box seats

Although it seems quite popular, I have never been to IKEA.  I have browsed their website, but never saw much in the way of style that appealed to me.  Maybe the actual store would be different?  I do have some ready-to-assemble furniture pieces in my home, of the kid's dresser, entertainment center and computer cart variety, but a ready-to-assemble sofa... that doesn't seem like a good idea.  Or, does it?

Our home has a 12' x 16' living room... relatively small by today's housing standards.  I have a family of six... relatively large by today's family standards.  As we finally moved into the front [remodelled] area of the house, Jen and I started to ponder the most efficient way to offer cozy seating in a tight space for a larger family.  The corner sectional sofa seems the most efficient solution.

I assumed that a sectional sofa was just that... many sections of a sofa assembled in a flexible configuration, right?  Wrong... mostly.  We did some furniture browsing and found that several of the furniture store's "sectionals" where little more than a couch and loveseat with the arms lopped off and shoved together.

So, I went online to explore sectionals.  And, that's when I discovered Home Reserve.  Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, they specialize in ready-to-assemble sofas and chairs, build them from American made materials and sell them exclusively online.  I was intrigued by the company and their website and it looked like a good product at a fair price, but I was skeptical... very skeptical.  After all, it takes a little faith to order a seven piece sectional, give them my credit card number, and watch as the UPS man carries my new sofa to the porch in seven relatively small boxes!

So, I did some fairly extensive research on the company.  They are featured by HGTV and Better Homes and Gardens, just to name a few.  They have an excellent rating with the Better Business Bureau, and a vast majority of independent online opinions are favorable.

I convinced Jen that it was a good idea to further explore.  (After taking 7+ years to remodel this portion of the house, convincing Jen that ANY of my ideas are "good" ideas is more difficult than it used to be!).  But, we scanned the many online fabric swatches, and ordered a half-dozen actual swatches at $1 each.  They arrived on schedule, just as the company stated.  I then called customer service with several questions, and my questions were courteously handled.  The company offers customers to tour the factory and watch their sofa being made, but since Fort Wayne is over a four hour drive, I opted not to conduct on-site research.

The company offers a "risk-free trial" in that you can order a single armless unit to assemble and try in your home.  If you like it, order the remainder of the sectional.  If not, box it up and ship it back and the company will fully refund your money, including shipping. 

We decided to try one piece.  We placed the order and, just like the swatches, the single box showed up on our porch perfectly punctual, just as the website shipping information stated.  I assembled it in under an hour, and was impressed with the simplicity of assembly and the clarity of the instructions.  The finished product seemed sturdy, durable and comfortable.  Our only concern was that the seat depth seemed a little shallow, but this was not surprising, according to the many reviews I read.  The shallowness was not bad, and in a smaller room can actually be an advantage, as some overstuffed sectionals would likely swallow up the room.

After sitting on, and looking at, the single piece for a few weeks, we decided to order the remaining six pieces.  Once again, a very smooth experience.

Seven pieces...seven boxes

Each box clearly labelled... one left, four armless, one corner, and one right

Unpacking the box

A bag of fabric and a vacuum packed bag of cushions

Below that, a bag of hardware and the frame parts, manufactured from OSB.

The clearly-numbered frame parts for an armless section

Each boxed section comes complete with a pair of lightweight gloves to protect the assembler from any possible splinters (splinters were not a problem), and a sanding block, if needed (I only used a sanding block briefly on one piece).

The assembled frame.  Notice the seat bottom has a handle-hole cut into it... each section base doubles as a storage box!

The armless unit with the back and front panel fabric installed... complete, minus the seat and back cushions.  One huge selling point to this furniture is renewability.  Because all the fabric is self installed (and no staples or other attachments are necessary), the fabric can be replaced relatively inexpensively, rather than putting the whole sofa on the curb and starting over.  Also, fabric comes in machine washable options... in theory you could remove 100% of of the fabric and throw it in the washing machine.  The fabric we chose is not machine washable, and after installing all of it, I'm not sure how often I'd care to pull it off and launder it, but, in theory, you could machine wash your sofa... pretty cool.

Seven pieces assembled and ready to use!

It took just over eight hours total assembly time, which, if you've ever assembled any ready-to-assemble furniture, does not seem bad for a seven piece sectional sofa.  It is comfortable and roomy for a larger family, although I think we've already established that the corner is the seat of choice!  The true test of a product is time, but initially, I like this product.  Next, we need to add either a coffee table or some matching ottomans, for kicking back and stretching out, and a corner entertainment center.  The carpet is ordered and I'm wrapping up the trim.  Jen is shopping for accent pillows and window treatments.  I'm looking forward to getting this room wrapped up and ready to kick back and enjoy some good family time.  This sectional gets us well on the way to that goal!

the quilt

If you've never read "Pearl", a tribute post to my maternal Grandma, it lends a great introduction to this post.

When I was designing and implementing the renovations of this house, the stairway was one area that I felt must be reworked, for a few different reasons.  One was pretty obvious... it had a sloped ceiling that was originally built like a funnel.  Yes, a funnel.  It was wider at the top of the stair and head clearance decreased as you came down the stairs... to the point that I had to duck my head at the bottom of the stair.  Structurally, it was a pretty big challenge to rework the head-banging header at the bottom of the stair to maximize headroom and still adequately support the floor above.  Additionally, the only place for a closet in the bedroom above the foyer, was to extend it (with a stepped floor in the closet) out into the stairwell.  It wasn't easy, but I pulled it off.  It's still a little tighter at the bottom than I would like, and I could probably still bang my head if I were to try hard enough (maybe sprinting down the steps), but you can only do so much with the "bones" of an old house, it's tons better than it was, and the space is comfortable.  The result (hard to photograph) is this.  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  I got artsy and curved the foyer ceiling into the sloped portion where the closet above juts out into the stairwell.

The short sloped section is under the closet in the room above

The artsy curve where the foyer ceiling breaks to the sloped ceiling

The second reason was not so obvious.  The home we owned before this one did not have a sloped ceiling in the stairway, and I liked the openness.  The open stairwell was the perfect place, devoid of direct sunlight, to hang an art masterpiece... if I owned a masterpiece, that is.  And... it just so happens that I do own such a masterpiece.  I specifically designed "the Gallery" with this masterpiece in mind, to the point of making sure the electrical plan included an eyeball spotlight highlighting the gallery wall.

So, what is the masterpiece that I had in mind for the Gallery?  Glad you asked... let me show you!

Mom to three, Grandma to six and (although she never met any of them) Great-Grandma to fifteen (if I counted correctly), my Grandma Pearl was a pretty simple, homespun lady.  She mostly wore dresses, nicer ones to church and "house dresses" for everyday, the majority of which she sewed herself.  With her sewing skills, Grandma was also a quilter.  As such, she decided (when I was very young) to make a handmade quilt for each of her grandkids, as an eventual wedding gift.

This was no small undertaking.  No two of these six quilts were alike, and every stitch in them is hand-stitched with love.  My Grandma has hours and hours invested in each quilt.  As she finished them, she stitched a small hand-written note in the corner of the underside, which contained the grandchild's name, her name, the quilt name, and the date finished.  She then stored them away for our future weddings.

She pretty much finished them in birth order.  Just to document how much time she invested in these quilts... I am the second oldest grandchild, and mine, the "bowtie quilt", is marked as "finished 1980"... I was twelve in 1980!

The Bowtie Quilt

The really cool thing for the grandkids is that, although she bought fabric for the "background" color, many of the other squares (the bowties, in my case) are remnants of other sewing projects... many of them the dresses she wore.  The photo below, for example, is the fabric from one of the house dresses I distinctly remember her wearing very often.  I don't think she had any way of knowing how priceless these gifts would become... priceless masterpieces!

Notice the stitching... 100% hand-stitched with love!

The tragic part of this story is that my Grandma lost a valiantly fought battle to cancer in 1985... before she had the opportunity to present any of these wedding gifts.  I was going into my senior year of high school.  She managed to complete five of the six before her death.  The sixth one was partially completed, but sadly, she just ran out of steam before she could get it completed.  My youngest cousin had to enlist the help of a surrogate quilter to honor the memory of my Grandma, by finishing what she began.

So, this morning, I placed the masterpiece in the Gallery... the spot in my home that was specifically designed to display my Grandma's quilt.  I'm pretty sure Grandma would be humbly honored to know that her handiwork is prominently displayed in the Gallery. 

Miss you, Grandma... thanks for the memories!

"The Bowtie Quilt" at home in the Gallery

"The Bowtie Quilt" under lights in the Gallery

happy birthday!

There is a sidebar story to last weekend's events of moving into the new kitchen that I don't want to get lost in the busyness of life. 

Benny's language and vocabulary skills seem to be growing almost daily, which thrills us!  But, he is still obviously way behind a typical three year-old.  It is still often hard for us to understand a lot of what he tries to communicate, and it is often hard to understand what he understands.  It can be frustrating... for both him and us!

He is, however, very social.  He'll talk to you whether or not you understand, and he'll laugh at himself, even if nobody quite knows what is funny.  He's a real character. 

Occasionally, though, he communicates something pretty profound in a way you would never expect.  Just such a thing happened this past weekend.

Benny couldn't really tell us what he understood about the whole concept of waiting seven years to move into a part of the house that we had never before occupied.  He couldn't tell us what he understood about the feeling of finally having a fully functional kitchen, and a dining area and table big enough to accommodate six people.  He couldn't tell us what he understood about how much we all hated the cramped, dingy, drafty "temporary" kitchen we were moving out of.

But, he new something exciting was going on.  He knew the family was excited.  He knew he was excited about the open space to expand his toys into and explore.  He knew he was excited to finally have a place at the table with the family.  His expressions and his actions told us he was excited!  However, he wanted to tell us with words, just so there was no mistake that he was excited.

Pretty hard for a kid who knows what he wants to communicate, but doesn't have the words.  And, even though Benny experienced the feelings, he just didn't exactly have those words.

As Jen was getting him ready for bed last Saturday night (the night we opened the wall and ate our first meal in the new kitchen), he pointed down (his bedroom is over top of the new area) and repeatedly and excitedly said, "down... happy birthday!"  It took us a little while to figure it out, but he was telling us that in the limited vocabulary he has, the only words he could find to match the excitement of the evening was a good, heartfelt "happy birthday!"  The interpretation: "down[stairs] [is exciting like a] happy birthday!"

Since then, he has randomly, and on numerous occasions, walked into the kitchen and exclaimed, "happy birthday!" with a big smile on his face.  Yes, Benny Jay, it is exciting like a happy birthday!

proud of it!

For just over seven years, the remodeling of my kitchen (simultaneously with just over half the total square footage of my home) has been the bane of my existence.  And, while it is still sans trim, window coverings and pantry doors, it finally reached the point of occupation this past weekend!

When I purchased the house, I envisioned the kitchen we just moved into.  Everyone else saw this:

Standing in the original dining room, looking through the cased opening into the original kitchen, complete with red carpet and red countertop with chrome edges!  There was no other cabinetry in the kitchen than what you see here.

Standing in the original kitchen, looking through the cased opening into the original dining room, toward the bay window bench.

Standing in the original dining room, looking toward the rear family room.

For the past seven years, Jen used a "temporary" kitchen (the second substandard kitchen in the home, since the house had been turned into a duplex), while I completely gutted this area, took down the wall between the kitchen/dining, moved the kitchen window and entry door, moved the doorway to the family room, removed a masonry chimney from roof to basement (through the dining room), and contracted 100% new plumbing, wiring, and HVAC duct installation.  (And, that's just the kitchen... I had a bathroom, living room, foyer, stairway, hallway, and 2 bedrooms undergoing similar treatment.)

Throughout the years of work, I envisioned the kitchen we just moved into, everyone else saw this:

Standing in the dining area, looking through where the dividing wall used to be, into the kitchen.

Standing in the kitchen, looking through where the dividing wall used to be, into the dining area.

So, if I had it to do over again, would I do this?  Ummm... NO!

But, that doesn't change the fact that I am pretty happy with the way it turned out proud of it! 

Yeah, in hindsight, it's easy to see it was a mistake, but there's no need to dwell on the negative at this point (I can't change the past, after all).  I'm preferring, instead, to dwell on the fact that I created something nice for my family, and we now have a kitchen to be proud of.  As a draftsman, I liked it on paper, but I like it much more in living color.

Saturday evening was a momentous occasion, as I cut the drywall out of the doorway separating the rear part of the home (where we have lived since we purchased it) and the front portion (where we have never lived), and we ate our first meal (pizza) in the new kitchen at our new table (our old one seated four, we are six)!

Sunday afternoon, I moved the stove and refrigerator from the other kitchen, and declared it officially open for business.  So, I now see the reality of what I always envisioned.  Everyone else finally sees this:

Dining area into kitchen

Kitchen into dining area

Foyer into kitchen

The opening to the family room beyond the bar (moved from its original location), where the opening was cut to join the back half of the house with the front.

The new bay window bench

Family room into the kitchen (the unfinished closet openings beside the fridge will both have doors... a pantry on the left and a small coat/broom/sweeper closet on the right.)

While I can't stop here (I still have a lot of details to finish up), It's a huge load off my shoulders to have the space to a usable point!  It feels really good!  Yeah, it took too long... but, did I mention that I'm proud of it, anyway?

about time

Tomorrow is my fourteenth wedding anniversary.  This year I'm giving my wife a new kitchen.

Before you give me too much credit, understand that she has been asked to put up with quite a lot to get that kitchen.  You see, my wife marked our seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth anniversaries in a very uninspiring and substandard "temporary" kitchen, while I remodeled the real kitchen (along with over half the total square footage of our home). 

When I purchased this home, I had a dream of creating a nice home for my family, "with my bare hands".  It was a nice dream that soon turned into a nightmare, because I grossly underestimated the scope of the project and the time investment.  In my defense, I ended up doing a lot more than I originally intended, but I was still way off in my estimates.  My bride has endured much because of this decision, and I wish I could reverse the decision I made several years ago.  Too late, now!

Recently, my project required me to remove the heat duct from her "temporary" kitchen to re-route it into the new kitchen.  I did this in the spring, with the promise that, while it may be short some trim, she would be cooking in her new kitchen by "heating season", which I unofficially deemed November 1st.

Of course, she doubted my promise... after that many years, it felt as though she would never get a real kitchen!

But, although I am eight days overdue (well, I'm a lot more than eight days overdue, but eight days on my most recent promise), I took tomorrow off work for our anniversary, and I plan to spend most of the day cleaning my tools and the last of my dust out and "giving her the keys" to a new kitchen!  I think moving day will officially be Saturday for the major appliances, but she is starting to trickle some kitchen items over to the other side.  Sunday dinner will likely be the first official use of a space in our home that has been unoccupied since we moved here in 2004!

Yes, it's about time.  No, I shouldn't have asked that much of her.  I'm disappointed with myself for the hardship this project has caused my family.  But, it feels good to finally follow through with a dream.  I've learned a lot the hard way, and when I set the "heating season" goal, the kitchen was still an empty room with unpainted walls and no cabinets, but I had enough experience to be confident that it was realistic.  And, I'm a day away from delivering on that promise and getting Jen in a much deserved kitchen!

Sorry, Jen.  Thanks for enduring.  Enjoy the kitchen.  Happy Anniversary!

some progress

With my current work schedule, I don't have nearly as much time to work on my remodeling as I used to have.  So, just before Christmas, I made the decision to hire a drywall contractor to get the first floor walls and ceilings hung and finished.  It's amazing what some cash and a hired workforce can accomplish.

The Monday they started, I left for work in the morning and the area looked like this:

I came home from work in the evening, and it looked like this:

By the end of the week, they were finished, packed up, and gone.  The walls were ready to paint!

Or... maybe not.

Once they were finished (but before I paid the bill), I inspected my new walls.  What I found was not exactly what I had in mind.  Granted, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  And, in all fairness, the result wasn't terrible.  But, I'm an amateur do-it-yourself-er and I felt I could have done a better job on the final finish sanding.  Maybe it's just me, but my thinking is that if I hire a professional to do a job, they ought to be able to do a better job than an amateur, like me... or, at the very least, just as good, right?

So, I called the contractor (he's a nice guy... I like him) and he was very cooperative.  He assured me they would make it right.  He sent one of his finishers out to meet with me.  I discussed my concerns and he went back over some of the finish.  He called me that evening and assured me that if I had any other concerns, they would take care of them.

I inspected it a second time and found it considerably better, but I still found some flaws that I felt should be remedied before painting.  I believe he would have tried again to meet my satisfaction, but at this point (after two chances), I'm tired of calling and meeting to explain my concerns... you know, "if you want something done right, do it yourself".  So, since I was off Wednesday, I got out my drywall tools and finished it to my standards, which means that I now need to call him and discuss a billing adjustment to compensate myself for the material and labor I invested in his work.

But, pick out the paint colors, now it's ready to paint!  (Well, after I sweep... and sweep... and sweep the dust... and apply the primer...)

Bus Driver, MOVE THAT BUS!

When we moved to this house, there was Dylan and Zachary, and I promised them a nice room. They moved into a temporary room. Then, we added Lily, and I promised them a nice room. Then, we added Benny, and I promised them a nice room. They moved into another temporary room. Tonight, after living in 3 out of 4 bedrooms in this house, they are finally tucked in and sound asleep in "their" room.

I finished up the last few details this week and today I moved their furniture in while they were at school. After waiting this long, I decided to have a little fun with "the reveal" (although my wife thought it was a little cheesy). We all enjoy watching Ty Pennington and the cast of ABC's "Extreme Makeover, Home Edition", so I had the door locked when they came home, and I took the whole family upstairs to the hallway. The boys were amused to find Benny's Leapfrog bus "parked" in front of the closed doorway. They chuckled, as we all said in unison,

"Bus Driver, MOVE THAT BUS"!

We stood in front of the closed bedroom door and, in the spirit of Ty Pennington, I gave them a little speech about my special project room and how much they deserved what was behind this door. I unlocked the door. They liked it! Here's your tour.

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

With pink walls and pink carpet, it was known as "the pink room", but it was the second largest bedroom and sizable enough to share.

Draftsman's view BEFORE

Here's an AFTER shot before furniture.

If you're interested in the technical, the drawings above illustrate that nearly every interior wall on the second floor has been/will be reframed and moved, and the brick chimney that ran through the center of the house has been removed. Although the home originally had four bedrooms, one was a walk-thru, rendering it fairly useless as an actual bedroom. The change of layout will allow the hallway to access all four rooms, privately, eliminating the walk-thru. Closets were reconfigured to be more useful and room sizes were adjusted, as well.

You may notice that in all my "finished" pictures (here and the bathroom) the electric is unfinished. My electrician did the rough-in, but still has to do the finish work. He will do it in a few stages, and will be in soon, after I get a little more of the second floor finished. We have a few "hot" outlets on the second floor to get by, for now, but will soon have real lighting, switches, and outlets.

AFTER with furniture (look quickly... it likely won't look like this for long!)

Closet and entry doors

Closet with Nerf hoop... my "room-warming" gift to Dylan and Zachary (which they have been warned they will lose if they get too rowdy)!

Draftsman's view AFTER