Team MK Hard at Work

This week, it would be hard for a layperson to gage progress…but Project Bungalow is coming along!

As the electrical and plumbing work was underway, I had opportunity to finalize outlet/fixture placement in the basement and exterior.  A new electrical box was put in place, doubling the AMPs.  Paint colors and door hardware were finalized.  Tile order was processed.   And window selection and location was sorted.

It was also a good week to get to know the folks working with and for MK during an impromptu pizza party.  Wednesday we had a couple contractors, five electricians, a plumber and an HVAC specialist hard at it.

Within days - we will have the electrical inspection completed and walls will start going up!

If only People's Gas would get their act together and RELOCATE THE GAS METER.

determining where to place the new outdoor lighting w/Rolando and Sulika

paint selection

my personal "hanger" for coat/bag 

the basement is FRAMED and there is a FLOOR

a makeshift workbench

view from basement family room into bedroom/bathroom suite.
that electrical box and the glass block window will be gone next week
the paper on the floor is a template of the bed/end tables so we could sort the window placement

view into laundry room

ugly wall between steps/treadmill area now removed 

the bathroom is going to be sooooo much better!

sorting the pendant placement over the peninsula 

Vlad - working the kitchen "hood" venting

spent some quality time sorting out the door placement for the closet off the basement 

a short break over pizza - good to get to know the team a bit

view from basement bedroom into bathroom
note the unsightly 100 year old gas-meter in the middle of the bedroom.  PEOPLE'S GAS - WHERE ARE YOU?

laundry room - as viewed from the bathroom
aren't those some fabulous sump pumps under the stairs?

Exterior Accent Color - feedback received!

Thanks for all of the feedback via FB, this blog, email, text and phone regarding "Exterior Accent Color"  (ADVICE WELCOME - Exterior Accent Color)  Votes were cast for ivory, orange, red, teal, purple, burgundy, purple, gray/grey (-ay from the US voters, -ey from the UK voices), blue in several hues, and emerald green.  All of these suggestions would have looked terrific from the curb.

My wallet deemed Chris K. an honoree for "don't change the color".  My heart and eyes say "change this ASAP."

I should have added a few extra notes for your consideration:

• The trim needs to be painted
• I hate this shade of 90's green (sorry, Chris K.) - which was previously also found inside the home
• The brick at the back of the house is painted white (which I don't want to change now), as is the "under canopy" for the upstairs balcony (which needs to be painted)
• The home's windows frames are white - and can't be changed
• Those of you following this blog know that I'm on year five re:obsession with gray
• The garage (in full view of the home) is a hideous shade of brown

All of the above are factors in my decision, but were not necessarily well disclosed so to to inform your input!

Some sound advice was also received:

• "Let the exterior mirror what one should expect inside"
• "The back yard is like a powder room - it can be fun and colorful - and should make you HAPPY"
• "Don't paint the door to the garage white - it will be a mess very quickly"
• "Paint before you landscape
• "Everyone loves window boxes - do this NOW" - "cheap and Happy!"
• "If you paint the garage, paint the ugly cinder blocks it sits upon"

I easily discounted a suggestion for gnomes.

Folks seem to be torn regarding the painting of the front door - most seem to think this should remain stained.  I'm up in the air on this one, so will likely leave as is.

With this in mind - I'll be doing the following this Spring (should Spring ever come):

• Painting the house trim a blue-gray
• Painting the bit of the sided-garage that faces the back yard the same blue-gray.  (I'm not passionate about painting the rest of the sided garage that faces an alley.)
• Adding window boxes to the front of the house to match the trim
• Adding a large window box below the window on the ugly garage (in white)
• And - surprise - under consideration is painting the door to the garage (visible only from the house/back yard) in a hot pink or bright yellow.  Whichever accent color is chosen for the door will be mimicked  in the floral choices.  Feel free to add your two cents, below.  

Point of inspiration (thanks again, Houzz.com):

Current garage/house shots (taken before the Vortex):

An older picture - the steps have been demo'd and re-poured so to run parallel to the garage.  The uneven old patio (under the white umbrella) was torn up to make way for future paver-walk way and grass.    A simple wrought iron railing has been ordered for the steps - so long, off-center pipe banister.  

Taken in the heart of construction - and appreciate this looks slightly Appalachian-abandoned at the moment

I'll have a later post on the back yard in general - the talented Corrie from Chicago Xteriors is helping to plan this space in a budget-friendly manner, Jeff from Lightology has already helped me sort the lighting fixtures and Rolando the electrician on the whole house project is working on the motion-detectors and exterior lighting placement.  

A forthcoming quote on painting will determine if the trim/garage painting is a near term or long term project.  

ADVICE WELCOME - Exterior Accent Color

Hi - I'm soliciting some advice/guidance regarding an exterior accent color - replacing everything you see below in "sage green" with a different color that will complement the brick.  The window-boxes (a future post) will be painted in the same color as the trim.  Just hit "comment" to add your two cents!

Update: The Kitchen Selections

The kitchen/dining decisions are complete, as per Planning: The kitchen overhaul -  I won't reiterate the earlier post, where you can find the 3D drawings/layout, etc.  Here are some other final selections:

Cabinets - in grey (Benjamin Moore Silver Half Dollar) - appears darker in the photo than real life.  Ceiling will be painted this with a few drops of white added.  

   

Wallpaper a white/white by York ($28/roll) - looks dark in the pic - trust me, it's pretty much white on white, but I like that the paisley will pick up the "menswear" inspired fabrics in the adjacent living room.  (Planning: Living Room Furniture)

Barstools - Restoration Hardware (circa $180 on sale)

Lighting - for details, please reference Planning: Lighting!

Purchased in WHITE - shown in stainless

Juliska - mostly white

Pure white quartz countertops - likely Zeus Extreme, Silestone