Weekend Happeninings...Around the House

I spent the entire weekend shopping...shopping and styling.

As I told you before, I've got some shoots coming up so things need to get did as it were.

In the arena of long term stuff, we're also re-considering our plan to rent the house out when the new one is built...feeling like selling might be a better option and if so, I want the house looking its absolute best...so we can fetch top dollar as it were.

Anyhoo...furniture pieces and new lighting will most definitely be coming with us when we move.

But for now, this is what's happening round here...

1. Some black marble accessories and a basket (for towels) got added to the bathroom...

Now I just need to hang art...which PS, I bought at IKEA for $30 bones (not usually a mass produced art kind of girl but thought this was rather perfect for in there)...

I also stole this guy from the living room...

I wanted to note how my I LOVE the tiles in there...so so happy with how they turned out and have plans to replicate almost exactly for the boys room in the new house.

A HUGE thanks to Home Depot and Anatolia Tile for delivering the super duper goods on that front!

2. I bought a plant for the basement family room (again, HD comes to the rescue- I almost bought one of these at a local nursery last week for $129 bones...HD, $29.99:)

...let's see how long I can keep it alive.

3. Bedding and a mattress got added to the teenager's room...

4. I got my Trillion beauty up ( a big thanks to Christine at 219 for ordering it up for me...I seriously couldn't function without this girl...between her store and her friendship...well, I feel very lucky let's just say).

...which was work let me tell you.

The crystals came individually wrapped in a box like this...

...and I had to take each one out, string two pins...

...and hang.

It easily took 3 hours but wowzers, was it ever worth it...I'll be hand walking that bad boy down the street to the new house...of this I am VERY sure.

And I think that was it for the weekend.

And for right now, my living room has been completely torn apart so that we can slap some paint up on the walls...planning on a big change in there...I'm trading in the art wall in favour of some large scale goodness by the incredibly talented Jen Mann...

...he's called 'Sway' and I lurv him greatly.

And speaking of ginormous art, my two anewall pieces arrived and...

I COULD NOT LOVE THEM MORE

Seriously- I'm obsessed with them...the scale is just too good.

Stay tuned for more progress shots on Instagram etc.

And I promise some full reveals very soon.

xo

Around Here....

I literally had the WORST sleep of my life last night...whatever plague I have is making me boiling hot one second and freezing cold the next...it's also forcing my face feel like it's had a rough go in a meat grinder.

Not cool.

And the worst part...I literally watched baby sleep his little heart out beside me...to be awake when he was off in zzzzz land...not OK.

Anyhoo...on a much happier note, today marks Jasper's 2 month birthday...

I seriously can not believe he's this big already...sad mommy.

Thankfully, his sweet expressive face makes EVERYTHING OK.

In other 'me' news...unrelated to precious boy...stuff has been happening with #projectgetroomsreadyforkids

As you know, the whole renovation started with Home Depot coming to the rescue...they supplied the stunning grey laminate flooring that runs through the hallway, bedroom, main living area and laundry nook...the subway tile that lines the laundry and bathroom walls, and the marble mosaic flooring for the bathroom, are also Home Depot specials...I literally couldn't be more thrilled with all of it.

When it comes to renovations, Home Depot really does have so many amazing products...from their special order department to their in stock loveliness, there's goodness a plenty.

My incredible contractor, architect and painter have been busy ever since the Home Depot supplies were delivered and as of now, we're seeing an end final reveal getting very close.

My painter was here yesterday and gave a bunch of stuff the black treatment...

The floating wall cabinets in the hallway {I'm debating those wall shelves... might take them out and just hang some artwork...flip flopping}are about to get some white quartz tops and the laundry sliding door is getting its etched frosted glass installed before the weekend...very excited on both fronts.

And as for next steps...we've got these things on the list...

1. finish laundry area with countertops and cabinetry.

2. construct built ins for TV area above Barcelona bench or...for the wall opposite the TV...debating which wall I want this on.

3. load toys and crap back in:(

4. connect gas line to make working fireplace...we hadn't planned on doing this right away but I think if we are going to really spend time down there, it's got to be warmer and this seems the easiest way to make that happen.

And then...it's just some more accessorizing, art hanging, zhushing etc.

On that front, the Moroccan Shag rug I ordered from RugsUSA arrived and I couldn't be happier with it...

...it's such a lovely creamy white and silky as all get up...helps with the cold issue too.

I'm really quite thrilled with how the new basement is coming together and very excited to get 'er done so I can take pictures with a real camera and show you all the finished goods.

And now that the basement is almost there, we're starting to get a few other house jobs checked of the list.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you've seen pics of my new hood...and if you're not over there, here she is in all her white boxy glory...

...exactly what I wanted...happy, happy.

Next jobs re: house: moulding work in the foyer and on the living room ceiling; new white paint for the living room walls; a new roof (steel, enviroshake or cedar I think,) new windows (white,  black????) and perhaps a siding re-do (god help me when I have to decide on that)...or we could just move...

...which = THE NEVER-ENDING DEBATE...fark.

xo

Weekend Progress - #projectbaby and #projectgetroomsreadyforkids ....Instagram Styles

** This post is brought to you by Home Depot Canada **

Well...I haven't had a baby yet:(

BUT...I'm feeling like it might happen soonly.

And since I'm a weird numbers girl, tomorrow would be perfect because it would give Baby J a pretty awesome birthday equation of 3.12.13...break that up and you've got a lovely little palindrom...

3.1.2.1.3

Yup...like it very much.

Also, my sister and niece are coming on Wednesday so tomorrow would be ideal.

And if that can't happen, any day before Saturday would also work.

Gods...do you hear me?

Hoping so.

This belly...

...is VERY ready to pop so yes...baby come out time please and thank you.

Moving on.

In an effort to spur the whole baby delivery thing on, I helped my contractor and husband get some things done in the nursery and basement.

And by assisting, I mean that I delegated, instructed and gently enthusiastically encouraged;)

With my help, the boys club was able to...

Install the Hicks pendant in the bambino's room (PS, one of my favourite shops 219 is now offering up VC stuff so if you'd like some of this goodness for your very ownly, go there)...

...put my Fleur Lux paper garland mobile up over the crib...

...get the new sectional put together and placed in the right spot (shop 

Black Rooster for this loveliness)...

...install 3 Visual Comfort flush mounts in the hallway (though I could only get 2 at a time photographed)...

...stick the sink on the wall in the bathroom...

...put the guest room/teenagers bed together...

...and get the fireplace surround, brass bookcases and daybed put in their respective right spots...

PS, thank god for electronic babysitters at times like these.

Our contractors are arriving any minute and will finish the bathroom ceiling so that the rest of the goodies in there can go in.

As well, baseboards and doors are being delivered and will hopefully be in tomorrow.

After that, there will be some painting to finish, a fireplace to install, the laundry doors/track to get in, the staircase railing to put up, and built ins on the opposite wall to the fireplace to install (still debating what to do here).

All is coming together, though there is one hitch I need to solve.

My plan to put our old dining table in the 'playroom' end of the basement might not work...I just don't think there's enough space for it.

So...I need to either buy a very cheap and much smaller round table for the 2 office chairs that have been purchased, or incorporate some sort of built in desk situation into whatever we build on that wall- we shall see.

Also, I am still debating what colour to paint the fireplace and whether or not I want to put mouldings on the basement walls or leave them crisp and perhaps paint with a high gloss oil (did that in the bedroom and LOVE it).

I'll be posting more about the basement's paint selections/decisions very soon, once the space is more put together...for now, let's just say Para Paints has made my basement, and indeed more of my house, MUCH prettier!

As for the nursery, we're just waiting on the daybed to show up and then it's done, done, done.

Excited to share the afters on both fronts.

xo

#projectgetroomsreadyforkids - Tile and Flooring!!!

** This post is brought to you by Home Depot Canada **

Woot...it's Friday.

PS, still haven't had a baby...I thought by #3, they'd practically just fall out...apparently I was wrong...according to my doctor, it doesn't look like that might happen in the next few days or even week:( 

ARG.

The good flip side of baby staying put is that alot of the work on the basement can continue and will be done by the time my family arrives next week...let's just hope baby does too so that people aren't just visiting for the sake of saying hi.

Anyhoo...the basement.

ALOT has happened this week and most of it centers on the amazing products that were supplied for the project from Home Depot Canada.

If you remember, the whole re-do began with my need for some new flooring.

After some shopping/sourcing/thinking, hubs and I decided on laminate, both for it's look and durability.

A quick trip to the Depot and this Hamford Oak , by Beaulieu Canada was chosen...

In real life, the boards are much wider, there's more grain and it's slightly darker.

Here are the progress shots of it being installed in the hallway...

The floor went in so fast and I'm BEYOND thrilled with how it turned out.

I love, love, love the grey tone and how it makes the basement feel so clean and fresh.

It's also very soft on the feet, thanks to the Eco-Cork foam underlayment from 

PXL Cross-Linked Foam...good, good stuff.

Along with the laminate, Home Depot also very generously supplied my tile for both the bathroom and laundry nook.

I knew I wanted all the walls covered, so decided on a Daltile's classic 

3x6 white subway tile...

...and Sassi Bianca Polished Basketweave Marble , supplied by 

Anatolia Tile and Stone, for the bathroom floor...

As of right now, both are awaiting some dark grey grout action, but here's how it looks pre- filling...

1. Laundry

2. Bathroom

Mucho happiness.

If you had seen how dingy and gross that laundry area was before and how now, the tile makes it so clean and crisp...let's just say it's a MAJOR transformation.

VERY EXCITED...to say the least.

I have to take a second and thank not only Home Depot for the gorgeous product, but also National Installations Ltd. for their amazing work...the installation of the tile and laminate has been so seamless and the workmanship is impeccable!!!

And in other fun basement news, my sectional, desk chairs and side table are all being delivered today (thanks to Black Rooster) and the VC hallway lights (thanks 219) are also due to arrive.

The weekend will see the bedroom become at least slightly habitable, and my fireplace surround/gold bookcases will also be set in place.

So...next week will have some big progress updates...stay tuned!

{And PS, I promise the next set of updates will showcase some clearer photographs, thanks to my daughter's fancy camera that will be coming back from University with her when baby arrives...relying on my iphone for photos is becoming a bit long in the tooth as it were}

For now, have a fabulous weekend everyone and please think 'baby come out and meet the world' thoughts for mid-next week'...sometime in the Tuesday- Saturday range would be perfect;)

Gracias.

xo