Wise men say, Only fools rush in.

When I decided to blog about home remodeling I read a lot of blogs.

Some spoke of remodeling as if you are Oprah with and endless supply of means and assets. Others spoke of remodeling as if you are MacGyver and can DIY a bench with bubble gum and an recycled wooden Pallet. There is nothing wrong with either of these methods. Its just, well I'm no Oprah and DIY to me is a network I watch on television.

Then there is HGTV. I confess, I'm addicted.  They have amazing transformations and it only takes 5 weeks!! And your contractor has a keen design eye! Now, I had a career in television production, so deep down I know better. So when I decided to blog, I decided it would the truth of the matter. No sugar coating.

And today the truth is this:

My reno has slowed to a crawl. And I am over it. Now granted, part of it is my own fault (the window issue). But some of it is the nature of the beast. When you first start work with a contractor, you're the shiny new toy. And unless you are on HGTV or give the contractor a lot of work, as time progresses, he may get new shiny toys. And your project starts slowing down. 

There are ways to get around this. The most important one is when you hire your contractor, make him agree to a timeline. Make him stick to it by having penalties written in to the contract. The second one is to throughly plan out your renovations/additions. Work with a designer or get a project design app or software. Know as much as you can before you begin. Don't do it as you go and DON'T trust your contractor to make decisions on your behalf. 

I didn't do either of these things. I rushed fool hardly in because I was so excited to get started. I thought for sure we would be done by Summer. We started in March and he quoted me 3 months. We are in July and have a lot left to do. Not to mention the landscaping.

So today. I am the lady above. #BOO

KITCHEN REVEAL

I normally give my posts cute song title names...but I can't today. My kitchen is done!! (kind of)
This post will be all about the reveal, baby!!

So let's get started. First the before:

This was the "breakfast" nook as you first stepped in to the kitchen.

This was the view looking straight through the galley-style kitchen.

This is the old kitchen door.

This is the view from the back.

This is it dead on.

Enough with the old. Lets talk about the new baby!!!

NOW this is the view as you step in to the kitchen.

This is my beloved backsplash. So worth scraping out the other grout.

When we tore down the wall, we put in this glorious island.

Funny story, originally we put in a full size fridge. Um, the door wouldn't open. So we had to exchange it for counter depth. Our contractor told us we were crazy, nothing would fit inside. It turned out fine it just means I have to go to the market more often.

 There is just a ton of storage in this kitchen.

That's the new window. We replaced the old dinky one with this humongous beauty. I love the light it gives us.

 We have a wall mount oven and microwave, next door to our spice pantry.

 This is the view from the back door, where we have our new washer and dryer, to the front.

 I LOVE THIS SINK.

 Um, the kitchen door. 'Nuff said.

And another overview, well just because.

Now the coveted side by sides.

OOOH WEEE!!!!! Sadly, not done it here. We still need:

1. Window Coverings
2. Electrical outlets in the Island.
3. Rug for in front of the kitchen sink
4. Some kind of pretty decorative, plates, glasses, cake stands, for the center shelf in the glass cabinets.

Then we should be DONE. 

I love it.

xoxox,

Summer

Come Together, Right now, Over Me.

The addition is going soooo slow. We had an issue with the inspector... well that's not true. I hated the tiny windows in the bedroom so I made them larger and the inspector didn't like it. So we had to double brace the wall.

My contractor wants to bury me in my backyard beneath my big beautiful windows.

So while I avoid my untimely demise, I'm working on designing the front of the house.

I have to tell you a quick story. Ever since I've thought about buying a house, I've dreamed of filling it with Art not just paintings, but sculpture - a house filled with beautiful things. And I got one!!

This is my first little vignette...

Its a Douglas Downs original. He sculpts out of bronze and he is AMAZING.
LOVE. Now what to do around the this vignette. I don't want to block my gorgeous picture window:

Nor do I want to block the view from my kitchen in to the living area. But I want to have all of you over!! (Yes, even you.) And I want you all to be able to sit. So, this is what I've come up with

I'm going with an extra long couch - 90 inches, which will fit 4-5 adults comfortably (if they're family) and also give me plenty of room to stretch out while watching TV. (Except for Game of Thrones which often finds me on my feet yelling NO WAY!!!) 

In that big picture window I was considering two chairs and then I thought, if I'm going to do this, I'm gonna do it! So, an extra glamorous day bed, ideal because it has no back to block the view and in a party situation I can move it so people can sit on both sides for a total of 4 humans. 

If you're keeping count, we're up to 9. 

On the far wall, a console table for glass vases and other design elements, including lamps for low lighting.

Under both windows I'm going to put those gorgeous animal skin ottomans in my vignette picture. So seating for 2 more.  11 Humans. And depending on how full it feels at that point, I may also stick a chair over there next to the console table. 12 humans. LET'S PARTY!!!

Because my sculpture is bronze with a dark finish,  I've decided bold graphic black and white art is going to be the way to go in there. Just a few signature framed pieces sitting atop my console table leaning on the wall. 

I still am after beachy, modern, urban, glamour. I keep adding adjectives. I can't stop. I love it.

And that my friends, is what we call DONE.

I'm never leaving. 

Break on through to the other side

The addition is finally coming together. Before it comes to a grinding halt. More on that later.

I really want you to see how its coming along in there...but I fear its just going to look like a bunch of wood to you, so I'll try to explain what you're seeing.

This is the view coming in from the door from the rest of the house. The wood with the wire running through it on your right, will be the master bathroom ball.

This is if you step a little bit closer in. Straight ahead is the framing for the master closet. There's not enough room for a walk in but that puppy is 9 feet long. Shoes. Breathe.

This is if you step even further in, past the bathroom and turn to you right. On either side of that lovely trash can you can see wood framing. That my friends, is my hard fought for windows.

And if you turn again, you're looking at a kind of blurry shot of the master bathroom and the hallway to the rest of the house.

So, we're stuck until Edison comes out and fixes the amount of power going to the house. The inspector won't approve anything until the amount of power going to our newly added on to abode is adjusted. I'm not sure HOW long that's gonna take. But I hope its quick!

So until then, it'll just be inspiration boards galore.

xoxox,
Summer

I Woke Up Like This

...to hammering...and nailing...
I. Will. Be. Glad. When. This. Is. Over.

Day 1: 7:00 am ON A SATURDAY. The hammering was loud. I was grouchy. So, I went to the beach. This was my addition when I got back.

Day 2. Sunday - blissful peace and quiet.

Day 3. 7:00 AM on a HOLIDAY. Grrrr.  This time I went to my happy place...South Coast Plaza.
When I got back it looked like this...

Day Four. No workers today. PRAISE HIM. But when I went out there to see what work had been completed ( I didn't check the day before because it was too dark). It looked like this.

 200 square feet of sexy goodness with a 6 foot cut out for my french doors. Then I noticed..something seemed missing. I looked, walked around inside...what could it be? I thought. Then it hit me...

Can you guess it? Any ideas?

WINDOWS. THERE ARE NONE. (My use of caps in this post is a little ridiculous no?) 

Anywho, no windows. Contractor mistake, there was some debate about that and even a very misguided attempt to persuade me that with french doors I didn't NEED any windows. Trying to argue with a woman who has been awakened at 7 am by hammers and power saws over the weekend after a 60 hour work week is not a good idea. I won. Windows go in.

There is a moral to this story (and long ass post). Sometimes, when you're working with someone more experienced than you, they use your lack of knowledge against you. They may try to convince you you don't "need" what you want. That's dumb. I didn't need a three bedroom house, I wanted one. And I paid for one. So, you dear sir, are you going to give me exactly what I want and not what you think I need.

I am so immensely grateful to my contractor and just in general for being able to buy a house and be able to afford construction. But that doesn't mean I will be bullied. My parents overheard my contractor telling his workers.. "No, No, do it perfect. She is very picky." #DAMNSTRAIGHT

xoxox,

Summer

And miles to go before I sleep

I finally moved in!! But I have a problem. I bought my old furniture for my old space...and it was glorious in there. In here, not so much. I know Rome wasn't built in a day but I want my house to be!!

Until then I have to satisfy myself (and you) with progress shots.

BEFORE

AFTER

That's my now too small couching peeking out of the corner.

The major changes in this room are:

• Wall Color - Benajmin Moore Horizon
• Lightened the hardwood floors
• Tiled (marbled I guess) the fireplace
• Added recessed lighting    

We got also rid of that enormous ceiling fan (although its a 100 degrees today and our ac isn't in yet and I wish we hadn't!) It wasn't much, but it made a huge impact on the space. Now, the impact to my wallet? Also not so much.

Floors - $500

Recessed Lighting - $1100

Tile fireplace - $200

Paint - $500

The above are estimates because we did all the floors at once,  all the paint at once, etc. 

I love it in there when the light starts streaming through and I'm gazing at my Magnolia tree. It's like my own little slice of heaven!

xoxox,

Summer

All of the lights, All of the lights

My light fixtures are IN. LOVE these suckas.

Check check, check em out.

This one is my fav, the West Elm Capiz Chandelier. Its modern and romantic at the same time. Chandelier, I heart you...so much I will show you from another angle.

Stop it. Love.

Then these little beauties:

Front Entry:

and Hallway

Do you spy my aforementioned one trillion dollar bathroom? I can not WAIT to reveal this sucka. Just trying to figure out how to take pics because its oddly shaped. Also, ignore the gaping hole next to the light...thats for the AC which is coming soon.

And the office:

I have been wanting to paint something this turquoise since SJP painted her apartment wall this color in Sex and the City. I couldn't commit to a wall. But the ceiling makes me happy. Its Skydive by Benjamin Moore. That little Capiz shell pendant is also from West Elm and is a nod to the chandelier in the dining room (same material) and the star pendants (Nickel finishing).

Its all coming togeva. I don't know why, but I love misspelling words.... almost as much as I love that chandelier. 

xoxoxo,

Summer