Doing a 180…

Well, haven’t bothered to write anything on this blog since the big 180 degree turn we took in July.  Basically, the first house design idea was canned.  It was too big and was going to be too expensive.  Just not worth having space we didn’t need in this economy.  So, upon returning home from my vacation, I was met with a new floor plan design that was to make use of our hilltop plot by putting the garage under one wing of the house.  We now have a quasi-split level house with the adults on one side and the teens on the other side.  The girls lost their Teen suite and I lost my big laudry room, but we still have plenty of space and uniqueness in this house.

The new floor plan

Click on the above image for a larger version.   I think one of my favorite areas is the way we did the girls bedrooms with the funky jack-n-jill bathrooms.  They will have 9 foot long closets to store all their stuff and their own personal space to get ready.  Having the closet in there is allowing them to have nice sized rooms with big windows.  In the winter they will have some bit of lake view off on the other side of the road.

Meanwhile, a lot of the other details are kind of in limbo waiting on all the trades to get their bids in.  So, … I have taken to picking up some odds and ends while I wait to shop for the other items we still need to chose.

I was in Z-Gallerie and found these cute mini-chandeliers for voltives that I think would look really cool over the whirlpool tub since you cant put anything electrical. The builder mentioned having the electronic/techno guy put a cable jack in the master bath so we could put a TV in.  Now that would be some bathing in style.

Filed under: Architectural, Lighting

Kitchen: Lews Hardware Glass Cup Pulls Collection

If money wasn’t an issue, I just love these drawer pulls, knobs, and bars from this site.  The combination of the brushed nickel and the glass is so unique and classy.  I am thinking of using lots of glass and sparkle in the family room and I think these would really pull off the look.

The bin pull is $13.21, the glass knob is 7.51, and the long pull is $23.28.

Filed under: Kitchen , bin pulls, cabinets, glass pulls, Kitchen

Living Room: Bookshelves by Ikea

So, with the news of losing our beloved built-in shelves, I set out to find some replacements.  I had pretty much decided that the Liatorp Shleves from Ikea would be perfect.  Two of them side by side with fit with just an inch or two to spare on either side of the fireplace.   Oddly, as soon as I went to look them up on IKEA | Search result. I noticed that a lot of the products I want aren’t even showing up on the web any more.  That concerns me a little bit, though, I saw lots on display last weekend when we went to our local Ikea.   The version I like would be the glass front ones with the cabinet look below.   To the right they show the same one minus glass right next to a full shelf version.  I assume the molding on the adjoining sides must pop off so you can have them flush side by side.  So, basically for 1800 we could have four versus the 5700 or so our builtins would cost.   Works for me.  Lets just pray Ikea is still making them come this fall when I need them.  I might have to just grab them early and use them at this house.   As an aside, I also noticed my farmhouse sink is also no longer online.  I don’t know if they are just popular and they have run out or what is going on, cause once again, I saw it in the store.  HMMMM.

I am also liking the bookshelves by crate&barrel and their coat rack/mirror/store combos.

photos from Ikea catalog and crate&barrel online.

Filed under: Living Room

Random Updates: What’s been happening this week.

Lots went on over the past two weeks.  We had our “looking over” by the subdivision review committee who determined that we needed to do a few things to our design:

1. The front section of the house must hardiplank, not vinyl, where it is not brick as it faces the subdivision road.  (We figured that).
2. The house facing the side road along the subdivision also falls under this rule, which though not entirely shocking, we were hoping would not be the case.  To compensate for this added expense, which includes hardiplanking part of that side and using brick on another part, we have decided to give up our beautiful $5,000 built-in bookcases in the living room.  As bummed as I am… I realize, its a small thing to give up in the big picture and can be easily added later.  Much better than having to shrink the house as we thought we might have to.
3. I have been given a firm budget of $1000 for my master bath vanities/vanity, (sniff).  Oh well…. I will have to be creative and shop a lot.
4. GC finally made it over to IKEA, after much insistence from many of us to check it out.  I think he was a bit overwhelmed, but he saw the farmhouse sink I was looking at and agrees it would be a great saving over the Kohler Farmhouse sink we have looked at (to the tune of about 1000 cheaper).  Oddly the Ikea site is missing a lot of links, but I found this image of one on houseinprogress.net.  Our main concern will be gettings its dimensions to the cabinet guy.  Supposedly, these are kind of tricky to install.

Filed under: Random Updates , apron sink, building, farmhouse sink, hardiplank, ikea, vanity

Architectural: Staircase

As I am flipping through all the clippings I am gathering, I am noticing that I seem to be drawn to white staircases with the step done in a dark color along with the railing, while the risers and sides are done in white.  I think our GC is planning on using oak for the staircase and I hope there is no problem with painting them in this manner.  I just love the contrast and it makes a utilitarian object like stairs into art.  Our stair case will be similar to the first photo below.  Open like that to the family, though the stairs do not corner around, they are straight the whole way down.

Source: Nathan Egan

I just love the way they didn’t use the same newel posts. I would love to do this, though I am thinking the GC would think I was nuts.

This is another Nathan Egan

Source Unknown

Filed under: Architectural , Architectural, bannister, newel post, Stairs

Daily Life: Coolest Bike Ever

Where was this adorable bike when my girls were little and we lived down the street from the grocery, library, etc.  It comes in black, creamy yellow and this baby blue.  LOVE IT!  Click the button to the right to find out more info about it.

Filed under: Daily Life , cycling, madsen bike, retro bike

Laundry: All-in-One Utility Sink

My husband I both agree that we are going to spend little to nothing in the laundry room in the initial building phase of the house.  It is a room that is very easy to add to later and it really isn’t a necessity to “glam” up right away.  The one thing we do need is a utility sink.  And when I was in Lowe’s today I came across this in stock for only 225.98 — you get the sink, the cabinet, and the faucet, all for one low price.

Aqua Glass at Lowe’s: Freestanding Utility Sink with Faucet.

Its nothing like the cute laundry room photos I have been collecting, but for 225 dollars — maybe we could change out the knobs, put some towel bars on the sides and find some other cute extras over time and make it seem more expensive than it is.  What if you got the sink on the cheap and then splurged cool tile backsplash in the back? Actually the plumbing lady said she would give us this amazing copper gooseneck sink faucet for free… wonder how that would look on this little beauty.

Here is one of my favorite images:

(source unknown, sorry)

Some inspiration, sorry, I didn’t get the sources on these either, though I am thinking better homes and gardens.com.  I believe our laundry room in similar in size the the acid green colored room second down.

Filed under: Laundry Room

Master Bath: Search continues …

Sorry to bore you will all these vanities, but I need a place to keep track of them all.

I found a source I missed last night,  Plumbersurplus.com.  They have a few options I have not seen yet.

THis white one is kind of cool, with its backsplash and basin above the counter.   It even comes with the faucet (which I hope won’t mean replacing is tough, but it the faucet is nickel…so that is perfect.  It is $898 with free shipping.  So, considering it includes everything that price isn’t that bad.

Here is one at Home depot I think I missed, which is actually on site so no shipping.  DAnville white.  Its $398  for the 36″ and $429 for the 48″… and a bit boring.  Maybe new knobs would spice it up and a cool top which is not included.

Wait, I think I might be in love.  What about a combination of these two from Home Depot with bright white tops (left) instead of cream.  A 48″ inch for her ($720) and a 36″ for him ($615) and there is free shipping. So, that is 1300 without tops/faucets.  Aren’t the classy like a mans suit?

Filed under: Master Bath

Master Bath: The great vanity search.

Ah, the master bath … always a source of struggle.  I started the search for the vanities.  Our plan is to use the 10 foot + space in the plan to put in two vanities (his and hers — which I am so thrilled about) along with probably an 18-24 inch linen closet space.   Since the master consists of all white furniture, I have been looking for anything in a white/antique white, etc.  The problem is… there is next to nothing available.  You would think there would be tons of options in white, yet… on the two major sites I have found that sell vanities (Lowes, Home depot) in a reasonable price range, … I can’t find much of anything.  Of course, pottery barn has a handful I would love to have, but they also sport a $1499+ price tag apiece, which really isn’t in the budget.  The goal is to find preferable a 36 inch vanity, but… I could drop down to 30″.   So far the best options in white are coming from Pegasus.

The only problem is, all the coordinating products and sizes are out of stock except the 31″ vanity below.

This is available at Home Depot

Pegasus Arcadia 31 In. Vanity Combo – ARAA3134-H at The Home Depot – $549

$649 for big 37 inch

medicine cabinet is 199

The marble is Dark Emperor it says, which although it looks gray in this photo, according to online info looks like this:

or this

My worry is that this dark marble will not look good with the floor tiles we have chosen.  Its hard to tell since its not something they have on the show floor to see before shipping. I wonder if Home depot charges in store as much for the shipping as ordering it online to yourself?  HMMM.

This is another collection I like from Home Depot/Pegasus, but… it doesn’t come with a top or sink.  This 36″ inch vanity is $474 (near 700 with shipping).  My only problem is finding a reasonably priced counter/bowl, that looks good with that antique finish.  HOwever, the more I think about it, this might be the preferable way to go since I can chose a look that goes with the tile floor.

Probably of all the vanities styles I love the most, this vanity is my favorite.  The only problem is the color.  I love the glass shelves at the top and the ball feet.  The price is very reasonable for the uniqueness at $498 for the base. Additionally, the hardware matches the polished nickel lighting I had chose.  It will run about 712 for the vanity and mirror with shipping.

I can just seen neatly folded towels sitting in the glass shelf.  The mirror that comes with it is also very clever (only $115).   Picture the combination with a pretty white marble or a white porcelain. Not that hideous beige they have going on.   Yet, my design dilemma remains, … can you switch to black bathroom furniture when your bedroom is all white furniture?  I would love to hear any thoughts from design aficionados.

Let’s look at what Lowes has:

I kind of like this one, though, I think they almost went too far with the antiquing.  I am not sure how it would go with my tile sample, but its a possibility.  It is 37″ inches which is a nice size, has the counter and sink included, though,… not loving that sink and is $498 and is available for instore pickup…so that means free shipping.

Wow.. I just remember this one from Allen + Roth — its the same one I love in black, but they desecrated it with the most hideous vanity top I have ever seen.  Its also only 28″ in size as well which is unfortunate. Its only $348 for the combo.

Here is another one I really like at lowes, with once again, the only problem being… the furniture color change.  I think this one is really classy for the price of $425 with free shipping.

I just stumbled upon this one and LOVE it, but… I am not sure if the coloring would work with all the cool nickels and blue/grays we are using.  It is just soooo stunning and actually reasonable at $549.95 with free shipping.  It has the counter/sink included as well.  I think it is really fun, but… perhaps having two of them side by side would look silly… darn.  Probably would.

Here is a plain jane one from Lowes.  It has no vanity top, is 36″.  Price is $348.

This looks like a sturdy classy one. The Savannah Bath Vanity, which is 36″ and carries a price tag of $509 with an asterik saying that is a lower price… HMMM.  What did it used to be?

I am really trying some random stuff.  Here is one from BJs Wholesale club.  It comes with the 37″ vanity, white top and sink, no faucet.  It is 849 with shipping.

Probably the most crazy unique ones I saw was this vanity.  Again, its in black, which is a problem, but you can’t say you have seen too many like this before.   This fun Pegasus sink runs about $1723 without faucet (includes shipping).

This beauty from Pottery Barn — similar to the ones that got away from marshall’s a few posts ago, but in white.  Now I can see why those people grabbed those and didn’t give them up.   The PB Classic Single Console with marble.  Two have two of these lovelies shipped would be about $3700.  I wonder if you could ship them to the store and save 299.00.  Probably would say they are too big.

This one from PB is also cool, but the color would probably not be a good selling point on resale. Its $1600 (before shipping/tax)

Some fun options from Restoration Hardware:

I love the looks, but at 700-900 before shipping sans vanity/bowel…its just not in the budget.

Filed under: Master Bath , home depot, lowes, marble, Master Bath, pottery barn, vanity

Shopping: Planet Green Bags

These are the coolest sacs.  I always find myself forgetting one I am already in the store to bring my reusable bags in … and look at this, a little pouch that holds five of them.  At 37.95 for 5 (7.59 a piece, plus the bag) or  you can buy an individual one for 8.95.

I love this MOD one.

This one is so fun, but its in linen and pricy.

Check them out at Envirosax.

Filed under: shopping