First Look at Finishes

Over the past few months, I have enjoyed window shopping, internet research, and magazine flipping to look for ideas and finishes for the renovation. About 2 weeks ago, I reached overload and needed to sort through everything that I stowed away in folders, spreadsheets and my brain. I was having dreams about flipping through endless pages of faucets and lighting online. 

I realized that looking at 157 bathroom faucets and narrowing them down to 5 contenders was a helpful first step, but I didn't realize that I wasn't putting the different pieces together. Faucets sit on counter tops, which sit on vanities, which sit next to tile, which sit next to toilets, etc... So I started a finish book with a file for each room. Here is a glance at the finish book for a few rooms so far. Consider this a first cut of favorites and contenders. More updates and rooms to come!

EXTERIOR: To complement the variety of color in the variegated bricks, we're going with dark brown clad windows, cedar siding, and bronze fixtures. The front porch design isn't quite finished, but we envision a metal and wood railing like the one pictured. And some cool mod house numbers. Details matter!  

KITCHEN: Stainless steel appliances (found great commercial-looking KitchenAid Architect Series models, easier on the budget than Sub-Z and Viking), glass pendants, medium brown cabinets (still need to choose one), soapstone counters (also need to choose a slab--from Central Virginia, incidentally), and an awesome mod glass back splash tile that pulls it all together.

DINING ROOM: The chandelier was a huge find at the local lighting store. It's 24 hand-blown glass teardrops; the strings are adjustable up to 10' so it will be perfect for the high ceiling in the dining room. It will create drama and sparkle but will also allow you to see through to the living room. Made by ET2, a very cool lighting designer. The sideboard was an amazing find at Copeland Furniture in rural Vermont (about 90 miles from Burlington). I visited their tent sale in May and picked out several awesome MCM pieces at a huge discount. The vintage poster we already own, just wanted to see how it might look over the sideboard. And the Laphroig Scotch is one of our favorites; it really isn't a finish for the room, but it will likely end up on the sideboard or somewhere in the dining room regularly. So I added it, and it looks pretty good there. 

LIVING ROOM: Clean lined furniture (we don't own any of this yet, but the inspiration pieces on the list appear here--btw check out Thrive Furniture in LA for some well-priced MCM-inspired pieces), along with an existing area rug, possible fan choices (leaning toward the metal one--called "Midnight Chrome"--sounds hot), and an inspiration picture for the fireplace. That design has limestone tiles ($$$), but there are some interesting porcelain options that give a soft gray tone with depth and character much like limestone. The floor (pictured below the rug) is also a sample of something we like--this is acacia wood, which is still TBD. Could be a budget killer, but look at that floor!?

MASTER BATH: Aiming for clean lines and soothing colors, but not an over-the-top spa either. Not our style. Things are ending up to be an international mix. Surprisingly, the toilet is Kohler--most of the modern looking models are European and pricey. This one is around $300. The fixtures are Grohe and Hansgrohe (two German companies started by brothers). The vanity is also German (Duravit), solid walnut cabinet and porcelain sink combo, wall mounted--there will be 2 mounted side-by-side. The shower field tile is Italian; each large tile has a four-square pattern with alternating ridges. The shower floor tile and bathroom floor tile appears at the base of the field tile.

STUDY: The study is located off the entry hall; we're adding double pocket doors, not exactly like the ones pictured, but added here for effect. I think ours will be clear glass and not as many divided panels. By contrast with the living/dining room with tall ceiling and big windows, the study is smaller and cozier, so thinking of going with a grasscloth wallcover. The ceiling mounted light and pendant is Sonneman (awesome lighting designer). Not sure if we need all of those lights, but they made the first cut.  

Digging Holes and Painting Fences

With such a catchy title, this post is sure to get a lot of hits. We're getting into the un-sexy part of the yard chores, but it's a perfect time to dig things up and make messes while heavy construction is underway. And at this point in the project and budget, it's time to find all of the low-skilled DIY projects that I can tackle while the experts toil away on the house. Drain pipes and fences are getting a makeover here. Enjoy the sexy stuff below...tho I did leave one inspiration pic (legitimately sexy, in terms of exterior design) at the end of the post with some bigger dreams about cool elements to include in the back yard. 

Extracting cracked and clogged drain pipes

Finished the first leg...the next one awaits. (Another day)

Digging trenches is humbling...happy to return to my desk job tomorrow. 

Just for kicks, a picture of the back yard area before demo. The drain pipe runs under the wobbly flagstone patio pictured here. 

Amid trench digging, testing a cedar colored stain for the fence (see right side of pic). More fence updates to come.

I came across this picture of the Miller House--one of the greatest examples of mid-century modern architecture in the country, in (unlikely) Columbus, Indiana, designed by Eero Saarinen (of Dulles Airport and St. Louis Arch fame). I didn't realize there was a cool little reflecting pond along one glass wall of the house. I might need to do a site visit to the property to get first-hand inspiration...


How about a rectangular reflecting pond along the back of the master bedroom sitting area picture window, extending toward the courtyard patio? With a bubbling fountain that could be heard in the master bedroom and possibly patio and great room. I had better save some energy for digging that hole. :)

Master suite progress

Over the past 2 weeks, the master suite addition has taken shape. We're almost ready to close up the addition and take out the original back wall of the house. 

Completed foundation

Some demo on the existing eaves to get ready for the addition

Sitting room framed. 

View of the master bath addition: this area will become the walk-in shower.

View through the picture window in the sitting room. Time to paint the fence :)

View through the sliding door opening onto the courtyard patio.

Walls added

Weekend Yard Work

Whether we noticed it during the open house or not, we inherited a lot of yard junk. Some of it was sitting right on top, and some has been lurking below the surface of the overgrown yard. We're the fourth owners, and I think I've unearthed a layer of flagstone, brick, concrete and other landscape materials from every generation since 1966. On the positive side, we've excavated some major square footage of flagstone in great condition. We will be able to reuse all of it for patios, stepping stones, and even maybe a cap for the brick border walls in the back yard (cause we have so much). It is likely worth a few thousand dollars of stone, which we wouldn't otherwise be buying right now. 


We also have fences on 3 sides, which I guess is common for Arlington's tightly packed neighborhoods, but something I didn't grow up with on an acre in the country. Though good fences make good neighbors, today I removed the chain link fence on the right side, which we share with neighbors whom we've connected with nicely and feel fortunate to have sharing a property line. We will need some sort of shielding from this side...they have a porch and windows facing our master bedroom windows, but a rusty fence wasn't the best choice. I'd like to think about options for a low cedar fence with some taller dark green border plants that grow 6-8' over time. I have a vision for this side of the yard as a shade garden with a path cutting through it. It will also likely be a mutual decision with the neighbors. Maybe this is a 3-year vision...


Some pictures of the rusty fence pieces and the resulting border-less property line for now. I'm surprised how big the side yard is with the trees, clutter and fence removed. 

Excavated right side yard

Former Chain Link Fence...bye bye

On the left side yard, slowly things are looking less cluttered and ready for some thoughtful plantings. We will be expanding the side porch (which is currently a stoop for the side door only), so we can grill on the side of the house away from guests. The side patio will extend back to connect with the existing back patio. There is a roof for the side porch planned for all-weather grilling. 

Does anyone need a bathroom counter and sink?

Left side yard view from back corner, still many roots, rocks, and other junk to remove. 

Rear Master Bedroom Expansion Gets Started

Within hours of county approval, they were digging the foundation for the master bed/bath expansion. The crawl space was carved out, footers poured, and foundation blocks laid within about 2 days.

Footers Poured

  

Foundation blocks laid. The sitting room is about 14' deep and 10.5' wide. The side facing the interior courtyard will have a large sliding glass door. The right side of the addition will become the walk-in shower for the master bathroom with high clerestory-like windows.

Interior Framing, Early Progress

Some of the floor plan changes are taking shape, and so far, so good. It always helps to walk through the rooms to understand the size, scale and relationship to other elements. The translation from 2-D plans to real rooms and spaces is great for thinking about about finishes and furniture. 

STUDY POCKET DOORS

From the entry hall, the pocket doors to the study will be on left. The opening will be a standard double-door width, but the pocket doors require building a new wall for the pockets and tracks. 

View from the study

RADIUS WALL 

The curve starts from the entry hall. The former hall closet in view will be re-purposed to a niche with shelves on the left half; the right half will be turned around to make built-in shelves in the guest bathroom. The curved wall draws the eye toward the niche, as hoped.  

View of the radius wall from the great room. It creates a much larger entry hall and easier access to the bedrooms down the corridor. 

Framing close-up. The other side of the curved wall will be added to the guest bedroom closet. 

MASTER WALK-IN CLOSET

We are expanding the existing master bedroom closet by taking over the guest bedroom closet which was on the other side of the closet wall. From the plans, it looked like a good idea, but seeing it in person is a great relief. The new closet will be a great size and with only 1 pocket door to access the closet, we'll maximize wall space in the master bedroom. 

The opening will be a standard door width, with a pocket door to avoid a swinging door in the closet and the bedroom. The new framing in the background is the back of the closet wall, shared with the new closet in the guest bedroom (see picture below). 

The guest bedroom gets a new closet, since the master closet takes over the old guest closet. In the plans, looking at this change made the 3rd bedroom look a bit small, but in person the bedroom is still a nice size, about 11.5' square. It helps that it's a corner room with 2 large windows. 

GUEST BEDROOM ENTRY

The plans called for the guest bedroom entry doors to be pushed back from the original line of the hallway, to create a less narrow-feeling hall and a landing area into which all 3 bedroom doors opened. The effect is even better than expected from the plans, the landing area is about 6.5' x 6.5' and the back wall of the hallway is large enough to display art or add a small hallway table. As hoped, the hallway no longer feels like a boring rectangle with several doors cluttering the relatively small space. 

The subtle change makes a great difference in the feel of the hallway, and it doesn't make the bedrooms feel smaller. The space that's taken back for the landing area wasn't usable in either bedroom, it was just a narrow entry into both rooms. 

Pushing Forward

The builder's team got right to work on interior demo and framing. Some highlights from the early progress: 

Glad to see equipment and tire tracks in the yard...real work in progress, at last.

Most of the interior demo debris is loaded in the first dumpster. 

Getting the great room ready for construction.

Looking forward to clearing out the old and building new. 

Tree Work Day

We're fortunate to be in a neighborhood with mature trees and homeowners who value trees and green space. We have several trees on the property that, unfortunately, grew beyond their spaces or had some health issues. A local tree service arrived to remove some trees and shrubs, several stumps, and do some selective pruning on the larger branches growing over the roof. It took some negotiating with neighbors to agree how to prune some of their larger trees to their satisfaction, especially the 80-year-old oak with a 1-ton branch hanging over the master bedroom. But with VA property laws on our side, we still had the right to do the work necessary to protect our property. It all worked out in the end. Some pictures to capture the fun...

The arborist estimated that the largest branch growing over the roof was 1-1.5 tons. 

We hoped to take the branch off at the trunk, but the compromise with the tree owner was to cut off the  branch at an  elbow section that removed most of the risk of heavy branches falling on our roof. 

We removed 3 large branches from the oak next door. 

The backyard had 3-4 larger trees that kept things damp and dark. The sun is a welcome addition for the southern and western exposure we have in the back yard. 

This looks like a tree, but it's actually a gigantic yew (shrub) that is probably as old as the house. It grew to a beautiful canopy, but it was too big for the space and very dirty. The neighbors thanked us many times for removing the source of daily needles in their driveway (their roof is at left). It also exposed the peeling paint from the back neighbor's garage. I'll be painting that soon...

Getting down to bare bones before we can work on curb appeal.

Free mulch from the pine tree in front. 

Taking back the back yard. 

DAY ZERO: Getting Construction Underway

I took a hiatus from blog posts, but thankfully the construction hasn't followed suit; we've picked up the pace and we're off and running. Arlington County approved the plans in early June after some unexpected redesigns for structural bracing for wind shear. Evidently there are recent state and county code changes since Virginia considers the state to be in a hurricane zone. As the architect noted, no houses in Arlington have blown off their foundation, but Arlington is taking a cautious approach to all new construction in the county. Lucky timing for us...

Our first full dumpster and some free advertising for our architect and builder...

It's official...thanks Arlington County.