artesian project – The Artesian Project

(master bath tour)

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but I believe your bathroom is the most important room of the day. A great morning routine plays a key role in getting your mood set for the day and ready to carpe diem that sucker – or whatever your motto may be. It is important to have a space you enjoy that sparks joy.

I LOVE our master bath. The cool tones, natural light, and fun light fixtures make me happy every single day. That and our awesome shower speaker that lets me blast Hall & Oates while I’m getting ready.

This room is full of playful textures that keep it interesting: the smooth and polished carrara marble against the hard concrete-replica porcelain Eleganza varese tile; the industrial lighting fixtures vs the soft capiz shell floral pendant; the classic shape of the faucets against very modern mirrors. It all works and it all makes me happy.

We were also able to triple our storage in this bathroom from our previous. A place for everything and everything in its place makes for an organized bath and an easy-to-navigate morning routine.

And let me tell you, morning showers in here are a complete dream. We splurged a bit here: we have a standard shower head, a rain shower head, and a steam unit which leaves your skin feeling like a baby’s butt. The glass panels allow a ton of natural light which makes waking up all that much easier – every bit helps on a Monday, amiright?

On the contrary, having different lighting options also help when going to bed. The sconces over the mirror are very bright – which is great for applying make-up, but can be rather harsh when getting ready to hit the hay. I am such a fan of this Pottery Barn Capiz Pendant because not only does it cast a magical shadow around the room, but it also radiates the perfect amount of soft light that you can brush your teeth, wash your face, and whatever you do before hopping into bed without feeling too awake — or reawake if you are like me and find yourself falling asleep on the couch most nights and just kinda sleepwalking into bed. Source list below.

Now carpe diem that day everyone!

Wall color: Sherwin Williams Gray Screen SW 7071
Vanity cabinet: Sherwin Williams Extra White SW 7006; Pyramid Cabinetry
Vanity counter: Bianco Carrara Marble; Stone City
Faucets: Moen Kingsley
Mirrors: T.J. Maxx HomeGoods
Sconces over mirrors: Restoration Hardware 20th C. Factory Filament Metal Double Sconce (on sale right now!)
Tub pendant: Pottery Barn Capiz Pendant (on sale right now!)
Shower wall/Tub tile: Arabescato Carrara Marble, 6×12
Shower floor: Carrara Polished Hex; 1×1
Bathroom floor tile: Eleganza Varese, 24×24

Construction, Home Tour, Kitchen

(kitchen tour)

We had an awesome photographer come by last weekend to shoot some photos of our home – and these photos are just the push I needed to finally get myself in gear and give the photo tour I promised (yes, I know you were all losing sleep).

Alas, low and behold, our magical black and white kitchen!

We are so thrilled with how the kitchen came out (the whole house, really), but the kitchen really is the heart of the home. When designing the floor plan, we knew we wanted a large island space for entertaining and – let me tell you – our friends flock to the island like a moth does to a flame (or however that saying goes). We also love the openness of the kitchen; the path flows from the entrance right through the kitchen to the family room without anything cutting up your way. And then there is the storage – OH the storage! Not even kidding, just the cabinets to the left of the sink is more than we had in our condo! It is scary, though, how quickly all these cabinets are getting filled… Anyways, we love pretty much everything about our kitchen. It is such a happy and bright space that I even enjoy cooking now. Please check out the finish guide below.

ISLAND

Counters: Danby Marble (made in Vermont; more durable than most marble)
Cabinet Paint: Sherwin Williams Black Magic – SW 6991
Hardware: Gilded Bronze – LOVE the pop of gold against the black
Pendant Lights: Restoration Hardware Vintage Barn Lights in Weathered Zinc (RH frequently has 30% off lighting)
Counter Stools: Restoration Hardware Outlet* (Milwaukee) French Cafe Stools in Weathered Oak

*If you are lucky to have an RH Outlet store within a decent drive, it is well worth it! Once you are there, join their e-mail list. They have on-going sales all the time (30% off dining, 40% off entire store). I would call and ask about the inventory before making the drive. We got our stools for $60!)

PERIMETER

Counters: Jet Mist Granite, Honed (incredibly durable with an awesome matte finish; similar look to soapstone)
Cabinet Paint: Sherwin Williams Extra White – SW 7006
Hardware: Venetian Bronze
Back splash: IO Subway Tile in Ice with bright white grout

ETC

Wall paint: Sherwin Williams Alabaster – SW 7008 (the perfect warm, but clean white)
Floors: Red oak with 50% Pickled Oak/50% Classic Grey Minwax (note the photo exposures makes them seem a bit lighter than in real life).
Appliances: KitchenAid

Are you working on your kitchen? Have any burning questions? I am happy to help!! But in the mean time, bon appétit!

Construction, Exterior, Progress

(home sweet home)

We are now all moved in and could not be happier about it! It has taken a week to unpack and get settled, but it is really starting to feel like home sweet home. We are so glad we decided to take the new construction route as each and every decision in the house is reflective of us – from the floor plan and material choices, all the way down to the door hardware.

We are also thrilled with our location. Each of our commutes have been cut in half and the number of insanely delish local restaurants and coffee shops within a stone’s throw is incredible. Not to mention all the wonderfully welcoming neighbors we have met so far! Our block has a great sense of community and we are excited to become a part of it.

The next few weeks I will be going through room by room and detailing all of the finishes and the process so that you can nab some ideas for yourself.

Until then, have a great weekend!

Construction, Progress

(progress report: 2 weeks out)

Holy moly! We are now just two weeks away from moving in, so I thought I would share a quick progress report from our visit yesterday.

Cannot WAIT to move in! Hope y’all have a hoppy Easter weekend!

Construction, It's all in the Details

(staind)

Last week we had to choose the floor stain which was REALLY HARD. The wood floors will be throughout the entire first and second floor and are not easy to refinish – so we have to like it. Plus, they set the tone for the whole house. After seeing the the unfinished wood installed in the house, we loved how the light bounced off the light floors and kept the space nice and bright. We also knew we wanted light floors to keep the dog scratches down to a minimum (my friends with really dark floors love the look, but hate what their dogs and kids can to do them!).

So I scrolled through dozens and dozens of photos on Houzz finding finishes I liked, like so (right?!):

Mediterranean dining room design by orange county architect Sinclair Associates Architects

Only to realize that the base wood product was different than the red oak which was installed in our house, so it is going to absorb the stain differently and have a different overall appearance – which makes a whole lotta sense. So then I dove deeper into Houzz and researched red oak and some specific Minwax Stains I had in mind, which is when I found this baby, light and clean without looking unfinished:

Contemporary kitchen design by san francisco interior designer Jeff Schlarb Design

So I relayed this to our contractor and he put some samples down of the Classic Gray Minwax and the Pickled Oak Minwax:

The Pickled Oak was pretty, but I was afraid the floors would look unfinished in that stain – the pink of the red oak was still very prevalent. The Classic Gray looked great, but it was much darker than what we were looking for. So next on the sample board was a 50/50 mix of the Pickled Oak and Classic Gray, as well as some Provincial Stains as I wasn’t sure I wanted to totally rule a brown tone out just yet:

The 50/50 Classic Gray and Pickled Oak mixture was exactly right; it kept the floor light enough that the space wouldn’t feel too heavy without being so light that it looked unfinished – and it is interesting. Now if only I could have realized that before I picked the Classic Gray, had a major freak out moment, and then went back and changed it to the mixture – whoopsies, luckily they had not started yet…

We wanted more of a matte finish to show some texture and keep the floors from ambering later on, so the floor installer used a water-based satin sealant as opposed to an oil-based high gloss. Here is what the final product looks like:

The cabinetry is being installed today and I can’t wait to see how they all look together. Heeeere’s hoping! I hope this post saves anyone else an ulcer that is trying to pick their stain.

Update: see the finished floors in the following room tour posts:
>> (Living Room)
>> (Kitchen Tour)
>> (Gender Neutral Nursery)
>> (Boys Baseball Bedroom)

And with that, I leave you with a terrible song that I could not get out of my head while writing this post, from a terrible band, STAIND. Enjoy!

bathrooms, Construction, It's all in the Details, The New Digs

(tile style)

Now that all the tile is installed (!!), we had to head over to the house to choose the grout colors that will be poured next week. Here is a glimpse into the master bath (as it currently stands).

The photo on the left is a corner of the Master Shower, which I am very excited about. We wanted to create a calm oasis, if you will, and this arabescato carrara marble seems to do the trick. The photo on the right is a view from the entrance. The shower sits in the nook at the top left of the photo, with a tub (that we will never use) centered as the focus. Not seen: a window over the tub, which seemed like a great idea during the planning phase (yay natural light!), but in reality is a front row seat for our neighbors to hang out on their balcony and get a free show (note to self: make appt with a window treatment company immediately). The tile on the actual floor of the bathroom is an Eleganze Varese tile, which is meant to look like poured concrete. This should look pretty cool (fingers crossed) contrasting the hard and industrial concrete look against the soft and elegant marble. Next up: choosing the hardwood floor stain!

UPDATE: View the finished master bath on this post

Have a great week!

Houzz, It's all in the Details, Progress

(finding the perfect white paint)

Whoops! Looks like someone (and I’m not going to name names) forgot she had a blog. I have been super busy at work/ working on the house that I am a bit behind…

Anyways, I have been stresssssing out while on the search for the perfect white paint color for the walls. Who knew there are so many shades of white? Luckily, it seems I am not the only one who has faced this dilemma and found some great advice on the interwebs from the Hunted Interior, Thistlewood Farms, and of course Houzz.

Since there is already going to be a lot going on in the kitchen with the black & white cabinets/counter tops, I wanted to use white as a nice grounding color for those louder elements and let them breathe a bit. I, like everyone else lately, am a big fan of grey as a neutral, but did not want to add one more color of weight into the mix. Confusing?

Here is the space as it currently is – the progress has been amazing btw.

Plus the space is already inviting and bright with just the drywall that I would not want to take away the lightness of the space with a darker color. Alas, the white.

After months of deliberation (seriously wish I was kidding), Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008 is the winner. It has a clean, yet warm feel to it that will not contend with the black island and built-ins while keeping the room feeling airy. UPDATE: See how the Alabaster looks in our kitchen!

Here is a great example of what I am going for: Alabaster walls contrasted with a bright white trim. The black accent looks so clean and fresh against the color.

Photo by Cornerstone Architects. See more contemporary entry designs

Alabaster will be the color for the entire first floor to create a cohesive feel in the open plan, as well as the upstairs hallway.

Next stop, trim town.

Construction, Progress, The New Digs

(progress report)

Matt and I have been taking frequent trips over to the house for progress checks, but we’ve been careful not to go too often – a watched pot never boils (or however that saying goes). So we did our usual swing by and then grab dinner on Wednesday after work and were pleased with the how things were going:

Not bad, right? The foundation was poured and cured, the basement framed, and the floor/ceiling joists were just getting started.

Then after Sunday brunch with my parents at one of our Logan Square go-tos, Lula Cafe (delish – sit at the bar and order a fancy coffee!), we drove over to the house. HOLY COW was I thrilled with the progress!! In just a matter of a few days the basement/first level floor joists were completed as was the framing for the entire first floor – whoopie! It was finally starting to take shape and look like a home. There’s our front windows! There’s the front door! The fireplace will go right there!

So thar she blows! Our contractor said the second floor and the roof are en route and ready to go, so we are (fingers crossed) on schedule! Time to stop doing the happy dance and start making those decisions I have been putting off… 🙂

Mizzzz Penny Lane says:

Construction, Houzz, It's all in the Details

(mullin’ over mullions)

Now added to the list of things I never thought I would care about: mullions. Most of you are probably asking “What the h are mullions??” and a few weeks ago, I would have been in that exact same boat. Mullions, you see, are window grilles. But what the h are window grilles? Window grilles are simply the pattern that goes into (or not) your windows. Por ejamplo:

The first step of the process was to decide: do you want any mullions? Sure, why not? I actually have always liked the look without ever really knowing what they were. I like that mullions can add a bit of interest to your facade without being something so in-your-face. Just a nice delicate touch.

Step 2: what color do you want your mullions? Ughhhh. Well, the windows will be black, so how about black? But do you want true black or black bronze? Oye.

Step 3: do you want these mullions applied to your window, integral which is within the pane of the glass, or true separated light (meaning that instead of just adding a grid on top of one large window, the grid outlines 15 mini panes of glass – ie $$$ cha ching). How about applied? Oooh about that, we just looked into your windows and that’s no longer an option. Okay, integral it is.

Step 4: now where exactly on the house do you want these mullions? Everywhere? Okay, but that will cost extra (of course). Ooookay, how about just the front and back facades? But do you want them on every window on both facades? AHHHH!!

This is where I jumped ship because a la Jay Cutler I just “dooooon’t caaaaare.” Then I thought about it some more – well I will be living in this house…I want to enjoy it….maybe I would regret not putting these in.

Alas, Step 5: Research the hell out of Houzz and see if anything resonates with you. I was putting in search phrases which, surely, no one has ever bothered to type in the history of the internet: exterior french door ~~mullions,~~ ~~grilles,~~ window patterns; living room sliding glass doors; back of house windows; mixed window mullions. So here are a few of my favorite grillz that are awesome, but would probably never work on our skinny mini house:

Cape Porpoise Residence beach-style-exterior

Beach Style exterior design by portland maine home builders Bowley Builders

Farmhouse patio design by new york architect Crisp Architects

grillz | www.TheArtesianProject.wordpress.com

Bleeker Street Historic Renovation traditional-bedroom

Traditional bedroom design by denver architect Rybak Architecture & Development, P.C.

Do you remember when Brooke Hogan had grillz? Or let me try that again: do you remember Brooke Hogan?

Now I know you are on the edge of your seat after reading this really important, mind-bending of a story…SO we ended up going with Colonial style errywhere on the front and the back. All colonial everything.

Here’s hoping it all turns out!

Construction, Progress

(rome wasn’t built in a day)

As some famous person once said, “Rome was not built in a day,” and the same could not be truer for our future work of ~~art~~ house. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we could not be more grateful for the awesome team working on our house and the progress they have made – despite the uber crappy weather we have been experiencing in Chicago.

If you look hard enough and use your imagination, you can see our new basement! The basement is going to have a lofty ten foot ceiling and some nice windows, which we are pumped about. Matt is a very tall (dark and handsome) guy and he had to crouch through the majority of the older home’s basements we looked at. The perk of a new construction: he might as well fit if this will be his man cave. More details to come on that…

Happy Thanksgiving all you turkeys, enjoy the time with your family and friends 🙂