Whats new? Some Progress Finally!

Appreciating the Fall colors on a long walk with Momo

I know we've been on a bit of a hiatus but we definitely miss staying connected with everyone out there. So its been about 2.5 months since we moved into the house and I can finally say that we are now starting to settle in. Its been a challenge getting ourselves to this point but we love the house. We feel fortunate and couldn't be much more happier even though it hasn't all been perfect. Im going to be positive in todays post and focus on the updates, however, stay tuned for a no holds barred in-depth review later on. My semester started literally a week after move in and Chris works long hours so we've been moving slow on progress. Never the less we've been squeezing in the projects in the evening and weekends. 

OUTDOORS

One of the first projects I took on was adding a peep hole and hook to the front door. We were getting a number of sales people knocking on the door trying to offer their services. These folks were most likely stalking the area knowing these are new homes but it was incredibly annoying. Initially I had to open the door because I couldn't tell who was on the other side. So after installing the peep hole, I can just pretend Im not home. :)) So we picked up a bronze a wide angle peep hole at Lowe's to match the other hardware on the door. As far as the hook, I like the look of wreaths on the front door during the holidays but Im not particularly fond of the type that wrap around the top of the door. So we picked up Commands outdoor hooks also in bronze. The wreath is apart of the Smith & Hawken line found at Target. 

DINING ROOM

To keep us motivated to put things together we've forced ourselves to host a friendsgiving/House warming party this up coming weekend. So we decided to focus of all of our energy and resources on the main floor of the house which we are calling phase 1. I do have an overall design concept for the house which I'm working towards bringing to life. The concept for the house is The Silk Road, which Im imaging to be an eclectic mix of African, Asian, Middle Eastern and European art, furnishings and textiles. Chris and I are passionate about traveling, so I thought it would be an appropriate place to start as a point of inspiration. Stylistically Im going for a rustic modern look, so I'm trying to incorporate lots of wood pieces but keeping the silhouettes mostly modern.   None of the spaces are complete but I started with the dining room initially because I wanted a place for people to sit and eat  during our event at the very least. The walls are painted in Light French Grey in Sherwin Williams Emerald paint in a flat finish. (It is washable for those with kids/pets) The Emmerson Table is made of recycled wood from shipping pallets which I loved because the distressed features are natural and have a history. Right now the rooms are missing color and pattern. Im hoping to add that with curtains, art on the walls and perhaps a wallpaper/stencil. These components will also allow me to really infuse that global vibe I'm looking for. 

72x79 French Library Double Shelving (Antiqued Iron Finish) from Restoration Hardware

87" Emmerson Table, Emmerson Bench, Willoughby End Chairs by West Elm 

9 Bulb Firefly Lighting Fixture by CB2

Remy Side Chairs (Tolix Marais Replicas) by Restoration Hardware

Still need to hang this heavy 5'x4' wood frame mirror made in India (Home Goods Find)

KITCHEN

The kitchen is also in progress. I did get the stools early on, these Felix counter height stools were on my radar before the house was even built. I really like the super simple modern design, they come across as sophisticated but not pretentious. One of the things that was important to us was to keep the house grounded, comfortable and welcoming. The pendant lights are temporary and are standard with the house. Im waiting on a shipment for the replacement. I haven't settled on a backsplash, Im struggling with making a safe choice or really going for it. I have a bunch of samples from Porcelanosa, Architectural Ceramics and Modwalls that seem like nice safe choices. Im going to checking out Ann Sacks next, I really like their pricey yet gorgeous selection even if its for inspiration. 

Felix Barstools by Crate & Barrel

Hinge Pendant No. 804 by Quorum International

Backsplash Tile Samples

GREAT ROOM

The Great Room, just like the rest of the rooms are incomplete and need more color and pattern via drapery, rugs, etc. The sectional sofa you see is among our favorite on the market and its from IKEA! I love the Kivik for its clean modern design and its a perfect solution for homes with kids and pets. The sofa covers are completely replaceable and washable. My cats have destroyed many sofas and I like that after the sofa starts to look ratty I simply replace the covers and have a sofa that looks brand new again. This sectional was originally purchased for the Rec Room, but were using up here in the mean time until I can find the right sofas. The coffee table was not meant for this sectional, it was suppose to be in the middle of 2 large sofas for a conversational floor plan. We also have plans to do builtins in the nooks besides the fireplace. Im mostly like going to be using IKEA kitchen cabinets to accomplish the look. 

Kivik Sectional (seats 8-10) Isunda Gray

Bordeaux Coffee Table by Crate and Barrel

LOW VOLTAGE

Lastly I wanted to bring up all the recent low voltage stuff we did in the house. We had the house prewired for a pair of in ceiling speakers in all the bedrooms, kitchen and a 5.1 setup in the Rec Room. Chris and I both love music and it was important to us to have a whole home audio solution. The plan is also to build out our audio system in phases so we had the Magnolia team at Best Buy get us started. They installed a pair of Bowers & Wilkins CCM663 speakers in the kitchen for overall music on the main floor. All of wiring terminates in the Utility room  and the music is being controlled by the Sonos system. The Magnolia team also updated our networking to make sure we have adequate coverage for all the equipment and Cat 5 running through out the house. We had an issue with the level of heat above the fireplace which killed our original idea of having a sound bar mounted below the TV. The alternative solution was to have a pair of the same BW speakers installed in wall above the nooks on each side of the fireplace. We did not have that prewired, so we have few holes to repair in order to get the wiring through. 

Bowers & Wilkins CCM663 speakers in ceiling 

Bowers Wilkins CCM663 Speakers in wall

Sonos Connect and Denon Receiver

Upgraded Network

Sonos Amp

Anyway thats what we're up to and hope to update everyone soon. We're excited to hear about everyone else's progress and if your building feel free reach out anytime. Were happy share whatever we know.