First Day Cottage Walpole

 A few updates on the house.  As we get closer to finishing, it seems to be extraordinarily SLOW.  I am trying to be patient but I see the seasons changing AGAIN and I just want to get in there! Outlets were put into my studio.  It looks like a railroad track right now but I will paint all the conduit and it will blend in better. Most of the kitchen cabinets being stored in the basement.  Hopefully will get installed as soon as the floors are sanded and finished. The front entrance is coming together.  This will be the unique feature of the house.  It will have two glass "rooms" that will be like mini shop windows where I can do my seasonal displays.  I hope they turn out as I have envisioned them! Here is a wide shot of the big open living space kitchen/living area.  The ceilings and walls are finished.  We left the ceilings and gabled end wall natural and I like how it makes the windows pop.  The windows are primed but I still nee...

I chose a butcher block countertop for the pantry as an economical option.  The kitchen countertops are so expensive! I am staining it a dark walnut and then will treat it with a special oil that will harden into a satin wax finish that is food grade.  It is repairable so the counter can be refreshed as opposed to polyurethane which has to be sanded off. Here is the first coat of stain

We got hot water today!  The bathrooms are all hooked up and mostly finished.  Some need doors but we are getting there. Master Bath shower is operational.  We just need a door. French Door on Office...needs painting. Lights in the Hallway Some outside lights on the porch. And this is me pushing the edge of my comfort zone.  I have to get up on this ten foot ladder to paint the high gable end windows in the bedroom and living room.  At least they are only painted once and then I will use a high pole Swiffer to dust them in the future!  The ceilings at their peak are about 15 feet.

There has been a lot happening the last couple of weeks on the house.  I hired painters to do the high ceilings since I do not like to get on tall ladders and there is a limit to what I can do myself.  After realizing the cost, I am doing all the walls from the ceiling height down.  That includes the white washing and doing the polyurethane.  Every day I try and keep up with what they have done so it means long hours out there.  The office is nearly done.  I just need to put one more top coat of semi gloss on the window trim. Hallway coming along The siding on one of the gabled ends is almost finished And the big news is the kitchen cabinets have arrived!!  All but one was delivered so that is pretty good considering the pandemic. I am seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

The painters are here and have begun to pickle the pine in the office.  It seems very white but won't be so stark when furnishings and curtains get added.  I like the calmness of it and it will prevent the wood from getting dark.  I am considering keeping the pine natural in the big area where we have plenty of light and it might be nice to highlight that darker wood.  Plus this is an expensive time consuming process and it will save to do it that way.  As it is, I will probably end up do as much of the work as I can safely reach.  I do not like heights so I will let them tackle those high ceilings.  This is the office.  Still needs to have the polyurethane sealer put on but the pickling is finished.  I will paint the casements around the windows. And we have a front door!  I love it and it closes with a satisfying click.  It will have a special front entrance and covered roof built around it and it needs to get painted but i...

Here is a little peek at some somewhat finished rooms.  The carpentry is done and the floors have been sanded and have two coats of poly on them.  There still needs to be white washing of all the walls, beams and ceiling and I will paint the window trim a soft white for contrast.  Right now it looks very "woody" but the white wash and paint will offer a different look while still retaining the beauty of the wood.  It won't darken up as pine does very quickly.  The half wall built to hide the wiring gives us nice deep window sills and a little ledge.  Let's hope it doesn't fill up with clutter.  Office Master Bedroom And here is what is going on downstairs.  I have literally turned the corner on the project and having finished the studio and center section, I am now in the workout/game room.  Those large rolls of plastic bubble wrap insulation you see still have to put up on the ceiling (by me) to keep the radiant heat going up inste...

Firstly, I don't ever want to paint concrete again and I'm not even done.  After complaining about this in the last post it hasn't gotten any easier.  After consulting with the Sherwin Williams guys (who I see more than my family) we went with their Prep Right Primer for max coverage. I got the deepest nap roller available and I still have to muscle it in and use what I call a "smearing" technique to try and fill all the holes.  It probably should have been sprayed but being the cheapskate I am and not having the equipment, I used what I have.  My arms have never been so toned so there is that benefit. It took two coats of primer (6 gallons) and two coats of satin top coat (color: Simply White) to get it this far.  There are still some holes which bug me but all in all it looks pretty good and sealed. Having the walls lightened and actually having the lights installed transforms this space.  These Metalux LED lights are awesome.  It is like d...