Time to Finish the Inside

Now that the outside of the house is done, we can really focus on the inside. And with winter here, the timing is perfect since we'll need something to fill those long, boring, cold days.

A couple of weeks ago, we took out the remaining kitchen walls and removed the last of the powder blue tile and the yellow linoleum beneath it. Then we put plywood down throughout.

The Outside is Done!

Except for a few vents, which will be added later, the exterior of the addition is complete.

Before:


During:



After:

The Ugly, the Bad, and the Uglier

One day when Mike was working overtime, I decided to yank some of the ugly mauve carpet out of the basement. The basement floor is cement, so that's mainly what I found as I progressed. However, I was horrified at the ugly green monster living under the steps (the step carpeting, that is.)

We Got Our Door!

For months we deliberated over which doors to get and finally settled on 7-ft. custom French doors. I had no idea doors could be so expensive (I think my first year at college cost less), but they are worth it!

All Bent into Shape

Several weeks ago, Mike rented an aluminum bender so we could form the strip the goes above the siding on the new addition. The tool looks like a giant three-hole punch. It actually wasn't that difficult to use, but we did have to be careful not a cut ourselves on the aluminum's sharp edge.

Back on the Tractor

When the addition was built, a drain from the new construction to the street was put in. As a result, we were left with a giant strip of dirt in the front yard for all to see. Last winter's snow helped to pack it down, and earlier this summer, Mike used Henry's tractor to scrape the remaining excess away. We now have grass, at least in front yard. The backyard is a different story!

The Rhodies Survived!

Our beautiful old rhododendrons survived last year's trauma of being buried in mud and run over by heavy equipment.

More Demolition

In the interest of getting this post done, I'm just going to put up some photos and video. The former back wall of the house is gone, and we're working on the new bathroom and closet area. (Note: I have no idea why there is so much space between videos.)

Wall Down

The wall between the former dining room and kitchen is gone. To remind you, here's what the space used to look like:

And here's what it looks like now:

Lowering the Bar

On Saturday, Steve and Katie came over to help us work on the house. We decided to tear out the bar in the basement because its absence will help Mike down the road. As you can see, Katie and I had way too much fun with this project!

This is what the bar looked like before we moved into the house. It looks far better in the picture that it did in person.

Walling Off the Old Roof

A few weeks ago, Mike and Steve got a good start on the wall that will eventually hide the portion of old roof that had still been exposed.

Who's that Creepy Guy Looking in my Window?

No worries, it's just Mike checking out the new window in the butler pantry. Finally, the last of the 12 new windows is in! The other 11 went in in December, but our friend Steve wanted to see how the installation was done, so we waited for a day when he could come over.

Working on the Ceiling in the Breakfast Nook

Last weekend, even though it was freezing, we ventured out into the addition to work on the ceiling in the breakfast nook. Our friend Steve was here, and we decided to take advantage of his help.

Mike's Law: When One Wall Goes Up, Another Must Come Down

At our house, every bit of construction we complete must be balanced by destruction in keeping with Mike's Law.

Here I am tearing out the dining room wall:

And here we are tearing out ceiling panels and shelves in the basement so Mike can do the wiring and plumbing for the butler pantry.

Another Wall for the Butler Pantry

The frame for the second butler pantry wall has been constructed and is in place, as is the other pocket door. Mike explains:

As you can tell, Mike is quite proud of his new light bulb, which does an excellent job of illuminating the space. It's a shame we had to take down the dining room chandelier; it was so pretty. I will especially miss the fake wax dripping down the side of the fake candle.