Bathtub!

The little remodel continues. My tub was installed!



It is super deep Kohler soaking tub. I look forward to getting to take my first bath.

The lighting guy came and put in overhead light in my great room - so now that area can also be bright.



And I also have overhead light in my bedroom. This is just so nice.



They are just starting with the closet project. I took everything out of the closet (which will be good for me to help with a spring cleanse) and they are setting it up for my prune drying tray doors and to add in some additional structure.



This weekend I head off to Hawaii for my triathlon and I hope when I return almost everything will be done!

Remodel

I really did not like the bathtub area in my bathroom.



My remodel of this area has now begun, with the area now free of anything!



I am looking forward to seeing the area with my tile and a new tub, and no more ugly frosted glass screen!

While doing the bathtub area, I am also getting some overhead light put in downstairs, and in both of the bedrooms. I got this lovely fixture for my bedroom:



We will also be fixing the closet in the bedroom using the prune drying trays as the closet doors.

In a few weeks this will all be done. I am looking forward to it!

Woodshop

So far it has been a great 2008. This is just a little update on my local adventures, since I haven't gone on any big trips.

Woodshop!

I took a woodshop class at Palo Alto High School on Monday nights. It was so much fun to learn about wood and all the tools in the shop. I made 3 cutting boards and a centerpiece. This class gave me a new appreciation for how difficult it is make cool wood things. My projects:



Brunch at my House!

Last weekend I had a brunch is my now fully furnished downstairs. It was great to have people over to my house and get to show off my lovely new table and cook lots of yummy food.

Eating at the table:


Ally's kids playing in the dirt.


I have just filled my planters with soil and am looking forward to planting some tomatoes and herbs.

Getting ready for Lavaman 2008!

I am almost all set for the Lavaman Olympic distance Triathlon in Hawaii the first weekend in April. Earlier this month I did the Stanford Treeathalon, which was a great chance for me to practice doing a real tri. I even got to wear my cool wetsuit!



And since I raised over $5500, I am all done with fundraising and just focusing on continuing to workout until the race. All along I have also been rowing crew, and I am also looking forward to spring season of sprints.

That is the update for now.

History of the Wood

Bug sent me a history of the wood that is a part of all my furniture!

My table is constructed with three elements. The main components of the top of the table and two benches are two book-matched 2x16's cut from a 12 X 16 out of a 1927 split pea and barley warehouse in Moscow Idaho.



The live edge on the table top was a piece milled from a windfall tree at Bug's home in Occidental that was used as part of the Occidental Yacht Club's Charity Bar for 5 years.

The slab trestle legs on the table and benches were milled from a branch of a 370 year old windfall tree that fell at Salmon Creek School grounds in the storms of 2002. 85% of the gross sale of Salmon Creek wood goes to the schools Environmental Education Fund. You can read the Spirit of Windfall here.

The Incubator Doors were found in a chicken shack in Petaluma. The incubator was invented in Petaluma during her prominence as the Egg Basket of the world. The corner shelf was made with barnwood from a milk-painted barn on Fallon Road at the Marin-Sonoma County Line. The trim was from a Brainerd Jones designed Victorian house in Petaluma.

My Table

This weekend I picked up the rest of my stuff from Heritage Salvage. The most amazing piece of work was my table and benches...they are just so very beautiful. Soon Bug is going to write a full history of the wood used (Salmon Creek Redwood Windfall, Washington State Barley Barn Douglas Fir...), but even the best wood is only as good as the artist, and I was lucky to have Ron take my idea and make me this:





Some of the detail in the wood:



Me at the table!



Ron (the artist) with the table!



Along with my amazing table I also got my corner stump of fir. This is 17x17x24, super heavy, and as my mom demonstrates the perfect height for putting on shoes.



My corner unit is now in my bedroom with the book shelves.





The reframed mirror is now hung up on the wall (just past the table, which has place mats my sister brought me back from Latin America).



I also got a little coat hanger, just to complete the look.



In the back yard are some planters made of old chicken hatcheries. Now I just need to figure out how to line them before I plant my herbs and tomatoes!



I am just so very happy with all of my wood work. This is the first time I have really invested in making my home my own. I am now looking forward to having people over to eat at my table and enjoy my home.

My Corner Shelf

I still need to go pick it up, but I now have a fabulous corner shelf unit built for my entry area!



Chris of Heritage Salvage made this for me. He would call me with little questions and I would just say, sounds fine, or OK, or no, that is a bit big. I am really happy with what he came up with.

Furniture!

I now have couches! It is so exciting to have a place to sit that is comfortable in the downstairs. I updated the pictures of the Great Room. While they did not make it in time for the housewarming, the open house was still fun, with good food, friends, and family. I made a salmon and corn chowder that was really yummy.

I continue to finalize my home, with a little sitting table for my outside and updates to my room. I am also continuing to use Heritage Salvage to make things for my home, including reframing a mirror, a little corner unit, and a big dining table project. I am excited to see what the guys create for me. Bug has been really good about calling me and telling me stories about the amazing wood that can be used in the projects.

It is nice to slowly add some life and character to my home.

House Party!

I am having a housewarming party on January 26th! I am looking forward to showing my home to others!

I continue to update the house, getting furniture and other fun stuff to personalize some of the spaces. I am also meeting with a contractor to get a bid on fixing the tub area in the bathroom and making the closet area in my bedroom symmetric.

I want to use this tile in the bathroom and paint the room blue to give it a very open sky like feeling.

For the master bedroom, I am excited by the furniture I am getting from Heritage Salvage. I love the idea of reuse of materials. Many of these things came from farms in the area, so a nod to the bay area agricultural past.

Screens to use on my porch and for the closet:

Stacking shelves:

Planters from old chicken hatcheries:

Homeownership!

I am now a homeowner! I spent my first 2 months back in the Bay Area settling into the new job at Intuit, getting started exercising again by rowing crew at BIAC and training for the Lavaman 2008 Triathlon with Team in Training, and buying a house. You can see more about my new house here - Forest House.

I am looking forward to an amazing 2008, although I will probably be going on fewer trips around the world. I may use this space to do some retrospective pieces on my travels pre-2005, so you can see pictures from the wonders of Southeast Asia, China, Costa Rica, Europe and so much more.

What Should I Do?

I am very excited about the new home and think there is a lot I can do to make the house a home. Right now I have very little furniture and only a few design thoughts. I like horizontal elements, not vertical elements. I want to house to be nature themed, so the outdoor and indoor feel like one.

My mom was great and got me a couch and loveseat for Christmas. They should arrive at some point in January. They are "pine" colored and big and comfy. I am excited.

Please offer comments and suggestions!

The Bathroom

Here is the upstairs bathroom. It is lovely, except for the tub. That needs to be upgraded. I would like the room to be more "sky" like, with more blue and lavender accents.

The Master Bedroom

This is the master bedroom. With a door to the bathroom and the sliding glass doors to the balcony, there are a lot of doors in this room.

I got a new bedspread. It is very peaceful. I also got new drapes and my bookshelves in place.

The Laundry

Here is my laundry. Maybe it can be better organized? I like the leftover flooring.

The Guest Room

Here is the extra room. I am not sure what I will do here. Maybe it will become a craft room. It has lovely light during the day.

The Back Yard

My yard and Redwood Tree. They light up at NIGHT! Also, now I have a little table to sit at and watch the squirrels in the morning.

The Powder Room

This is the downstairs half bath. I am thinking this needs to be painted a sage green color.

The Great Room

I have one big great room that can be divided up into areas.

I have a little dining area, that now has my great table (and my bike is currently hanging out here too.



I have couches!






I created a little desk area, because I felt the need for a place to put mail, the computer, and other random stuff, instead of putting it on the dining table or kitchen bar.

The Kitchen

Here is the kitchen. I have filled it with all of my dishes and stuff.

Homeownership!

I bought a house! I move into my new home on December 15th. I am looking forward to the adventure of setting up the new home and will use this site to post pictures and information about each of the rooms and ask for suggestions on how to make my house a home.