…Oh, the flooring. This is the post where you’re probably expecting some great ‘after’ shots of our new engineered hardwoods. Sorry to disappoint, but we’re nowhere near done with the flooring install. This is real life people. So, I’m not going to sugar coat anything. Not even for the sake of keeping a chipper attitude on a blog.

First, let’s start with the underlayment and flooring we’re using. We purchased both the underlayment and engineered hardwood flooring from Build Direct. Everything arrived on time and undamaged. We’re actually quite happy with that part of the whole flooring thing.

The underlayment is 3 in 1 Sound Choice Acoustical Underlayment. As the name suggests, it provides acoustical insulation along with a moisture barrier. Both of these characteristics are necessary for our Underdog as we’re installing the flooring in a room with vaulted ceilings {echoes, hello…hello…hello} and onto a concrete slab. It has a lifetime warranty and is made from recycled materials. We paid $0.49/sq ft for the underlayment.

The engineered hardwood flooring is Jasper Handscraped Birch in Texas Brown. It’s recommended for residential use above or below grade and has a 25-year warranty. It can be glued, floated, nailed and/or stapled during installation. We chose it for its ability to be placed on a concrete slab, its aesthetic {5″ width, handscraped, color and grain} and the price. We scored it for $2.04/ sq ft.

Once the underlayment and flooring were delivered, we stored them both in the Underdog’s garage – against the manufacturer’s suggestion and our better judgment – but we really had no other choice as the Underdog’s interior was a disaster zone. If you ever choose to purchase hardwoods, you shouldn’t store the flooring in a garage or basement due to high levels of moisture that can cause the wood to warp. We did keep the stack of boxes up off the floor with a skid and brought the flooring inside the house to acclimate once the house was in working order…about a week before we started installing the floors.

Handy Hubby laid the underlayment which was a piece of cake. Basically, you just cut it to size and tape all seams. The big thing here to remember is that your subfloor {in our case, the concrete slab} is clean, dry and free of debris. We scraped, vacuumed and mopped the slab in preparation for the underlayment.

Once the underlayment was down, it reminded me of turf and I couldn’t wait to cover it up. It’s like a giant green screen on the floor and it messes with your eyes and brain after a while. All the paint we had just put on the walls and ceilings started looking quirky but it was just because of the very green underlayment.

The next step was where stuff got a little hairy. You may have previously read that HH is an engineer. So he likes things {particularly measurements} to be exact. Which is all well and good – except when things aren’t exact.

We decided we wanted the flooring to run the length of the house {parallel with the hall} as opposed to running from the front of the house to the back. HH wanted the boards to run perfectly down the hallway so we made a chalk line straight down the center of it into the great room. We used the chalk line to line up our first row of floor boards under the big picture window in the family room. To square things up, we used spacers along the wall. We were very promiscuous with our spacers along this first row. Everything was measuring up, so we set to work placing, cutting and gluing our tongue and groove engineered hardwoods. We used Roberts Tongue & Groove Adhesive #1406. It’s no VOC, non-toxic and non-flammable.

Now, when I say ‘gluing’ I don’t mean gluing the boards to the underlayment. We’re gluing each and every board’s tongue and groove to the adjacent board which will essentially create one floating floor in the end. Typically, tongue and groove flooring can be nailed down but with a concrete slab and no subfloor, that’s not an option for us. {We weren’t willing to put down a floating subfloor and lose height/mess with all the door openings.} Quick-click flooring would have been a great time-saving option for us but, when we were shopping around for flooring, prices for quick-click floors were at least $2 more per sq ft than the $2.04/sq ft we paid for the Jasper Texas Brown. That would have doubled the cost…although it probably would have knocked off our installation time by more than half. Next time we install hardwoods ourselves {which I don’t foresee happening for a long time}, we might think twice about paying more $$$ for a floor that can be installed in a timely manner. But for now, we’re on a tight budget and sticking with what we’ve got.

I wouldn’t say installing this flooring is difficult but it’s definitely time consuming. Gluing every last seam is tedious. And because we stored the flooring in the garage, some of the longest boards {the floor comes in random lengths} are warped. Boo. Totally our fault. The good news is they aren’t completely unusable. We’re finding that if we use them at the end of a row and cut them to fit, the cut is releasing the board so that it no longer bows. So all is not lost. Plus, not all of the longest boards seem to be affected…only the ones that were in boxes at the bottom of the stack in the garage.

After 6 hours of nothing but installation on that first day, HH and I didn’t even get half of the great room done. :( We knew then and there that we were in for a looooooong project. The next day, I worked at my real job while HH spent his last vacation day over at the Underdog working on the floor. I got a call from HH just a few hours in and he was distraught. He had busted out his trusty laser level and found that at the rate he was going, it was going to put that elusive center board down the hallway ‘off.’ Here, I’m thinking the hallway is going to be all crooked, diagonal. I asked him how ‘off’ it was. He said 1/4″. I thought he was maybe going to cry.

I immediately told HH that it might not be perfect and I would be okay with that. No big deal. I advised him to put his laser level away. All I could hear on the other end of the phone was heavy sighing. That’s when I all but forced him to take a day off. Up until that day, HH had spent 3 straight vacation weeks working on the Underdog. During that time he only took one day off…Christmas Day. He needed a break. He was sore. He was exhausted. And if you ask me, he was a little delirious – and rightfully so! Who wouldn’t be after all that hard labor and little rest?

HH’s response? “But I have to get us in here.” Meaning, he wanted to get his family into a true home instead of a temporary apartment. I could have cried myself. That’s all he wanted. I assured him I was fine with our temporary living arrangement. Even if it was turning out to be longer than what we had anticipated. Even if it meant bringing home a newborn to a teeny apartment.

No house is worth HH’s physical or mental well-being. So after some coercion, HH did it. He took a break. A much needed break. After 4 full months of putting in an extra 20-30 hours of labor per week {on top of his regular 40+ hour work week} at the Underdog, HH got out of there and traded sawdust for fresh air instead.

This is where I want to tell HH in front of a lot of people how much I love and appreciate him. Do you think that’s too sappy? Well, too bad because this man completely deserves it. He is working his a$$ off and not complaining one bit. He misses dinner with his family regularly to squeeze in a little project at the Underdog. He comes home exhausted yet manages to bathe and dress the kids for bedtime because I’m the one who’s complaining of being tired. Sometimes he misses the kids’ bedtime altogether to stay late and renovate then comes home and plans what he needs to DIY the next day. He’s nonstop. I don’t know how he does it. But I love him for it. He’s doing it for us, for our family and I feel very lucky that he picked me to be his wife. He’s amazing. ‘Nuf said.

So after coming to the realization that this flooring install isn’t going to happen overnight {but if the Flooring Fairy wants to pay us visit we won’t turn her away!}, we’re taking it one day, one board at a time. “Patience is the key to joy.” That was HH’s fortune in his fortune cookie this past weekend. How fitting, right?

The *very dirrrrty* install looks like this currently…

HH has been randomly placing painter’s tape onto the flooring once glued to keep the seams nice and tight. We’re still holding out on painting the brick fireplace surround. Since removing primer and paint from brick is nearly impossible, we just want to be 100% positive it’s what we want before we take the irreversible painting plunge.

If you ask me, the hallway looks fabulous! Just don’t ask HH’s laser level. ;)

The best news? HH and I both love the way the floor is looking – minus the dirt and dust. Here’s a better shot of the wood tone and grain…

I can’t wait to give it a good cleaning. After we finish the bedrooms and other half of the great room, that is.

Thanks to all of you who have shared your own tongue and groove glue installs with me! It really helps to know that others have done it and found the results to be well worth their while. Such an inspiration!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning all those products. Just sharing what we’re using!

images: 1&2) Build Direct  3-12) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Not a ton of time for posting today but here are two things of importance…

1) The underlayment is down. It will provide cushioning and a moisture barrier beneath the engineered hardwood flooring that we’re installing.

2) I practiced labor squats while learning to use a flooring saw. I think all the relaxin {google it} in my body was helpful in crouching around on the floor. Handy Hubby nicknamed me ‘the Spiderman of flooring.’

Knee pads are for wusses. Yeah, I’m talking to you HH.

Did I mention we’re laying non-quick click engineered hardwood flooring onto a concrete slab? That means we have to glue each and every single piece of flooring at the tongue and groove joints. It’s taking for.ev.er.

And we thought the painting saga was bad. Geesh.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

FYI – The winner of the American Express gift card courtesy of Waste Management was announced here.

For now, painting at the Underdog has stopped. We still have to paint one hall closet {that is holding a bunch of supplies up off the floor}, any trim added after the flooring install, the interior doors, the front door, a claw foot tub’s exterior, the kid/guest bathroom and DIY wainscoting that we plan to add to the mudroom/dining room. So, technically, we’re not done but we’re making progress!

Wanna see it?

The great room which I’ve already shared…

The mudroom/dining room…

 {it looks a little khaki above but is really more of a sandy gray as seen below}

The hallway to the bedrooms and bathrooms…There’s the one closet I was telling you about that’s not painted yet because it’s holding supplies.

The kid/guest bathroom just off the hall…It’s not painted yet because I’m torn between two colors but I think it will end up white. The foam board paint sample sitting on the floor is what the exterior of the claw foot tub will be painted. It’s Benjamin Moore’s Gravel Gray.

The nursery…We don’t know whether we’re having a boy or girl so the walls are neutral.

The boys’ bedroom…

The master suite…

And the view from the master looking towards the nursery…because I like looking from room to room…

Without furnishings and accessories it looks ‘meh’ and even after we move in it will take us a while to bring it to life. But it’s a neutral, clean slate. That’s not to say I won’t ever paint a focal wall or add some fun wallpaper…but if any of that happens it will all be in good time.

You may have noticed that we painted all the bedroom closets the same color as the room they’re within. That’s because we’re doing away with all the bedroom closet doors. They’re too cumbersome. Instead, I’ll be hanging fabric to act as ‘doors.’ It may sound crazy but I told HH that I’m most excited about organizing the closets when we move in. I like everything to have a place so it can be easily found and put away. It’s my way of staying sane with lil’ kiddos and all the stuff that comes with them.

After HH and I finished up the painting yesterday, we proceeded to clean up and get the house ready for the flooring install. We’re DIYing the flooring installation which will include engineered hardwood and tile. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have a home with NO carpet!

Before I go, here’s one last candid painting pic…

That’s HH painting a closet. It sort of looks like he’s taking a little nap on a bucket in a closet. Oh, and the shirt cracks me up.

“You want the proof? You can’t handle the proof! A few good mathematicians.”

My sister {who graduated from Clemson with a master’s in math} gifted the t-shirt to HH. After all, he is an engineer.

FYI – For brands and names of the paint colors we used, click here.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

What did we do on New Year’s Day to celebrate a fresh start? Why, slap some fresh paint on the Underdog of course. After sampling several different paint colors on foam board and moving them around the house for a few days, I decided on a color scheme…with Handy Hubby’s approval.

• BM Tapestry Beige – great room {family room & kitchen}, hallway to bedrooms, master bedroom, master bathroom
• BM White Dove – trim, ceilings {including the great room}, interior doors
• SW Contented – boys’ bedroom
• BM Camouflage – mudroom/dining room, laundry nook, nursery

{Word is still out on the kid/guest bathroom…either Tapestry Beige or White Dove. I’m waiting until the claw foot tub is painted to decide.}

The collage comes across as pretty ‘blah’ but the colors are light and airy with gray undertones in real life. In fact, now that I’m looking at the collage none of the colors look true to life. Still, hopefully, you get the idea and at least have a reference for what’s to come. When choosing paint colors, it’s easy to want to pick a different color for each room but I’ve found that makes me feel like I’m living in a schizophrenic home. Homes – especially smaller ones like our Underdog – flow better and feel better to me when there are slight variations of color throughout. I know how difficult it can be to limit your palette when there are so many great colors to choose from but, for me, it works.

We’ve tried many different brands of paint in the past and decided to have all paint colors matched at Home Depot with Behr’s low VOC primer and paint in one. Since the majority of the interior walls/ceilings are new absorbent drywall, we thought going with the primer and paint in one would help cut down on the number of coats we’d need.

As I mentioned weeks ago, HH was away on business for three straight weeks leading up to the holidays. Things were slow going. Luckily, HH has had the past two weeks off from work and has spent every single day {minus Christmas…the boys were so excited their Dada didn’t have to work on the house Christmas Day…they kept asking ‘Do you have to go work on the new house?’} prepping, priming and painting. First up was the great room ceiling. If you’ll remember it was pine tongue and groove and we decided to paint it {which went against a lot of friends’ and family members’ opinions}. We liked the raw pine but felt it wouldn’t have looked right once medium-dark hardwood floors, black and white cabinetry and other finishes were installed. Over the years, HH and I have realized that going against popular opinion is sometimes necessary {albeit a tad disconcerting} when it comes to making a house really feel like our home.

So once that was decided, HH did a bunch of research on priming/painting raw pine. Turns out those natural knots can cause bleeding problems down the road if not sealed and primed correctly. HH ended up using Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer. HH brushed a single coat of the shellac primer into the grooves and knots of the pine then rolled it onto the flatter surfaces. {The primer dried waaaay too fast for HH to spray it on using his new paint sprayer.} He wore a respirator while applying it.

HH applied one coat of BM White Dove in a satin finish to the primed tongue and groove ceiling, two coats of BM Tapestry Beige in an eggshell finish to the great room’s walls and one coat of BM White Dove in a flat finish to all other ceilings using the paint sprayer. He wore a respirator and painter’s suit while using the paint sprayer. Of course, this small paragraph totally undermines the amount of time that all this took. For instance, it took HH one whole day just to prep the areas to be sprayed…wipe down, tape off, move drop cloths around, etc. Painting is the easy part. It’s the prepping and clean up that take for.ev.er.

This is what the great room looks like now…

{I finally scraped off the homemade soot-removing recipe of baking powder + dish soap from the mantel. It still needs more drying time and probably more rinsing but I think it worked well enough for what we’ll need. And HH and I agreed that even if it doesn’t clean up spotlessly, we sort of like a taste of the used look…imperfect perfection. We’ve decided to leave the mantel unpainted and in its original condition because we like the contrast. Should we tire of it later, we can always paint it.}

The great room gets so much natural light during daylight hours that it’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the white ceiling and ivory-gray walls. {In photos, it reads all white.} I was a little nervous about going all white in the great room because we have kids but most of my inspiration photos are white-on-white rooms. So, I compromised and decided to go with the ivory-gray Tapestry Beige. It’s not pure white but it’s still very much light and airy. If you’re not diggin’ the light envelope of the room, please don’t write it off just yet. Remember we still have medium-dark hardwood flooring and black and white kitchen cabinets to add to the mix…along with many other contrasting furnishings.

Here’s a better image of the contrast between the ceiling and walls…

At night under artificial light, the walls have a warmer feel. The white ceiling is my favorite. I know it’s not for everyone but I love it. I can’t stop looking up when I’m in the room. Layne described it best. He said it looks like a cottage. While the white paint gives the tongue and groove a fresh look, there are all these little nooks and crannies that run throughout the ceiling that give it more of that imperfect perfection we like.

HH and I discussed what color to paint the ridge beam. We decided on white {BM White Dove} but HH forgot during his painting escapades and painted it the same color as the walls {BM Tapestry Beige}. I would have preferred it white but I don’t detest the mess-up and HH was not repainting, so it’s staying as is. No biggie.

Can’t wait to install some modern ceiling fans and track lighting along the beam!

HH and I tackled the trim last week {we still have some to add after the flooring install} and HH knocked out the hallway. The walls are requiring two coats of the primer and paint in one.

Painting a house with no flooring is pretty sweet. We don’t have to put down drop cloths or worry about little drips on the floor here and there. We removed all the interior doors prior to painting the trim and walls. You may have noticed them leaning against a wall in the great room above. The plan is to paint the doors the same as the trim. Nope, we’re not getting new doors.

Here’s an image of what BM Tapestry Beige looks like under artificial lighting…in this case, under shop lights…

That’s the view from the master bedroom looking into the hallway. Today HH and I knocked out the master bedroom and bathroom – figuratively speaking – and various closets. The ivory-gray looks much different in the north facing bedroom versus the bright great room which we knew it would.

It feels cozier. It’s amazing what paint can do for old, dingy walls. I did feel a wee bit sad painting over one particular wall…

I know it looks awful but this wall had been stained over the years with the previous homeowner’s various art paints. {The previous owner was an artist. We bought two of her paintings at the estate sale to keep with the house.} From what we can tell, the owner/painter used this bedroom as her studio. There was no bed in this room…just stacks and stacks of original canvas paintings.

{No maternity painting clothes here! The bump cannot be contained.}

My pregnancy emotions got the best of me when I rolled this wall and all I could think was that I was getting rid of a part of the woman’s life…a woman who is now deceased. For someone who enjoys all things design, this wall told a great story and I covered it up. But, let’s be honest, it had to be repainted.

Where were the boys while all of this was going on? If you scroll up to the first pic of the painted great room, you’ll seem them hanging out in the bottom right corner. I set them up with blankets, snacks and a movie on the Mac.

Well, movies plural, I guess. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was Layne’s choice and Spiderman was Everett’s. That should give you a good idea of how different our two boys are. After weeks of racing around for various Christmas parties {we had five Christmases over a span of three days, yikes!}, they were happy to chill out in front of the computer for an afternoon…with old clothes on in case they decided to brush up against any freshly painted walls…which did happen with Everett.

The boys and I took off around 6:00 p.m. to head back to the apartment for dinner and baths. HH stayed behind to finish up one coat on the boys’ bedroom. I saw one wall complete before I left and loved it. That means only the mudroom/dining room and nursery remain unpainted. We’re getting there!

And after paint comes flooring. I think that’s going to be one of the biggest improvements we make.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the products we used above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

Congrats to Stacy who plans on using the $100 gift card to paint her downstairs!

I’ve been unplugged for a while {and hope you have been too, enjoying your family and friends} but things are about to get all messy up in here. ‘Messy’ as in painting {we’re actually well into this project!}, tiling, installing flooring and cabinetry, DIYing countertops, etc. As much as we’re trying to avoid unnecessary waste, renovating sans scrap material and debris is pretty much impossible. That’s where the Bagster comes in.

The Bagster is a highly durable, woven bag that can handle up to 3,300 pounds of debris. It’s big enough to hold full sheets of plywood, doors and even a bathtub. It’s a convenient choice for smaller home improvement projects as the bag is larger than a garbage can but smaller than a dumpster. And with more people choosing to DIY their home projects to save money, the Bagster offers an affordable option over making trips to the dump. Simply purchase the Bagster at your local home improvement store for $29.95, take as long as you want to fill it up, then schedule a collection time online or via phone at your convenience for a flat fee depending on your area. {For all the specifics, click here.}

Now that demolition has ended and the renovation dust has settled a bit, we plan on using the Bagster ourselves to complete the nitty gritty details of our renovation over the coming weeks. In other words, we’re getting to the good stuff!!

So, what’s in it for you? Waste Management not only offers the Bagster but is also offering one lucky House*Tweaking reader a $100 American Express gift card to take on whatever project is next on his/her 2012 to-do list. Here are all the details on how to enter:

• PRIZE:  $100 American Express gift card which has a U.S. restriction for in-store purchases but works online anywhere. Should there be an international winner, the gift card may be awarded in the form of an e-gift card depending on the winner’s location.
• RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old. One entry per email address.
• HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “IT’S IN THE BAG!”
• DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, January 5th at 9:00 p.m. EST. One winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on Friday, January 6th.
• WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  Share what you’re most looking forward to in 2012. New endeavors? A long awaited home improvement project? A dream vacation? More of 2011? For me, it’s a toss up between meeting baby #3  {due this spring} and finally moving into the Underdog {hopefully before this spring}. No pressure, Handy Hubby. ;)

Don’t forget to like the Bagster on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Waste Management partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its The Bagster® Bag Blogger Challenge.  As part of the program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the The Bagster® Bag Blogger Challenge. Waste Management believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Waste Management’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

images: the Bagster bag

Handy Hubby is home! And not a moment too soon. I’ve been running around like a mad woman taking the boys to and from school/gymnastics, working {more than usual, ugh}, Christmas shopping, running from doctor appointment to doctor appointment {Everett developed an ear infection shortly after HH left on his business trip and I’ve had OB checkups} and gathering paint swatches from every paint supply store in town. I know I’m probably not any busier than any other mom out there. And I’m not complaining…only very grateful that HH is back to help lighten the load a little. Boy, did I miss him. Just having him here to take over a few nights of bath time and bedtime is like vacation to me.

So, yeah, did you catch that part about me gathering paint swatches? HH ordered a paint sprayer to prime and paint the Underdog’s interior. It arrived while he was away. He’s getting antsy to use it. Which means we’ve got to nail down trim and wall colors ASAP. Basically, I’ve been scouring the internet for color ideas then picking up swatches from all the different brands available around here: Valspar, Behr, Glidden, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, etc. Then I narrowed down a half dozen ‘maybes’, had some samples made at Home Depot in the Behr brand and painted out some foam board to test in the Underdog.

Here’s an unedited sampling of the sampling…

Mudroom/dining room – Thinking of DIYing white wainscoting with a darker color painted above. If you look closely, there’s a small tile sample on the floor. It’s a lighter travertine with lots of variation in it.

Family room/mantel – Definitely wanting to keep the walls light and airy in here. {Once again, that white stuff on the mantel is my attempt at naturally removing soot from the brick with baking powder + dish soap.} All this time I’ve been sold on painting the brick surround…but I’m having second thoughts.

Family room/ceiling – HH was kind enough to hold up a wall color possibility next to a white ceiling possibility. For a minute, we contemplated painting the ceiling something other than white – like a light neutral tone instead – but decided we really liked the idea of a white ceiling.

Kitchen – Trying to picture any of those with black lower cabinets, white upper cabinets and stainless steel appliances/hood. I think we’ve ousted the middle color. It’s a little too dark.

Great room – The final two??

Boys’ room – There’s a sample of the wood flooring lying in front of the white-ish foam board. I immediately decided I didn’t like the one on the far right. Looks like baby poop. I’m leaning towards the one second from the left but I like the blue-gray to the left also. Hmmm?

Master bedroom – This is the only ‘for sure’ that HH and I have right now. Our bedroom is on the north side of the house and doesn’t receive a lot of natural light so we wanted something light but warm. I think this is it. I think.

Master bathroom – This is the same blue-gray color from the boys’ room image. It looks nice in the master bath but we’d like the master bedroom and bathroom to be painted the same color for continuity. So now we’re stuck wondering ‘do we paint the bedroom blue-gray since the bath looks good in the color or do we stick with the light, warm neutral that we really like in the bedroom and paint the bath that color as well?’ Decision, decisions.

And we’re not even discussing the nursery yet. It’s such a small space – not even 10′ x10′ – that I shouldn’t have a problem painting it out with a roller {versus the sprayer} once we get moved in and I get into nesting the nursery. The hallway to the bedrooms and the guest/kids’ bath just off the great room will probably get painted whatever color we decide on for the great room walls…to keep things cohesive and flowing nicely in those small areas.

When it comes to selecting paint colors, there’s no magic wand for us. We always use samples on foam board and move them around from room to room, viewing them at different times of the day before we make any decisions.

The hardest thing for me right now is looking at all of my inspiration images and trying to bring them to life in the Underdog while staying true to our family’s lifestyle. I.e., most of the images in my inspiration folder are of rooms with white walls and as much as I love them, I’m not sure how well they’d carry over into everyday living. The kids would surely mark them up and I’m a little afraid I’d start to feel as if I was living in an insane asylum. Still, I get all googly-eyed over white rooms. Who knows where we’ll end up with our paint selections?

I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I do.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

The oversized leather sectional that we had in our previous home was too large for the Underdog’s family room.

Technically, it would have fit but it would have taken up nearly all of the floor space in the downsized space and engulfed our future family room. So, we decided to sell it and put the money towards a more appropriately sized version for the Underdog.

Since Handy Hubby liked the previous sectional so much, he had a few stipulations for our next sofa.

• No loose back cushions. The leather sectional we’d owned before had attached back pillows and HH really liked not having to adjust them every time he sat down and got up. From a design standpoint, I liked this characteristic as well. Loose back cushions can start to look frumpy or lumpy over time. This meant we were on the hunt for either a couch with attached back cushions or a tight back.
• No microfiber. HH doesn’t particularly like the feel or texture of microfiber. I was okay with this requirement too since microfiber tends to look differently if the fibers are pushed one way or the other. I.e., you get the famous butt print effect after someone gets up from sitting. Not that I haven’t seen some good microfiber pieces out there – I have – but if HH didn’t want it, then I was willing to toss it out of the search.
• Kid-friendly. We have kids – two boys ages 6 and 3. And a baby on the way. The sofa will serve as main seating in the family room, so it has to hold up to bouncy, rowdy kids. And even though we don’t allow food or drinks {except for water and the occasional bowl of popcorn} outside the kitchen/dining area, upholstery fabric had to be durable and easy to clean. That meant we were looking at either leather {like we’d had before}, faux leather or slipcovered pieces. Microfiber would have fit the kid-friendly bill but, again, neither of us really wanted it.
• Long-term investment. HH and I were both willing to spend a little more moolah on a quality piece that would stand the test of time as opposed to shelling out hundreds of dollars only to replace a couch of lesser quality in a few short years. This is not our stand on every piece of furniture. But for a sofa that would see regular daily use and be somewhat of a centerpiece for the great room, we felt this would be a good ‘splurge’ item. $2,000 was the max limit we felt comfortable spending. {Again, it helped that we were selling a bunch of the furniture from our previous home to invest in fewer, higher quality items for the Underdog.}
• Comfortable. Not too soft that we’d sink while watching TV. Not too firm that we couldn’t lounge or nap. Not too shallow that we couldn’t curl up with a book and our kiddos. Not too deep that we’d have to install one of those lift mechanisms just to get up from a sitting position.

Our future couch had to meet a few requirements to say the least. Maybe one other requirement for me was that it have a good aesthetic. Naturally. I didn’t want an expensive, comfy, kid-friendly, non-microfiber sofa with a tight back that stood out like the black sheep of the Underdog! I wasn’t exactly sure what specific aesthetic I was looking for but I knew I wanted something with clean lines and not too high of a back since I planned on floating the sofa in the middle of the family room, facing the fireplace.

So, the search was on.

On a trip to IKEA over the summer {before we’d even sold our previous sectional}, we stumbled upon the Klippan four-seater sofa. It was comfy and slipcovered with straight lines and a low tight back. It wasn’t microfiber and while it would have been kid-friendly with its removable, washable slipcover, I started to wonder if the low, low price tag {less than $500} wasn’t an indication of its long-term durability. Still, I envisioned it with a linen-like custom slipcover and kept that idea on the back burner for a while.

I didn’t get a chance to try it out because once we sold our sectional, the Klippan four-seater had already been discontinued. Boo. I even called the nearest IKEA store to make sure they didn’t have any stragglers sitting in stock but they were completely out. The loveseat version was {and is} still available but it was smaller than what we were needing. I took it as a sign. A sign to move on.

What I moved onto was Crate & Barrel’s Aris sofa.

Again, it had nice lines, a non-microfiber slipcover, tight back and down cushions that screamed ‘comfy!’ The only things that had me questioning ‘Is it the one?’ were the slightly curved back and dry-clean only hemp slipcover. At $1,600, it wasn’t cheap and if I couldn’t throw the cover into the wash every time one of the kids accidentally marked it up then it didn’t sound perfect. So, I decided it wasn’t. Good thing, too. Because it turned up discontinued right when I decided it wasn’t for us.

I was slowly discovering that whatever ‘perfect’ sofa came along, I’d jump at buying it after watching the two above be discontinued. I was starting to think all the good ones were gone. I scoured Craigslist for vintage sofas with modern lines that could be reupholstered…to no avail. I hit up consignment stores and outlets all around the area…to no avail.

That’s when I discovered this bad boy.

He’s leather with straight lines and attached back cushions. He’s much like the sectional we had previously with three notably different qualities:

1) He’s not an oversized sectional. This 90″ long sofa is big enough to fit our entire family but modest enough to fit our downsized family room. I taped out his footprint onto the family room floor for good measure. Literally.

2) His back is lower. While the high back of our previous sectional was helpful in delineating the family room from the adjacent open dining area, it would have been too high for the Underdog’s much smaller space.

3) He’s not chocolate brown. This cognac-like sofa is a bit lighter on the eyes than our darker sectional. The color makes me think of saddles and boots.

I immediately showed him to HH who approved whole-heartedly and was a bit surprised by my masculine choice. As much as I adore slipcovered pieces {they’re so airy and cottage-y, aren’t they?}, I really did like how easy it was to keep our last leather sectional clean and how durable it was. Seriously, after 3.5 years of kids jumping on it, it looked exactly like it did the day we originally bought it. Not a tear or stain to be found. I knew this top grain sofa would stand the test of time as well.

I stalked him for a while until he popped up with a free shipping special. I called and talked to a salesperson and was able to get him for $1,800 flat – shipping and taxes included – which was about $200 off the listed price. Not exactly cheap by any means but he was within our budget and I was already picturing him in the Underdog, so I knew this was ‘the one.’

He was delivered to the Underdog last week. HH was away on business, so I had the delivery guys shove him {completely boxed and packaged} into the crowded garage. I haven’t even had a chance to open him up yet. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow. I hope he’s as sexy and rich as I imagine him to be. I’ve already named him Nate after Nate Berkus. Doesn’t he feel very ‘Nate’ to you?

The plan is to float him in the family room facing the fireplace. The two linen-like upholstered chairs I already showed you will sit opposite him to round out a nice, comfy casual seating area. At some point I need to hunt down a rug to ground the floating furniture arrangement and I’m playing around with the idea of using a console behind the sofa. But I think I’ll wait and see how the space feels once we’re moved in before I start scoping out consoles. I want to make sure things won’t feel cramped.

So, there you go. Our latest furniture purchase. I can’t wait to test him out. The petite sofa we have in our apartment {which I plan to use as a dining settee in the future} is soooo not for lounging. It has more of an upright seat and isn’t even long enough for my 5’3″ body to stretch out on completely.

What about you? What characteristics do/are you look/looking for in a sofa? Or maybe you call it a couch. I went back and forth in this post because sofa sounds better but I typically say couch due to my rural upbringing.

FYI – Good news for you! Just found the exact sofa for cheaper than I paid here if you’re interested. Looks like quantities are limited.

images: 1) IKEA  2) Crate & Barrel 3) Elements Fine Home Furnishings

Handy Hubby has been on two business trips in the last two weeks and has yet another one coming up. {All three trips were last minute job requirements and have thrown quite the wrench into the renovation, figuratively speaking.} Needless to say, progress has been slow at the Underdog. My priority has been entertaining the kids in between working and growing a baby. Again, kudos to all the single moms out there. I’m doing it short-term and I can’t imagine how challenging it must be to do it day in and day out. Single moms in every form, you’re amazing.

HH did make it back for a two-day stint. Not that I saw him. He was busy working on the tongue and groove ceiling in the Underdog’s great room. With the help of some very selfless friends, he was able to finish up the other {kitchen} side of the vaulted ceiling.

HH cut 1″x8″ pine boards to line the skylight insets.

He still has to frame them out with a little trim.

We’re lovin’ the plank ceiling. And, yep, while the unfinished pine isn’t a bad look, we’re planning on priming and painting it white. We think the white will keep things bright and airy and not fight with the other wood finishes that will be in the great room {black and white cabinets, medium hued hardwoods, etc.}.

Looking up at the ceiling, it almost seems as if you’re looking at a pine floor…if it weren’t for the ridge beam breaking things up. In fact, installing the tongue and groove on the ceiling was much like installing it on a floor – except HH was doing a lot of looking up instead of looking down.

The room as a whole is starting to shape up. In fact, it’s looking more new than old, so that feels good even though progress is stagnant.

Don’t mind the white on the brick fireplace surround. That’s just my natural home remedy for removing soot from the brick before we prime and paint it. It’s a baking powder + dish soap paste {I’m trying to avoid chemicals if possible} and I think it’s been up for 3 weeks now because I haven’t had a kid-free moment to scrape and rinse it off. Oh, life.

Everett loves ‘working’ on the Underdog. Basically, that consists of him walking around with a toy hammer and pounding on random surfaces. He likes to wear his black winter gloves while he does it because they get all dusty…proof that he’s been ‘working.’ Five minutes later, he’s done.

Here’s the newest view looking from the mudroom/dining room into the great room. And to think that it used to look like this…

Slow and steady wins the race, right?

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

This is my final installment of Everyday Maternity and my hope is that I’ve given you some ideas for dressing affordably and stylishly during pregnancy.

As apprehensive as I was about plastering myself and my style all over the web, it’s been fun! Especially because you all are so kind with your compliments. Thank you! It looks like a few posts regarding my pregnancy fitness routine and hair styling will be coming to H*T in the near future…stay tuned.

Today’s non-maternity-turned-maternity apparel idea involves a little tweaking. This is House*Tweaking after all. I found this super soft, casual and comfy striped tee at Target a few weeks ago.

I tried it on in one size larger than I normally wear and found it to provide adequate baby bump coverage and I fell hard for the stripes. On clearance for less than $8, I decided to bring it home with me.

Once I got it home though I realized that something was off. The bottom of the non-maternity shirt needed some oompf.

See how the bottom hem is stretched away from my body? I immediately thought of ruching the side seams in hopes of bringing the bottom of the shirt in closer to my body. I googled around for ‘diy ruche’ and found this very simple, very easy-to-follow diy tutorial for side seam ruching. I guesstimated how high I wanted the ruching to come up on each side the shirt and went from there. It took me about 15-20 minutes to measure, set up my sewing machine and ruche the sides.

Of note: I do own a sewing machine and know how to use it but I’m far from a pro. You could easily diy this project by hand with a straight seam if you don’t own a sewing machine. It just might take a little longer.

This was my first time using any sort of ruching technique. It was quite easy and I love the results! It was just the extra detail my clearanced, non-maternity tee needed. Can you see how the side seam ruching brings the bottom of the shirt in around my body more?

I decided only to ruche up about 6″ on either side of the tee to allow my belly to expand more over the coming {third trimester} months. Post-pregnancy I could ruche further up the seams once my belly shrinks. {In fact, I think more ruching is in my future…pregnancy or not.} So this shirt will take me beyond my baby bump days!

The newly ruched striped tee looks great on its own or layered under a jacket as seen here. And it cost me less than $8!!! That’s a lot cheaper than all the ruched maternity shirts I’ve been seeing at specialty maternity shops.

In more apparel news, Susan is the lucky winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway! She’s dying for a pair of UGGS but maybe the Andes skirt will hold her over. ;)

Even though you may not have won the giveaway, don’t forget that Shabby Apple is offering a special 10% off discount to all House*Tweaking readers for the next 3 weeks. Just use the coupon code HOUSETWEAKING10OFF at checkout.

So, there, you’re all winners. Have a great weekend!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning Target or Shabby Apple. I just love sharing great places to shop!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I’m back with another easy maternity look to try: flirty shirts. Flirty as in a little girly. Not as in midriff baring or bra strap showing. Those would be bad maternity wardrobe choices. Bad, bad. Very bad.

Instead, I prefer flowing tops with high waists {much like these comfy dresses} and/or ribbon ties above the belly. The key here is to make sure that the top hits you at crotch level – for lack of a better description – or lower. {Yes, I realize everyone is looking at my crotch now. Oy.} Anything shorter will result in what I like to call the ‘umbrella’ effect where the shirt will poof out from the most prominent part of your belly…like all the old maternity shirts did back in the day when there weren’t as many options.

Of note: The red door in the background is our apartment door. I like the color. I’m thinking it wouldn’t look half bad on the Underdog’s front door with the red brick exterior and gray metal roof. What do you think?

To keep things balanced and to avoid looking frumpy, I pair these types of shirts with fitted bottoms.  Leggings, jeggings, fitted jeans…you get the idea. I’ll be honest. I’m going to have to invest in a pair of maternity leggings or skinny jeans soon. There is some squirming and deep lunges involved in getting these babies on at this time. Once they’re on they’re fine but I don’t think that’s going to last much longer.

THE OUTFIT:

• button-up cotton shirt: FREE {a Wet Seal gift from my sister a few years ago}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

All pieces from this outfit I’ve had on hand for years. That’s why I’m going to need some maternity skinny jeans soon!

This is my favorite non-maternity maternity outfit to date. It’s comfy, easy to wear and I can’t get enough of the deep navy silk. The kimono-esque top has a ribbon tie just above the belly. It was meant to be tied in the back but I thought the bow looked cute tied off to one side of my bump. This was another happy accident I found at a local shopping mall on Black Friday while Handy Hubby was spending some gift cards.

I like the contrast of the deep navy against the bright white jeans. The cognac leather boots {which aren’t shown very well here} pick up on the caramel tones of the floral print. I love this color scheme for an interior as well. Hmmm…maybe in the Underdog?

THE OUTFIT:

• navy silk blouse: $7!!!! {Rue 21 – I couldn’t say no to $7}
• white jeans: $15 {Walmart}
• leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

I wore this outfit to HH’s 15-year high school reunion a few weeks ago. I was the only prego there. Good times.

Try hunting down flowing flirty non-maternity tops to dress your bump. They’ll transition easily into your post-pregnancy wardrobe and beyond!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the items above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking