When I first dreamed about a blog I thought I would effortlessly write amazing posts that would captivate people to enjoy this journey of transormation. I didnt factor in time. The time it takes to do all these ‘transformations’ at 609. In our quest to enjoy this process of making 609 a home; we made a conscious decision to not kill ourselves in the process and have fun. I hope I didn’t make you lose interest in my scattered and random posts. It’s unfortunate that time goes bye so quickly and between work, family, friends, obligations and duties carving out hours for projects is not always at the ready. Although I am pleased with the strides we have made, it doesn’t necessarily make for captivating an audience. If you are still out there enjoying our journey with us then I must thank you for your understanding and patience. I can’t promise that I’ll be better at a regular scheduled blog post; but, I’ll try my best to post more frequently. 

InJOY-Trisha 

• 

Happy September!

Here is just a quick posting on what’s up around here @design609.

LIVINGROOM: The fireplace mantle shelf came in.!. The camera doesn’t really capture the detail of the tin. We are thrilled with the results. The mantle shelf ties in with the tin-framed pictures in the Livingroom. It’s exactly what we hoped for. We are now contemplating two sconces for either side. We’ve also been on the hunt for the perfect stools to go in front of the fireplace. The woven ones we purchased struck out. They looked better in Amanda’s Suite in front of her sofa. Sometimes the hunt is the best part. We also have to solve the hearth before we can change the carpet. It feels like the pink carpet will never be replaced. All in good time.

KITCHEN: We fell in love with a limestone herringbone/basketweave backsplash. It was not an easy tile to work with in the application that we needed. Michael had some very difficult cuts to deal with. We also had to move the lightswitches to the pantry in order to have a clean line. We still have some finish work to do, a little drywall, trim pieces and some touch-up painting . It’s coming along nicely.

OFFICE: The trellis covering the skylight was replaced by woven panels. Because the material is woven branches wrapped in metal frames, we figured we weren’t able to cut them down without them unraveling.  Our solution was to overlap the center. It brings a sculptural accent to the room. The panels are also hanging in the Livingroom on the wall. It ties in the two adjacent rooms nicely.

SUNROOM: I finally found a floor lamp to accommodate my giant woven lampshade. It needs a taller harp; but, I love my Homegoods Clearance find. I located two wall sconces on line that resemble the look to hang on either side of the Palm picture. I’ll post a pic once they are up.

BACK PATIO: If you remember the quotes to replace the existing patio  were out of sight. So, we decided to tie into the existing brick patio and continue the herringbone design. This is becoming the herringbone house. Michael installed a small patio outside of the sunroom doors so that we can walk out ans sit and enjoy a cocktail at night. He also built a small patio to house the grill. He is reworking the existing patio by changing the curve angles to a more square look and also reworking the step. It should be lovely when it’s done and all the plantings are in.

THE ENTRY:We finally replaced the Front Entry maroon door with green. We used the leftover mantel paint  from the kitchen fireplace. We like it so much better. We’d love to replace the Grey vinyl shutters with brown wooden shutters and iron accents we used at our old house. It’s on the Wish List.

AMANDA’S SUITE: The flooring is being installed in Michael’s spare time. She’s grateful to have the closet in. Remember this was all just wasted space behind the wall that we opened up for a walk-in closet. It’s to die for!  We still need to install a mirror, window treatments, possibly a rug and jewelry/accessory storage. For now, it’s just divine and provides room for all her clothes. 

MUDROOM CLOSETS:
 By moving Amandas clothes out I was able to reclaim the Mudroom Closets. I get the Mudroom closets back just in time for Fall coat weather. 

The Cedar Closet is housing all the Ski Wear for Ski Season. It also provides hanging storage for all the laundry I hang to dry. I just located the kids old dress up clothes that I washed with baking soda, vinegar and three rounds of detergent inorder to get the musty smell out. 

GUESTROOM #2: Is coming along slowly. We basically just installed some lights and hung pictures. It’s not so welcoming just yet. 

Well, that’s the latest update. I hope this posting finds you all had a wonderful Summer and you’re looking forward to Fall. We are eager for Fall and cooler weather so that we can do some yard work and much needed plantings. 

 inJOY-Trisha

Setting up a space for guests is a labor of love. You want to put alot of thought into what will make your guest(s) comfortable.

10 Must Have Items for the Guest Bedroom:

1. A BED: A comfy bed is a must; preferably a Queen to accomodate couples. •If you have the room and both mixed couples and grandchildren visit; two twin beds will do the job and give more versatility. •If you are in a pinch for space consider: a twin bed with a trundle bed, a daybed, a sleeper sofa, or even an air mattress works in a pinch. 

2. BEDDING: You can never go wrong with crisp, white sheets. I like to layer the bed with a nice coverlet or a soft blanket, plus a duvet or comforter folded on the bottom. An additional throw blanket is nice to have for naps. I use poly-filled pillows in the pillow shams, layered with throw pillows and an accent pillow. I stash (2) down-filled pillows in the closet. Some guests prefer down-filled, some poly-filled. I always like to have a little fan next to the bed; just incase someone is a little warm at night. (For a special touch: iron the top sheet or at least the band where you fold it over at the top.)

3. WINDOW TREATMENTS: Privacy is a must. Also, consider the direction the room faces. If it faces East consider adding both blinds and curtains so that the bright morning sun doesnt wake your guest(s). 

 4. LIGHTING: A nice bedside lamp is nice for those who like to read before bed. Additional lighting is nice as well; as noone likes a dark, gloomy room. 

5. READING MATERIALS: It’s nice to have some local magazines and brochures on hand. If room permits; some books, magazines, children’s books and reading glasses are nice to have on hand too. 

6. CLOSET SPACE: It’s nice to have a place to put their luggage and hang up their clothes. Don’t forget to put a variety of hangers to accomodate pants, tops and sweaters. I also have robes for him or her hanging in the closet.

7. MIRROR: A full-length mirror is handy for guests to check their outfits. 

8. EMERGENCY ITEMS: I store our lint roller, shoe polish, a sewing kit, bandaids and other medical supplies in the dresser in the Guest Room. 

9. SPECIAL TOUCHES: I like to have photos of extended family on hand. (Especially if they gave you their child’s photo.) In my cabinet, I devoted a space to display photos. If you have a spare tv its nice for guests that need it to go to sleep. We have a Smart tv mounted so Guest(s) can watch Netflix, check their email or surf the Internet. A candy bowl with Andes Candies is a perfect little treat. If room allows a chair is nice to have. Fresh flowers are always nice. 

10. PERSONAL TOUCHES: I displayed some drawings that my children made through the years. 

For the Guest’s Bathroom:

Whether you are sharing or they have their own Bathroom fresh towels are a must.!. A bath towel, a hand towel, plenty of wash clothes per guest. Note: I prefer dark washclothes so that makeup stains aren’t an issue. Don’t forget a bath mat. Have small bars of soap and travel-size shampoo and conditioner on hand. I like to store them in by category in plastic shoeboxes in the linen closet. I pull out a set for guests and have it on the counter with handsoap, lotion, cotton balls, and q-tips. It’s nice to have extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, razors and, of course extra toilet paper at the ready. A blow dryer is handy to have on hand as well. Always have a nightlight to turn on in the bathroom at night. 

InJOY-Trisha 

 

In past posts I discussed the fireplace in the Living Room. (The thorn in our side.) The fireplace is the first thing you see when you enter the front door. It appears the Keebler Elves made all the bricks; as they are all exactly the same color-Brick Red.

I posted about our idea to have a carpenter build a new surround overtop the brick. It was a beautiful idea, and his drawing was gorgeous; but, the price was outrageous $8.750.00 and not in our budget. So, we scratched that idea and started to brainstorm other options.

Other Options:

#1-Removing the Brick We could remove the brick. Honestly, this idea haunted me. I didn’t want to deal with the mess of removing the bricks. The thought kept me up at night.                                                                                                                                                                       #2-Cover the Brick We could cover the brick with stone, granite, or tile. All wonderful options; however, the gas insert is already deep-set and I didn’t think I would like the look of a heavy stone overtop. I was also concerned about the weight on the floor. The faux stone option; while nice in some situations was just not my cup of tea. The granite idea worked well in our last house; however, it seemed too contemporary in this application. Upon searching, I did not find a tile that I thought kept with the integrity of the house.                                                                                                                                                      #3-Revising the Brick Honestly, I just was resigned from day 1 to make the brick work. I have always liked the look of a brick fireplace and I thought it went well with the style of the house.

Notice (in the before picture above ^)  the grapevine above the arched windows left from the former owners.  Oh grapevine, you are not my friend. I am still trying to pull grapevine from the trees and shrubs on the acre surrounding the house.

Just a reminder when we moved in the walls were a pale pink to match the carpet.  We selected to paint both the walls and the ceiling with Valspar: Malted Milk. There is a cathedral ceiling in the room and I wanted the walls and the ceiling to blend seamlessly. In our last house I had cathedral ceiling and I had a rich color on the walls and a tinted ceiling. I hated it. My eye would always travel to the ceiling and I would cringe. I also had a bright white ceiling with the rich color on the walls and that didn’t work for me either. So this time round, I went with a cream color for the walls, trim and ceiling.

 

 

I wanted to add dimension to the bricks. I didn’t want to whitewash; as I thought it wouldn’t give the fireplace enough depth and dimension. So, we decided to go with my Brother-in-law, Vid’s advice and give mastic and stain a shot. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Step 1: REMOVE UNWANTED ITEMS                                                                                                         a. We remove the brass accents on the gas insert and spray painted them black.                    b. Then, we remove the mantel shelf. Goodbye 1980 mantel shelf. You are no longer welcome here.

Step 2: COVER BRICKS EVENLY WITH MASTIC                                                                                      a. Michael and Vid applied a coat of mastic over the red bricks. Note: I would suggest that only one person does this job; as some people are more heavy-handed than others and the technique is varied throughout. If one person does the job the results are a more uniform look. Live and learn.                                                                                                                                       b. Use a wet sponge to even out.                                                                                                                 c. Let it dry.                                                                                                                                                        d. Sand where needed.                                                                                                                                   e.  Vacuum up dust.

Step 3: DETERMINE STAIN COLOR                                                                                                          We tried several stains to determine which one was best. I would advise doing this on a practice board. Our intention was to build a hearth therefore we did it on the lower portion. The only problem was that later we determined that we did not want a hearth. So, we have sanded and reapplied the stain to try and match several times and it is not an exact match. Our pick for color was: Minwax  Natural. Note: Do not use the one with polyurethane.

Step 4: BRUSH ON STAIN                                                                                                                            We applied the stain to the brick with a foam brush. We let it dry then continued coats of stain until we found our desired color. In our case 2 coats did the trick. If some areas are datker than others; sand and reapply. ie: the bottom area under the fireplace unit appeared more yellow than the rest because again we did not stick with just one person applying. Best rule of thumb: Only have one person apply the stain as everyone has a different technique.

 

Step 5: PURCHASE THE MANTEL SHELF                                                                                                 We decided on the width/depth/length of the mantel shelf. We wanted it to be the exact length of the brick and the depth and width to be the same 8″. We felt this size would allow us to make a focal statement. I was determined to locate an option in TIN rather than wood. We shopped on the Internet for a Tin-Wrapped Mantel Shelf. We found a local company that carried the line. We were able to special order it in our exact size preference.

Step 6:  SELECT YOUR COLOR                                                                                                                    By shopping local we were able to bring the sample colors home. Double check the color in daylight and evening light. It will look different, I swear. We made our selection and placed our special ordered it to our desired size….it should be here in 3 weeks! I’ll post the picture when it’s installed.

The Kitchen Update:

The granite was installed. We chose TYPHOON BORDEAUX.  It has a beautiful cream tone with a variety of browns, black and a touch of green. We love it! It is so nice to have counter tops once again. It will look amazing once we decide on a backsplash. Stay tuned….but, here is a preview of where we are at.

Just a reminder below is:                                                                                                                                a before pic of the blue countertops                                                                                                          a during pic with no countertops.

Sources:                                                                                                                                                       MCM Natural Stone Inc.                         http://www.mcmstone.com                                                                                                                                Stone Mart    http://www.stonemartmarblegranite.com

Installation Day: Michael and Devon

Main area detail:                                                                                                                                              WASH: sink/disposal/dishwasher SERVE                                                                            PREP: microwave/bread basket                                                                                              COOK: stove/oven.                                                                                                                     STORE: garage door hides all small appliances and plenty of cupboards                  SERVE: bar counter

Sink area detail:                                                                                                                                      Kraus double sink with drain racks                                                                                         Kraus oil-rubbed bronze faucet                                                                                                  Two pumps for dish and hand soap                                                                                             An air button was installed for the garbage disposal

Desk area detail:                                                                                                                               My desk                                                                                                                                                  Maxi’s nap area I need to add a curtain to Maxi’s area

View of Coffee bar area:

View towards Sitting area:

View of the Bar area:View of the Pantry area:

I love when my Brother-in-Law, Vid comes to visit. He always seems to make a dent in Michael’s Honey-do List. In just a few days he managed to:

1. Get the Watering System up and working.                                                                 Honestly, we haven’t had a chance to touch it. He fired it up, located all the heads, dug the grass off the top of them, set the timers for all 11 zones and even video taped a “How to” video for us. He ran out of time so we just have to dig the dirt from around each sprinkler stem, insert new pea gravel and a new cover ring and Presto! Maybe we will have a green lawn after all.
2. Solve the mystery with the Security Lights.                                                                            We couldn’t get the motion lights to turn on. Even after Michael replaced all the lights with brand new ones. Vid was stumped for a second until I mentioned that there are two light switches in the Master that I have no idea what they belong to. Wham-o! Now there is light.
3. Jump start a Fireplace re-do.                                                                                                      The fireplace brick was so u-g-l-y. We were debating all the ways we could redo it. Suddenly, Vid is knocking off the mantel and slapping mastic over the brick. It helped. Obviously, it’s still crying to have a re-do; but, it’s a little less offensive to the eye.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Tuesday.
We are in our 13th Week. This is a week of small baby steps.
First up: NEW CHANDELIER
We replaced the chandelier in the main entry.

The large brass fixture had to go.

We replaced it with an oil-rubbed bronze 2-tiered fixture with bamboo shades.

We are attempting to revise the old brass fixture with a can of spray paint and new shades. Hopefully it will look good above the kitchen table. Stay tuned.

NEW COUNTERTOPS:
Speaking of the Kitchen. We are having the templet done for the countertops.
It’s a mixed feeling day.
Excitement that the new countertops will soon be installed.
and
Dread that you have some time before installation where you have no sink, disposal, dishwasher or countertops. Luckily, there is a laundry room sink around the corner that will work in the meantime.

The big challenge was removing the corner cabinet with the garage door. This was not an easy task. We were blessed that Mike, the owner of MCM provided his personal assistance to Michael.

Just a FYI:
Corner cupboards are the first to be installed. That being said, the cabinet next to it must come down before you can remove the corner.
Not a simple one man job.

My crazy husband put it back up this morning all by himself. Do not ask me how or why he did it. (To the right of the stove). Next to the gap where the corner cabinet goes.

Incase you forgot; these are the charming blue countertops that we are replacing.

This is the granite that will be installed.

We had some false starts this week as well.

FIREPLACE REDO:
We are struggling with the fireplace redo in the livingroom.

A reminder of what we are working with. And what we desire.

After much search, we finally found a master carpenter. We met with him and he drew up a beautiful plan that was exactly what we had hoped for…..except we both almost had a grabber when he gave the price.  So we are back to the drawing board.

This is simular to our plan. I have to continue to remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day. We’ve already accomplished alot and it’s o.k. if we have pink carpet for a little bit longer. Rest assured it will all be done one day soon.

YARD WORK:
We also got our quotes for the tree and shrub trimming and removal. That was another shocker. Yikes!

PLUMBING:
And, then the quote for the plumbing work. That was the triple threat. After that I thought O.K. this is getting ridiculous.

Perhaps everyone is so busy that they don’t want the jobs. Therefore, they are just throwing out a huge quote and figuring if we are willing to pay then they’ll do the work. That’s o.k. we can wait.

We’ll take a break and have no worries like Maxi dog. What a life. She has the right idea.

Enjoy your week.
Trisha

There is something so amazing about a tree in bloom. It’s just a short window of time to see an amazing burst of beauty.

This beauty, (a Service Berry, I believe) is in the back corner of the house. It’s not visible from the house except for the Master bathroom window. From inside you only see the branches beneath. It’s beauty is remarkable and it’s been my personal treasure. I’d like to share it with you.

In the front yard, there is another variety. It’s beauty is a quieter kind.

Close up you can see how spectacular it is.

The lilacs bushes came and went before I thought to chronicle their beauty. Here is a picture from a few weeks ago.

This is how they look today.

As you can see it’s luster has passed. Don’t forget to stop and enjoy the treasures in your yard before they pass.
InJOY-Trisha

There has been a cold spell in the air. Today’s high temperature is 60° and cloudy. It’s only a reminder to cherish those remarkable days when we get them.

Last week the morning welcomed a sunny, blue sky, gorgeous kind of day.

So I took full advantage by enjoying a cuppa on the front porch with Maxi dog.

We dream of these perfect days all winter. So often they slip bye before we get a chance to enjoy them.

I wish you could hear all the birds chirping, doves cooing, woodpeckers pecking and rooster crowing. It’s a soothing natural chorus.

TIP: For instant color I like to purchase hanging potted plants to pop right into my urns.
Whammo! Instant gratification.

Source-
Hanging plants:
Bauman’s Farm Market $22.99
Urns: 
TJ Maxx $39.99

Update- View of the new roof
Before:

After:
It’s nice to have that job completed.
I’d highly recommend Rochester Premier Roofing.

Think warm thoughts.
InJOY-Trisha

11 Weeks in and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It just feels like home to me.

Even on a rainy morning the view from the kitchen table blows me away. I’m grateful I got in the garden to work before the rain fell.

The lilacs smell amazing. The birds are chirping. The rain makes a soothing rhythm as it falls against the leaves on the trees. Freshness fills the air.

I turn off the morning news and all I can hear is the chirping of the birds back and forth calling out. The gentle rhythm of the clock. Maxi snoozing, the rain gently falling and a grumble of thunder.

I hope you all feel this peace and contentment as you sit and enjoy your morning cuppa.

InJOY-Trisha