Takin' Care of Business. . .

After a wonderful weekend with family in Memphis, it was once again time to take care of business as we were faced with  more decisions. As you can tell from the photos in previous posts, how fast things are going up, then you can guess how fast we are making decisions! Some, we have been thinking about, some decisions are brand new and some, we don't have a clue! We spent more than 6 hours on Tuesday with the cabinet maker trying to figure out what we wanted and where we wanted them to go. I must confess, since I am a virgin home builder, when we were told we were to meet with the cabinet man, I automatically thought KITCHEN cabinets and that was all. So while in Memphis, and with some help from family members, I attempted to "draw" out cabinet placement. I knew how long the space was, what "main" cabinets were needed and where I thought appliances should go. Starting with what I knew was for certain. . .the kitchen window, I drew my sink. (Easy, peasy, I said to myself) needs a cabinet underneath. Then I began drawing  the remaining cabinets and appliances to go along this 15 foot wall...  several times.  I am, after all, a visual. (My lack of knowledge about cabinet sizes and what was available to me did come back to bite me in the "end".)

So, this was what I found when I got to the house to meet the cabinet man, Steve. Has my builder got my number or what?  Dennis and Denny knew I would want to know how big and where the island would go in order to make these decisions. So hense, my visual! After several hours of drawing . . .and erasing,  Steve, the cabinet man was able to figure out  (don't ask me how) just what I wanted!  See the kitchen window? We decided to enlarge it to make it look proportional to the sink and cabinet.  Below  is just a sample of the drawings on the floor so I won't take up any more space in this post to show the rest. . .you get the picture! (no pun intended)

After the kitchen, we moved over to the bar area. I knew that the refrigerator was going there and then there would be a 6 foot bar with a sink. Now all I needed to tell him was where the sink would go on the bar, what cabinets  did I want under the bar,  will there be a wine cooler or not? Yikes! Just give me some cabinets above the bar, with glass shelves and a light to store my pretty wine glasses and bar accessories was all I had thought about. I was happy though, when Steve suggested staggering the cabinets and to only light the center one. (Now I don't have to keep ALL the bar glasses clean.)

What never crossed my mind was all the OTHER places cabinets needed to go! I was caught a little off guard when asked where I wanted the stack of drawers (left? or right? of my knees) that go under the drop down vanity in the master bathroom.  I was also asked where I wanted to put the trash can in the bathroom, towel bars and toliet paper holder? Mind you, this room has just been framed, and all I see  is the pipe for the toliet and sink and shower! In order to help me, the cabinet man began drawing on the floors. :)  A man after my own heart! Now I can see it. I'm still not sure where to put the trash can. :)

The hardest part of this "pop quiz" was how I wanted to lay out the newly defined laundry room.  As you recall, this room was added to when we knocked out the wall to the small office downstairs to make it twice its original size. Where I  envisioned the washer and dryer changed at least four times. I am happy with their final resting place tucked away on a small wall. This layout left the  long wall with two windows, separated by a wall,  now up for grabs. A laundry sink with a cabinet underneath was agreed upon which left about 12 feet of counter...more than enough to fold clothes! We eventually designed it /divided it up to make a gift wrap center with cabinets and shelves at the other end. An item I thought I wanted (mainly because I thought it was cute) was a built-in ironing board. You should have seen four grown men trying to talk me out of it. . . and they won!  (Don't let it be said that I am not flexible. :) Really, all I needed was one or two reasons not to have one and I was convinced. In the only place that made sense to put it,  there is now a wall with a bar for hanging the ironed clothes and a shelf. Sold me. See, I'm easy!

Along with the cabinet man and during all these decisions, there were several subs dropping by to measure for dry wall, design the ducting for heat and air, digging trenches for a septic field  and oh yeah, where are all the main level drains going they needed to tell the plumber.  One question the plumber needed to know was which end of the tub I wanted my faucets? Huh? Once again, four men and I came up with a good reason that satisfied me as to where it needed to go. What's wrong with this picture? All joking aside, I am so glad for their input for whatever reasons...it gave me a chance to think about it and make valid decisions because (unlike Dr. Phil) this IS my first rodeo.

Before I close this post, I wanted to share a few more photos. The one on the left is the screen porch and the one on the right is a view of the terrace looking toward the underneath side of the screened porch...just perfect for a hammock, Brother John!  And see how close you are to your own  "bathroom".

(Just make sure my neighbor isn't on his boat dock.) Below is a closer view.



As of today, we are 30% completed. Framed and under roof. It is so much fun to go from room to room and really get a "visual".  I understand the septic field was dug, siding and trim delivered and windows and roof (shingles) en route.  The brick was ordered and on our way home from Memphis, we stopped off and made the final decision on the stone. To date, picking out the color of the house, brick and stone has been the hardest part of this whole process. It has been the hardest thing fo me to visulize with such small samples and I'm still not sure. Dennis will put some paint colors up in the next few days and hopefully it will help even though its a little late to change my mind. But I have been assured, once again by all the men in my life these days, it will be beautiful!