The One Minute Mile

IMG_8654

The perfect contrast of light and dark

 

Big things happen in little minutes and that just about describes what will happen in the next 5 days.  Floors, cabinets, tiling, plumbing finishing, electrical finishing and painting.  And that’s just the inside.  The rain has hampered working on the outside but it makes  no difference to me.  I just want to sleep in my own bed and fall asleep staring at my own ceiling.

Here are the lastest pictures.  Everything is in a state of being completed.  And then, with a wing, a prayer and a good tail wind, it will all come together.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

Stained new wood (left) against sanded old wood on the right.

Stained new wood (left) against sanded old wood on the right.

Windows that were in another part of the house, reset in the upstairs sitting area

Windows that were in another part of the house, reset in the upstairs sitting area

Simple silk shade lamps throughout the house

Simple silk shade lamps throughout the house

Kitchen cabinets built around an original feature of the house, the brick chimney

Kitchen cabinets built around an original feature of the house, the brick chimney

Kitchen cabinets

Kitchen cabinets

Newly built kitchen cabinets are lovely.  We have used an antique piece as the base for the kitchen sink.

Newly built kitchen cabinets are lovely. We have used an antique piece as the base for the kitchen sink.

More kitchen cabinets.  Note the bun feet instead of a toe kick.

More kitchen cabinets. Note the bun feet instead of a toe kick.

Exterior lighting used for interior lighting.

Exterior lighting used for interior lighting.

Barn door hardware to close off my very small office/work space

Barn door hardware to close off my very small office/work space

Stylish and budget friendly, these stock zinc light fixtures picked up at Home Depot

Stylish and budget friendly, these stock zinc light fixtures picked up at Home Depot

More kitchen cabinets

More kitchen cabinets

This wall/door didn't exist before the renovation, but you would never know that.  It looks like it is original to the house.

This wall/door didn’t exist before the renovation, but you would never know that. It looks like it is original to the house.

IMG_8680

The interesting angles, windows and walls of an old house

 

The Prettiness of Ugly


-- Download The Prettiness of Ugly as PDF --


We are at a bit of a standstill with the renovation until we get our permits approved.  So when I went by the house this weekend, I didn’t expect much would be different.  And I was right.  But what little had changed was choice indeed.

The six or seven layers on the kitchen floor were pulled up and to reveal original hard wood floors.  They don’t look especially great right  now, but everyone loves a Cinderella story and these little ugly ducklings have a shot at becoming pretty.  What a sweet surprise!

My contractor believes we can salvage the floors in the kitchen.  All the floors will be refinished in a honey pine tone.  They will be a nice, warm contrast to the exposed ships lap on the walls which will be painted white as part of the renovation.

 

The top half of the picture shows the newly revealed kitchen floors, the bottom have of the pic are the floors that were already exposed.

The top half of the picture shows the newly revealed kitchen floors, the bottom half of the pic are the floors that were already exposed which are in serious need of refinishing.

Here is a general sense of the feel I am going for:

A simple palette: white walls with pine flooring.  This will make the house a canvas for my antique pieces.

A simple palette: white walls with pine flooring. This will make the house a canvas for my antique pieces.