Week 10 - Invoiced for Fix Stage

Fixing Stage Completed on July 3rd.  From our HIA contract, that is "the stage when all internal cladding, architraves, skirting, doors, built-in shelves, baths, basins, troughs, sinks, cabinets and cupboards of a home are fitted and fixed in position."  The next stage is the last one - Completion.  We're very close to the end, which is almost a bit sad.

The painters were in on Thursday, which was ahead of schedule - great!  Except that was the day my blind guy was coming by to do a final check-measure for the plantation shutters, but couldn't because the window frames were wet - boo!  So he will be back on Tuesday.  I can expect my shutters to be installed anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks after then, depending who you believe.

Unfortunately, as expected, I have finally been locked out.  Worse than that, I couldn't even peer through the windows, because the painters have protected them with some kind of rice-paper-esque cover, which prevented me from seeing inside, but I did get a peek through the front window.

Absolutely horrible photo, but I'm happy to report that even though it's raining cats and dogs, the concrete on the Home Theatre room floor was dry.  I had reported the issue to my Client Liaison Coordinator and she reported back that the bricks had been power-washed and the water wasn't from a leak, but from the spray from the power wash.  As you can imagine, I didn't like that answer, but it seems to be fine now.

Instead, of update pics, I will show you some of the plans I have for decorating.  Firstly, the front room with all of the windows (aka "the Home Theatre") will not be a home theatre at all.  It will be a landing space immediately upon entering the house, where my indoor plants will thrive (hopefully).  As a tribute to my grandmother, I want to feature this print of the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia (where Grandma was born), by a photographer named Art Wolfe, front and center in the room.

We will have coffee oak floors in that room and I've bought a cotton edged jute rug to ground the space.  A while back, we bought the Belle Jardiniere cushion from Provincial Home Living which will be one of the cushions to go on the White Ektorp sofa from IKEA.  The dogs won't be allowed at this end of the house, but if for some reason they get through, the sofa comes with a washable cover.

 

I have also fallen in love with a print of downtown Montreal, by a photographer named Alan Copson.  The SunLife Building features prominently, where both my mum and I worked at the Bank of Montreal.  I will always think of her when I see this print.  Because of that, I want to put it in a place I will see often - I have a few options I'm thinking about.

We bought a few cushions from H&M, to go on the recliner set (Nelson from Furniture Trader) in the back lounge room.  The colour of the sofa is a bit off in the pic, but you get the idea.  It's my new favourite colour -"greige" (an inexplicable mix of grey and beige).  I just have to slowly start a collection of neutral coloured cushions with different textures to nest everything together.

Unfortunately, there is no Wrap Up video this week, as I couldn't see much at all and anything outside was dreadful as we're experiencing such a heavy rainfall.  I need to see inside before I sign off on the invoice, so hopefully I will have more pics for you this week.

"I want to make sure I'm not a dilettante.  Decorating has been a passion all my life.  I love it."

- Christina Saralegui