It’s in the Details – Studio Update

A vision of what the floors will look like without construction dust

We had our first spill the other day. Glad to get that over with! Can you see it?

I was walking through the “big house” with my arms loaded with take-out Schlotzsky’s sandwiches headed to the tiki hut for lunch when somehow the paper cup with my drink went flying and crashed on the floor in the studio.

If you have ever been in construction or reconstruction you will recognize and remember all the dust! I just thought my floors were pretty but under that dust, they are gorgeous if I do say so myself.

So I was sitting in the studio this morning waiting on the washer to stop so I could transfer the load to the dryer (laundry room is in my studio) and I actually sat down on the little step up between my “upper studio” and “lower studio” (this once was a two car garage) and the above photo was my current worldview, the sun was just right to highlight my “clean spot” after my attempted mop up of my spilled drink the previous day. And that’s when I noticed the details.

Sitting on the floor I notice the beautiful grain line details

If you know me very well it shouldn’t surprise you that I am going for a beachie/tropical look in the house. So when I picked out the tile back in March I was looking for something that would be like driftwood. My contractor laughs at me as he says “you can call it driftwood Karen, but it’s grey” – the joke being I told him I didn’t like grey (in my defense we were talking about walls and cabinets at the time). So I will concede – it’s a grey driftwood. The camera lighting doesn’t do the floor justice.

Details, like knots,  make this tile look like wood 

But sitting there this morning I got to really looking at the individual tiles – first noting how they truly represent the grain lines of wood and then noticing how they weren’t “cookie cutter” as in all the same design – some had the representation of wood knots, some had darker areas representing the aging of wood. The more I looked the more I fell in love with my choice of flooring. By the way – we carried it out in the entire house – keep it simple and keep it beachie! This is the closest I will ever get to owning a beach house so I’m decorating to be fun, colorful and my own little oasis.

This is the main entrance. Kitchen to the left, living area to the right.

So maybe I’m a little too enamored with this but truly it is the details. I remember when the tile guys were here last month and being so impressed with their attention to detail. As the daughter of a master woodworker, as well as a quilter, I can appreciate the “measure twice cut once” philosophy, therefore, I recognized the skills of my tile guys as they cut around cabinets and fitted around that crazy step up in the studio. I even appreciate the visual effect between my “upper level” of the studio and the “lower level” in that the boards are lined up – reminded me of my early garment sewing days when we used to match the plaids on our skirts or pantsuits (now that comment certainly dates me!). Yep, I can appreciate the details and recognize a skilled artisan when I see one.

Love the way the tile is expertly cut to wrap around the kitchen cabinets

 

Not only did the tile guys do a great job on the “step up” in the studio but as a quilter, I can appreciate the miter job on the trim by the framing guys

 

View from the upper level (back door) of the studio looking towards the front of the house – the lower level will house my longarm and sewing machine, the upper level will be my office area
Not a lot of floor space in the RV

It’s this detail stage of finishing that is the longest. I’ve been told of this fact from those who have gone before. I guess it’s because in the early stages you see such visible changes – framing gets drywall, drywall gets painted, cabinets get installed, windows and doors and floors… so close and yet so far away. I have to keep reminding myself that even though there are no workers at my house today you can guarantee they are working somewhere! As my husband says – someone else is a day closer to moving back in. There sure are a lot of us wishing and hoping for that move in date! It will come.

In the meantime, when I feel very cramped in the tiny floor space of the RV I can walk through the “big house'” run my fingers over that glorious kitchen island countertop, smile at the color choices (yet to be revealed), and spin around in my studio trying to figure out where I am going to place everything. Yep, the “big house” (which really isn’t that big) is going to feel like a mansion!

For now, I need to learn to be patient and wait for that move in date. Need to take a lesson from Oscar and remind myself to just chill out under the tiki hut and enjoy summer!

Oscar

This is Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler, taking a little break from sewing today to just appreciate the little details…

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6 thoughts on “It’s in the Details – Studio Update

  1. Gloria says:

    The floors look fabulous. You did a great job choosing the color and the installers did a perfect job!

  2. Roseanne says:

    Hi Karen,
    I just did enjoy this peek into the studio! I can just see your long arm there in the lower portion, and envision your office in the upper studio. I lo.v.e the tiles! I never would have known they were tiles until you said so – they look very much like wood. Beautiful. I am anxious to see the whole finished project, and having built a house twice I know how long those details take. Before you know it, you’ll be twirling around your island and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. {{Hugs}} Cheers to Oscar! Happy Wednesday! ~smile~ Roseanne

    • TheQuiltRambler says:

      Thanks Roseanne, I am most eager to share the finished studio with you! Funny thing, we’ve been in this house about 13 years and I think I’ve probably rearranged it that many times! I wish I had photos to show the progression – too many computers and files to search through – as much as I love digital photos (if nothing else it eliminates the need to develop and the cost!) I do miss searching back through labeled photo albums or boxes with the year on them to try to find a particular photo. I was never much of a cook but I hope I can at least remember a few recipes from the past – take-out dinners, frozen dinners, pizza, and hamburgers are getting old! So yes, lots to look forward too besides lovin on those beautiful tiles! Happy Wednesday to you too friend!

  3. Brenda says:

    Oh, Karen! It is beautiful. Love the tiles! I really did think it was beautiful wood flooring! It’s so encouraging that you can walk through the house and imagine all your furnishings and your longarm, and sewing machine placement… I can hardly wait for the final reveal from you! Be encouraged! You have come a long way!

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