Evolution of the Miami Room

This blog ended with C & B's move in.... my part at least. I thought they might take over the posting. Alas, not. Cyd's working on designing a blog of her own. So, I'm playing a bit of catch up. Seems that the "Miami Room" is where their company tends to gather... at least during
the nice weather. So here is the the current look. New rug and painted ledge and floors! Looks
like with colder weather, this space won't get as much use so window treatments might be on the spring wish list.

Little Tweeks

The living room rug finally arrived. Madeline Weinrib, thanks Nanny, it's spectacular! Also, thought I'd show the cute addition to C & B's bedroom - their own little project. (We did cull aspen logs from the Wyoming National Forest and haul them home in the roof top carrier!!)

They're Living it!

The list is getting shorter with just days before we head west. We've one room yet to set up, but they are living it! The poodles got to visit last night - and amazingly there was room for all.
The boys slid in the range, and what a difference it makes IN the kitchen - and OUT of the livingroom! Hope the plumber will come this afternoon to hook up the kitchen sink, dishwasher, and disposal; and Randy will come over the weekend to do the backsplash tile. We'll clean out the workroom/sunroom and get that set up, and have our celebration dinner Sunday night. No doubt Cyd and Bennett will have a bit of a punch list... it will be their turn to blog progress for me!

Big Day

Big day on Barrington.... the Kitchen counters went in! What an impact counters make -gorgeous.
SWL also finished the flooring in Cyd's closet, baseboards, and hung the bars... we made a very small dent in wardrobe installation. We are so close to complete. Tomorrow the new range hood arrives- late in the day. Hopefully it will go up without incident and we can get the range out of the Livingroom. Kitchen crown needs to be finished so we can get the cabinet doors back on.
And then it will be time to clean up the workroom! They're ready to move in.

One Step Forward BIG Step Back

BIG FUBAR today.... I was minding the fit of the range vent and flew backwards when SWL tried to set the pipe thru the wall!!!! Yes, crash came the vent onto the floor, gas pipe, and me. We're in a scramble to replace it :( .... Expensive accident. To lighten up our look at progress and to keep us all working, painting, finishing... we take and install bits and parts as we can. I see pieces of the Philadelphia apartment finding their new home - looking great!

Final Push

We are 10 days and counting.... before we head west! Barrington is really coming together. We've got a few big projects left... kitchen vent and crown moulding, counters and backsplash. Cyd's closet floor, base moulding, bars, and door frame. Lots of 2nd coat and touch up painting.... BUT we are moving ahead and moving in! My photo of the living room was blurred - so I'll shoot it again tomorrow. We'll take over the club chairs, and it's all but set up. The range is still where the entry table will go - but minor detail. Tomorrow I plan to clear out the work room - take some stuff home, and move the rest to the basement. That room is my pet project, since everyone thinks it's SO bad. I think it will shape up quite nicely.... we'll see. So - we'll keep on crunching these final days.

Birthday Boy

Really lazy with blogging lately, but we really are coming along... and even have started slowly moving some things in as rooms are complete. Today is Bennett's Birthday! - and we gathered in his study to celebrate with cake! We've loaded the bookcase, and even hung a few things - the study is missing the major seating piece, but looks inviting and cozy already. Promise to get some shots as we install.... hopefully by next weekend! That's the goal anyway.

July!

The 4th has come and gone - that summer half over mark. Barrington was a perfect spot to start the day with bloodies and mimosas... and parade watching. We got everything cleaned up for the party - and it actually gave us encouragement that the end is in site!! The big project list is down to kitchen completion. The cabinets are in, just crown and base moulding details left. We get measured for counters Friday morning. The stage lights will be wired after that; and the very last piece is the backsplash. Cyd's closet floor needs to go in... hopefully Michael will step up and get that done. Joe is finishing a couple last spots of drywall mud - so that we can prime and paint the first floor bath - and next week have wallpaper! Lots of paint left... but hoping Bennett will take over the paint stick while SWL is out of town the next couple weeks - and get it done! Looking like 2 good weeks could do it; and we can get C + B moved in and set up the last week of the month! Might make our August first trek west after all!!

Getting back into the Groove

Barrington is looking a little bit better day by day. SWL is plugging away on the kitchen cabinets. Today he built the frame for one of the dead corners, and almost completed the west wall. It was tedious, having to cut out for a power source the back of the microwave cabinet. Before he could begin... he had to pull the first floor toilet to prepare for Randy's installation of the flooring, and bale me out with the painting of the Master Bedroom ceiling (I can't work that paint stick overhead!!). I finished the first coat on the bedroom, the trim on Cyd's closet door, and the interior first coat inside the upstairs hall linen cabinet. I also had a bit of touch up left in the grey bedroom.... where I'd repaired around outlets and an access panel. I think that room may now be complete. (Oh - except the vent covers) Classic glass installed the shower door!!! Gorgeous. And SWL set that sink cabinet ahead of the marble top going in tomorrow. Lots of little pieces!

Back Blogging!

After almost TOO much relaxation - we are back at work! We had an incredible vacation to Istanbul and sailing the Agean. Now we're full swing to the finish line at Barrington. Monday was a bit under-productive - trouble remembering where we were, where our tools were, finding traction. SWL got his head around the kitchen project.... reacquainting himself with the layout and plan. Tuesday was a bit more focused - and Wednesday we finally felt the momentum! The upper cabinets went up! Cyd and I have been slowly painting our way thru the upstairs. The grey bedroom is all but complete and yesterday we also completed the second coat on the Master Bath. Today will see the shower door go up and maybe the marble counter top as well!! Cyd also selected a new floor tile - to be more practical - for the first floor bath. It's a very cool whitewash "wood" tile. Can't wait to have Randy lay that! Today the lower cabinets will begin, and Cyd and I will attack the Master Bedroom paint!!! Slowly but surely. I'll try to get back in my blog habit.... got a late start because my computer's been on the fritz. After an appointment at the genius bar... which didn't fix it... my personal genius has got me back up and running. Cross our fingers! The week is already flying. Cal arrives Friday for her 5 year reunion weekend! Busy busy busy! Welcome back all!

We're Off!

Well, I didn't get any additional photos taken! My bad. Not a lot to show for the weekend and last few days. Cyd did get a chance to crawl thru the eves and help SWL install the last vent so that the new attic fan can work as efficiently as possible. We've primed the Master Bath, and cleaned up little details following the drywallers around after sanding. I think we're leaving a long list of ready places to paint. Cyd has corner cupboard shelves here to paint for the Diningroom. Randy is almost finished tiling upstairs.... so it's ready to paint. He'll be in to grout and seal. We challenged his sensibilities with the retro "dark" color grout.... not even a cool photo has him fully sold. What does he know! Painting can begin in Cyd's closet and the Master Bedroom. The upstairs guest BR is ready when Randy gets his stuff out! With a bit of cleaning prep all around.... the downstairs could be started as well (if you want to work around boxes and stuff). We're ordering appliances this morning - which take a couple of weeks... perfect timing. Bennett will be home over the weekend.... so they'll have some time to work together! We're excited for this trip, and a little house break. No doubt we'll return re-energized and anxious to finish it up and get the Schaumburgs moved in!! So, unless Cyd will document herself and continue my blogging.... we'll be off line until the end of the month. Best! ARL

Weeks End

While the day to day details are hard to document, we are making strides. Days go sort of like this: finish 2nd coat paint on Callie's room trim, rasor blade off glass, have Nanny wash windows, SWL get's to the details and cleans sliding groves.... we need to repaint! Little details that don't show much. Bennett's study is all but complete - thanks to master painter SWL who re-rolled the ceiling and re-cut the grey. Then the drywall team patched the closet.... now
we need to prime and repaint the patch! The bigger progress - Randy continues on the Master Bath,
Drywall up and taped in Cyd's closet, her closet door is complete.... until drywall is sanded and we can clean up and begin painting upstairs. Baker Roofing arrived this afternoon to install the attic fan and roof vent for the upstairs bath fan - should cool off the upstairs a bit more. We've got parts and pieces to begin wiring the Diningroom fixture, some spray painting projects to begin. We dropped off the headboard to be reupholstered AND the DR host and hostess chairs arrived. So, lots going on! Have a good weekend everyone, and I'll try to get a last blog update before we head across the pond!!

Now We're Talking!

Tuesday - painting is reminding me a little bit of wiring. Will it ever end?! We are pathetically slow - and not very good. We coat, we wait, we recoat, we wait, we cut back in to cover our mess, we wait. We're still on the second room of the house!! I'm feeling really good about the fact that upstairs there are no ceilings to cut in, or crown!.... more rolling, which SWL handles very nicely with his power painting stick! So we did get a look at the gorgeous doors on Callie's closet. An inspired idea we all admit. We're mourning the fact that the fabric we were SO excited to use is discontinued... we'll move on when we get over it. Randy is plugging away at the master bath. I think he'll be finished this week - we're hoping. And Michael came - let there be a kitchen floor!!!! So little by little it really is taking shape. Our team will be growing sooner than later - Bennett accepted the job offer at GSW and will be home in two weeks!
CONGRATULATIONS!! We are now officially in our one week countdown to our big trip. Our wish is to get the kitchen installed this week - so counters can be measured (and made?) while we're away. We can at least wish!!

Update

My bad. Wanted to share todays start and finish. BIG storm moved thru parts of Arlington last night. We arrived at barrington this morning to find the post down!!! That settles that question I guess! Shot of Dootie and her mother at the end of the day. xoxox

Weekend Highlights

Well, the weekend flew by. I'll try to recap. Saturday was day 2 (or was it 3?) of Bennett's Study painting. We are all but finished.... our poor cutting skills have us in a pickle with ceiling touch up. We don't have any, nor do we know what the ceiling paint is! SO- TBD. Cheryl and John Rome arrived in their painting clothes Saturday morning - and painted Callie's room! Sorry I didn't capture them at work. SWL was hard at work finishing up the door to Cyd's closet... many challenging details there - but also much progress. As I write Sunday evening, he has just one piece of shaped framing to put into place. We are ready for Patrick's team to put up the drywall. Randy was onsite Saturday to put in the Master Bath floor - we hoped he'd come today to start walls - but no. Sunday - the Rome painting team returned to paint the kitchen. They did a perfect job... and the decorator :( picked the wrong paint color!!! One step forward, and one step back! Cyd was off for the afternoon ( baby shower ) so we scurried to repaint the kitchen -
to be ready for floor installation - hopefully tomorrow!! We installed the kitchen light bar first thing today.... we need to bring a fixture over to check our clearance. I just realized too that I didn't get a shot of Callie's closet doors.... that was SWL's last task of the day... I'll reveal tomorrow. The desk Cyd created with an old Armoire back she found in the garage, and married to an industrial base she found at salvage is in place for effect in the study. We like!!
Hope everyone had a good weekend - have a good week too!

Where did the Week go?!

How can it possibly be Friday already? Progress on Barrington, but still slow going. I think Cyd is beginning to see how many steps it takes to accomplish each task.... sounds so simple to get a room painted... but the prep and coats!! Big stuff today; we got a good foam insulation bid for Cyd's closet... and later in the afternoon they came and did it! DONE. Randy was on site- that's something - and installed the shower floor tile and prepared the whole floor. He also said he'd see us tomorrow! I think that means he'll do the rest of the floor tomorrow, then it will need to dry before he can begin tile on the walls.... Monday? We're crossing our fingers SWL will have his leader come to start the Kitchen floors tomorrow. We'll see; but it would be awesome to have that finished so the cabinets could begin! Cyd and I completed the first coat on Bennett's study - and ran out of steam before we started round 2... beyond the bookcase - tomorrow! It is great to look down the hallway and see color and personality. I've begun to panic a bit.... we only have another full week before our trip - and I can't even list what I hope to have done by then! One day at a time.