This is the part of a renovation that I love, but also hate. It's almost finished and the basics are functioning, but, the little stuff takes the longest to do. This finishing part is excruciating to me - I can see the final product, but the trim isn't finished, the plate covers have to go on, the wall needs patching, and so on. It's the part with the least amount of impact, but most amount of work.
It's where people start saying "we can live with that for awhile" and it never gets done - and running out of money starts to dictate the decisions. This is definitely one downfall of the DIYer version of renovation. It's also why were are leaving our hideous honey-coloured living room floors for another year. Out of time, energy and money. But, it's all about compromising without sacrificing your total vision entirely. The floors can wait another year - I don't think they will mind.
But, here are the positive things.
I have grey grout!
When it first went on, I panicked. I thought I had really screwed up. I usually experiment at my house, so clients don't do the suffering and was sure this was an experiment that failed. It didn't help that everyone that looked at it said it screwed up their eyes and reminded them of that computer-generated artwork where you had to go cross-eyed to see the image! However, with a little elbow grease I worked the grout back a little and am now thrilled with the result. If you stare too long, things still go wonky, but that will stop once I have kitchen things in front of it, and then it will sing!
And my countertop is installed! Look at it in all it's simple off-white-with-a-touch-of-sparkle glory (not to mention the amazing shadows at dinner time):
Thank you again John from Beyond Tile & Stone for this one!
And a special thank you to Kevin from TMK Mechanical for doing all of the plumbing! You may have noticed my faucet and soap dispenser also installed. I have water - the best news for days!
And my lights, my wonderful lights. They are nothing you haven't seen, but, I love the impact of them all together over the island. And Paul (my electrician) was wrong - they aren't too big for the island and I don't care what he says about it. You definitely couldn't ask for a more honest electrcian at RK Electric.
But you were defintely right about my hall lights - I don't need the cork insert for waterproofing because I'm inside. You can keep making fun of me for that. Until you see how great it's all going to look pulled together.
Here's Paul's response when I asked him how much longer he'd be working at my house (this is the polite version of the photo - the other one involved a middle finger!)
And my oven hood is up! But, the old stove is in (I guess it's not THAT bad...)
Well, I think that's it for now. We are going to start pulling it together soon and I've started unpacking my stuff. I'm not going to show final photos until I have "propped" it all. I thought: "Hey, I prop rooms for everyone else, why not do it for myself?" So that's what I'll do. I'm pretty sure I won't start crying when I walk in for the final reveal though, but who knows? I am known to cry easily (What? Some commercials are REALLY moving). Take care for now and next post, there will be some real beauty shots!