Light Time!

Island lighting that is!  I had my heart completely set on these large bell pendants that I had gotten from Overstock.com, but over the last few months I found a couple other ones that I thought might work as well.  Kade is NOT a fan of the large bell pendant...he thinks that it hangs down too low. (In my defense, I am shorter than he is, so it doesn't hang in my line of sight, lol)  Poor Kade had to hang all these lights and stretch himself over the island.  I bet his arms are dead now!

 First options:  Large Bell Pendant and Utility Pendant Light

Then we moved to a pendant that let a little more light out, but didn't hang so low...

and still the utility pendant light

Then we have my good 'ol cheapo's that I bought so we could just make our own pendants, lol.

Yes, I am serious, that was actually my plan from the get-go.  Who doesn't want to make their own pendant lights??

For now I think we both actually like the utility style pendant lights.  I'd like them to put off a bit more light though...so maybe we can get a glass shade part instead of the metal??

And finally...our countertop is back..and it finally acceptable.

Here's a picture of the Tigris Sand.  It's actually a bit less gray than this...not so dark.

I love it!  Can't wait to bake everything under the sun!!!

A Flooring Filled Day

So I'm still not entirely sold on the flooring for the laundry/mudroom/1/2 bath.  Ugh!  There's just something about it.  So today I went to town...ran errands...visited Lowes & Home Depot (imagine that) and then went on to do some shopping for some different tile.  While I didn't have any luck (so I guess I'm using what we've already got) I did find a great deal on some Travertine.  I've got to call them and tell them that I want it....hopefully they've still got it.  I think it will work perfectly in our basement bathroom.  I'm a little concerned that travertine is just too fancy for a basement bath...but since our actual family room is down there I think it will be ok.

I think it'll be pretty, and work really nicely with the vintage cabinet & sink that we're using for our vanity.

After I got back from errands and Kade got home from work we went straight to grouting.  I hope it turns out ok.  I get myself worked up about every project that we do, lol.

I think Bisque was the grout color that we chose.

Done...cleaned up...and ready to install a toilet!!!

Let's make that a priority!!  :)

Kade sat in a couple of the cabinets for the mudroom while I was grouting.  I'm going to love this.  He said tonight that this was what he was most excited about!  That makes me smile!

Before we stopped for the evening I had Kade hook up an option for the "over the island" lights...the other one he had to just hold up there...which one do you like best?  I think I like the big one.  I've got 2 other options for that spot...but these are the ones I've wanted from the get go...so they're probably going to win out in the end  :)

Tub Time?

So when we made the decision to tile the tub surround instead of just using a "regular" surround, I knew that we were going to have to do LOTS of steps.  Let's be honest....who REALLY likes to do lots of steps??  No matter how bad we want to cheap out or take the quick route, we're not going to do it.  That's just not how we roll!  So today I began the chore of waterproofing the HardiBacker with RedGard.  It's this crazy stuff you roll or brush on and when it dries it makes like a rubber coating.  So weird!  :)  But I can see how it would work.

Here's how it looks with the "primer" coat - the RedGard thinned down with water.

That's all I got done for today on that...have to let it dry a bit...so tomorrow I will do the remaining coats.  So next we worked on lighting.  I got these schoolhouse lights that I just love from Lowes, only problem is that for some reason they don't hold tight to the ceiling...so they BARELY cover the light box!  How can we fix this??  Hmmmm....

Isn't it cute?  These lights are above the windows in the kitchen.

Here's how it looks "modified" 

We just made something like a plate to cover more at the base.

 

There it is...our "fix".  I just took a plain light box cover...plastic...like $2.15, Kade cut holes in them while I was working on the RedGard for the tub.... and then I took the very same spray paint that I used for the closet lights and gave them a quick coat.  The hole in the center didn't even have to be straight because the screw holes are what keeps it centered.  (although anyone that REALLY knows me knows that that being off center still drives me crazy, lol)

There it is again...all fixed....you can't even tell we did anything!

 Now...I can't wait to get the Kitchen cabinets in and see how cute these lights REALLY look :)

I'm going to finish up the RedGard tomorrow while Kade's at work, then we'll see what other trouble I can get in to, lol

The Little Things

Are we done yet??  Ha!  NOT EVEN CLOSE!  At least we're not looking at stud walls with wiring & unfinished plumbing hanging out!! On Wednesday we drove over to STL and went to Lumber Liquidators to pick up the tongue & groove pine for the sunroom and the stairway walls.  Today it was a little bit cooler so I decided I'd better get the closet lights out and painted while I could still breathe, lol.  I found these lights on ebay for about $8 each after shipping...I thought they were so cute and went well with the traditional/vintage style that we have.  I got such a good deal because they are SHINY brass, lol.  I picked up some Rustoleum Metallic paint & primer in one spray paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze (that's what the rest of our fixtures are)

Minus the color I think they'll be cute!

layed them all out on some cardboard...

Wow....that IS shiny, lol...

MUCH BETTER!!  I'll have to take a pic when we get them put up!

I also laid out the pattern for the tub surround.  3x6 white subway tile w/2 stripes of brown glass....LOVE IT!

I think we've got the right height and everything...the idea of tiling is making me so nervous!

Ding dong....

We have a door bell!  It doesn't work yet but it is installed!!  Gotta start somewhere, right??  I just LOVE this cute little thing!  It lights up around the center copper button too....awesome!!

We also tried out some new lighting for the front porch (have I said that I hate that blonde brick yet??  Ugh!) The light that I REALLY wanted to put out there was shaped like a pineapple...but it just didn't fit in the space we have.  :(  (shocker??  I think NOT!)

Isn't it cute??  Darn....

So we tried this one from Home Depot...it was kind of like a giant tear drop.  Enclosed so no buggies could get in and build their nest...but I don't love it.

Then we tried this one...and I like it MUCH more than the tear drop!  I like its simple shape the best.  Funny that I feel that way though since I went from wanting a pineapple to a plain rectangle, lol.

Still...are you kidding me??

The stinkin' lighting is still not figured out, lol!  We just look at it, talk about it, look at it some more, read about it, and then NOT make a decision, lol!

Look...there's Kade...looking at the lighting  :)

Oh...I see that door...we've still got to move that over to the right about 2 ft!!

We're going to have to sleep on this lighting issue (again, and maybe for a few more days, lol)

KITCHEN LIGHTING....AHHHHH!!!!

Yes, that title really is worthy of being in all caps!  We just can't make a decision on WHERE the lights should go!  We're doing can lights for general lighting, lights above the two windows for more of a task lighting (like when we're at the sink and such), two lights over the island also for task, and then under cabinet lighting.  So we know WHAT we want to have....we just don't know how to have it, lol!  We've already been dwelling on it for a couple of weeks, and I have searched and searched the web.  UGH!  I've come to the conclusion that there really isn't going to be an answer for me.  Every kitchen is different, so we're just going to have to make our own decisions, dang!  I've also been trying to find lights for over the island...there are the big bell pendants that I've been looking at forever....I ordered one to see if it would work....

 

Can you see it?  Hanging there above our mock up island?  lol!

I love it....but Kade thinks it's too big! (and yes those are Kade's legs on the ladder, ha!)

So no decision has been made yet.  Kade's working on installing the can lights anyway...and we'll just see if we like where he puts them, lol.  Electrical isn't supposed to be this difficult!  I can tell you one thing...I'm going to have to get MUCH better about making decisions if we EVER want to be done with this house!

Even More Shopping...

Oh my gosh...every day, I swear, I'm either at Lowes, Home Depot or BOTH!!  I think I need to just get a job there!!  After my shopping I made a trip to the auction again and look at what I found!!!  How cute would this sink look in the bathroom with my clawfoot tub??  LOVE IT!!  Probably going to have to have someone bid on it for me tomorrow night!!  :)

 

We're trying to get the "finishes" finalized for the kitchen and these are what it has been narrowed down to.  Basically...the only difference is weather we do a stained island with light countertop or a painted island with a dark countertop.  This decision seems so final...and I really like both looks.  How am I EVER going to decide?

Dark Walnut flooring, Soft White Wall Cabinets with wooden countertop,soft white island cabinets with dark/black Silestone countertop and tumbled backsplash.

Dark Walnut flooring, Soft White Wall Cabinets with wooden countertop, stained knotty alder island cabinets with tigris sand Silestone countertop and tumbled backsplash.

Well...today is not the day that I'm going to decide.  I'll have to mull it over for awhile  :)

No Manual Labor Today!!

Whew!  We had a much needed break tonight.  Actually, Kade had to work late...didn't get home until 7:30 then we had to eat dinner, so we decided tonight would be a good one to take off!  I didn't get my post up last night, so figured maybe I should do that before I can't keep my eyes open tonight! (and that is going to be VERY soon!!!  It's already almost 12:30 in the morning!)  So, last night we pulled out the rest of the basement ceiling.  Had to take down almost all of the cedar too!  I see LOTS of drywalling in our future...

Basement Bedroom before...

 

Basement Bedroom after  :)

Basement Family Room before...

 and after...We really know how to make a mess don't we??

I was starting to get REALLY stir crazy today and I had to just get out of the house for awhile!!  All I've been doing is researching products and trying to decide what I want, ugh!  So I went to have lunch with Kade and run some errands.  We were out of just about everything!  What can I say??  I haven't gone to the store in probably a month!  We did go to Lowes and I checked out a few things...lighting being one of them.  Another decision that I just can't make, lol.  I found a couple different styles that I like for over our island...

 

These aren't from Lowes...but I LOVE them...and I will make them to put somewhere!!  I've got a bunch of old insulators from Kade's Grandparents I could use....how cool would that be??

 Love these mercury glass pendants too....ahhhhh!

I thought these might be cute over the windows in the kitchen...

Why does there have to be so many options????  And why do I dwell on making the decision for so long??  Geez-louise!!   One of these days I'll make a decision!!

Since I was looking at lights...figured I should look for some for the new 1/2 bath too...thought about one of these...maybe I could use some of that cedar that we pulled from the stairs to the basement and use that on one of the walls in there too...hmmmm

Can't decide if this last one is cute or cheapy looking, lol.  I think maybe I need to print all of these things out and lay them on the floor and look at them side by side with other things...such as THE KITCHEN CABINETS that I still haven't picked out  :)