Thursday, February 07, 2013

Decisions, decisions.

OK, here's the deal we made with our builders: in order to stay on budget, they do all the building, we do the designing and sourcing.

And FAST! So the decisions you might normally linger over for weeks or months have to made in a snap -- and simultaneously! Our minds are reeling. Hard to believe the decisions we've already made in the last few weeks (has it really been only four!?) 



Here's what we're thinking about now: 

1. Lighting -- for every room! We finally took that first step and admitted we need help: scheduled a meeting with lighting consultant tomorrow (Allison at Norburn). We know what we want, but aren't confident we know how to achieve it. 

Up-lighting, down-lighting, ambient lighting, task lighting, chandeliers, wall-washers, pendants, sconces, blah blah blah. Then we have to go shopping (!) and choose lighting for every room! We can move in without all the lights in place, of course, but the rough-in electrical happens next week, so we've got to figure out what, where.

Look at this lovely thing.

2. Furniture -- our colour consultant (yes, we have one of those too: Amber Welton), rightly points out that we need to have rug, sofa and curtain colours chosen before paint. Gosh, really?! Here's our favourite sofa so far! (but in a different fabric.)



And ...ooooh .... I'm in love with these curtains! 
And an over-dyed carpet! (can't afford those I saw at ABC in New York, and haven't been able to find anything as nice in Vancouver. Anyone have suggestions?)


3. Bathroom fixtures: we've already chosen two sinks, two toilets, a bathtub, a shower (the mind reels!) but still need to work on medicine cabinets, mirrors, toilet roll thingies, soap insets, lighting (see #1), and so on. Sheesh!

4. Tile. Tile, tile, tile. I fall asleep thinking about it, jerk awake sweating about it, dream about it…. We have the white hex floor and white subway for the upstairs bathrooms (boorrring, I know after all that!) but are trying to figure out a floor border. The Pinterest pictures make it look so easy! Star Tile, where we're getting the white hex, doesn't have the right stuff for borders so we have to look elsewhere. Something similar to this, but in "antique white." 

I went to Creekside Tile today, fell in love, specifically, with their Original Style line, and am now rethinking the whole thing! 

Dreamy.



With so many decisions to make all at once, I just jump from one thing to the next. Thank heaven for the amazing Andrew: organized, focused, and calm. : )

Soliciting opinions: exterior colours.

I posted this question on Houzz: what colour would you paint the exterior of this house? The variety of responses has been amazing. People have even made changes in photoshop and posted them (below)! What do people who know this neighbourhood think?

http://www.houzz.com/discussions/337198