Stairs from here to there

Now that the kitchen is nearly completed, focus has been on installing the oak stairs and rails in both the entryway and utility room. This beast of a house has come a long way!

View from the living room up the loft [before].

View from the loft down to the living room [before].

Testing, smoking, and hoping

Ovens installed! As instructed, I ran both ovens at 500F on the convection roast setting for an hour. As a result, I inadvertently tested all the smoke detectors in the entire house. Then I got to test all the ceiling fans...

Other than tweaks to the cabinetry, and the wires for the island light fixture, the kitchen is relatively complete. 

I can finally see the end to this phase of the renovation. The only major item remaining is cork flooring for the bedrooms, and tile flooring for the family room and entryway. After I move in, phase II kicks off (which includes the solar panel array, re-shingling the roof, patio repair, and driveway modifications).

Ovens, stairs, and a sconce

The double-oven has finally arrived! It's being installed today, and should be ready for a test tomorrow.

Two things I love seeing when I open these oven doors: 1) the heating elements are integrated in the oven walls, so it's easy to clean; and 2) it's blue inside! The controls are hidden at the top of the ovens, and reveal at the push of a button.

Oak stairs are installed and varnished for the back stairway.

Sometimes, it's those little elements, such as a wall sconce, that takes more effort to select than the kitchen appliances.

Boiling water made fast and fun

Kitchen, hearth progress, other homey details

While inspecting progress on my house's renovation, tunes from an iPod purred throughout the in-ceiling speakers. Everyday, the place feels more like home.

Excluding a breaker upgrade from 30 to 50 amps, the cooktop, down-draft, and dishwasher are installed! I've already taken an induction-capable pot for testing.

Lighting fixture is nearly installed over the island. After James has a chance to weight in on hanging height, the excess wire will be trimmed and tucked.

Fridge in place, but its height required some minor modification to the cabinets above. Also, where you see a white ice chest, the double ovens are to be installed... after they arrive in 2 weeks.

The hearth in the living room is halfway there! This section is drying so that it can better support the next layer of stone. Once finished, the wood-burning stove takes stage.

Hung, but not yet wired, the last ceiling fan, which is in the master bedroom.

Other details include:

• Moisture barrier installed on nearly all the floors, including the stairs.
• Paint details throughout the entire house.
• Moisture barrier and exterior for the chimney nearly finished.
• Radiant heat pad ready to install, and then we tile the family room and entryway!

Kitchen, chimney, speakers, nerd

Installing (replacing) the above-counter cabinets in the kitchen's corner.

More cabinets.

Dishwasher installed.

Cooktop is nearly installed, and the down-draft (that strip at the top) is in.

In-ceiling (or wall) speakers are installed around the house (with iPod/iPhone/iPad control of the receiver/amplifier).

Chimney for the family room in mid-repair.

Interior shot of the new front doors, with James being a photo-sabotaging nerd!

Appliances, front doors, stoves, etc

New front doors

Building a new hearth in the living room for the wood-burning stove. The mortar was still wet for the slate base when I took this photo.

Had to replace much of the chimney due to rot.

Induction cooktop. Nerd that I am, I like that the cooktop sports Melt and Simmer settings as well as rapid boil. Not pictured is the down-draft vent that rises from the counter top via remote control.

New KitchenAid fridge. We plan on installing a deep freezer in the utility room, so we went with a basic refrigerator that fits the existing cabinets.

Dishwasher

One of several in-wall speakers.

One of the in-ceiling speakers for surround sound in the family room.

Access tunnels to the septic tank are resized, and on the 'completed' list.

Doors and mores

Front doors are nearly installed. Stoves are being finished. 7.1 surround sound, and "zone 2" speakers installed. Kitchen appliances are arriving tomorrow! The exterminator arrives soon, and the contractors are hacking out any termite damage as it's discovered (such as the chimney and front door stop).