Hammer time...and then some

 

The framing crew has been working away on Casa Gertruda. We are talking about lots and lots of lumber! The roof at the great room is framed, the deck above the office is framed, and the interior walls and ceilings at the kitchen and dining room are up! Things are moving along, and we are movin’ on up…to the second floor! The gym walls are going up and the master bedroom has expanded. It is all starting to take form.

View from kitchen towards great room and front porch (where we have a beautiful porta-potty!)

Great room ceiling/roof with our three skylights framed.

View of side yard wall at great room where new chimney (field change) bisects the triangular clerestory window above.

Gym walls going up and outdoor deck above office framed.

Framing crew moving on up to second floor!

 Also framed is the roof overhang at the front door which will give us that bit of protection from the ultra-rare southern California rain as we scramble furiously to find our keys…ok well maybe not Jeff...but at least me scrambling…have you seen the size of women’s handbags these days?

 

As is the case with most projects, there are usually some field changes…and this project is no exception.  I did re-look at the back corner of the master bathroom, which is where the tub sits.  Originally the design incorporated exterior planters with the walls/windows set in.  After looking at tubs and seeing that we could really put that space to better use indoors…I re-designed a bit.  Unchanged are the modern corner windows and the openness of the space, but now the planters are indoors where they are much more accessible, and give us a bit more room for the tub. We are also going to drop the wall that divides the tub and the shower a bit…high enough to hide any nudity…but low enough to be able to see out beyond the tub to the outdoors while showering….kind of like showering al aire fresco!

 

This week, I have been looking for exciting and unique lighting and finalizing the appliance and fixture purchase list.  Within a week or so, we will be saying farewell to our fantastic framing crew, Turtle, (Robert who is on the right in the picture below) and his guys, as they head off to another framing project....and as George, Kent, and Scott from Artisan Builders (the dream team of craftsmanship) set up shop! We are excitedly ready for the next phase!

Diamond Construction, our stellar framers (and foundation too).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In with the New...

 

As 2014 came to a close, we welcomed in the New Year, 2015.  Though we take with us lasting memories, lessons learned, and meaningful experiences, we do in some respect say goodbye to the past,

 in order to welcome in the new.

 

We inevitably let go...

And there is no doubt that it can be tough to let go, to remove that which has become so familiar and commonplace.  For those of you starting a remodel, moving homes, facing a life change, getting married...or divorced, learning to live through the recent loss of a loved one, sending a child off to college, starting a new job  or...retiring from one-- you know what I am talking about.

 

But once you lean in and face the fear of letting go, the promise of new opportunities and new memories can be rejuvenating.  It is a way to see with fresh eyes.

 

A new year gives us a chance to start anew, to rebuild and renew.  It offers us a chance to bring forward all that we have learned, all that we value, and all that we have become, in order to build a new version of our lives. We see the opportunity to bring our renewed spirit to build a life inspired...a life that resonates, because it is authentic and elevated.  This is our moment to build a life with meaning, purpose, emotion, passion, and spirit...infusing it with substance and soul.

 

"You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one." -unknown

This new year is your blank canvas waiting to be painted, it is your new chapter waiting to be written.

For Jeff and I, we have chosen to breathe beauty, warmth, comfort, vibrancy and renewed spirit to the place we call home.  Jeff and I have taken some huge Bigfoot-like steps as we have dismantled Casa Gertruda, and have begun to rebuild it anew.  Whether your steps are big bold leaps, or small cautious steps, I do hope you embrace the opportunity to take them in 2015...to breathe new life into what matters to you.  Whether it be to your relationships, your home, your job, or your spirit; rejuvenate in this new year.  Let go of something old, to make space for something new.  Let go...be it fear, guilt, a bad habit, a failed pattern, an unhealthy relationship, a bitter heart, a grudge that eats away at you...simply release your grip on that, and let it go.

 

And grab onto: a new goal, a dream home, a healthy lifestyle, a  hobby, a job, or just a new outlook.  You will be happily surprised at the power of change.

 

So, from our work in progress, Casa Gertruda,

I wish you all a happy new year.  I hope 2015 will be the year that you find inspiration and nourish your soul.   May this year be the beginning of something truly inspired and memorable. 

 

View from backyard through the dining room, and towards entry and guest room.

View of kitchen...and makeshift contractor staging area.

View of office with what will be a stunning corner window, and the beginning of the balcony/outdoor deck above it.

View towards entry.  Ceiling joists are in! Steel pipe column at the future stair location.