The Story of Cedar Ridge

Windows...

The windows have officially arrived, doors are coming tomorrow!

When we arrived at the building site, there were windows everywhere, leaning near their future place of installment.

This is the window going in the garage.  The same window will be going into Hannah's dormer on the front of the house.

I cannot even begin to express to you how exciting this was for me.  You see, David and I designed our very own custom windows for the entire house based on ones we found in a book that has been instrumental in the building of our dream home.

Creating a New Old House is all about building a house with the charm & warmth of an older home, but still building it from scratch with solid structure, modern electric & plumbing... all the amenities.  Now, I will be the first to say that I couldn't afford to execute many of the ideas in this book, but I have tried to use it as a guide when making decisions.

The window design we used was based on one I saw in an old farmhouse.  A single grill down the center of the top and bottom of all the double hung windows.

I was a bit nervous about how this type of design would execute in vinyl windows, but I am just thrilled with the results.

These beauties were in the foyer, while David and Dwight discuss the fireplace in the distance.

Here's David checking out the newly installed great room windows.  I am so unbelievable excited about how they turned out.  

They just go together so seamlessly, you can see the view clearly with such sparse grills, but yet it maintains a classic appearance and not too modern.

Here's how they appear from the second story.  *sigh* I'm just completely smitten, what more can I say?!?!?

The kitchen from the great room.

A peek into the screen porch and into the great room from the kitchen.

The kitchen sink windows.

The pantry...

And the new pantry window.

Laundry room window ready and waiting.

The screen porch is roofed in.

Here's David checking out the screen porch roof from Owen's room.

So fun to see the progress.

Here's the screen porch from the side of the house.

And from the back of the house.

So, so, so thrilled with the results.  All the planning, all the re-working, all the stress is becoming totally worthwhile.

Windows continued...

We went up to Cedar Ridge to do our Friday check-in after school today.  Unfortunately, the doors had not arrived yet, but they had finished installing all the windows!

The front of the house is really taking shape now.

The lower windows have a transom while Hannah's upper bedroom window does not.

I can't wait to sit on porch swing and relax!

Here's the progress on the screen porch.  They still need to clad it in cedar, but it is definitely coming along!  The kids got to eat the dinner we picked up on the way there out on the porch and they were so excited!

All of the basement windows are in now on the back, which makes it look even more complete than before!

I adore this shot with all of their little legs hanging over the edge.  So sweet!

Here's the side of the house from the lower clearing...

and from the driveway.  We are falling more and more in love with the last minute dormer addition every day.

Garage window from the exterior...

and from the interior.

This is the music room which will eventually house all of our instruments, a record player and my jazz record collection along with a cozy ready chair and a love seat. 

Now that the windows are in, I can really image this room completed and can hardly wait to dig into my first book there.

The master bedroom windows...

love the size and how much light they let in.

The master bathroom tub is in and so is the window above it.

The master shower has the plumbing roughed-in as well as the built-in bench added.  All of this will eventually be tiled with travertine.

All of the wires hanging out of the kitchen wall.

The screen porch...

and David taking in the view.

My studio windows, full of sunshine...

and the studio closet, full of wires!

The basement is so sunny with all those windows to let light in.

And I will leave you with a few random scenes from around the house... wire spools and lists written on cardboard, attached to the wall with staples.

Plumbing pieces, waiting to be used.

Progress Report

Things have been rolling along here at Cedar Ridge, but nothing of photographic progress so we haven't updated the blog as much the past few weeks.  Our contractor has been focusing on installing all of the utilities, which was a challenge because of the length of our driveway.  The electrician, plumber & heating & cooling company have been hard at work with all the "innards" of the walls. 

Our *official* electric meter has been installed.  I am quite certain this will be the only time it reads zero!

Wires are EVERYWHERE!  Here is a nice little wire nest on the exterior of the house, awaiting final boxes.

A look at some of the plumbing that has been done.

(a shot of the great room ceiling) There are A LOT of lights and wires running through the house, so the electricians had a very big job on their hands!  There are a total of 50 recessed lights in the house plus all of the additional light fixtures. Now that all of this has been completed, we are finally moving on to more visual progress.  

The front door has arrived!

It looks so nice to have that last "hole" plugged on the front of the house!

The transom over the door hasn't been installed yet, but it will be here in due time.

We just *adore* these doors.  They are solid mahogany double doors that we will be staining a lovely chestnut color.  I can hardly wait to see them finished up with the stain and hardware.

When we first stepped into the garage, we were greeted by this pallet of drywall mud.  Looking at how many buckets they are anticipating to use, I am SO glad that it's not me doing the job!  There are 32 buckets of it!

All of the exterior walls of the house have been insulated.  We decided long ago that we would make the investment to have 2x6 walls rather than the traditional 2x4 walls, so we were able to use a higher R-value insulation.  So the house ought to be nice and cozy!

There is sheetrock EVERYWHERE in the house, awaiting for Monday when they start putting it all up.

There is stacks of it in the kitchen...

and in the great room...

the study...

master bedroom.

And I can't forget to mention the french doors that were installed in the master as well.

They make the room seem so much more finished...

and complete.

And a peek at the back of the house with the newly installed doors.

I thought I would leave you with a scene that just tugged at my heartstrings.  All three of the munchkins outside on the porch playing Uno.  Hopefully the first of many games.