Category Archives: remodeling

Honed Carrara Marble Countertops: Stupidly genius? Brilliantly dumb?

Posted on October 4, 2011 by

Last night we left a plate of cannoli and a cup of espresso out for him. I couldn’t sleep a wink. I woke up this morning and tip-toed down the stairs, peeking around the corner. He had not yet arrived. … Continue reading →

Posted in Kitchen, kitchen renovation, remodeling | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Dear Kitchen Cabinet Maker Dude,

Posted on July 8, 2011 by

It was a joke! You didn’t really think I was serious about the whole “We’re gonna hypnotize you into giving us a low estimate” thing, did you? I mean really, who hypnotizes people besides David Blaine and guys who perform … Continue reading →

Posted in Kitchen, remodeling | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Tiles, and the definition of Pileist Style

Posted on June 29, 2011 by

We’re in the midst of trying to figure out what kind of kitchen cabinets to get: IKEA, RTA from another source (Ready To Assemble), custom made cabinets from a dude, or if we should embrace a new minimalist lifestyle I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Bathroom, DIY, Home, Kitchen, remodeling | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

And after aaaaallll you’re my wonderwaaaaaallll (a “During” drywall post)

Posted on June 14, 2011 by

Drywall has been taped and mudded. “Mudded” is a weird word I think I have never typed before. But there you go. Mudded. Anyway – here are pictures. They’re not finished yet – the corners still have to be done. … Continue reading →

Posted in demolition, drywall, Home, remodeling | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

You spray, you saw, you conquer

Posted on May 7, 2011 by

Totally forgot to tell you about the last part of spray foam insulating. You need to then grab a saw and hack away at the excess. Since the foam expands, you trim away what “puffs” out beyond the studs, so … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY, Home, insulation, remodeling | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A plumbing post (note to self: don’t tell the raccoon story)

Posted on April 23, 2011 by

I think it’s time to move on from the last post. So let’s in fact move on… to another tale of MURDER! G KILLED the bathroom plumbing job. The bathtub is now installed. Well, kinda-installed. Turns out the metal drain … Continue reading →

Posted in Bathroom, Chicago Bungalow, DIY, Home, home improvement, remodeling | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

“And the sky was all violet” (sung in your best Courtney Love voice)

Posted on April 15, 2011 by

See that round blue thing? Kind of looks like the color of the sky, doesn’t it? Kind of looks like a big, gaping hole, maybe 4’’ in diameter or so, right there in the roof of someone’s master bathroom. Just … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, home improvement, remodeling, Roof Repair | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Bathroom Blitz

Posted on March 10, 2011 by

When I was a kid, my friend C and I used to watch this show called Cartooning with Bruce Blitz. I think it was on PBS. Have you seen it? Bruce showed you how to draw cartoons, and he was … Continue reading →

Posted in Bathroom, Chicago Bungalow, DIY, Home, home improvement, remodeling | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

The pitch: a sequel to the movie Glitter, where Mariah has a wisecracking, sidekick dog

Posted on March 6, 2011 by

So I realized that I’ve only been talking about the kitchen and pantry lately when in reality there’s a lot more going on – namely, two bathrooms and the master closet. Come with me into Stresslovania… The 1st floor bathroom … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Bungalow, DIY, floorplans, Home, home improvement, remodeling | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

How to Get by Without a Working Kitchen When You’re Renovating Yours

Posted on December 31, 2010 by

Or,“What do you guys do for food?” Or, things Norwegians do to Hot Dogs. We are often asked “what do you guys eat without a kitchen?” And to be honest, I’m never quite sure how to answer. Since gutting the … Continue reading →

Posted in demolition, Kitchen, kitchen renovation, Norwegians, remodeling | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments