button it up

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The finishes are starting to be installed. cabinet fronts, sinks, plumbing hardware, disposals, lights, etc. there are countless details yet to be filled in, so the list is long, but it is fun seeing every little thing being crossed off the list. at this stage you always start to wonder how all your selections will work. will it be cohesive, will it be an eclectic mix, or will it look like a mistake. we were going for a timeless modern. the mid-century design and architecture was the base we started with, and we have pulled a few things from that era directly and indirectly. obviously the large beams that run in to out and the George Nelson bubble lamp are all the direct take-offs from the past. the large courtyard home, open floor plan were things taken indirectly.

hit the floor!

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the estimate is 4 weeks....to completion. it sure looks like it will take longer, but everyday something is changing. this past few days, the stonework has been getting a fresh layer of grout. wow, the slate, blue stone, carrara marble, and glass tiles look great when hit with a crisp grout line. i will get photos of these up soon. also this week, the sprinklers have been laid and awaiting inspection on Monday. additionally, the floor guys are back. did i mention that the air conditioner is working? not too soon. the floors required about a week to adjust to the cool a/c air, to ensure that the moisture content is low enough to sand and stain. we are hitting the floors with a dark ebony finish. almost black at low light levels. death star is the inspiration :) = just take a view of a star wars movie....you'll see. we hit the floor with some alcohol to pop the grains on the 5" solid northern white oak floors. with the first coat of stain, the floors already look amazing...with room to improve. of course, with all the stain and paint, the house is a deathtrap for the oxygen dependent. oh well...i guess it requires fewer brain cells anyways to be building a home in this economy. one thing to note as well, we had two agents stop by the home to get their input as to sale price, etc. we will touch base with them later, but their initial comments were highly favorable.

we're out of the gates

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new addition to the house...the gate for the carport. this will provide separation for the detached garage. the gate is split in a 70/30 configuration. the larger portion will usually remain closed, while the smaller part of the gate will provide the main access when walking through this area. the gate will probably remain closed most of the time, but occasionally we will probably open it up to create a huge pass through for gatherings, parties, etc. the gate is made of steel, and will have polycarbonate panels installed vertically. also making an appearance is the large format glass tiles in the kitchen. enjoy!

rock on!

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every time i visit the home something is new. this time around, the counter tops were being installed. i went to the slab yard about two weeks back. searched approximately 5 yards looking for not only a beautiful piece of stone, but also one that would fit our home. we wanted to try to keep as many surfaces to be one piece...since the kitchen bar area and master bath were about 10' long...it required a slab that was greater than 120" long. not an easy task. those that fit the size, didn't fit the style, etc. finally found this venatino carrara marble up in hempstead area. we are using this in the kitchen and master bath. the powder room gets a little extra kick with some Calcutta oro marble, while the utility room, study bath, and jack/jill bath are getting honed absolute black granite. notice the mitred edges in the kitchen - cool feature that is accomplished with 45 degree cuts on each slab, and joined together with epoxy/adhesive. smooooooth..

deck the halls...i mean courtyard

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trying to wrap up the outside. we have graded the site, and now working on installing the deck. the deck was not originally planned, however, due to the elevation change of the main house foundation, it made for an 18" difference between the home and grade. originally we were just going to have large concrete slabs, but due to this change we are installing a deck. we looked at composite decking materials, pressure treated lumber, but at the end of the day we decided to go with ipe. a Brazilian hardwood, that if went untreated could last for 50+ years without treatment. installation is hard work, as ipe is one of the hardest woods in the world. these carpenters went through several drill bits and blades to install this deck.

fencing for now

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the exterior of the home is on the fast track now. currently the fence is being installed. we opted for an 8 feet fence, hung with horizonal cedar boards to give it a slightly different/modern look. fences are always a necessary evil here in houston. everyone has them, some share fences and some have their own fences back to back. luckily we were able to convince our neighbors in the back to tear down their ugly rotted fence, and to split the cost for the rear portion of the fence. thus saving us half of the 80 linear feet of fence. thank goodness we have good neighbors. next up will be more interior work, followed by the ipe decking!

square it up with tile!

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the tile is being installed, and it is a mix of black ash slate, steel gray slate, oceanic bluestone, and carrara marble. we are sticking to rectangular pieces installed on half, and also a cool planking pattern in the entry and powder room. things are starting to be tied up nicely, and seeing the finish details coming together is exciting. 10 decision down, now only 550 more decisions before the home is finalized. keep it going!