8 Months Later - Projects Completed So Far


Nearly a year ago today we were celebrating the pouring of our slab. Its definitely been a journey and it still continues to be as we grow into the house. Its been about 8 months since we moved in and almost 6 months since our last update so we're overdue for another post. A lot has changed in that span of time. Most importantly Chris and I are now engaged. I popped the question on Valentines Day and he accepted. We are still figuring out wedding plans, so stay tuned for a date. 



This will probably be a long post but I gotta get my rant out about the shower floor tile. So Im going to start with a project we just completed 2 weeks ago. If you have been following our blog then you probably remember the shower tile situation. At the time I nearly freaked out because the tile looked nothing like what we saw at the showroom and didn't match the grey and white tiles in the rest of the bathroom. After the install the tile looked like a gross muddy brown color. After speaking to our Project Manager he explained that the grout was still wet and it was impacting the tiles appearance. We took his word and after several days the tile looked much better by appearing more grey. Guess what? After moving in, the tile looked absolutely awful! The tile retained that muddy brown color whenever it was wet. Since we use that shower everyday the tile looked like that all the time. We were especially disappointed because we spent so much money on upgrading the tile in the master bath. We tried to find a solution with NVHomes and Stonework and in other words they basically told us "too bad" and "you made that selection". We did choose the tile but its not our fault that the product was poorly represented in the showroom. As much as NVHomes has been good to us before and after moving into the house they really dropped the ball on this one which left a sour taste in my mouth and a $1000 hole in my pocket to get the tile replaced.  The only positive thing to come out of this ordeal is the shower floor now looks amazing. We did a marble tile in a herringbone pattern from the The Tile Shop and had our installer grout the tile with Fusion Pro (platinum color) because its non porous, won't stain, and doesn't require sealer. Its a huge relief to get the shower floor done, going forward I'd like to have a frameless glass shower door installed. It was a mistake on our part for not upgrading. The included door looks cheap and it takes away from the tile. I'd also like to have a marble countertop installed on the vanity. Lastly Id like to paint the walls grey and possibly doing a cool tile surround in the water closet. 
Shower Floor Tile Before




Installer laying out the design

Mortar applied and tile adhered




Completed tile installation 


Overall look of shower




As soon as Spring began I got on Youtube to pick up some tips on landscaping and headed out to our local Home Depot Garden center to spruce up our itty bitty lawn. 

Momo hanging out


I dug out the old landscaping and reshaped the lawns edge to add some flair. The clay soil was also amended so the plants could thrive.

I then created the layout before planting

After planting, I covered the soil with black mulch 




I also fertilized and seeded the lawn. It came back a deep green and lush.



Several weeks later my plants began to bloom


My other spring project was setting up our deck. We have been waiting for the weather to improve so we could spend the evenings enjoying the sunset. This was my first time furnishing an outdoor space and it became incredibly apparent that outdoor furniture can get expensive. To setup the space I got rugs to define 2 separate zones. We wanted a seating area along with a dining space. We found some reasonably priced sets on Target.com which reminded me of a far more expensive set available at Crate &Barrel that I really loved. The throw pillows are customs made with outdoor fabric. The lanterns are Crate & Barrel and the flower boxes are from IKEA. One of the things I love most about this house are the 2 doors that open up to the deck. I always envisioned an indoor/outdoor living space. My goal for the deck was to create a space that guest would naturally gravitate too, not that the view wasn't enough. I also wanted to point out that we had our deck extended 10 ft, We really wouldn't have been able to accomplish so much with anything less. In fact I probably should have done 11ft for the extra space. 


View of deck space from inside

Seating Area





Dining Area



So the biggest project to date has to be the install of the hardwood flooring. We definitely wanted the hard wood to flow through out the main level connecting the Great Room and Dining Room. We also wanted wood on the 3rd floor hallway. If you've been following then you know we intentionally did not upgrade our hardwood floors with the builder because the upcharge was so high. The upgrade for these 3 areas would have cost $11470 with the builder and we spent a little over 6k to complete the entire project after moving in.

Nearly a 1000 Sq Ft of Hardwood Flooring




Some of the planks were removed so the wood would flow like it was always there




Our pets miss the carpet, So we put out rugs

Seamless Install

Handwoven rug from Crate and Barrel
Great Room Hardwood Install

3rd Flr Hallway


Before we completed the hardwood, we added a runner to our wood stairs. Even though i hate carpet a runner became necessary for two reasons. The first, our dog Momo started to slip going up and down the stairs. At one point we actually watched him do a belly slide down the stairs. Second, I also noticed the wood was becoming a strain on my ankles. which started to get painful. We got our runner at Home Depot, we choose their LifeProof line of carpets because they are great for stains and homes with pets. The carpet is patterned and with a low pile which helps with stability. The runner also has a 8lbs pad which are good for my joints. 

Installed Runner

Aerial View


Ok so this is the last thing and the project I feel most proud of because I did it myself. If you didn't know yet, I really like marble :P Its my first tile job and I basically studied a number of youtube video  to learn how to install it properly. It took me over a week to finish mostly due to my inexperience and and all the cuts I had to make with a wet saw. We also saved quite of bit doing this project on our own. 








Thanks for reading the blog, were always excited to read all the emails and messages. Feel free to reach out anytime with questions. We look forward to updating everyone as the house evolves. 

Comments

  1. Hey! So glad you guys are BACK! First, congrats on the engagement! Now lets talk home: What a shame the tile in the master bath didn't hold up like you guys expected. But, I am happy you found a solution that turned out better than the first choice. I love the hardwood and I think the runner on the stairs is almost a need right? LOL! It certainly is good for our four-legged family members. Congrats on installing the backsplash. Speaking for my husband...it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Can't wait to hear more deets on the date and of course more home updates!

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  2. Thank you. I've been meaning to post updates but couldn't find the time. Im so beyond pissed about the tile, warning to others don't make the same mistake. I was so happy to see the hardwood installed, Id love to do the rec room and the bedrooms down the road. The runner is an absolute must! As far as the kitchen If I did a tile on a sheet it would have been easier, the individual tiles was time consuming. Cant wait to see what you guys have been up too

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  3. Omg I have been waiting for an update. I love everything you have done. We close in 20 days, if you walk Momo over take a peck in. It may still be open but the appliances were delivered yesterday. If its lock Jim at the model may let you in. We're going to have get together so i can pick your brain for decor and community info.

    And congrats again on the engagement

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  4. Thanks so much, it's been a tiring last few months but it feels really good to be in home you really love. I was over there last week and I was shocked to see that it was almost done. I will wait for the personal tour. Please let us know when your in the community would love to have you both over.

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    1. Thats right Shawn! let us know when you get there so we can come for the tour too. Seriously! I am in Oak Creek. I am also always always delving into new ideas for interior design. I did my first project with a 1500 sq foot condo I renovated in Greenbriar.

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  5. Everything looks amazing! Congratulations on the engagement

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    1. Thank you, any news on a start date for your house?

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  6. Owen, what an awesome job you did with the kitchen backsplash. I took the backsplash out of our contract because I want to do something funky in our kitchen too. I asked them to run the backsplash up behind the vent as you did and they wanted to charge us 1400 plus an additional 590. They are crazy!! I love how all your projects have developed your house into a home. Congratulations on your engagement!! YAY! Side bar question: What school are you going to for your interior architecture. I am going in for my interior design degree and researching my choices of school. What do you think? Lastly, we are breaking ground in Oak Creek! YAY! I am so excited and can't wait to get to this phase the two of you are right now!

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    1. Thanks so much. Honestly the tile selections are okay at the design centers, there are so much better tile available out there. If your somewhat handy there is no reason why you couldn't do it yourself and get some of that sweat equity. Im at the Academy of Art University, they are based in San Francisco but I'm completing my degree online. I couldn't be happier with the program, its challenging but your definitely getting a quality education. Locally there are only a few programs, I started my degree at GW but Marymount and the Corcoran are other programs that offer interior design. The GW program for me was lackluster and incredibly overpriced. The Corcoran is not accredited by CIDA and I don't know much about the Marymount program. I also think Howard has an undergraduate program. Congrats, I hear good things about Oak Creek, we need to tour a model at some point.

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    2. thanks Owen!!!!! Great resource! I am not a DIYer; however I am willing to explore. I usually come up with the design and have someone execute it. Since I am indulging this career DIYer is on my adventure list. I absolutely love love you deck view. It is so breathtaking! You really did good!

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  7. Can't believe they marked up this much on the hardwood. Your hallway looks absolutely gorgeous!

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    1. Thanks. I expect a mark up but this and the tile selections are out of control. So you sort of have to pick and choose where to spend

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    2. Hey,

      Who did you get to do your hardwood. Did you buy the materials yourself?

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    3. I live in Beechtree South Village and have the honey clover handscraped. Looking to get it extended. Great job on the pictures.

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    4. Hi Simeon, we are also in the South Village. I did buy my own material and coordinated with my installer. I recommend looking at www.efloors.com they tend to have the lowest prices on hardwood however in my case I found a local shop (www.pricecofloor.com) that happen to have the lowest price on River House. Email me for my installers info. odespagne@gmail.com

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  8. OMG, I've missed coming here and all of the updates! Congratulations on the engagement and all of the progress you've made to the house! It's absolutely beautiful and it looks like a model home. Wow, our home feels so unfinished and unpolished by comparison--you've definitely lit a match under me to get moving and get our house finished bye the time we come up on our 1 year anniversary in September.

    That is an absolute shame what NV and Stonemark did with the tile (and after the hassle Stonemark gave us while our house was being built, installing incorrect flooring, etc, I can't say I'm at all surprised. Bummer), but the floor of that shower looks so much better than anything they would have offered, and at $1000, totally worth it. Totally. I agree, the frameless shower door is really going to make the shower pop, but it still looks gorgeous as is!

    You will never guess what led me back--wanting to know if you guys updated your deck space, because I'm at a loss at what to do with mine! You guys have a beautiful view and your deck is large so you can do more. Our deck is facing our neighbors, so the view is not remarkable enough for me to want to spend time out there. Terrible, terrible layout of our community, ugh. I absolutely love your deck and you've given me some ideas to make it look a little better than what we have now (absolutely nothing).

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    1. Thank you, we've been trying to get things done but we definitely have so much more to do. The pictures don't tell the entire story :) I've accepted that it's going to be a long process so take your time. I am glad to see your back and hoping for an update soon. As far as your deck goes treat it just like any room in your house and consider it as an extension to your living space.

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  9. Which Tile Shop location did you use to install your shower floor tile? Your home is absolutely gorgeous.

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  10. We bought the tile at The Tile Shop from the Rockville location but they all carry the same products. They did not install the tile, this is our installers website: http://www.rohutchinsonllc.com
    He is fantastic and did a beautiful job on the tile. He definitely takes pride in his work and knows his craft well.

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  11. Stunning selections. You did an amazing job on the backsplash. It looks like a professional tiler installed it!

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    1. Thanks so much it was a really fun challenge. Thank you Youtube!

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  12. Thank you for sharing your experience in this blog. I'm a new home purchaser from NV Homes, building in their Wentworth Green community out in Gainesville, VA, and I have found all of your insights extremely helpful.

    We just completed our pre-drywall inspection today and hired Craig Olsen from United Inspectors Group-- the inspector you recommended on a previous post. He was excellent! Although NV Homes PM did a great walk-through, it was definitely well worth it to hire someone with his expertise to be the extra set of eyes.

    Also, I was enrolled in GWU MFA Interior Architecture & Design between Jan 11 - April 12. I left for the same reasons. The Academy of the Arts was first on my list, but I ended up transferring to a different program at GMU.

    Anyway, blessings to you and Chris. Congratulations! I hope you guys find the time in your busy schedule to keep updating your blog, at least until you close the chapter on this home.

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    1. Im glad its been helpful. There are so many lessons learned I want to share but haven't had the time to dedicate to updating the blog. I've seen photos of Wentworth it seems like a great location with all the shopping close by.

      Yay glad you liked Craig! :)) I agree NvHomes does do a great job inspecting their own work, regardless its a small price to pay for a little extra peace of mind.

      No comment on GW IAD :)) I've really enjoyed being at the Academy.

      Thanks, feel free to reach out anytime and good luck with the build.

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    2. Well thanks Owen and I definitely will stay in touch!

      Coming from the Fair Lakes region in Fairfax VA, I didn't think I could find another area that had so much shopping close by. But Wentworth Green is super convenient and there's a commuter lot two blocks away with buses running to the Silver line Tysons Corner stop. If you transfer to the next commuter lot a few miles away, you can take a bus straight into D.C. The only thing is that the commute is 1.5-2 hours. Well, can't have it all! Honestly, I'm spending 1.5-2 hours now travelling from Fairfax with all of the transferring I do + add on the delays from Safetrack.

      On another note, GWU was a hot mess! I feel your pain. Since I'm almost five years removed from that debacle, it gets easier to talk about it. :-)

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  13. I'm obsessed with your blog! I am moving to Marlboro Ridge and plan on taking on a few post closing tasks as well.

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  14. I am really impressed with your work in the kitchen. We are thinking about doing ours too. Our cabinet color is mocha and the counter top is similar to what you have. I really like the back splash you chose. Can you please share the name of the back splash? thank you!

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  15. Thank you for your blog. We are building our NV home in Fairwood and your blog has been helpful. The black splash looks great! :)

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  16. Thanks Silver I'm glad to hear that after 2 years that it's still helpful. Congrats on your home in Fairwood, tell Jay we miss him at Beechtree.

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