More on counters

Okay, sorry for the confusion. The large slab Elliott was modeling in the top two photos in the previous post was Mint Green. That is our top contender.

In these pictures here in this post, we're trying to approximate what that would look like on top of a white cabinet, which will be on top of cork floors.

The rounded granite sample is close to Mint Green but just a little bluer.

The darker samples were the other options we were considering, but they were not available at the warehouse we went to and we are tired of driving around! We think we do like the light green of Mint Green. Before we put the placemats on the buffet, we tried a lighter pillowcase and realized that Mint Green is not as light as we'd thought. It's not dark, but I think it will work.

Here are some other links if you're interested. Thanks for your consideration!
Mint Green
http://www.tradeindia.com/fp573139/Mint-Green-Granite.html
http://www.livingstonesindia.com/vareties.html

Verde Fantastico dark green
http://www.marblecityca.com/stones/verde-fantastico

or Costa Esmeralda
http://www.granitegurus.com/2010/02/slab-sunday-costa-smeralda-granite.html

or maybe Seafoam Green
http://www.marblecityca.com/stones/sea-foam-green
(will call this local place to see what they actually have in stock: http://www.daltilestone.com/series.cfm?c=2&s=1&cf=16)

Kitchen colors...

We are closing in on a granite choice for the kitchen. There will be a lot of this, and it will be visible from the front door as it will extend along the wall where the windows currently are.

The wall you'll see when you enter the house will have new windows above this counter, which will sit on new cabinets where the cherry piece of furniture is.

Cabinets will be white (not cream as they are now), the floor will be natural cork, the small bits of wall that have tile will have the existing white subway tile (with white grout, no longer the current gray. We whitened a sample area and like it a lot better).

We don't want a granite with lots and lots of variation in color (not a lot of dark and light, and not a lot of mica/flinty/reflective pieces). We've decided we like more monotone but don't want to stick with the current black, which doesn't really go with the warm tones of the adjoining room.

We have entertained a very dark green counter (esp Victoria, to the far right in the photos with three small samples), but all the dark green granites we like in theory are not available through the local wholesalers right now. So we're thinking about this lighter green called Mint Green. (It's being compared to our paint color and our cork color plus a small sample we had at home of something almost the same but a tiny bit more blue).

I think we have ruled out the jagged sample you see in the photos with the dark green -- that was Golden Beach. I think it has too much variation and that I'd always think the counter looked messy. No need for extra of that!

Let us know what you think!

new closet

A few updates

Forgot to share photos of our newish rug in the back family room and corner table for the TV. This Craigslist find allowed us to move the coffee table to the front living room, which now looks less goofy and empty than it did with just a couch sitting there lonely.

In the back FR, you'll see swatches of paint colors that we are trying out in hopes of lightening and warming up the room a bit and not clashing so much with the cork floor. A new couch and/or sectional is in our future. We'll probably stick with a sage green but might have an accent chair in red.

We also got a smaller console table for the front entryway and moved the bigger wooden Hardwood Artisans piece to the dining area. The light cherry buffet is now near the eating and Elliott's play around around the corner.

Nothing is 100% set, but we are getting there!

some photos of where we live now

Last night en la casa vieja

Not sure if that title is correct, but I do have Spanish on the brain lately with all the contractors from El Salvador, Bolivia...

Here are some last photos of empty rooms with new colors (and a perfectly matched color in the blue office room that required touch-up paint after we expanded the closet opening. Our sample was too small to match, so John just eyeballed it. Way to go!). The old house is mostly packed up but there will be a fridge and some clothes to deal with in the morning, in just 9 hrs. I'll have to take a few photos of all the boxes and a last glimpse of the old place in the morning if the camera battery holds out. We have two chargers, but who knows where either one is!

Rounding a corner

It's been a busy... week and a half! and day. lots of contractor stuff. lots of money. lots of stress. but now that the floors are done and construction-ish stuff is done and basement cleaning is largely done and packing is mostly done and painting is underway, I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Carpet is up hardwood upstairs is done and drying. Corner in den is now w/out FP and is painted. Pink bedroom is painted peach (one coat yet to go). Upstairs not painted yet. Wall that was shortened is all done, though floor replacement in isn't finished but can be walked on and will work for now. Basement is a lot cleaner, as are lots of other surfaces.

Generally, though there is still a considerable amount of work ahead, I'm remembering why we entered into this and am excited about the move.