The 5 Month Update

We officially broke ground on the house on July 1st, so it's been almost exactly 5 months since everything started. We stopped by the house today to find brick layers and tile setters working, so we didn't stay too long, and progress has been slow. They discovered an issue with our stairs that was simple enough to solve (something had been framed incorrectly and it just wasn't obvious until they started to put in the stair banister) but it set them back about a week.

Whatever, it's not like I was going to make that December 2nd paint selection deadline anyway.

The kitchen is looking really beautiful. I'm so thrilled with our decision to go with open shelving and very little upper cabinetry.

South side of the kitchen, looking over the back yard

North side of the kitchen. The very top set of shelves will have doors, but the other two remain open.

West side of the kitchen range wall (a range hood will be in between the windows eventually)

Mudroom cabinets. The brick is so dusty and mortar covered you can't even tell what color it is! 

The pocket door going into the mudroom and pantry area

Starting to hang doors 

The butler's pantry. I actually thought these drawers were going to be longer and there wouldn't be any cabinets with doors, so fingers crossed that these don't turn out to be useless. 

The biggest surprise - OUR CLOSET! SO EXCITED!

Other side of the closet. No light in there yet so the pictures aren't very good. 

And finally...the brick is going to look great. I am so happy with this fireplace, and I love it more every time I see it.

I can't wait to go back in a few days when the whole wall is done!

We have Trim!

Well, our Tigers may not be having a great month, but at least we have a lot of house progress to console ourselves with. Sort of? At least it's generally a fun place to visit on Saturday! 

The construction fence was removed about four weeks ago to allow dirt work in the front yard to start. Then, the rain started....it took a good long while to get the driveway in, but luckily didn't hold up anything inside. 

We got a garage door, which will eventually be painted white like the rest of the house:

And finally, about three weeks later, a driveway!

Our brick walkway was completed just this week. Paint is the next big item for the exterior. 

Still my favorite spot. I'm so glad we made this porch so deep!

We decided on "Snowbound" as the color for the siding and trim. I didn't even sample it. After buying NINE SAMPLE POTS of white (which by the way kids, after nine sample pots? It's all just white, dammit) I picked a color we hadn't even brought home. I was at my friend Lina's house, said "hey, that's a pretty white." She e-mailed her for me and we're rolling with it. 

Our shutters will be Sherwin Williams/Duron "Historic Charleston Green" and the porch ceiling will be Benjamin Moore's "Palladian Blue."

Our interior brick arrived about 3 weeks ago and has been hanging out on the curb. Silly me thought "Old Chicago" was just a brick color. Nope. Literally from old buildings. In Chicago. Well then. 

We have also made some great progress inside - we could not be more excited about how everything we chose is turning out.

Sure....come on in.

 The study has bookcases and the seat I affectionately call the Cat Seat, on account of the fact that it's a super small seat. Given our lack of tiny humans at present, the cats are the only ones likely to sit there. But I still think it's cute!

The butler's pantry, aka The Bar. Those middle cabinets will have wine glass holders so we can hang the glasses upside down (woohoo).

 The butler's pantry, 2 weeks later! It's really fun to see everything change.

The mudroom! The tall opening at left was specifically designed for my polo mallets. Why yes, I am a source of entertainment for the builder. Why do you ask?

The living room (I took this when the carpenters had their lights on, hence the shadows)

Our mantels beginning to be built! Each side matches but we are going to decorate this one, probably with a mirror. I got talked into putting the TV above the mantel on the other side. For now. I'm still not convinced.

 And, my "baby" is coming along quite nicely. The kitchen, approximately one week in:

And about two weeks later:

Our brick floor went into the utility room! It takes a while because they have to slice the brick to the thickness of tile. Nope, didn't really think that one through either. Thanks guys!

The entrance to our bedroom:

And, our bathroom! These cabinets are much further along now, but they actually messed up the floor in the bathroom and had to re-do it, so I haven't gotten a photo of the new floor with the cabinets back in the room.

And, my favorite "happenstance" decision yet. When we decided to put wood floor in the bathroom, I decided to change the pattern to herringbone just to change it up. WE LOVE IT. I wish I'd put it in the dining or living rooms too!!

 We don't have much to report upstairs yet but they are supposed to start our stairs tomorrow. The tile guys are also starting work on the upstairs baths, so that should be fun too.