Mudding & Taping

We've been getting lots of snow, ever since Thanksgiving.  Before the plow comes, it's hard to see our driveway at the building site.

The sheetrock is all installed and now the mudding and taping has begun.

This is the stairway leading to the second floor, as seen from the kitchen.  I've always wanted a bannister in my kitchen.  I dream of draping it with prettiness at Christmastime.  Craig is building me a built-in bookcase in the stairs for all of my cookbooks.  The pantry is the doorway you see just to the right of the bookcase space:

The lower ceiling in the living room will be tongue and groove beadboard (which wraps around from most of the main floor) and the higher ceiling will be some sort of boards that I haven't quite settled on yet.  I'm on the hunt for an amazing light fixture which will hang down from the high point of the room:

The upstairs landing:

The boy's study.  A built-in desk and bookcase are going in on the far left and a bench seat all along under the windows:

I've also finished picking out my countertops.  I love marble so so much but know that our family is way too hard on things, so I only chose to use it in the master bath.  Here is one of my slabs:

I'll be using Quartz countertops in the kitchen and dining room built-in because it's so incredibly user-friendly.  I'm really happy that I won't have to police what my family is setting on the counter.  It's just so much more family friendly for me.  I've chosen Bianco Carrara from Zodiaq:

I'll be using galvanized metal counters in the laundry room.

After the boys go to school today, I'll be doing some shopping with the amazing Samantha, and then meeting some friends at the building site just for fun.  After that, I'm meeting with the wallpaper installer to go over my wallpaper.  I'm using grasscloth in the dining room and am a little concerned about how it will look on the walls where it ends.  So, we'll be going over that as well as the few other spaces where I've chosen to have wallpaper.  My last meeting of the day will be with Craig and the tile installer to go over the tile installation.

I'm still working on paint colors and am waiting on some tile samples.  I've had to eliminate wood flooring as an option due to the complications of installing it over radiant heat.  And since one of my biggest goals with the new house is for it to be family friendly and low maintenance, it's what I had to decide.  I'm excited about some options that we're looking into as an alternative and hope to get that pinned down this week.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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Comments

[Stephanie]

Everything looks like it's coming along so well. I LOVE your kitchen ideas - the banister and the bookshelves are something I've always wanted. And I wanted to say thank you too - I was the lucky winner of Heather's Christmas giveaway and I won the book and vintage houses. I really really love them, and truly appreciate your sweet inscription! Thanks so much, and a very happy holiday season to you.

[Shannon]

Are you considering engineered laminate wood flooring? Most are compatible with radiant floor heat. We are using all engineered laminate with travertine tile in wet areas. No carpet except in the home cinema!! Oh, and some kind of rubber flooring in the home gym. Your house looks great. I bet you and your family are super excited.

[Kathy]

Love the Sorel boots in the second photo. Definitely a country home in the winter!

[Andie]

Love your design ideas! Love the metal on the laundry room counters - very practical yet old-school stylish. And the window seat for your boys! I can just imagine how many books will be read on that thing!

[Lolo]

Seems you have thought of everything! That is the whole idea, right?! I totally feel you...once the drywall/sheetrock goes up you can finally feel like you get to make the house a home :) Aka - the fun stuff! You will love your quartz countertops. My in-laws have them and they are amazing. Also, have you thought of laminate wood flooring? They make some really cool products now that are hard to tell the difference between real hardwood and fake :D Have fun with your friends at the house!!

[Joni]

Wow...it's so neat to watch it all come together. It won't be long now until you're showing us all of it finished! I am a little bitty bit jealous of all of your snow, we just have a covering on the ground, but at least we have that! It helps so much with the Christmas spirit, doesn't it?
XOXO
Joni

[PammyJ]

I love this stage of a new house - love all your choices so far. I'm excited to see it finished!
Pammy

[Rebecca]

It looks amazing ~ new construction is always exciting! Have fun and cannot wait to see more.

[Laura e. Mayer]

Love love love the posts about the house....can't wait for you to write a book about that!!!

Heading to Spokane this weekend for the Moran Prairie Grange Country Christmas Craft Show Sat & Sun on Palouse Hwy. I think that is your neck of the woods? Expecting lots of snow! Keep the house updates coming..my favorite posts!

[Lisa]

Wow - the house is going to be amazing! I love the idea for your laundry room counters!

[Cindy Holshouser]

I think you will love tile. I have tile floors in the kitchen and powder room. I really think they are easier to maintain than wood would be and it's also so durable. Love seeing the progress:)

[KariAnne]

Mudding and taping is a beautiful thing! You finally start to see the personality emerging once all those sticks are covered up.

Have you seen the ceramic tile that looks like hardwood? Easy maintenance, extremely durable, works perfect with radiant heating and still gives you that hard wood look and feel. :)

Here's the link: http://www.arizonatile.com/MISINGI-P774C6.aspx

The one I know about is from a company called Arizona Tile from my days designing homes in Phoenix. The style name is Misingi. Check it out, its pretty neat stuff! I am sure there are other vendors that would carry something similar that have stock closer to Spokane.

[internal doors]

Be interesting to see the corrugated metal work tops?

[Grizwold Jensen]

Your first photo today looks like "Little House on the Prairie!!Yikes. Or should we rename it "Medium to Large Sized House on the Prairie". Ha.

29 inches of snow in one month is obscene. Your crew must be extraordinarily dedicated!

[Wendy P]

Re: hardwood flooring being out of the question.

I found a really great tile (4" x 9" plank style) that feels and looks like wood. We are so happy with it, and tile is very easy to keep up.

Also, so envious of you having a house built to your standards/dreams. Enjoy!

[Lori]

Beautiful home Serena!
The first photo swept me away! I would love to be sitting looking out of of your big windows and watch the snow fall! You will before you know it! Lori

[christy]

Looks beautiful already. I too have always loved a stair case in the kitchen. I envision my sleepy headed little boys coming down the stairs for pancakes. Maybe one day. :)

[Amy Christensen]

I have loved watching your home. I have built and remodeled many homes for my family and this past remodel i was searching for my kitchen counter tops at a granite warehouse. I kept loving the backsides of them until i spotted the one i fell in love with. It is a limestone slab. It looks very similar to a sheet of gray concrete. It is very fun and super family friendly. It is also very neutral, so i love it with every season of decorations. My favorite decoration in my kitchen that goes with this countertop is a gigantic (maybe even a couple) vase of colorful ZINNAS! I know you would appreciate that visual as much as i do. I can't wait to come to your next show!!

[Amy Christensen]

just one more idea on the tile....if you are looking for something fun for the boys bathroom, i used a little, round, white flat tile. They come in 12x12 sheets but once installed you cannot see a seam anywhere. They are a fun new look instead of a hexagon white tile. They are very fun, neutral and a super clean look for boys. (who can tend to get crazy with bottles of toothpaste) I have three boys myself and a daughter, i used this same tile in both there bathrooms. it is very timeless, clean and unique. It is also a good selection when it comes to the budget. Tile can add up fast!

they also have that same limestone i told you about earlier in subway tiles. I did the same slabs in my bathrooms and subway tiled it in my steam shower. They also make 12x12 or 16x16 tiles for your floor. you should check it out. i think you might like it. I did it with white cabinets but it would look great with most anything. it is very similar to concrete but smooth.

[Christine Procopio]

Can’t wait to see the finished product! Glad to hear that you chose Zodiaq® for your kitchen. Feel free to share photos of your finished countertops with our fans at http://www.facebook.com/QuartzCountertops

- Christine from DuPont

[Trissa Cameron]

Hi Serena....we just remodeled our basement in our 1920's home. Tricky. I wanted wood floors so badly, but for many reasons we couldn't do it. We eventually decided to acid etch the original concrete floors in a Mahogany finish. Love, love, love the way they turned out. Just an idea...and if you want a pic, I could send one.

[Jan hennings]

Lookin' good and love the marble!