Sunday, May 30, 2010

Septic System

I wasn't going to post about the septic system, but then we saw it. In addition to the main storage tank, we have yards and yards of pipe for the leach field. The pipe is rigid, maybe made out of metal or really strong plastic. It snakes back and forth on the north slope of the yard:
 Then, it crosses the west side of the house and ends:

We had not seen anything like this before. Don said that it allows for a leach field on a slope and avoids the need to backfill with gravel. We are just glad we saw it and took pictures so we will know where not to dig to plant a tree!

Slowly, the finishing details are coming together. The marmoleum has been installed in the downstairs bedrooms. It goes nicely with the stained concrete floor in the billiards room.



The chandeliers have been hung over the dining area:



The office is about 7X9--it will be the largest cube I've worked in :-) I'm really pleased with the fan. It is just the right size for the tiny space:


The door on the left goes to command central. It is a large closet that will hold the modem, router, and home theater equipment. The door on the right is a small powder room. The doors opening from living area to the office are french doors so that I can enjoy the view while I'm working.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Getting Close!

Sorry for the delay in posting. I dropped my camera and the lens cracked. :-( These pictures were taken with a borrowed camera, so I only have a few. Almost all of the upper level is bamboo flooring from US Floors. They were installed by Eliasib Pena, and they are beautiful. However, I didn't get pictures before they were covered with construction paper to protect  them. We had him use eco-friendly adhesive from Taylor. The majority was MS plus because it was recommended by the bamboo manufacturer for use over both concrete and plywood. We had to special order it because no one around here carries it. He ran out and we got another Taylor adhesive, maybe CrossLink? from Eco-Wise here in Austin. Elias liked the MS plus better because it was easy to apply without sticking to everything--like his hands and shoes.

Yesterday, the cabinets and some pulls were installed. The manufacturer is Bertch and they are made of Birch. Bertch has an environmental stewardship certification from the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer's Association. The finishes are not no-VOC but they were lower than some other manufacturers. To get no-VOC, we would have had to pay about twice the amount. We love the look:


Of course the back wall will be painted and the face of the island will be covered. The range goes under the vent pipe for the hood.

I also got a shot of the bathroom tile:


The only flooring remaining is the Marmoleum downstairs, I'll get a picture of that soon. The big project, for which I am responsible, is casting concrete countertops for two of the bathroom vanities. If they come out looking OK, I'll post pictures. So, it is going to be a busy weekend, I'll sign off now.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Painted Walls

The main interior painting is finished. The contractor will come back and touch up after everything else is finished. The main living area is a caramel color:



The billiard and music room downstairs is a cool blue:


A friend, Jim Mundy,  is going to help me apply Venetian plaster in the Master Bath and one wall of the Master Bedroom. Surprisingly, this ancient wall treatment is eco-friendly. It is made of crushed marble and lime and hardens with age. You can use it in wet places, it is water and mold resistant. It is expensive and labor intensive to apply, which is why we are only doing a small area. I'll be sure to post pictures when we finish.

Next step is the flooring!