Thank you Mom!

I have the best mom ever! Those of you that know her tell me that all the time, and I already knew, but she was the best helper this weekend. I stole her away from her grandson and she helped me pick out new plants (I am a very indecisive shopper), swept my entire patio (twice!), removed the dead plants from my first gardening attempt, rearranged five of the 40-some lb planters around the space and planted all the new shrubs and flowers (who better than the co-owner of a landscaping company?). I still have more to do, like paint the wall, but it is already so much more colorful and ready BBQ season. Since I hadn't shared pictures of the patio before, here are some before and afters...

From the real estate listing (note they had a wide-angled lens and this was before the building went up next door)

As of Saturday morning (the before)

Sunday Morning (after)

Updates

Wow, last post was in February! Well, there hasn't been too much to report. But hopefully I'll have a couple of projects completed in the next few months. I am having closet built-ins and an outdoor light fixture installed soon. I also plan to do a little gardening this weekend, so maybe I will post a few patio pics. In the meantime, here are a few recent pictures of the living room. I had a large mirror installed over the couch (it was actually a leaning floor mirror that i had hung horizontally) to try to expand the room. I also accessorized the bookcases - I know it doesn't look catalog-ready, but I filled the shelves with stuff I already had and love and did my best to make it all work together.

Kitchen Resource List

Here are some final pictures of the kitchen and the list of items and materials I used. Again, the links are not necessarily to the stores from where I bought the items.

• Cabinets: Hanssem Manhattan style in Rift Cut Oak and Coffee finish
• Cabinet Hardware: Restoration Hardware Strande 8" Pull in Polished nickel
• Kitchen Counter: Sugar White marble with standard edge from J.P. Marble & Granite
• Backsplash: White Carrara Milano Marble Mosaic tile from Kaleidoscope Tile with white grout
• Range: Fisher & Paykel 24" Gas Range
• Hood: Zephyr 24" Breeze I Under Cabinet Range Hood
• Dishwasher: GE 18" Profile Panel Ready Dishwasher
• Refrigerator: Blomberg 24" Built-in Fully Intergrated Refrigerator
• Faucet: Hansgrohe Talis S Prep Kitchen Faucet in Chrome
• Sink: Franke Element Undermount Single Bowl Kitchen Sink
• Sink grid: Franke Regatta Bottom Sink Grid
• 3 Recessed lights in soffit: WAC 3" Low Voltage Mini Recessed Trim with Gimbal Ring in Brushed Nickel (used with WAC 3" Miniature Black Non-IC Remodel Housing with Electronic Transformer and W.A.C. 50 Watt Dichroic Halogen Reflector Bulb with 40 Degree Beam Angle)
• Switch and wallplate: Lutron Diva Single Pole Dimmer and Lutron Claro Wallplate in White
• Island: Custom made by Gothic Cabinet in Dark Teak
• Island Counter: Sugar White marble with ogee edge from J.P. Marble & Granite
• Island Hardware: Restoration Hardware Strande 4" Pull in Polished nickel
• Barstool: Restoration Hardware Vintage Barstool

Window Treatments

Today window treatments were installed on the windows and door in my living room and bedroom. They are all the same - flat roman fabric shades in a pewter cotton/poly blend fabric with white grograin inset banding.

Weekend Warriors

Got a lot of remaining projects out of the way this weekend. My good friend, and one of my blog followers, Tom (see top right) came by and helped me install bookcases and wall hooks. He also helped me move the couter onto the island and lay down my new rug in the living room. Thanks Tom, I definitely owe you more than pizza! Also, my kitchen barstool arrived and fits perfectly under the island.

Filler Post

Since there hasn't been too much to post lately, here's a little wordle of my blog to fill the gap. Surprise that some of the most popular words are "Restoration Hardware."

Kitchen Island

Since there was no room for drawers in the small kitchen, i had an island custom made to provide extra storage and also add more work surface. Last week the island was delivered but the screw-holes for the drawers were not the right distance apart. So the drawers were fixed and delivered today. Pulls were attached to match the kitchen cabinets. The finish isn't as dark as I had hoped (it looks even lighter in this picture than in person), but I can probably stain it darker down the road. I also had a marble top made to match the kitchen counter that will be attached to the island this week. (I tried to lift it on top to show what it will look like, but it probably weighs more than I do.)

Bathroom Resource List

People have been asking about the different fixtures and finishes I selected for the apartment, so I thought I would write up a resource list of each room, starting with the bathroom. Here are some recent pictures along with a list of items. Let me know if anyone wants more info. (The links are not necessarily to the stores from where I bought the items.)

• Wall and floor tile: 3"x6" Honed Carrara from Kaleidoscope Tile (White grout on walls, Silverado on floors)
• Tile trim: Honed Carrara pencil molding from Kaleidoscope Tile
• Mosaic Tile on floor: 3/4" Polished Carrara mosaic from Kaleidoscope Tile
• Door Saddle: 5" Honed Carrara from Kaleidoscope Tile
• Sconces: Restoration Hardware Sutton Double Sconce in Polished Nickel
• Shower head: Speakman Anystream 6 Jet Shower Head and Shower Arm in Polished Nickel
• Shower/Tub faucet: Restoration Hardware Chatham Balance-Pressure Tub and Shower Valve & Trim in Polished Nickel
• Vanity: 24" Wood Vanity with Ceramic Sink from VGA International (store i found in NJ)
• Sink Faucet: Hansgrohe Solaris E Single Hole Faucet in Polished Nickel
• Vanity Hardware: Restoration Hardware Chatham 4" Pull in Polished Nickel
• Vanity Towel Bar: Restoration Hardware Chatham 18" Towel Bar in Polished Nickel
• Ring: Restoration Hardware Chatham Towel Ring in Polished Nickel
• Toilet Paper Holder: Restoration Hardware Chatham Tissue Holder in Polished Nickel
• Hook: Restoration Hardware Chatham Double Hook in Polished Nickel
• Shelf: Restoration Hardware Chatham Glass Shelf in Polished Nickel
• Towel Bar: Watermark Rochester 24" Towel Bar in Polished Nickel (I happened to already have this)
• Medicine Cabinet: Kohler 30" Double Door Mirrored Medicine Cabinet
• Mirror: ABC Shower Doors mirror with 3/4" bevel
• Toilet: Toto Soiree One Piece Elongated Universal Height Toilet with SanaGloss in Cotton
• Radiant Heat Floor: Warmly Yours TempZone floor heating roll and SmartStat programmable heating control
• Switches and wallplates: Lutron Diva Single Pole Dimmer and Lutron Claro Wallplates in White
• Door: Masonite Crown MDF 1 Panel Square Smooth Door
• Door Knobs: Emtek Egg Privacy Doorknob with 2-3/4" backset in Satin Nickel
• Paint: Benjamin Moore Natura in Light Chiffon (eggshell finish) on walls, Benjamin Moore EcoSpec in White (semigloss finish) on moulding and door

Day 66 - Light Fixtures

Updated light fixtures were installed in the living room, hallway and bedroom. The fixture in the living room is probably too large for the space, but I think it will really finish off the room. The fixtures in the hallway and the bedroom are the same - the one in the bedroom is a bit larger. They still have to paint the ceiling around where the fixtures were installed (that's why the one in the living room is still covered in plastic).

Day 65 - Backsplash and Faucet

More tile arrived so they were able to finish the backsplash. The right faucet finally arrived (first one that was too tall, then one that was the wrong finish) and was installed so I now have running water in the kitchen! One more hook-up needed for the dishwasher and I will be able to start using it!