Monday, November 29, 2010

Dry skin and other ailments

With the onset of cooler weather, the humidity in my home is not what I want. It's too darn low! With the level hovering at around the low 20's lately, I am concerned that this low level will affect my hardwood floors and make it a very uncomfortable winter. I've already started to notice tiny gaps in my floor - grrrrr.... So I purchased a humidifier today - a whole house humidifier. This will hopefully fix my chapped lips and keep my hardwood floors looking pretty.

Here is my Honeywell HE225 and installation to be done soon....

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Christmas Time is Near!

With the Christmas season quickly approaching, I thought I would decorate the outside of the house for my first Christmas. It doesn't look too bad I think - for a first timer....





Saturday, November 6, 2010

Dining Room - Finally!

After months of searching, I have finally selected my dining room set. On the advice of a friend, I checked out Prestige Furniture in Orleans early one Saturday morning. I browsed for a bit and after speaking with Robbie, saleslady extraordinaire, I settled on the set you see below (minus the sideboard / cabinet). As well, I purchased 4 chairs and the bench. Unfortunately it takes approximately 8 weeks for delivery so I have almost 6 weeks to prepare the room.



A few months ago, I attended one of those art sales at the Centurion Center on Colonnade Road. To say it was a zoo would be an understatement. With doors scheduled to open at 11 am, people were lining up early, ready to go. Doors opened and the stampede ensued. I managed to get in and get out in a mere 40 minutes with two paintings for the dining room. Unfortunately at the time, I did not see any dark frames that I liked so a new search begins.



I was back and forth on the dining room rug issue. Do I or don't I? I finally decided "I do". On the advice of Robbie, Prestige saleslady, she recommended I go to a carpet store and purchase a "border rug", which is a piece of broadloom with a stitched border. I decided to check out my local Home Depot and was not prepared - my 6' x 8' rug was only $49.99! Not wanting the rug to overtake the decor, I settled on a very light green rug, which will complement the paintings and the dark floor / furniture.



I had purchased a set of ready-to-hand curtains from Bouclair however I believe they conflict with the paintings so I will return them for a solid color curtain. I'll post when I have decided.

As well, the search for the perfect light fixture continues.....

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Next Project - Dining Room

Well, I've decided to start to tackle the daunting task of furnishing the dining room. Yesterday, I went to a local lighting store in a half-assed search for a light fixture for the dining room as the current fixture is just a cap. I found a couple of options and am looking for feedback:


Living Lighting - Hendrik





Living Lighting - Lacey

I know...it's been 4 months...

Well, it's been a while but I'm back! The last 4 months have been crazy and it's been great! I LOVE my new house and my new neighborhood. The proximity to work and all amenities is convenient and makes life so much easier. I've included a few pics of the new digs...



This is the street view. The sod is a few weeks old and the paved driveway is 2 weeks old. The house faces west so I get the nice warm afternoon sun. This will be very nice in the winter - in the summer, not so much as it heats up the main living area. But with the trust A/C, this summer has been bearable.



This is the master bedroom. It may look small but what you can't see is the dresser to the left as well as a walk in closet and an entrance to the master bathroom. I have two windows - one facing west (seen in the picture) and other window facing south. Since there is another row of townhouses directly to the south, my blinds stay closed permanently.



This is my living room. I've tried to keep the colors neutral in all areas and add snippets of color through accessories such as draperies, pillows, rugs, etc. I love this room as it is an open area with the dining room and the kitchen.



This is the kitchen - from the point of view from the dining room. The breakfast bar is great for having breakfast and reading the newspaper on the weekend. Excuse the mess...the picture was taken on the spur of the moment.

All in all, its been a whirlwind 4 months but as I settle into my new home, the headaches & frustrations have all been well worth it.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Two weeks later

Due to popular demand, here are a couple of pics of the new pad.



This is the view from the street. Note the lovely grey garbage bin that occupies the front lawn. However, it has been moved to the other side of the street. Same thing goes for the port-a-potty that has moved down the street as well.



This is probably one of my favorite places to hang out. With the addition of the two new bar stools, it's a great place to sit and just think. The missing cabinet door was removed due to a scratch that was noticed during PDI and should be returned any day now.



Ahhh - the master bedroom. A good sized space with not one but two windows. Note the craftsmanship with the curtain rods - courtesy of Poppa. He's a good handyman!



The master bathroom - another great room! With a cheater door off the master bedroom, anyone who occupies the bedroom has their own entrance which is nice when guests are staying overnight.

On another note, I think I broke my toe (the little piggy that had no roast beef) last night. I was clearly not paying attention to what I was doing and smacked into the chair. It's turning many ugly colors and although I do have a picture, it's gross and do not want to subject the masses to my pain.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Getting there....

Well, since I've had a break in the moving action, I thought I would post an update on what's been going on over the last few days.

Closing day came and went with little hoopla - simply picked up the keys and headed over to the new digs. After basking in the afterglow of home ownership, I headed home and decided to pack up the car with a load of home furnishings. It felt so good!


Wednesday proved to be a productive day as I met with Adrian to review the PDI list. To my surprise, almost half of the items listed on the PDI had been fixed. Over the course of the day, another 7 trades showed up to fix additional items. Very impressed!


It's been a flurry of activity with at least a couple of carloads a day over to the house. Movers come on Wednesday so I want to make sure as much stuff as I can carry is over there by then. And I think I'm pretty much there. Car loads have also been taken to the Salvation Army and to the curb for garbage pickup.


Shopping for home furnishings has also been worked into the mix! I have picked up new accessories for the bathrooms. They are Moen Preston and I think they're simple but elegant.




Moen Preston Towel Bar (18")





Moen Preston TP Holder


Today, I picked up a couple of bar stools that I have been eyeing for a long time. They are counter height and will go well with the breakfast bar. They have an Asian flair but are not too over the top. And surprisingly, they are really comfortable!



Stay tuned - more to come....

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

CLOSING DAY!!

After months and months of talking about it, closing day has arrived!

Now, I just have to wait for "the" phone call. Okie dokie....

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Living in chaos

With 3 days to go until closing, I think I've reached the limit with packing to this point. I have packed almost 90% of my stuff and navigating around my apartment is becoming increasingly difficult. Thankfully, I have 8 days between closing and moving day so these piles should dwindle quickly.





My kitchen has been packed so I've resorted to using paper plates, cutlery and cups. It's actually not so bad....

Thursday, April 8, 2010

PDI done!!

Today was PDI day and it was a busy one. The PDI itself was good - Mark from Mattamy took his time with all the rooms and made note of all issues that were of concern to me and Mike.

The number of deficiencies totalled 51. 48 were minor cosmetic issues (e.g. paint chips, nicks in trim, carpet pulls, etc) with 3 `major` issues. The major issues concerned missing backsplash in the kitchen (which is funny considering the upgrades list was taped to the kitchen window!), missing screens on all the windows (another giggly funny) and finally, a water issue in the utility room. This one concerns me because it seems to be coming from the copper line in the furnace. When Mark saw the pooling issue in the utility room and laundry room, he immediately phoned the builder, Adrian, who was obviously less than impressed with the work. It was noted on my PDI and I am confident it will be resolved by closing time. As well, they will clean up all the flooring and trim that was affected so it`s all good.


I managed to snap a couple of pictures for your viewing pleasure.




Main bathroom




Master Bedroom




Great Room



Dining Room - view from Great Room




Great Room - view from Dining Room


Unfortunately no pictures of the kitchen. The dishwasher was in the middle of the room and all of our documents, jackets, cell phones and general crap was on the breakfast bar so it would not have made a nice shot. However, my fridge and stove have been installed and they look marvelous. As well, I can`t be 100% sure but I do believe my counter top is the exact match to my parents house!

The colors all blend well together and the natural light is amazing - I couldn`t be more relieved and satisfied!

With 5 days to go, I can`t believe this will all come to an end!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

PDI Tomorrow!

Well, nearly a year from my original purchase date, the day has finally arrived. Tomorrow, April 8, is my PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection). I will be meeting Mark from Mattamy at 2:00 pm along with my friend Mike. The original plan was to have Big Poppa accompany me however a cold virus that I could only equate to the Ebola virus, has befallen Poppa and he is resting in Sudbury. Get well soon Poppa!!

I have packed my PDI kit, printed off my checklist, reviewed my upgrade list and charged the camera battery. I think I'm ready....

Stay tuned!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

2 weeks TODAY!

14 days until close and things are ramping up quickly! Between finalizing my packing, organizing my services and appointments AND working all day, sleep comes easily lately.

This past weekend, I went to the Home Show at Lansdowne Park. Despite having to circle the parking lot for about 15 minutes trying to find a spot, it was a pretty good show. Tons of people and tons of exhibitors made for an exciting yet tiring Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, my sidekick for the day was able to make contact with some services for his new condo!! Yay!


On Sunday, after a hearty breakfast, a trip to the house was in order just to see how things were going. And lo and behold, my doors were locked. So peeking in the front door window would just have to suffice until PDI. It's looking good and I'm experiencing a mix of excitement, nausea and anticipation for everything that will happen in the next few weeks.


Yesterday, I was contacted by my lawyer's associate yesterday to finalize some initial information and I will be expecting another phone call from the lawyer in the next couple of days with respect to the all important payment amount. Yes, if there's anything I've learned from this whole experience, nothing is free.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

VID - Very Important Date

Last week, I received a voice mail message from Mark at Mattamy calling to schedule my PDI appointment. Woo-hoo!

For those who don't know, PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) is the appointment a week or so prior to closing which the homeowner (me) and the builder representative (Mark) will meet to tour the house before it is delivered to the homeowner (me).


Big Poppa will be making the trek for my PDI to offer a second set of eyes while I talk to Mark and ask him the anticipated billion or so questions I will probably have.

Stay tuned...

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

28 days to go

Well, I'm into the final weeks of renting and every day is an eternity. I took a chance today after work to try to sneak a peek at my place. Well, easier said than done. Due to the amount of construction traffic and home owners arriving home from work, it was a mad house. As there was a flurry of activity on my street, I could only look from a distance. Booooo....

But not to be deterred, I decided to go and run errands and return at a later time. Well, after a visit to Indigo books, Bouclair and a bite to eat at Kelsey's, I decided to press my luck and return to the scene. When I pulled up there was no construction traffic which was a telltale sign to GO FOR IT! I discovered my siding is well on its way. Yay! So feeling bullish, I checked the front door and entered carefully. And right there, in front of my eyes, on the way upstairs, was carpet - beautiful, soft comfy carpet.

OK - here's where it gets weird. I crawled up the stairs on my hands and knees as I didn't want to be detected with dirty footprints and saw a sliver of my newly installed hardwood. Yay!
As I slowly slithered down the stairs on my butt, I saw a carpet remnant lying on the floor and I smuggled it out for design purposes. Not one of my proudest moments. Now if I could just locate my paint swatch....

Overall, I breathed a sigh of relief. My color scheme, while good on paper, was always a question mark with respect to cohesion. Up until now, I was always wondering how everything would look and flow in the house. But everything seems to be coming along better than I ever expected.


As this was an unscheduled trip, I did not have my camera so in honor of all things wonderful, I give you Matt Damon instead.







Saturday, March 6, 2010

Tick tock...

Well, with one month and one week to go, it feels like the pressure is on. Well, not really but it's really exciting. There was not a soul to be found at the site today when I drove up so I surmised that things must be flowing along nicely. And holy mackeral, I wasn't wrong.

My kitchen is coming along so nicely. My cabinets and counter tops are in and to be honest, I am so pleased. I was nervous about how things would flow together because everything was done by eyeballing the Design Centre samples. The cabinets are fantastic maple and the counter tops are darker with black, dark brown and light browns thrown in and the cabinet handles are a brushed nickel. I think the black appliances will go nicely when they are delivered and installed. Whew....






I am also glad that I didn't go with the raised breakfast bar upgrade. I love the way the kitchen opens up to the dining area which, to me at least, gives a great open feeling.



As well, the bathroom has been tiled and vanity has been installed. Again, very pleased with turnout of this room. Super awesome...






This is the walk in closet in my master bedroom. I think I'm going to price what it would cost to have a closet organizer come in and help me figure out a design. I've never had a walk in closet and I've always dreamed of having a walk in closet so we'll see what the budget says. Stay tuned....



BTW, that thing in the corner on the shelf is the cover to the attic - definitely not part of the final product...

Sunday, February 28, 2010

All the trimmings

As I pulled up to the house, I could hear music coming from my house. I was able to see a guy, all masked up, at the kitchen window painting the trim! I decided not to go into the house as I did not want to interrupt his work but I did notice the plywood that previously doubled as my garage door was removed so I thought "hey, I'll just take a peek." As I walked in, I noticed something leaning against the wall. What was it, you ask? It was my counter top! Yes, a section of my kitchen surface was in the garage, looking ready to be installed. I pulled out the camera to take a picture and dammit to hell, my camera battery was dead. NOOOOO!!!!

After carefully maneuvering my way around my muddy front yard / driveway, I went to the front door, opened it slightly and noticed that cardboard protected the floor as well as painters tarps protected the stair railings. All the trim had been painted on the main floor although I was hoping to sneak a peek at my new floor tile, I wasn't able to see it this trip.

Now this post would have 10x better if pictures were added but well, you can't always get what you want....

Thursday, February 25, 2010

February 25 2010

It occurred to me today that this would have been my first tentative closing date! Holy moley how time flies! Thankfully, my closing day is one month two weeks and five days away! And when I say thankfully, if you see what I see, then moving in this crappy weather would not have been fun.

A big thank you to my mortgage broker,
Jacquie, for helping me overcome another hurdle in this journey. I met with her yesterday to sign mortgage papers and get the financials out of the way. Jacquie knew exactly what I wanted and she delivered. To say that I actually had a hard time sleeping last night would be an understatement. So much so that I woke up with stiff neck and ended up having a kink in it all day after I checked my blind spot on the drive to work. Yay me.

I also have to see
Melis at The Brick tomorrow to pay off the balance on my appliances. Just another item to check off my to-do list. It will SO nice to finally have a dishwasher - I detest doing dishes....

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Progress Progress Progress

Trekking out to the site this morning and I discovered a van in "my" driveway. Not knowing who was inside, I poked my head in and came face to face with a tile installer. Yes - a tile installer!!!! He said hello and told me that he was there to install the kitchen and foyer tile. They would have done the main bathroom tile but you'll see why below. I was so happy! I offered to buy him and his partner a round of Timmy's but they politely declined. I told them I wanted to grab a couple of photos before I got out of their way. They were gracious and told me to take my time...

From the dining room into the living room...




From the kitchen breakfast bar looking into the living room....



I went up to third level to see what was happening up there and discovered my railings! The stain is perfect (although a bit dirty but whatever, it's a construction zone!) and I was so glad to see I had spindles and not a solid knee wall! I couldn't have been more pleased...



On another note, I received a phone call from Erin at the Design Centre last night indicating that my main bathroom tile (both floor and wall) were discontinued and could I please come in this weekend and pick another selection? She told me she would leave suggestions with the weekend girls and they would pass along my choices to her on Monday morning. Surprisingly, I wasn't upset - I figured I could handle this one of two ways: throw a tantrum, bitch and moan OR take it with a grain of salt and make another selection. The weekend crew at the DC were so helpful and friendly and I think we made a really good choice.

An ironic note to this story - the new selection of tile and listello border were actually one of my original considerations from early in my decision process. Strange how things work....


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

More pictures

Well, it's been a crazy day with Mr. Flaherty's mortgage announcement and trying to figure out if it will affect me. After reading and researching, I am thinking "no" but life is full of surprises. To make myself feel better, I thought I would post a few more pics.

Awkward shot of the kitchen - fridge and stove will be along this wall.



Living Room - window facing west. This one was taken from the top of the stairs leading downstairs.



Breakfast bar from the Living Room



Go Canada Go!!!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Window shopping

As the clock ticks, I was advised by friends and family to start a list of items I would need when I move in. I think the intention was to populate the list with things like garbage cans, fire extinguisher, cleaning supplies, batteries, etc, which I fully intend to purchase. However my wish list has grown to include new bed frame and light fixtures.

This is my planned bed frame for my new master. It's an IKEA Malm double bed in a a dark brown / black wood. Color scheme for the master is neutral with splashes of color coming from bed linens and accessories in green and grey/silver which will contrast well with dark wood in the bed frame and my side tables as well as the walls and the Berber carpet. The windows plan is wood / faux wood blinds in white in order to blend them with the window frame and trim.




As well, I am keeping my eyes open for light fixtures. I plan to keep the builders fixtures for the first while in most places but it's nice to look and consider the kitchen. I have alot of natural light from the window but I want to see what they lighting will be like once the sun goes down. I want something that is interesting as guests will be able to see kitchen light fixtures from the dining room in the open concept. This would be the light fixture for the kitchen nook.



And this is her sister for the kitchen's main working area.



BUT my first and foremost purchase will be a garage door opener. I have always dreamed of having a garage to park my car in and in 1 month 4 weeks and 2 days, that dream will come true. I've decided that either a belt or chain drive type of garage door opener will do as my garage will underneath my dining room so it's not a big deal with noise.



It's good to have a plan.

One month four weeks and two days

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post as I have not been out to the house. My weekends are consumed lately with packing, chores around the house and a wee bit of laziness due to weather. But today I ventured out just to see what was up.

I was greeted at the front door by brick! Yes, brick! I am pleased with my front entrance as it will possibly allow me to place my small swing at the front to relax and watch the neighbourhood go by. The brick is orange-ish in colour while siding will be put on above the brick. I have a feeling the siding will be a neutral tan colour but we'll have to wait and see.




As more and more progress is made, I am waiting for the day that I walk up to the front door and it will be locked. But today was not that day. I walked in and was greeted by walls - lovely painted walls. The colour is lighter than I expected but it still works. Builders usually use the cheapest flat paint but I plan to keep it for a year and then if the feeling moves me, I will paint. But for now I will enjoy. Below is the laundry room as seen from its doorway.



As luck was on my side, no one was around but it still felt like I was breaking and entering. Technically it's not my house yet so you can understand what I mean. I thought I would brave it and go all the way upstairs to see how things were going up there. As I got to the top of the stairs, I was happy to see a bathtub. A wonderfully deep tub.



The bedrooms are coming along well with a whack of light coming into them. Especially the guest bedroom - which is much larger than I anticipated. Getting a desk and futon in there will not be a problem. The master bedroom will require a bit of thought for furniture placement but it will all be OK.