Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sweat Equity



It's been a busy couple of weeks.  We decided to hire a painter so we could get the painting done fast and move onto other things.  We love the color...agreeable grey.  Then Jeremy and I slaved and fretted over the concrete floor.  We cleaned, stained, and sealed the floor using Ecoprocoat soy based stain.  We like how it looks now (after hours of wax-on/wax-off Karate Kid action) but are very disappointed with the sealer.  Water drips and spills on the floor still seep through to the stain and leave watermarks.  We decided that right before we move in, we'll touch up spots with more stain and use good, old fashion wax sealer.
Jeremy's dad, Charlie, helped us pick up our IKEA kitchen, located within about 200 boxes.  Last weekend we assembled most of the cabinets and installed them, along with appliances. We are very pleased with the IKEA products and service.  With the exception of several  damaged pieces, our order was correct.  My only complaint was the omission of instructions for installing the ovens in the IKEA cabinets.  My dad was visiting and he helped me get them in place correctly.  Jeremy has been installing light fixtures and I've been tiling the bathroom.  The electrician and plumber returned last week to complete the finish work (outlets, switches, and set fixtures).  The highlight for Jer was installation of the urinal in the downstairs bath.  I have to admit, it's a beautiful urinal and will get lots of use.  Oslo was excited to be the first one to pee into it. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Frank (Karann's dad) and I visted mid-August. We learned a lot about Ikea cabinets: Frank assembled with Charlie and the owners, adjusted them for plumb and level, and I helped a little with hardware. The cabinets really look sharp. When will Karann and Jeremy give us more pictures?

Over the years I've seen that anything they do in architecture/ decorating turns out fab. I still remember the tangerine they used on the kitchen cabinets in Portland, OR. I couldn't imagine a better color.

This house expresses a minimalism that fits well with their eco-orientation. The lines are clean, I mean really purist.

What style is it? Karann said that friends and blog-readers ask. We kicked around some terms but the style is really difficult to put in words.

You see that the outside is strongly barn. For the interior you need to pick a term from each of the following groups.

urban-loft-minimalist-metro-Ikea-contemporary

and

barn-rustic-rural-agricultural, etc.

My favorite description for now is "urban loft with agrarian references." Doesn't that sound cool?

Thanks K and J for letting us participate. We can't wait to see the finished product.

L

Jeremy and Karann said...

L,
Great to see you guys and thanks so much for your help. Next time you come we'll be able to "enjoy" the house much more, I promise!!
K