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this post is a work in progress … but was dying to get some pictures up. more details to follow ….
Quadra light fixture from Y Lighting
Integrity Casement windows by Marvin
Biasi radiator with radiant heat design by Rob at Northeast Radiant Technology
I realize I’ve been quiet lately in blogland and need to post a ton more pictures, but had to get these up out of sheer excitement. This is a joyous time — the first floor is almost done and the fellas came to install the sink and cabinet yesterday. It is so so beautiful I could cry. The sink I designed and had made at Stonecraft they also made the counters (but I scored them used at ReStore) and had them cut and fit to match the sink. The frame and drawers and secret back well, I designed with Nate Deyesso. The frame is steel and the drawers and backsplash are Kirei board from Maine Green Building Supply. Faucet is a Moen from FW Webb.
So I finally got the master bedroom painted and the barn board I ripped up from the loft of the barn to make the floors (hand) sanded and treated with Osmo Polyx Oil from FW Horch.
Love love love the oil. It’s a nice matte finish that goes well with the irregularities of the old wood. I applied it with a cheap brush and then rubbed it in with an old t-shirt. I’m so pleased to almost have a bedroom!
I dashed home from work to meet Levi the plumber and we installed the toilet and tub upstairs. This is very exciting because a) it means I can finish demo downstairs; b) it means I have a clean bathroom; c) it means my tub actually works and kicks ass (just got done with a long soak). More detailed posts to come but had show off the wonder of a real bathroom….well almost real, sink & faucet still on order. Because I agonized over purchases, for those of you in the market, the toilet is a Toto Aquia dual flush from FW Webb in South Portland and tub is from Wilbur’s antiques in Greene, a pain to paint but worth the cunningness.
I was in ReStore not too long ago and Andrew tipped me off to a sheetrock windfall–something like 5, 000 sheets he would be getting soon from a place in Auburn that was donating it to Restore before they recycled it. So he invited me along to photograph, or maybe I invited myself along to photograph, and of course to get the first pick of the lot.
It was definitely one of the most insane places I have ever been…a pretty close second to the salt mine factory in Isreal. I can’t wait to go back with the real camera and some real film. I was a little over excited both to be on such a cool adventure and to enjoy making pictures again. Couldn’t help myself with a few movies too!
Get your self down to Restore and stock up.
Now that everything is ruffed in and the plumbing inspector FINALLY approved the stink pipe, the fellas from Ace Insulation came and blew in the cellulose upstairs. Gerard (the delightful owner) sealed up the cracks with a foam spray, then they put up plastic (that kinda looks like that heavy duty packaging tape) and made a super duper air tight seal – so tight the plastic was like a drum when you touched it, then they blew in the cellulose. It’s a recycled product from wood pulp (newspaper?) and is totally non toxic, too. They also used denim to seal up the tricky spots.
I decided to rip out all the plaster and lathe and sketchy sketchy rock wool insulation that was previously blown in (see demo pictures) so I could get the tightest seal possible. All that demo is not necessary, they can blow from the outside, but it since I was ripping everything apart to re-wire and re-plumb, it seemed like the more effective thing to do.
And it is one of the few “green” products that doesn’t make you fall off your chair with cost. It was only a little over $3, 000 for the entire house (about 1000 sq ft).
I found Maine Coast Lumber in my research on sustainable plywoods. I ordered 6 sheets of 1/4″ aromatic cedar to line the master bedroom closet – sight unseen (not how i usually like to do things). Another fantastic design moment when I unwrapped it at home and found it to be more beautiful than I ever imagined. It should be for $65 a sheet. And when I went to pick it up, my little heart skipped a beat, as I have never seen a lumber yard so organized in my life.
Restore got a slew of lumber this week, so I stocked up on 2×12x8′, x10, and x14 + x16 (which Andrew will deliver!) for $4-$7 a piece. I can’t tell you how great I feel buying lumber used, even if we have to do a little ripping here and there. It kills me to place those lumber orders, although thankfully Hammond uses FSC certificated lumber, has their own mill, and supports the Maine economy.
Anyway, Elizabeth was kind enough to lend me her truck (again) but I forgot the straps (!!) so Andrew hooked me up with some rope and tied them down real good. Also, thanks Tom for picking out the good ones, and Tammy and crew for loading me up. And to Chicky who helped me unload. If I only I had all of you in residence…….
PS. Apparently a giant lot of sheetrock is coming into Restore next week. Yahooooooooo!
So, my very first window is in (thanks Chicky and Paul) and I am elated. I spent an ungodly amount of hours on window design – and up until today, doubting myself through the whole process. I struggled with creating a passive solar design and something that opened up the dark spaces. I went with a 40×40″ window (that I got for $80 at Restore!) for the north facing wall – much to the chagrin of my radiant heat experts at Northeast Radiant Technology (sorry Rob) in jacob’s room and it is amazing. Not only because it makes the room look so much bigger, and lighter, but also the views are fantastic.
I really want to thank Michel Gaison (the architect I consulted with when I first drew up plans) for encouraging me to trust my photographic instincts on light and space. And also for just being super cool and sitting down with me and making me design, redesign, and design again. And for making me do cardboard markups. And for making me rethink how I use space and objects. And for giving me a roll of trace paper. And for not charging me a ridiculous amount of money.
So here are before and after shots – it’s been raining for days so not the best picture, but you get the idea anyway.
After much research on insulation for interior walls, mainly for sound proofing, I settled on ultra touch denim insulation. I was initially drawn to it because it is such a cool product – insulation out of recycled jean scraps. However, it is expensive at about $90/100 sq ft. But let me tell you, this is the only project I have tackled so far, where I actually exclaimed to myself “Wow, that was easy”.
It comes pre cut to hang in sheets 8′ high and 16″ on center. I scored it with a utility knife and then tore, yes I said tore it to fit bays that were either too short or bays that were smaller. No staple gun, it just snugs right in. I used the little pieces I tore to fit around outlets. And because it is 100% non toxic, a dust mask is all you need!
So, Jacob’s room has a new old floor thanks to Carl. This was the floor of my bedroom. I flipped it over, got rid of that nasty stain and faux old timey nails. I think if Jacob comes back he will be relieved to never look at pergo ever again and to not roll from the window to the door downhill.
So – I’m in a quandary on whether to sand the barn board or just scrub it with steel wool. I’m leaning towards sand…And I also did a test with the lo voc Osmo Polyx Oil which I got at FW Horch in Brunswick. Not too glossy and amazing how slight the odor. I really like it, however its $90 for 2.5 litres!
I’ve decided after much research and some heartache about budget that the only way to really go green is to buy used. So I hit the restore in Portland and the one in Bath this week and got some great stuff! Thanks to Elizabeth for her truck and Sarah for her sweat labor!
