Back patio columns are up

These look really cool in person! (please excuse the crazy amount of dust that was in the air, thus now in the pics.)

Hardwoods have started...

These will be sanded and finished on-site. It was so great to see them going in. They look awesome!

The Resto Lighting Sale

Bathroom lighting is done courtesy of the Restoration Hardware 'Famous Fall Lighting Sale.'

Columns are up!

Half way point!

This week marks a milestone in the building process...we're half way to completion! Yesterday started week 12, with 24 being the final week. Of course delays could hold us up but the good news is, we're right on track as of now. Let's hope the rest of construction keeps moving right along and we remain delay free. Hip hip hooray for half way!

Doors, trim and banisters

We selected our interior doors (pic below) and trim last week. For the doors, we'll have 5-panel, solid core doors (awesome idea from Corinna and John in Raleigh - thanks!). The trim will be craftsman style to match the house, which includes crown, baseboards and framing out each door and window. Also, we selected our staircase railing and banisters. I can't find pics of anything but the doors. I should have had my camera with me! All of the above will be installed starting this week and then painted white. We'll get pics of the real thing up here as soon as we can. Next on the list...interior and exterior paint colors.

Mantel, fireplace surround and built-ins

Here's a good example of what our mantel, fireplace surround and built-in cabinets will look like. We're also adding a hearth across the front.

Interior lighting

We've moved inside on our lighting purchases and accomplished quite a bit today. Check out some of our cool finds.

Chandelier over the dining room table...

Two pendants over the bar...

Front and back entries...

Two wall sconces in the staircase...

Bathroom lighting and ceiling fans to come...

SNAFU is fixed...chimney is done!

Shakes are up!

Selections, selections, selections

This week is consumed with making selections and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m totally overwhelmed. (Mike’s handling this well. It’s just me whose head is about to pop off.) Yesterday we looked at tile, today is interior trim and later this week is granite. This is the fun part, right? “Aren’t we lucky” (as some of you have said) to pick out everything we want vs. buying a house that is already done? Well…I’ll admit it…the sheer amount of options in each said category is enough to make me insane. So, I’m off to Borders to buy more home magazines. I’ve put about a mortgage payment into these freaking magazines with the hopes that I’ll find “the” master bathroom or “the” powder room. No such luck. We’ve been cruising along making choices right and left without any problems. Well, now I’m stuck. I don’t know what tile and what granite to choose. And I know you all see the irony here…Mike’s a tile guy! Sigh.

FUBAR or SNAFU?

This week, we had our first significant screw up at the house. Luckily Mike caught it and it's being taken care of. And also lucky for us, it wasn’t our screw up so we don’t have to pay for it! Mike met the builder at the house and discovered a crew building our brick chimney and doing finishing work on the columns. At first glance, he was psyched because this was the last of the brick work that was going to be done. Then upon closer inspection, he realized that the brick was the wrong color…and the chimney was about 2/3rds done. We selected Triangle Brick – Oxford. And they were using Hanson Brick – Oxford. In the world of brick, a different manufacturer means a lot to color. Gary arrived shortly thereafter to hear the news from Mike. He then immediately had the exact same team tear down the entire chimney they had just spent all morning building. FUBAR? No. It’ll be rebuilt this week – with the right brick. I’m voting for a SNAFU on this one. A pretty pricey SNAFU for someone, we’re just not sure who yet.

Hardie plank has started

Beadboard ceilings

One of my favorite house features was installed this week! The porches have beadboard ceilings that will be stained to match the front and back doors.

Drywall is up!

Drywall is up so now we know what each room will be like in size. It looks great in there! Here are some pics...

Outside lighting

We bought our first lighting fixtures yesterday! We have a long way to go but for now, we have outside lighting taken care of.

Here's the light that will hang from the front porch ceiling between the front steps and the front door...

And here's the wall mounted light that will go on either side of the backdoor...

Pocket doors

We're putting pocket doors between the living room and the den. Here's the tracks and frame they will live in...

And here's what they will resemble when they are done...

Drywall has arrived

Some electrical and insulation pics...

Electrical... Insulation...

We're back in action!

Woo hoo! We've got house action again. After what seemed like weeks of inactivity (I guess it was just a week), we're back to buildin' folks. (Do not insert southern drawl here. It was just a moment of excitement I had after chatting with Gary the builder this afternoon.) Ok, here we go... 1) House is insulated. 2) Pre-wire for speakers and surround sound is done - both inside and out. 3) Electrical inspection is tomorrow. (Our last inspection for this stage of the game.) 4) Drywall starts on Saturday. 5) Hardie planks and shakes arrive on Monday and the exterior goes up. 6) Front and back porch columns are to follow. How cool! Today's big decision (and why I called Gary) was regarding Hardie plank shakes vs. cedar shakes in the gables. We selected Hardie for a number of reasons. Pics coming later...