Lots of good feedback from everyone on the idea of this blog, so thanks!  I’ll keep updating, but not too much happening now.  After closing we met with our builder and designer.  We had already been working with them, so the designer had another update to our plans based on our feedback, and the builder had some ideas about how to move forward with the actual work.  Since we just closed on this place, we are esentially out of cash, so the discussion with the builder ground to a halt a bit.  LOL  So much of what we do depends on the sub division of the lot, so it’s a very complicated process.  It’s a matter of the builder using his investors or finding an outside investor to commit to buying the back lot which will essentially finance our remodel.  That is BEST case scenario for us so we don’t have to finance it ourselves or with a construction loan.  In addition, the process of sub dividing the lot is extremely complicated.  Since the lot is not technically large enough to subdivide as it stands now, we need to buy 2 feet of property from one of the neighbors to get it to the legal size to divide.  That is easier said than done.  Maybe I should bake them some cookies…  Lots of things have to happen for this to move forward, but we’re not in any hurry, so it’s okay.  We just need to explore our options, and if we think it is going to take a longer time than we thought, we will consider renting it for now since it used to be a rental anyway.  So nice to have options, AND nice to have things within our control again.  Being a slave to the bank was not easy for us and we’re so glad that’s behind us.  Anyway, we should hear from the builder this week with some proposals, so we’re anxiously awaiting that.

In the meantime, we stopped over at the house on Thursday.  It’s been unusually cold here, and we wanted to turn off the water and turn the heat on.  We walked in and the house was a chilly 45 degrees, and so we got the heat going (after running out for batteries for the thermostat-ugh).  Then we started searching for the water shut off.  We found it and so Bill turned the valve off, and of course it started leaking.  GEEZ!  So I went scrambling around for a bucket and found one in one of the creepy sheds (had to get by the fear of touching anything)…  Water collected over the next few days and eventually stopped.  It’s dawning on us that we have to take care of this place in the meantime while we figure out what we’re doing with it.  Too funny.  Just hope we don’t get squatters.

So by popular demand (Bob Anderson), I am posting the initial drawings our designer put together for the layout of the house via the remodel.  Our designer Darren met with us a while back and we went through everything we needed in this house.  We have to admit, he pretty much nailed on the first try.  We only made a few minor adjustments, but somehow he got everything we needed into this space.  We’re keeping a fair amount of the existing house and not messing with foundation etc, so that was not an easy task.  Very cool.  The photos I’m posting here are all of the interior, and I will post a drawing of the exterior when we get further along as the one we have now is rather crude.  The coolest thing to note about the construction of the outside is the roof.  The first thing they do when the construction starts is to completely remove the existing roof (and I mean like taking off a hat!) to make way for the new roof which will be a sloped more modern roof to heighten the ceilings, bring a ton of light, and make the most of the views.  We don’t have very “modern” taste, so I was worried it was going to be too contemporary, but I think it will work.  We’re incorporating more stone elements and some craftsman style elements to counteract the sleek design.  It will be interesting.

Anyway, enjoy the photos and  more to follow…

Okay, main floor. Where you see the words “main floor” is actually our front door, technically on the side of the house (south side). The staircase/workout and garage is the addition, and the rest of it is the existing house that will be heavily altered. Office on this floor will be Karen’s. The deck side faces west (front of the house/street side) which is where the views are so we are doing a large deck there and then a wall of sliders creating an indoor/outdoor living space. The setbacks for the property won’t allow us to have a deck any wider than 5 feet which is too narrow to get a table on, so we are going to have our dining area right up against the wall of sliders to make an all year round outdoor dining area. The kitchen will be larger than what we have now, and the pantry will be an added bonus. We struggled with the workout room, but the designer found a great spot to work that in next to the garage. Patio off the back which is super private and access to it from various points. The stairs you see in the front off the deck are going to be the existing stairs you see in the original house photos. Right now they are a set of big ugly concrete stairs, but we can save ourselves a lot if we just keep them, spruce them up and use them as part of the patio. Bill is not convinced…

So this is the addition that sits on top of the garage. Will be a totally separate master area, and the office will be Bill’s.

This is the lower floor which is like a “garden level”. The back of it is built into the hill, so as you can see, the wine storage area will be on the side that is built into the hill. Bill has dreams of making this a cave, but I think we will settle for the fact that the proposed wine area is going to be underground which will control temperature. It will sit under the new staircase. But more importantly than that 😉 is the very large craft studio on this level that will have a plenty of room for MagnaMemos, and a bonus of a separate area for spraying (glue) that will be vented etc. Very cool. Spare bedroom down here with full bath as well as a large family room. Lots of privacy for our guests… Patio off the front/access to outside is actually the front of the house, and the area where the staircase is will be our new front door. The front door will technically be on the side of the house for added privacy.