Accessories

The house's first resident moved in last week. A little robin built a nest on the porch beam, very close to where one has been each year we've been in the house. Their preferred spot was between the house and a roof drain. With our new round gutters, birds can't nest there anymore. In coming years, I imagine we'll have a few more guests with all the nooks created by the exposed framing.

In the last few days, accessories and some details have been going into the house. The tile backsplash in the kitchen is now in. There are 1" blue glass and stainless tiles within the off-white larger ones to add a touch of color. The stainless tiles add a bit of sparkle and will blend with the appliances and plumbing fixtures.

Speaking of plumbing, the faucets and valves can now be seen in each shower and sink. They are Kohler products and were selected by Carrie over the internet. The toilets are from Toto and have dual-flush features. Everything has a clean, modern look.

The exterior light fixtures are also on the house. They are from Hubbington Forge and have a bit of "Craftsman" appearance. Though I would by no means call our house a Craftsman Style house, these are simple enough to be compatible. Picking out exterior light fixtures was very challenging. Ninety-five percent of what one finds is Jetsons-modern or overtly Colonial.

The interior light fixtures are being detailed and should be making an appearance soon. Diana Ades from Lighting Virginia helped me make many of these selections. The cool ones are low-voltage and will create some drama on the walls and ceiling.

Next week will likely see the garage door go up. It is sitting in the garage and is finished with cedar boards - looks real good. Ever since we took out the line of evergreens along the driveway, the garage opening is visible from Riverside - when approaching from the east. For a brief time, I considered using a painted door, but since it is so large and visible, cedar made the most sense. With all the brick on the garage, the door will bring the cedar around the corner for some balance.