I’m home from work today, and I get to witness Day 4 first hand. Unfortunately, all the exciting stuff is over and it’s basically just one of the Parker guys – Conrad – taking care of some finishing touches (sanding, skim coating, etc). Just like Day 3 all over again (apparently walls need a lot of finessing to look seamless).
Conrad’s awesome. He’s even helping smooth out some other walls – like where the chair rail came down in the new third bedroom and where we demo’d the laundry nook. Once the joint compound is all dry, it just needs to be lightly sanded and the walls will be ready for a coat of that warm neutral paint we saw in all the ginormous model homes yesterday.
We’re trying to paint before the new floors go in (next Monday 10/15), but have to wait until that pesky brick doorway is opened (on Thursday 10/11). Btw, we did find a mason that could do the job AND he’s only charging $500, just a hundred more than Parker was charging (plus he’s a brick expert so it’ll look flawless). We’re a week behind schedule but we’re happy that we found the man for the job. Stay tuned for pics!
You know what I love about our great nation? In spite of the hundreds of cultures, thousands of subcultures and everything in between, what really bonds us all as Americans is our belief in individuality and sharing it with others. With all the differences that we sometimes get caught up in having, the things really that we all share as citizens and, in general, human beings, are having a happy family, a good career, and of course a home that is comfortable and showcases our personalities. Your web log (in honor of Sherry’s pops!) is such a perfect example of these things. So many of your comments are from people all over the country and I’ve noticed even abroad who are interested in making their own homes a stamp of who they are. Even if people think we’re suffering from information overload, the type of information you put on here, using a considerable amount of your extra free time to post it all, is very generous and indicative of what I think is a great American quality. We do share, we do encourage, innovativeness and we aren’t snobs about it!
DIY is the best way to go. You might have to let the professionals handle certain things beyond your capabilities, but isn’t it more of a home, or wedding, when you know 95% of the things you’ve done doesn’t come from some fancy overpriced interior designer (who just collects money from our stupidity) but from your ideas?
We have our problems for sure, but I think it’s pretty cool that I, a 26 year old African-American single mother of two, who just purchased her first home. can relate to two people who maybe didn’t have the same upbringing as me, but is just as serious about making home HOME.
I know this was long, but I just wanted to thank you for being such an inspiration to me and so many others out there. While I definitely have my own style, it’s great seeing your tutorials and suggestions on organization and design. You and Jen (from IHeart) are lifesavers!
Sincerely,
Victoria