration kitchen found here: http://www.houzz.com/photos/100446/Shingle-Style-Kitchen-Detail-contemporary-kitchen-boston

 

I am excited about the awesome progress of the interior and Heath is so proud of the progress on the exterior...

The driveway and grade (slope/runoff) is awesome. There is a "sexy ess curve" (thanks for the analogy Marshall-good guy who did the work). There is straw, seedlings and even GRASS! We have grass! It's exciting to see the yard take shape!

 

Heath and my brother Thomas worked so hard on the board & baton siding on the front porch last weekend. It looks amazing! Very skilled carpentry skills if you ask me :)

Finished product! It will eventually be painted a color called Prarie Dust (light mossy green color). But I'm kinda diggin' the wood/natural look too...we will see what happens!

 

Thanks for all your love, support and help with the house. Excited to see that the end gets closer each day.

 

Love, Caroline