Ceramic Tile…Day 26

Matt installed the dry-pack mortar for the shower base in the mudroom wash down area late yesterday afternoon. In the photo below you can see the mortar on top of the PVC liner and the drain installed in the floor. The 4” curb across the front of the shower base (just barely visible) is temporarily supported by a 2 x 4 form as the mortar base sets up.

And then…

By tonight Matt had all of the Durock installed around the perimeter of the wash-down area, the joints reinforced, mudded, and ready for ceramic tile.

Cabinets…The Kitchen

With most of the cabinetry in place at the “L” Shaped House we have been exploring the spaces and talking about how we will use them. Finalizing the island counter top in particular caused us to experiment with the cabinets in and around the kitchen and forced us to find creative ways to visualize how we will use the space. In the photos below you will see some of the elements we have been thinking about. The deep drawers in the corner caused us to carefully consider the aisle width between the cook top and Island.

The drawers in the island…especially the Sharp (drawer-style) microwave…will also impinge on the aisle between the island and kitchen sink cabinet.

We used the next two images to help visualize the the area in front of the refrigerator and kitchen desk.

 

The last image shows what the oven wall will look like after the appliances are installed.

Countertops…Day 1 (continued)

Judd from Quartz Surfaces has been busy creating drawings for the Cambria countertops and island. They use a very interesting system named PhotoTop (Green Mesa Inc.) to gather the site measurements and produce the CAD file used to manufacture the countertops. The system relies on digital photographs of a series of targets placed on the walls and strategic points along the cabinets to create a 3-dimensional model of the space. Once the photos are loaded into the PhotoTop software and analyzed the CAD file is created using a process that feels a little like a connect-the-dots game (its a lot more complicated).

All I can say is…Amazing!

The photos below show the targets Judd applied to both the back walls and cabinets. The wall targets come on a roll of tape. The cabinets have cards with targets carefully placed to align with the edges and more of the tape on the fronts. The second photo shows cards aligned to define the sink cabinet and dishwasher opening.

The diagram below is the actual CAD file (.dxf) of the countertops for the “L” Shaped House. Looking closely at the file you can see the targets (blue), the cabinets (pink), and outline of the countertops (black). The drawing also shows the cutouts for the sink & cook-top and the precise position of the seams.

The PhotoTop software is distributed by a company called FabChoice…

The image below is from the PhotoTop tutorial that shows the software interface after all of the information has been processed. The really cool thing about all this is that it not only shows all of the targets but also the position of the camera for each shot (click the image to see it bigger).

Decorating…The Faucets

Deb stopped by the “L” Shaped House yesterday and picked up one of the bathroom faucets to play with as we finalize the cultured marble sink selections. The image below shows the faucet with both the kids bath (L) and master bath (R) finish selection samples. We plan to use a white marble in the kids bath and the two tones (beige top over white basins) in the master bath.  The kitchen countertop material found its way into the photos as well!

Basement Cabinets…The Plan

After carefully considering many options we have decided to have the good folks at Great Woods Cabinetry build custom cabinets for the basement kitchen/bar area. The lower cabinets include a lazy-susan in the corner and an abundance of drawers; while the uppers will have a gigantic corner cabinet we have already dubbed the Cavern! We will have a sink along the outside wall and a microwave in an upper box next to the fridge.  The perspective view below shows a refrigerator cabinet that we have decided not to include in the build…opting instead for the “casual” appearance of a  free-standing refrigerator arrangement.

Exterior Doors…Day 0

Scherer Brothers delivered the Simpson Mastermark exterior doors to the “L” Shaped House Wednesday morning. Included in the mix are the five first floor wood doors as well as the steel doors for the garage. The second photo below shows the finish we have chosen for the door hardware on one of the garage door knobs.

Plumbing Fixtures…Day 0

The Steinkraus Plumbing guys stopped by this morning to drop off a few of the plumbing fixtures. The folks at Quartz Surfaces need the kitchen sink as they start to fabricate the Corian countertops and we want to have some faucets available as we pick cabinet hardware. The photos below show one of the bathroom faucets, and the second floor laundry sink & faucet. The fixtures and finishes are going to add nicely to the “farmhouse” ambiance.

Ceramic Tile…Day 25

Matt made quite a bit of progress in the first floor shower surround over the weekend. The photo below shows all of the tile elements in this space nicely. I think  the 3” tiles he used in the floor look very nice with both the 6” wall tiles and the mosaic tile outside the shower.

Cabinets…Our first change

After spending nearly a week with cabinetry installed in the “L” Shaped House we have decided to make our first minor change (sorry Paul…I still say its a pretty minor change). The out-board support for the kitchen desk looked a little out of place as an angled bracket especially in light of the the beautiful archways above. I put together this image using Adobe Photoshop in an effort to see what it might look like as an arched support. Both Deb and I liked it better…so its back at Great Woods Cabinetry being changed already!

Kids Eye View…Progress Report

Helen here after a long break from updating…

Matt made a comment a few weeks ago about how I have been negligent about the kids eye view updates… so remember Matt…you asked for it.

I went to the house and was happy with the upstairs…. it actually looked like we would be in the house soon. Then I went down to the main level and I was hit by cabinets, I was loving it! 

But, then I went down into the basement and all there was…was

DEPRESULATION!!!!!!!!

A small disorder due to the fact that there is barely any insulation in the basement let alone sheetrock. Now I feel that we’re never going to be in the house…

Ceramic Tile…Day 24

Matt is back at the “L” Shaped House Saturday morning working on the Mudroom and laying tile in the first floor bath. The photo below shows the mudroom wash-down area with the second step in the process complete…the PVC pan liner is installed on the dry packed base and tested for leaks overnight.

The next photo shows the first floor shower with the very beginnings of the shower wall underway. The 6” square wall tiles look very nice above the 3” tiles on the floor. Matt’s superior workmanship and attention to detail is making this particular bath and shower look absolutely fantastic!

Decorating…The Big Picture

I have previously posted blog entries about the interior decorating plan Deb and Katie Hunsley have created for the “L” Shaped House. Katie  just recently published the final updated plan and selection spreadsheet (just as she is about to become a new Mom!). It would be hard to understate the amount of work that has gone into this effort. Katie’s drawing for the first floor complete with finish notes for each room and a painting guide for every wall surface is shown below.

To see the plan up close look here… Basement, First Floor, Second Floor, Master Bath selection sheet

The next three photos show what  happens when you decide to go through the samples & plan in an effort to make a few last minute selections. What started last night as a simple process to pick cultured marble for our bathroom vanities turned into a flat-surface-consuming monster that ate up the whole evening. Our family room at home has become a decorating showroom without the nice racks and bins for the materials. The good news is that with Deb’s hard work and Katie’s help the materials, colors, and surfaces all look fantastic…Prepare to be amazed!

 

The Last two photos show the finish selection samples for the master bath (left) and basement (right) laid out together as we worked to make a decision on the cultured marble sinks. Seeing all the selections together is a nice reminder of how much work goes into this process.

Ceramic Tile…Day 23

Matt got a good start on the tile in the first floor shower after pouring the base and forming the curb yesterday afternoon. He is using 3” squares cut from the floor tile used in the hallway. Starting with notched tiles at the square drain in the middle and working his way out the to the corners…floor looks really sharp!

Countertops…Day 1

Judd from Quartz Surfaces in Plymouth arrived at the “L” Shaped House just before noon to take final measurements for our Cambria countertops. He patiently answered our questions as he worked his way through his checklist and measurements. As a part of this process we had to make final decisions about the sink overhang (we’re going to make it flush) and edge profiles. The holes for faucets and accessories will be drilled on site as a part of the installation process.  In the photo below he is making a final assessment of the vertical alignment of the cabinets using a laser level.

Ceramic Tile…Day 22

Matt Sletten started in earnest on what I think will be one of the most unique features of the “L” Shaped House…The Mudroom Wash-Down…Early in the design process we expressed to Mike Kloti that we wanted a “real” mudroom that included (among others things) a water sprayer and drain.  The photo below shows this area after Matt dry packed the Tile Crete cement underlayment in the wash area today. The floor will be pitched to the drain in the center and a  4” curb installed along the front edge (just like the shower bases).

This area of the mudroom will include the following elements…

• Dog kennels will sit on the 30” wide platform at the end wall under a countertop (not yet installed) beneath the upper cabinet cubbies.
• A dog door will be installed in the roughed-in cavity just to the right of the platform.
• A service sink faucet will attach to the hot & cold water feeds visible below the window.
• The whole area will be covered with ceramic tile including a 3’ backsplash on the walls.
• A commercial floor grate in the recessed base will provide a flush surface across the floor.

Countertops…Day 0

In an effort to explore the island countertop more thoroughly Paul Winters and I decided to fabricate a crude template from cardboard. The panoramic photo below shows the fruits of this effort. Everyone (Paul, Deb, & Jim) agreed that the 4 x 8 sheet of plywood we put in place over the weekend looked “too big”. Having a template with an approximately correct  radius across the front edge allowed us to come to some important conclusions today. We now plan to make the island top 88” wide by 52” deep with a large diameter radius centered 32” from the back edge…I think!

This will provide 50” of clearance between both the sink and cook top and a wider path to the hallway. The good folks from Quartz Surfaces will be out Friday morning to measure for the Cambria tops.

The sketches below show the proposed island countertop and clearance dimensions in more detail…

Ceramic Tile…Day 21

Matt Sletten (see below) is hard at work preparing to install ceramic tile in the first floor bathroom, laundry, and mudroom. The first photo shows Matt attaching Durock to the shower wall above the PVL liner installed yesterday. The 9’ ceiling heights on the first floor of the “L” Shaped House make this shower feel positively cavernous.  The next photo shows one of the laundry “emergency drains” with fabric reinforcing cloth applied to the joints in the floor and walls. This photo also shows the details of the Schluter drain nicely.

The last photo shows the back end of the first floor shower surround after the successful water test last night. In the photo we see the PVC pan liner, drain assembly, and Durock cement board coming together to form the water resistant surround. Matt will pour the shower base and form the curb next.

Ceramic Tile…Day 20

Matt has been busy the last couple of days installing the “emergency” drains in the laundry rooms and working on the shower bases on the first floor. The first photo shows the Schluter Systems drain assembly as Matt installs it in the floor. The flange screws to the plywood deck and is covered with wire mesh…

Then the area is filled with thin set mortar and pitched toward the drain. Matt will apply a water-proofing paint over the mortar and finally lay tile on top. He uses the Schluter drain assembly in this application because it provides a very low profile installation. The photos below show the first floor laundry on the right; the second floor on the left. We hope to never use these drains!

The last photo shows the shower in the first floor bathroom with the 20 mil pan liner in place. Matt will fill the liner with water and leave it overnight to test for leaks before pouring the concrete shower base and curb. This system pretty much guarantees a leak proof shower base.

Painting…Day 11

Steve Carmichael and his crew have their production painting and staining operation up and running in the bonus room at the “L” Shaped House. The first photo shows the paint sprayer set up in the middle the room after they cleaned and vacuumed the space. All of the doors have all been stained and sprayed with the first coat of polyurethane.

The next photo shows five of the doors up close after being sprayed with the first coat of varnish. Next the doors will get sanded and then finished with a second coat of polyurethane.