day 142

Lots of changes and little time to update can only mean one thing - it's time for an iPhone photo dump!

1. Tile work in the master bathroom shower has begun.  I think they started last Wednesday and currently have the floor and half the walls complete.  The photos below are from Sunday.

Since these were taken, they've laid the floor (rectangular mosaics) and hung the diagonal square tiles above the small pencil edge tile.  Can't wait to see it finished!

2. Granite was installed in the master bathroom last Friday.

[Vanilla Ice granite counters]

And I don't totally love it.  Which makes me sad.  I'm hoping that once the additional shelf is installed in the middle of the vanity and the plumbing, mirrors, lights, etc. are added, I'll like it much more.  I had really wanted a neutral granite that didn't make a big statement and, right now, this is a bit bolder than I had originally hoped for.  I'm sure the fact that it's currently the only pattern in the room does not help.  Nor do the cardboard-covered floors.

Also, we had to make a last minute change on our faucet locations.  They were originally supposed to be offset, at an angle, on the outside corners of the sinks.  We received a call from the granite folks the morning they were to install, letting us know they'd just gotten a complaint from the last vanity they did that way.  Apparently, water keeps splashing out of their sinks.  In favor of function over design, we decided to mount the faucets as normal, centered along the backs of the sinks.  I'm just bummed now that we didn't go with the rectangular sinks.  Unfortunately, by the time they'd received the complaint and called us, the sink holes had already been cut for the oval bowls.  Oh well.  I was just grateful to find out about the splashing issue before they'd cut the faucet holes.

3.  And granite was also installed in the main bathroom.

[Coffee Brown granite counters]

There is more brown in the stone than the photo is pulling.  And as nervous as I was about the dark color, I really like it.  Phew.

4. We finally got around to painting our Craigslist dresser this weekend.  After much debate, we opted to do a charcoal top with a medium grey base and drawers.  The contrast is definitely greater in person than the photos are showing.  More details to follow on this project.

5. After a ton of browsing, I think I finally found a shower curtain that will work for the main bathroom.  I really want something kid-friendly, but classy.  And it's been amazingly hard to find!

The shower curtain was found at Tuesday Morning ($16) and I think I'll need 2 yards each of the navy and green fabrics ($3/yd).  So, for $28, I should have a shower curtain I love.  Hopefully!

6. I also found hardware for the master bathroom vanity!  I don't know if they're new to Lowe's, or if I've just never noticed them before, but we finally decided on using a combination of knobs and pulls.

Knob: allen + roth 1-1/4" Polished Nickel Round Cabinet Knob

Pull: allen + roth 3" Center-to-Center Polished Nickel Bar Cabinet Pull

7. I found a mirror that I love for the main bathroom.  But I think it's a little too large.  And I think something rectangular would probably fit better.  The one below is from Hobby Lobby, but I'm wondering if we could make our own if we bought a plain beveled mirror and then trimmed it out with some painted and distressed molding?

8. We might have decided to wall paper the wall behind the toilet.  Or maybe the powder room.  And, yes, I swore I'd never use wallpaper in my life.  Especially after living in this highly wallpapered condo.  But isn't it pretty?

9. Weren't my boys handsome in their St. Patty's Day attire?

10. The electricians are coming out on Saturday to wrap everything up!  We're going to have them install one more light outside of the powder room/by the drop zone.  We've noticed it's a bit dark at night and figured we might as well have them take care of it now.

11. The new bathroom vanity cabinet should be delivered tomorrow or Thursday.  Can't wait to have it installed and to finally be able to check cabinets off the list.

12.  The plumber was supposed to start working Monday but we haven't seen him yet.

13.  Unlucky number 13.  We stopped by the house this weekend to drop off our kitchen faucet and a replacement light fixture that had been purchased broken.  In the time it took us to walk into the house and quickly drop off/check for updates, E discovered the latest project.  They'd filled our master shower basin with cement.  And it was fresh.  I'm sure you can imagine what happened next.  Hubby worked hard to smooth everything out while I cleaned up the kid and his less than two-hours old shoes.  Breath in.  Breath out.  

The countdown is on....20 days to go!

the winner is....

...lucky #1, JP!

I hope to be back tomorrow night with a few house updates.  The countdown is on... just three weeks to go!

staying organized.

I'd like to think that I'm not the only one in paperwork overload during this building process.  Between multiple floor plan revisions, cabinet plans, electrical plans, inspiration photos, draw requests, change orders, price comparisons, shopping lists...and on and on and on...I was feeling quite overwhelmed.  I'm one of those people that is very organized in some aspects of my life, but not others.  My pantry and cupboards are usually well organized, labeled and clean.  The pile of mail on my counter, not as much.  I swear, my mail must reproduce overnight. And now that we're adding school projects and newsletters to the mix, it's just out of control.  My goal for the new house is to conquer the mail mess.  I'll let you know how that goes.  Ha!

Anyway, I finally decided to take control of the building paperwork craziness and started a construction binder.  It's been a lifesaver and I actually wish I'd started the thing about four months before I did.  No more wondering if I have the most recent floor plans or digging through piles for the receipt I need to return a broken light fixture.  Such a nice feeling.

If you'd like to make your own, I'd recommend the following materials: heavy duty 2" binder (although, my first one is almost full and I'm about to start on binder number two), sheet protectors, 3-hole punch and  your preferred tabs or dividers (I personally like these by Post-it).

I'm a big fan of using sheet protectors for most of my documents because it just keeps everything protected.  Plus, I can slide papers in without needing to find my hole punch.  For my checklists, notes, drawings and other things that I actually write on, I do tend to use the 3-hole punch.  The only downside to sheet protectors are that normal sized dividers (like these by Avery) can get 'lost' in the binder because the sheet proectors stick out farther than a normal, hole-punched piece of paper.  It's all about personal preference.

And, because I couldn't put together an organizational binder without making it pretty, I created a set of dividers, worksheets, checklists and other helpful tools.  The best part?  You can use them to make your own binder pretty, too!  At my Hubby's encouragement, they're now available for purchase through Etsy.

If you're interested, you can check out the details here, on the lot23home shop.

And the second best part?  I've decided to give away a set of printables!  Just comment on this post with your name and e-mail address and I'll pick one winner (using a random number generator) on Monday, March 25.  All entries should be submitted by Sunday, March 24 at 11:59 pm CST.  If the chosen winner does not acknowledge my e-mail, another winner will be selected one week later (April 1). 

The worksheets would also be helpful for home remodeling projects or even planning for a future building project.  If you're interested, but would prefer the cover sheet say something other than 'construction', just send me a note!  The Etsy site also helps you get an idea of the different categories I used to divide my binder.

I've also used Excel and Pinterest to help myself stay organized.  All of my financial worksheets are in Excel.  It's easier for me to update an electronic worksheet when comparing loans, updating interest rates or even keeping track of change orders.  Plus, I'm a total Excel nerd.  Spreadsheets make me happy.

Pinterest (see my house boards here and here) has been awesome when we've been scouring websites, debating light fixtures, selecting faucets or even just saving things we'd like to purchase later.  It's also been a great place to save links to the selections we've made, so that I can access them anywhere via the Pinterest app on my phone, and not just when I'm not lugging my binder around.

Now, I'd love to know what other house building organizational ideas you have, as well as any tips to help me conquer my mail problem.  And don't forget to enter the giveaway - remember, it ends on Sunday and the winner will be announced Monday.  Good luck!

day 135 (and menu monday)

We're supposed to be into our new house by April 15.  I'm probably the only one that finds it funny.  Despite not being a tax accountant, there is just something about Tax Day no matter what type of accounting you do.

Anyway, it hit me this weekend that it's only four weeks away.  In some ways, I'm like "Four weeks?  Still?".  And in other ways, I'm all "Holy moly.  Four weeks?!  There is still so much to do... and pack."

We've been living as minimally as possible these past six months, so I'm hesitant to pack up too much right away.  As I was pondering what I could start putting into boxes, I realized there was an easy and obvious start.  The freezer and pantry.  Why even pack them?  Let's eat the food up!  Besides being less to move, it should save us some cash, which will be especially nice with the double bills we've been paying lately (rent and construction loan, double electric bills, double water bills, storage unit, PO box, etc.).

I spent about an hour this weekend taking an inventory of our cupboards and freezer.  And then I made my weekly meal plan based upon what we had on hand.  We're still going to need to buy fresh fruits and veggies, milk, eggs, yogurt, bread, etc, but I'm hoping all of the meat and most of the non-perishables will come from our existing stash for the next few weeks.

Besides the items above, we also have the staples -- oils, spices, flour, sugars, condiments, etc.  And our freezer was actually stocked with quite a bit more meat than I realized.  I love good surprises like that!

After careful review, I came up with the following plan for this week:

Sunday: Chicken Parmesan
Monday: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia (based upon Broiled Tilapia Parmesan - but modified to use panko, bread crumbs, cayenne pepper and Old Bay seasoning), Yellow Rice, Mixed Veggies
Tuesday: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Best Pancakes Ever
Wednesday: Chicken Strips (based upon Simple Southern-Style "Unfried" Chicken), homemade Mac 'n Cheese
Thursday: Pork Chops, Veggies, Rice
Friday: Frozen Pizza
Saturday: Crockpot Italian Chicken (chicken breasts, Italian dressing packet, water - on low for 6 hours - served with mozzarella cheese on a toasted bun)

 
We had to pick up a few things, but the majority of the ingredients came from the pantry/fridge/freezer.  One week down...three more to go!  I have a few more ideas for the coming weeks, but I'd love any input on some of your favorite recipes that use the ingredients above.  Possibilities include: Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup (chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, chiles), Granny's Swiss Steak (cubed steak, onion soup mix, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, egg noodles), Chili (chili diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes, ground beef, tomato sauce), Baked Mostaccioli (pasta, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese), Spinach Stuffed Shells (jumbo shells, creamed spinach, mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce) and The Best Pork Chop You Will Ever Taste (Ranch dressing, breadcrumbs, Italian dressing packet, parmesan cheese, pork chops).  Now - it's your turn.  Do share!

In house related news, our trim was painted last week at some point - maybe Thursday or Friday (day 130 or 131).  The most exciting part was that the carpenters were out on Saturday to install our master bathroom vanity.  Of course, it didn't go off without a hitch.

I've been in love with this vanity that I found on Houzz since the day I first spied it.

Traditional Bathroom by Denver Interior Designer Chalet

It's beautiful, right?  Our cabinet supplier was able to design something very similar, but once the assembly started, we realized it was going to be about 15 inches too small.  We had used our builder's cabinet plans as a starting point when we met with the cabinet supplier we ended up using.  It turns out, the plans were based upon an older floor plan, when the vanity was on a different wall.  And, while Hubby and I double checked all of the kitchen measurements, we never checked the master bath.  Aye.

After a bit of a panic, I finally agreed with the idea of inserting another 15" cabinet in between the center two banks of drawers.

We debated between adding another 3-drawer bank, installing a pull out trash can behind a large door or just doing open shelving.  My cousin did a rough Photoshop mark-up of the 3-drawer option and the open shelves option and we ultimately decided on the open shelves.  The cabinet order was placed yesterday and we'll hopefully be able to wrap this up once and for all next week.  Well, after I finally decide on hardware.  Any suggestions?

Additionally, after a panicked call to our granite supplier on Saturday, we were grateful to learn that our granite slab is 116" -- which leaves enough room to accommodate the new 110" vanity.  Thank goodness!

The carpenter was also able to work on installing the wainscoting around the tub, as well as the crown moulding on the kitchen cabinets.  The small details make such a difference!

[wainscoting tub surround]

[Merillat Tolani - Maple Chiffon cabinets with added crown moulding]

[Kashmir White granite - in the daylight!]

[Merillat Tolani - Maple Chiffon cabinets with added crown moulding]

[drop zone - Merillat Tolani in Maple Sable]

We should receive our new wall oven cabinet this Thursday and I'm hoping the new fireplace mantle is slated to be delivered this week as well.  Did I mention the current one is much too small?

Each day that goes by, I think I get a little more anxious.  But we're in the home stretch.  And I'm so grateful.

bedroom inspiration

I think we're going to do a little furniture re-arranging at the new house.  Hubby is dying to upgrade to a king sized bed, so our current bedroom furniture will be moving to the spare bedroom.  I'm planning to keep the same quilt, but we're going to change out the pillows, curtains and wall art.  The photo below is our old master bedroom, depersonalized and staged to sell. 

I mentioned yesterday that I'd picked up a few pillows from Kohl's, as well as curtains from IKEA, so I think we have a pretty good start on this room.  I'm still debating on the wall color  Maybe a light tan?  Or possibly even something with a little blue in it?

The curtains were the ultimate inspiration for this room and I think the lighter pillows will really brighten things up and help create a welcoming guest space.  And I'm glad they still work with the quilt - which I still love, six years after purchasing.  (Funny story - I bought the quilt from Target for like $70.  A day after it arrived in the mail, I found it on Overstock for like $30.  Do you know much $40 feels like to a newlywed?  I was excited for days.)

I'll pull in some brown from the stained dresser and a chunky mirror over the dresser, but am otherwise planning to use blue and red accents.  A few pops of a bright, canary yellow might be nice, too.  I think this space will be fun to decorate since I won't be living in it every day.  I can go outside of my comfort zone of neutrals a bit.

Random thought - it might look good to find some older nightstands, paint them white/cream and then stain just the tops?  Or even find a couple smaller plant stand sized tables and paint them a deep red?  Hmmm....

For the master bedroom, we're currently weighing the pros and cons of a few different beds.  We posted the options on Facebook and I think the bottom left was the easy winner.

Sources (clockwise, starting at the top left): Restoration Hardware outlet, IKEA, Target, Joss & Main

Our thoughts -

Restoration Hardware: Best quality by far but there is a stain on the foot board that I'm not sure will come out; I'm also not sold on the foot board - doesn't it seem like the tufting should be on the outside, too?  It's the most expensive, but is about $1500 less than retail by being at the outlet.

IKEA: It's the least expensive and really does look good in person.  You can't see it here, but the base is actually two pieces, so there is a connector (with feet) that is visible from the end of the bed.  Compared to the others, it's very simple.

Target: Not the biggest fan of the color, but I'm having a hard time finding the gray option in stock anywhere.

Joss & Main:  Love the look of this bed, but hate the thought of ordering a bed online, unseen.  Also, it was available through Joss & Main on a limited basis and is no longer on their website.  I haven't yet been successful locating it elsewhere - or finding somewhere that carries it locally for me to see in person.

At this point, we haven't made a decision.  The only other items we have figured out for the master bedroom are the curtains (acquired from two different TJ Maxx stores back in November) and the dresser. 

[master bedroom curtains]

And, when I say we've figured out the dresser, I only mean we've sanded and primed it and left it sitting in the garage.  I'm still not sure what color we'll end up painting it.  I recently picked up a sample pot of a faded yellow color that would be pretty - but then I saw a really neat two-toned gray dresser on Facebook this week.  Not sure why I'm having such a tough time deciding.  Maybe I'm waiting to decide on a full color scheme for the room?

[Refinished by Reclaimed]

In unrelated, non-decorating news - E had his first dentist appointment today.  After needing to reschedule three different times (I was afraid the dentist's office was going to boot us for good!), we finally made it there.  And despite waking little man up from his nap for the visit, he was a champion.  The hygienist was able to brush and count his teeth and the dentist was able to do a full exam and fluoride treatment.  I was so proud of him.  Especially since I hate the dentist.

Doesn't he look so big?  I am so not ready for these milestones.  And something else I'm not ready for?  E telling his teachers that he's going to have a baby brother and his name is going to be Baby Bear.  Hilarious, but I'm sort of wondering how many people he's told that to and how many people think I'm pregnant.   And let me answer that question.  I'm not.  Sorry to burst any bubbles!

living room inspiration

So I mentioned yesterday that we did a bit of shopping on Sunday.  It's been fun to start making decorating decisions, instead of just building and finish decisions.   It's a little intimidating, as well.  After all, I work in accounting, not interior design.

We purchased our current sofa and loveseat from a discount furniture store in town just after we got married seven years ago.  It's a light brown color with some green undertones and, while it fit into our apartment well, it was always a bit large for our house.  I've been on a mission to find something new for a couple of years and really fell in love with the idea of a linen-colored sofa.  Crazy with a little one, right?  In an attempt to balance pretty with functional, I finally decided on a washable, slip-covered sofa. The problem?  Most of the ones I like cost a small fortune.  And, with as much as my taste changes, I'm not willing to spend a small fortune.  I'm also not willing to take the gamble that my linen-colored sofa idea is a great one.  So, we've been on the lookout for something affordable, but nice.  Something that will hold up decently to being lived in, but is still comfortable.  Enter IKEA.

As hesitant as I was at first, I really think their Ektorp sofa and chair are going to meet our needs.  The sofa is $499 and the chair is $399 - completely affordable.  Plus, they were super comfortable - and most importantly - washable!  We held off on actually buying anything and are going to wait until we can move them directly to the new house.  Now, I'm on the lookout for another coordinating chair.  Preferably something that is a tad smaller than the Ektorp chair and contains a bit of a pattern.  Any suggestions?

The inspiration board below is the look I think I'm going for:

The couch, chair and ottoman are all from IKEA.  We purchased the rug from Rugs USA during their recent (and still ongoing) 50% off sale - it's the Keno Nava Trellis rug in Slate and the price was right.  The reviews are good, but I haven't yet seen it in person.

I'm thinking of carrying the same wall color from the kitchen and dining area into the living room.  I like the shade of gray and I really think the continuity will be nice.

The throw pillows, artwork and decorative accents will be the tough part.  I don't like spending a ton of money on "pretty" things, but I really want everything to look nice and pulled together.  After browsing at least fifteen website for throw pillows, I was able to narrow down a selection that will hopefully help set the tone for the room.  I love the casual mix of patterns and I think the colors are neutral enough that I can pull in some brighter art for the walls.  Says the accountant...  I really have no idea what I'm doing.

The sources of the pillows are:
1. Sculpted Origami Pillow Cover in Heather Gray from West Elm - $34.00
2. Honeycomb Crewel Pillow Cover in Blue/Ivory from West Elm - $39.00
3. Keyes Decorative Pillow in Charcoal/White from Home Decorators Collection - $54.00
4. Piper Decorative Pillow in Yellow/White from Home Decorators Collection - $54.00
5. Deco Dot Down Filled Pillow in Spa Blue and Ivory from Shades of Light - $42.00
6. Nate Berkus for Target Gray Geometric Applique Pillow from Target - $24.99
7. Medallion Flocked Lumbar Pillow from World Market - $14.98

I'm hoping Marshalls/HomeGoods/TJ Maxx/Tuesday Morning will have similar pillows for much less.  The prices above are much more than I'd like to pay for decorative pillows.  I did hit up Kohl's tonight (yay for 30% off coupons!) and was able to pick up some pillows for the spare bedroom, but I didn't find anything for the living room.  Bummer.

We made a few more purchases on Sunday for the dining area and spare bedroom, plus Hubby's mom is hard at work on a project for E's room.  I think I have somewhat of an idea of the design direction in those rooms - and will share details soon.  Now, to figure out the rest of E's room, the main bath, the master bedroom and the flex room. 

In the mean time, here's a sneak peek of a few items we did end up purchasing from IKEA:

From L to R: LAPPLJUNG panel curtains, HENRIKSDAL upholstered chair, KAUSTBY wooden chair (note: the KAUSTBY chair we purchased is similar to the above, but larger and sturdier - and $10 more)

day 128

Not much has changed on the house this past week.  The backhoe returned last Thursday (day 123) and started digging up the front yard.  After racking our brains a bit, we realized they were hooking up the sewer and water lines.

At some point on Friday or Saturday they hit the underground electrical lines and we were without power until the utility company was able to come out yesterday morning.  Everything is back up and running now, though.

The big news is that the granite was installed in the kitchen today (day 128)!  The stone is Kashmir White and it looks amazing.  They still need to finish some caulking, drill the faucet holes, and cut out the area for the cooktop, but that's easy enough (says the person who doesn't have a clue how to do any of that).

They also put in the granite for the drop zone today, but my camera battery died before I could grab a photo.  I like it but I'm struggling with the 3" backsplash that was installed with the counter.  It's a small space so the backsplash seems a bit excessive.  Plus, it's totally unnecessary since there won't be water in the area.  On the plus side, it covers up the gaps between the countertop and the drywall.  Apparently the drywall is slightly bowed in the drop zone nook, which was their reasoning for installing the backsplashes in the first place.  I think I'm just going to live with them for now and if I still don't like them down the road, I can always do some demolition.

This whole backsplash discussion with the granite folks tonight got me thinking about the bathrooms, as well.  In the main bath, we'll definitely add the granite backsplash.  The bathroom will primarily be used by kids and it makes complete sense from a practical standpoint.  In the master bath, though, I really prefer the look of not having a backsplash.  But I don't want to ruin my drywall.  And I don't think I want to add tile.  Another decision that will need to be made soon.

Well, I'm kind of hoping soon.  Because that will mean the carpenters and tile guy showed up again.  I'm anxious to see the master bath vanity put together and also can't wait to see the tiled shower in the master bath.  Patience is becoming less and less of my strong suit these days.  I'm not sure if I blame the house construction or the two year old?

This past weekend, Hubby and I were able to escape the chaos for a bit.  We dropped E off with a sitter Sunday morning and spent the day shopping, browsing and even sitting down for lunch, without the interruptions of a certain little guy.  It was bliss.  But we were both missing E like crazy by the end of the afternoon.  It's funny how that works.

I also ran by the house on Saturday, during E's naptime, to grab some photos of the cabinets and trimwork on my big girl camera, in the daylight.  Since the last update, doors have finished being installed and most of the trimwork is complete.  Everything is really coming together and starting to get that almost-finished look.

Hopefully the next update will include a gorgeous master bath vanity.  Crossing my fingers. And toes.  And arms.  And legs.  And whatever else I can think of.

day 121

It's snowing up here.  Again.  And that really wouldn't be a big deal, except there was a bit of a mishap with our garage door on Monday.  We still have no idea what happened, but the large door is partially off the track on one side and the track on the other side is bent and detached from the wall.  So, our garage door is currently stuck wide open.  Luckily, the snow has been drifting in the opposite direction of the open door, so our garage isn't completely filled with snow.  Yet.  Our Construction Manager called the garage door guys Monday evening so hopefully they'll be out to fix it soon.  Better now than in 18 months, I suppose.  (Update: finally finishing this post on Thursday - door was fixed on Wednesday and the garage door openers and keypads were also installed)

The carpenters have been hard at work inside the house this week installing our cabinets, trim and doors.  They still need to assemble the master bathroom vanity (which I'm beyond anxious to see), but the kitchen cabinets, drop zone and main bath vanity are in.  And I love them.

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Chiffon - looking north]

It's crazy how much I adore this kitchen already - and it's still missing important things like crown molding along the tops of the cabinets, hardware, granite counters and stainless steel appliances.  So excited to see it all come together.

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Chiffon - looking west]

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Chiffon - looking northwest]

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Chiffon - looking northeast]

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Chiffon - looking east]

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Chiffon - looking southeast]

The fun part about the cabinets?  They have upgrades I'd forgotten about.  Always a nice surprise!  I didn't remember for certain if they would be soft-close (they are!) and I wasn't sure if the drawer front under the sink would be functional (it is!).  Which brings me to another question.  For the main bath vanity, should I put hardware on the two non-functioning drawer fronts under the sinks?  Currently, I have pulls for the three middle drawers and knobs for the two cabinet doors.  Decisions, decisions.

[Portrait by Merillat in Maple Sable - main bath vanity]

[Tolani by Merillat in Maple Sable - drop zone]

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to having a set place to put mail and school papers and everything else that currently clutters my kitchen table.  I even picked up a few organizers for the drawer at Target tonight (Have you checked out their Clearance lately?  It's everywhere!)

Besides cabinets, the crew has been hard at work installing trim, putting in closets and hanging doors.  I'm not sure I'm sold on the dark hanging bars, but that's an easy enough fix.  And eventually we plan to do custom closet systems, so I'll probably just wait until then to change anything.  It's a bit crazy to already be talking about changing things and upgrades.  I suppose that's part of working within a set budget, though.

Know what looks even better than the closets, though?  The doors.  I. am. in. love.  It's amazing how big of an impact such a simple, non-standard selection can make.  When we were sitting with the designer, making selections, I remember casually mentioning that it would be nice to do something other than the standard.  He knew I liked the detail found in older homes and, when he pulled out his deck of alternatives, I was immediately drawn to the traditional three panel Craftsman style door.  I think our exact doors are the Crossmore by CraftMaster, but no guarantees.  Aren't they lovely?

On Monday evening there was still a stack of doors and trim to be installed, but as of tonight, the piles are almost non-existent.  All doors have been hung (including the pretty French door below) and trim is almost complete.  It's looking so much more like a house.  Our house.