Progress

We have been working non-stop in the basement for days, with minor breaks to go into town to buy more supplies to use in the basement.  I have been doing lots, but finishing nothing.  Until today.  Some things are now officially finished.

  

Lee framed and I spackled, sanded, primed and painted the transom.  Then Lee installed the pieces to hold in the glass and I did the touch up paint.  So now the transom is done.  All done.  No more.

  


I like the way it turned out.  It looks good from both directions.

  

If you would like me to make one for you the answer is no.   You can't afford me.  Although in a year or two I might be persuadable!

When we had the basement framed we included a spot to make a built-in bookcase.  We asked a local cabinetmaker to come bid on it as we are getting very tired of working in the basement to the exclusion of all things.  He brought a book of glorious work and then quoted us a price that was fair, but more than what we wanted to pay.  After building it ourselves, I have had MANY regrets that we didn't bite the bullet and hire him, but we saved hundreds of dollars.  And it is just a white bookcase.  After I fill it with books and some tchotchkes ( Oooh.  A word I had to look up.  No help from spell check.) no one will know.

  

The hardest part of the job was, the walls are not straight.  Some of that is from the framers and some from wood just twisting and turning as it dries.  It kept the baseboards from fitting flush against the walls in a lot of places.  That was fixed by my caulking the whole shebang over several days.  My back still hurts. One end of the bookcase area was an inch deeper than the other end.  We didn't want to build a box to insert in the space,  just some shelves, so that was a bit tricky and we questioned whether we should just tear out the whole thing and build the box.

  

Now we are done and if it isn't perfect, we can fill the shelves and no one, but YOU, will know.  And if you make a comment, you will have to eat leftovers.  And the cats brought me a mouse (deceased) which I did not eat, so it is leftover!

  

So I like it and we done good.

  

We also had to leave a hole in the room under the staircase where we put the toilet.  It is to access plumbing for my jetted tub above the basement.  The framers framed it and the plasterers left it, so now I have to fill it.  Lee cut a board to fit the hole and I had to prime it when priming the transom and the bookcase.  Then paint it.  So now that is done, too.  Three things. YAY!

  

Lee and I have been taking bits of time to go look at antique stores in the hopes of finding something to put in that alcove to cover the wood over the hole. It will also be used to hold supplies, like toilet paper and extra towels.  We found a cupboard that will fit the bill.  I measured carefully at the back of the alcove, and it will fit perfectly there.  But I didn't measure at the front where the door trim is and it wouldn't get past that. 

  

Lee cut a bit off both sides of the overhang on the top and now it fits.  It was 1/2 inch too short to cover the wood over the plumbing access, so Lee cut a strip of wood and attached it to the top at the back.  I sanded everything and filled holes and sanded again.  Then I primed it. 

  

The bathroom is yellow with white trim.  Very yellow, so I mixed a bit of white to tone down the color and yet still match the walls.  I painted the inside white and will line the shelves to look clean and be less likely to snag anything with the rough wood surface. 

  

It turned out pretty good. We may not be cabinet makers, but we are cabinet fixers.   I am going to replace the wooden knobs on the doors with painted ceramic ones.

In fact, Lowe's just called and said the toilet we had to special order is in.  So I will go and look at knobs while Lee is getting the toilet.

The kitchen counter top will be delivered and installed this week, so all the big jobs are done.  I need to go around and do all the touch up painting.  And look for a glass mosaic tile for the backsplash. The carpet will have to wait for a bit.  Not ready to look and make any more decisions for a while.  Then I will need the furniture.  My sister-in-law has agreed to be my designer by buying at estate sales in her area.

Jane?!  What have you got for me?  We're getting close!