Spring!

Spring is a time for all things new.  New birds, bugs, and blossoms abound.  Everywhere you look, life is bursting forth.  The drab leafless trees now have budding leaves.  Bright and cheery flowers are reaching their way out of the ground.  And baby animals are exploring their recently discovered surroundings.

All this rejuvenation has inspired me to get back into the renovation game.  After my very first one (the renovation of the bathrooms), I needed a break.  A little down time where I didn’t spend every weekend at home improvement stores.  After re-focusing on just enjoying my place, rather than ripping it up, I’m ready to begin again.  But ah, where to start?  A sparkly new kitchen, with shiny new appliances?  A gleaming hardwood floor?  Or all new landscaping, where drought tolerant plants and flowers abound?  Decisions, decisions…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Now that I live in a bona fide suburban neighborhood (for the first time in my life), I’m enjoying the new sense of community.  So, when I saw the sign for a pre-St. Patrick’s Day event at the local community center, I was determined to be there.  The Pumpkin Festival was so much fun, that I figured this one would be great too!

As often occurs in the life of a new home owner bent on decorating and renovating, though, my Saturday quickly whizzed by in a whirlwind of visits to Lowe’s, Home Depot, and furniture stores.  Which left little time for Irish-themed revelry and merriment.

That being said, the day was a great success.  I found a wonderful outdoor furniture set (with green cushions, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day).  And the store was offering to put an extra 10% of the purchase price of a store card back on it.  A great place to hang out as the weather gets warmer, and free money to boot!  I must have the luck of the Irish.

Balance

As fun as it is to learn about the furniture, building material, and other decorating and renovating related stores in my area, it’s also been a great joy to get to know my neighborhood in a whole different way.  Namely, by venturing out into the great outdoors.  Each weekday, I head out at sunrise to a nearby trail to join the deer, bunnies, and coyotes in their morning jaunts.  The simple quiet of the morning brings a peaceful start to the day.  (Much needed before I hit the freeway!)

And then on weekends, I try to strike a balance between all the home related errands, and really enjoying all the beauty of the area to which I moved.  Because, like most people, I didn’t buy just four walls, a floor, and a roof.  I moved to where I wanted to live.  And on a beautiful spring afternoon, hiking through the hills near my house, I find that I am home.

Imagination

I have a great imagination.  In my mind, I can picture just what all the pieces for my home look like.  A round side table for the reading nook, made of glass and steel, to counterbalance the rectangular dark wood dressers and bedside tables.  A red couch for the living room, with cushions that stay firm (though still beyond comfortable, of course), and a magical fabric that doesn’t fade or stretch, ending up resembling a pug dog.  The wrinkles are adorable on a puppy.  Less so on a couch.  And a coffee table that is modern and unique, yet friendly, inviting you to pull up a plate and use it as a dining table.  (I can’t be the only one who gives into the desire to relax and eat dinner in front of the TV, rather than sitting in the dining room like a grown up.  In my defense, when the latest Mad Men disc arrives, I pretty much bee line it to the DVD player.  I’m hooked.)

Alas, the real world doesn’t allow my decorating fantasies to come to fruition as briskly as I might desire.  So this weekend, it’s off to more furniture stores I go.  Because, one of these days, I’m going to find these dream pieces.  Until then, you can find me curled up on my pug dog.  I mean, couch.

Sweet dreams

One of my all time favorite things is curling up in bed while listening to the rain.  Add to that scenario my brand-new warm, fluffy, 44 ounce (not sure what the optimum ounce count is, but that sounded good enough to me) down comforter (bought on sale, thanks to Presidents’ Day), and I am ready for the coming rain.  Curled up in bed with a good book, it just doesn’t get any better.

Add to this delightful locale my newly acquired throw pillows, and this cozy spot looks down-right grown up, too.  Since I am the world’s slowest interior decorator, the pillows took awhile to arrive on said bed, but it’s coming together nicely.

Where’s your favorite spot to enjoy the rain?

Xeriscaping

My neighborhood is one of well-kept lawns, and neatly maintained flower beds.  It’s the rare home that deviates from this impeccable standard.  Though as soon as spring brings slightly more be-outside-all-day-planting friendly temperatures, my house may just become a stand-out on the block.  The idea of xeriscaping is being bandied about, for a few reasons.  For one, I live in an area where water just isn’t a plentiful commodity.  Sure, it may seem like a tropical paradise, with all the emerald green lawns, and swaying palm trees.  But left to its own devices, it’s a somewhat thirsty place.  So, saving water where I can would be helpful, not just to the water supply, but also to my checking account.  (Having been a renter for ages, that water bill takes some getting used to!)

Creating a drought-tolerant landscape is much lovelier than it used to be.  There are some beautiful, unusual plants available, and to stand out from my neighbors may not be such a bad thing.  Once my delightfully generous mother got wind of the plan, she started giving them as gifts.  Great colors, interesting shapes, and fun names.  Chocolate soldier?  Never heard of it, and now I have one.

Have any favorite succulents that simply must be part of the design?  Let me know, and I’ll throw ‘em into the mix.

And the winner is...

It turns out I decorate like I renovate.  One piece at a time.  When I was doing my bathrooms, I went to multiple stores for each type of item before choosing my very favorite one.  I looked at quite a few different tiles, faucets, and slabs of marble before the winners took their place on the podium.

The chair for my reading nook now sits cozily in the corner of my bedroom.  I looked around at several until I found just the right one.  Not too big, not to small, and a color that was just right for the rest of the furniture in the room.  Now all I need to do to make it the ideal little corner in which to read is to find the right lighting, and perfect side table.  I may be the world’s most leisurely interior designer, but I always enjoy the result.  And that’s the best prize of all.

Juicy

I love fruit.  The way other people love chocolate, I love fruit.  So when house hunting, every time a house had a fruit tree, that pushed it much farther up on the "this could be the one" list.  The fact that the home I chose has not one, but two citrus trees, was definitely a consideration when placing the offer.  Yes, I know, you can always plant trees, but these were mature.  Which got me excited that I wouldn't have to wait years for newly planted trees to grow, but that I would have a bountiful crop of grapefruits and lemons as soon as they ripened.

 

Once the grapefruits were nice and large, and just the right shade of pinky-yellow, I picked one gleefully.  My grin was quickly replaced with a pucker.  This thing wasn't just normal-grapefruit-sour, it was melt-the-enamel-straight-off-your-teeth-sour.  SO disappointed.

But over the weekend, all that changed.  We had gotten a deluge of rain in December, so when I returned from my recent vacation, I picked another.  Apparently all these trees wanted was a serious soaking.  When I cut into the grapefruit, it was the perfect rosy pink.  And it was juicy and delicious.  And the grin is back.

Welcome home

Travelling through Ecuador and the Galapagos over the course of a few weeks was amazing.  All the people I met were wonderful.  And the Galapagos Islands were teeming with life.  Although I’m always excited when embarking on a new adventure, this trip was especially memorable.  Experiencing a new culture, and seeing such a wide diversity of wildlife in its natural habitat, was truly phenomenal.  Sea lions and iguanas share the sand, with barely a notice of the other.  The penguins and blue footed boobies chirp happily, perched on rocks above waters swimming with sea turtles, sting rays, and sharks.  Each day I was away was a reminder of why, and how much, I love to travel.

But, ahh, it’s great to be home.  To my own bed, with soft sheets, and my perfect pillow.  To my beautifully renovated bathrooms, where the water pressure is constant, and hot water flows freely.  (After weeks without such things, I will no longer take them for granted!)  I’m enjoying getting settled back in, pouring over photos, and sharing holiday stories with friends and family.  After a nice break, I’m ready for the year to come, which is sure to be filled with many house-related projects.  I may even get adventurous, and incorporate some of the vibrant colors of Ecuador into my decorating.

‘Tis the season

I live in a festive neighborhood.  These people go all out.  Not over-the-top, in-your-face Griswold all out, but in a pleasant way.  A cheery way.  A way that brings a  smile to your face as you drive those last few minutes home, even though you’ve been sitting in traffic for too long.

So, with all this Christmasy joy these people are bringing to my evenings, it would only be right for me to reciprocate, and put up some twinkling lights of my own.  Alas, it is not to be.  And not because the magic of the season doesn’t live in my heart, because it absolutely does.  Just not in my actions.

This year, despite the boxes of Christmas finery tucked neatly away in my garage, I traded in Christmas lights for chrome.  Gave up putting out Santa, in favor of putting up a new shower.  The time usually spent decorating the tree got transitioned to choosing marble and faucets and tile.  Next year, though, I’ll be sure to keep renovations to the pre-December months, and devote myself to decorating my house.  So it too will bring a smile to the faces of my neighbors.  Instead of just to mine.

Full speed ahead

I’m oh-so-close to the finish line.  The master bath is almost completely done, with just a few small finishing touches left.  But the shower doors that didn’t exist last week are now in, and the super shiny chrome towel bars are a great replacement for the dining room chair I was using as a stand in.  It truly is the space I envisioned.

The smaller bathroom is coming along quickly.  The vanity is in, and it is a huge improvement on the 1989 cabinet it replaced.  The light switch has been moved to another wall, which impresses me tremendously that you can just change up the location of such a thing.  (The fact that I’m impressed is a perfect piece of evidence for why I would never try to tackle electrical work…)  Now, just waiting for the piece of marble I picked out over the weekend to be cut and installed.

Then it will be time to gather all the accessories!  All the nailed down stuff looks great, but decorating will be the final touch.  I’ll get rid of the hodge-podge of towel and bathmat colors that worked for the old bathrooms, and go with something entirely new.  Any votes for the new colors?

Surprise!

I got home from my Thanksgiving vacation, and was welcomed to a few unexpected things.  I walked into my master bath, and it was nearly complete.  Faucets in, doors on the cabinets, and a shower head installed.  So, mostly complete, but not quite there.  Still a little difficult to take a shower with no shower doors.  Not a concern, as I had a fully functional second bathroom.  The one I’ve been using while the first was being renovated.  And here’s where the bigger surprise came in…

That smaller bathroom?  Completely demoed.  Which was completely unexpected.  Because the contractor and I had agreed (oh so many times) that we wouldn’t take the second out of commission until the first was complete.

But, being undaunted by this unanticipated bit of exuberance to plow ahead on the part of my contractor, I threw up a temporary shower curtain, brought a dining chair into my bedroom to use as a towel rack, and hopped in the shower.  Where I resolved to put all future agreements in writing…

Thankful

With six full days of work done on the master bathroom renovation, I have so much to be thankful for.  I am grateful that all the horror stories you hear about contractors not showing up, and being unresponsive, are mere fiction in my world.  Appreciative that all the elements I picked out one by one, rather than in unison with one another, are coming together very nicely.

I’m perfectly pleased with the custom-made (in the USA!) vanities and linen cabinet.  Custom style, custom color, and of sizes that could not be found anywhere.  You never know if reality will live up to the imagination.  But it has.  In fine form.  They’re gorgeous, and are just what I was hoping for.  And most of all, truly and utterly thrilled at how quickly it’s all coming along.  Each day, amazing progress is made.

And thankful that a friend who has been house hunting for quite awhile finally has keys in hand to her new home.  Everything always works out in the end.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A blank canvas

Tuesday morning, I had a fully intact master bathroom.  When I got home from work, I was greeted by an empty room.  Save a couple of pipes sticking out of the walls, there was nothing left.  Nothing but space.  Space for all the wonderful new things I’ve diligently been picking out for the last few months.

It’s hard to believe, after the many meetings with the contractor, the cabinet maker, the stone yard owner, and various other purveyors of bathroom-related goods, the time for putting it all together has arrived.  So with all the old stuff gone (and anything salvageable donated to charities, of course), I’m left only with dreams.  Visions of the completed, modern, much more functional bathroom.

And just as you would use a true blank canvas, this one will also be splashed with a little paint.  I’ve got a few choices up on the wall, and a couple of days to decide.

All the ingredients

I have a garage chock full of goodies.  From tile (for both shower and floor) to sinks, from faucets to lighting fixtures.  And even a rather weighty cast-iron tub.  So once the vanities and counter tops are delivered, I am ready to go.  And boy am I ready.  After many moons of meeting with contractors, searching out the many stores, big and small, that contained all things bathroom, and scouring the Internet for the very best deals, I am done with this phase, and am eager to move on to the next.  It’s been a blast picking out the myriad pieces, making sure each was just what I’d been envisioning.  But now it’s time for phase two – the take a sledgehammer and a crowbar to it, get the dust flying phase.

But what I’m really, truly ready for?  The finished product.  Which will be fully cooked, and revealed in a mere two weeks.  And I will then feast my senses on the fabulousness of it all.

Going, going…

Gone.  Lowe’s Black Friday Facebook event 90% off coupons were gone almost as soon as they were available.  Like 60,000 other home owners eager to score a mega discount, I waited fervently for the code to be revealed, and jumped on their homepage in a quest to be one of the lucky few.  Whether the goal is a major or minor renovation, getting 90% off would be amazing!

Unfortunately for me, all the other enthusiastic participants, and most of all, Lowe’s, the jubilation was a little too much for their system to handle.  We crashed their site promptly and summarily.  They sent assurances that although there was significant advance preparation, the response was well above what they would have expected.  I’m guessing there will be some pretty lively meetings taking place today.  But to make it up to all the forlorn customers who weren’t one of the fortunate few, a promise has been made that more discounts will be offered throughout the weekend.

It’s a fantastic idea, and it’d be great forother retailers to follow suit (with better preparation, of course).  Because at the rate I’m buying things for my bathroom renovation, every little bit helps.  Home Depot, the gauntlet has been thrown down!

No looking back

Well, maybe a little.  I walked past a couple of houses this morning that were in the running during the house hunt.  And there was not an ounce of longing or regret.  One, a short sale, is still bedecked with a ‘for sale’ sign.  The other, a foreclosure, looks happily lived in.  As much effort as I put into working toward a purchase on the first one, I am extremely grateful it didn’t work out.

The one that did, the darling house I’m living in now, was the one for me.  It’s not too big, not too small.  It’s 10 minutes from the ocean.  It’s close to everything, but still in a very quiet neighborhood.  It’s just right.

So for those of you still house hunting, know that the right house for you is out there too.  (After a year and a half of looking, and a half dozen offers made, I was starting to wonder.)  If you’re diligently working on purchasing a home, and the banks are taking their sweet time, keep looking.  I’m thrilled I did.

And each morning, as I walk along the trail near my home, I am rewarded with a breathtaking sunrise.  Doesn’t get much better than that.

Doing my part to boost the economic recovery

Over the last week, I’ve been doing some serious shopping.  Some credit card melting, major mile earning shopping.  I have picked up a slab of marble (who knew a short time ago that I would ever be the owner of such a thing?!?), light fixtures, a sink, medicine cabinets, tile, custom vanities, a TV stand/entertainment center, and last but not least, a dining room rug.  Yep, you guessed it, the bathroom renovation is getting ever-closer, and the decorating continues.

Now, I’ve been picking out these pieces one at a time, without carrying around samples of each, like I was instructed by oh-so-many people.  But I have a vision of this beautiful, modern-but-not-too-modern bathroom, and I truly believe it’s all going to come together in a fabulous way.  Because I like each piece.  Individually, each one is great.  Ergo, they will be great together.  At least, that’s what I’m keeping my fingers crossed for…

The Great Pumpkin Festival

Early each morning, I step out my front door, and head to a nearby trail for some pre-work exercise.  It’s one of the great things about my new house – the proximity to a number of great hiking trails.  But, since my neighborhood borders a popular commuting route, a section of my morning walk is generally a bit noisy.  (Nothing that cranking the volume on my iPod can’t handle!)

But, this particular morning, it was calm and quiet.  The road has been closed in preparation for this weekend’s Pumpkin Festival.  I’ve never really lived in a suburban neighborhood, so little local fairs right in my own backyard, a mere short walk away, are a new thing for me.  Although my curiosity will have to wait to be allayed, since I won’t be able to participate in the opening festivities on Saturday.

Nope, my Saturday will be bustling with a cornucopia of homeowner activities.  The new bed is getting delivered first thing, and my bedroom décor will be that much closer to complete.  Then, it’s off to the stone yard to pick out bathroom countertops with my contractor.  And I think for the trip to Lowe’s to pick out faucets, I’ll be flying solo.

But Sunday, I’m definitely going to the fair.  Taking a break from decorating and renovating, and eating high-calorie, high-fun fair food.  Ooh, I hope they have funnel cake…

Rejuvenated

After well over a year of house hunting, then several months of the purchasing process, and a few more months of diligently searching out contractors, it was time for a break.  A little time off from analyzing cabinet colors.  A breather from furniture shopping.  And the complete dismissal of thoughts of how much is this all going to cost?!

Where does one go to get away from it all?  The magnificent, breathtaking Yosemite National Park.  Gazing up at the unyielding granite walls of the valley erased all thoughts of granite countertops.  Being surrounded by towering sequoias made me forget all about cabinets.  I was surrounded by such ancient, amazing beauty, that the beautification of my home took a back seat.  Throw in some sore muscles from a very robust six hour hike to Glacier Point, and booming thunderstorms that went on for days, and the focus shifted fully away from home, and quite completely to where I was.

It was only a few days, but it was a great reminder of how much I love to travel, and how rejuvenating it is.  Ahhh…