Every week, as I’m swiping through my camera roll to find photos suitable for sharing in a blog post (hint: the vast majority are more practical than pretty; useful on a material run or when working out a problem but not fit to publish – I’m working on this!) I struggle to figure out which projects are of interest to you. Many times I have “before” pictures but not the “afters” – or vice versa. I don’t look at projects with a marketing eye and haven’t gotten into the habit of documenting the finished product, unless it’s a full bath or kitchen complete with a heart-stopping reveal. In areas other than construction, I’ve tried to focus on the old adage ‘Progress, not Perfection’ and find it helps when trying to get started on a task instead of procrastinating. In areas including construction, this quote fits: I’ve been sharing sporadic details about the home to be built in Quail Valley and while the concept is thrilling, I’ve found myself dragging my feet on the next steps to getting started and not knowing why. So, in the interest of both progress and perfection, I picked the plans up yesterday afternoon. #thatcontractorlife In order to move forward with HOA approval, I have to submit the exterior colors. The home will be clad in James Hardie fiber cement siding – a product I used on custom homes “back home” while every other builder was using vinyl siding – the difference being it was pre-painted from a small color palette versus the unpainted product used in Houston. Not sure if expanding color choice is a good thing for someone that can’t quite settle on a whole-home interior scheme of four colors, but I’m working through the fan decks I have collected over the years in hopes of finding the perfect shades for this lovely home. It backs on to a golf course, so I’d like a rich color to set off the view while not turning any potential buyers off. The interior will have a craftsman/farmhouse feel, and I’d like to mimic that on the exterior as well. Sherwin-Williams and Pottery Barn Kids have partnered and put together this gorgeous assortment: Almost as nice as looking at a dozen assorted donuts. Almost ;) I’m wrapping up a kitchen refresh project as mentioned in previous posts and should have the photos to prove it next week. The homeowners have fabulous taste and stunning vision, I’m so anxious to see the project come together. Finally, the Cottage Wall has seen some love this week. All three coats of mud/joint compound – depending on where you’re from – have been applied and the floors have the dust to show for it. The boards will be installed next and then…paint! As always, thank you for reading and please check back next week for a kitchen reveal, Cottage Wall update, and more information on the Quail Valley build. Progress and perfection are promised :) If you have a project that you would like The Ashbury Construction Company to provide a consultation for, please contact us to set an appointment today!
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In my life, and I’m sure in yours, there have been many miracles. Some of epic proportions – like the birth of my kids; some of medium proportions – such as the potty training of said kids; and some on a smaller scale – like a Venti Midnight Mocha Frappuccino after a long day with those very same kids ;) Professionally, I’ve witnessed miracles as well, but my favorite ones have to do with project completion when the clients look at each other in wonder, their only regret being that they waited so long to get started. Sometimes, these are large scale renovations such as gutting the master bath or reconfiguring the kitchen layout but just as often it’s work performed on a smaller but equally important scale. Creating a more efficient mudroom, custom carpentry, or a fresh coat of paint have all had the same effect. In addition to the painted wall frame project a few blog posts back and the ongoing Cottage Wall project I started a few weeks back (sadly, without progress to report…check back next week!), the ideas featured below are low-investment but high-impact. The paint job in this bath is incredible – slightly more of a challenge given our textured walls, but very doable nonetheless. Many of the consultations I get called for have to do with how to improve a “blah” powder room – I can’t think of any that wouldn’t be enhanced with this simple concept. Finally, sheetrock and mouldings – every day miracle workers. I last wrote about lowering the breakfast bar and these ideas would increase the wow factors of those pieces. After the Cottage Wall is complete, I'm hoping to add some detailing to my kitchen "island" (really a half-wall) similar to these images. Removing the raised breakfast bar would be ideal, but without extending the counters would pose a problem due to the placement of the sink. These mouldings might just be enough to help me forget why I dislike the raised bar so much... If you would like to discuss a miracle on any budget, please contact The Ashbury Construction Company at any time.
Photo/Design credits: Future Builders Inc., Remodelaholic, Simply Swider, Pinterest, Decorpad Hello July! Tough to believe we are officially closer to the end of 2017 than the beginning of it. I’m not one to set New Years resolutions for a host of reasons, but have done my best to follow some advice from Tony Robbins and Raise My Standards. This advice really struck me as it was something that could be done no matter the situation – rock bottom, needing a boost, or from the summit. It could be something small, the first step towards improvement. In contrast to a goal (which is helpful in its own way), raising one’s standards felt very actionable as opposed to being more thought or planning based. In contrast to raising standards, I’ve been very focused on lowering the bar – the breakfast bar. Many of the homes I have visited lately for kitchen consultations have them, and the consensus from many homeowners is that they have to go. Because they are narrow, they don’t serve their intended purpose, and can be tricky with kids as they add extra height to already-tippy barstools. The scale is too small for some homes, and the backsplash between the counter and bar area is generally very short which isn’t very appealing esthetically. The fix isn’t as intensive as you may think and I believe the investment will be well-worth the final outcome. I’m excited to start a kitchen refresh project this week that will remove the raised bar altogether in favor of a larger space and a more modern look. Before and after photos should be up in the next few weeks, but here is a teaser to get started: The coffered breakfast wall nook project has been renamed Cottage Wall for simplicity’s sake – and also because it was confused with Coffin Wall which is not the impression I was hoping for! I was able to pick up materials this week, prepare the area, and perform the required demolition – it was minimal. Here are some progress shots, not terribly exciting but the Northerner in me is happy to see a smooth wall in the midst of all this texture – even if it’s only temporary. Finally, the plans for the new build are done and the files have been sent for rendering. Once I have the images back, I’ll share them here. The home is to be built in the Quail Valley neighborhood of Missouri City and should be listed on www.har.com shortly as well. I’m hoping to break ground in the next six weeks or so – this will be my first permitting experience in Texas so I’m not sure how long it will take to get going. I’m excited to start and share the details of this home with you.
If you’d like to lower your breakfast bar or talk about a project such as my Cottage Wall, please contact The Ashbury Construction Company today! |
AuthorJulie Monkhouse Archives
April 2020
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