A few new pics

Things have been moving really slowly, and there hasn't been much to post. Most days I work on finishing trim pieces for the windows and doors, and handle any odds and ends that come up with the contractor. Here are some current pictures:

This is the bathroom vanity, which got installed right before July 4th. I am really pleased with how it looks, and the colors and styles all work together well. It's a bit nervewracking to build a bathroom from scratch - your really don't know how well everything will work together until you see it, so it is a relief to see that I like it all.


Here is my trim finishing station in the backyard. I am using spray shellac to finish all the trim - we are leaving it natural wood and not painting it. The trim is stain grade pine (as opposed to paint grade, which isn't as nice since it will be covered with paint anyway) and each piece requires three coats with steel wool sanding in between. After the last coat, I use some serious elbow grease to buff them with old denim. I'm not sure why this works, but the contractor suggested it and it works really well. The shellac has a really nice, subtle shimmer in an amber color. I also like that it doesn't show too much - some clear finishes can look like you coated the wood in thick clear plastic. Since this trim won't take much wear and tear, we don't need that type of finish.



This is the section at the end of the bathtub. It is going to be a towel cubby on top and below is a drawer for the toilet brushes and plunger. I'll probably grow orchids or bamboo on top. I think this is really genius - the contractor came up with the idea of raising the deck level and using it this way. The way we had it, this section would have been level with the tub deck and more or less wasted space. This one change really makes a difference, and will help with space since all the towels can fit in here. Instead of being a "what's that wierd leftover space for" it's now "wow, how cool a built in towel cubby and orchid shelf."