Happy progress report on the house day, friends! I know that it's highly unlikely that any of you are as excited as we are about this, but those first few vertical pieces of steel are the happiest sight for me! (I'll give you the cliff's notes version, but feel free to fall down the rabbit hole here if you prefer all of the details.) After closing on the house the beginning of June, finishing up the rough floor plans by mid June, then dealing with all kinds of demo, tree, and building permits as well as structural engineering, finalizing interior elevation details, and choosing our builder, we finally officially broke ground on December 27th. Since then, some of the rough plumbing and electrical have gone in, the foundation has been poured and all of the steel framing has gone up. (They're finishing the wood pieces of the frame as we speak!) The place we are renting is really close by, so it's been fun to drive by and walk through the different rooms, imagining what they'll look like when they're complete. (Which, by the way, will be around the end of September. About a month after this babe is born!) Keep reading for our full floor plan break down and Aaron's drone shot of the property...
Here's what the foundation looks like from above:
And here is the floor plan:
You'll remember that I was adamant about having a playroom downstairs and also about the kitchen and living room having a nice flow to each other. Aaron's priorities included that atrium area that you see on the right side of the property behind where the stairs will be, tall ceilings in the living room, and a cool entry area. (I still can't get over how functional my priorities were and how aesthetic his were-- so funny.) We both loved the idea of a ton of glass that would allow the outdoor and indoor spaces to flow more seamlessly. We also both agreed that we didn't need huge spaces or superfluous rooms. We wanted every square foot to feel like it was being used, thus no two living spaces and no formal dining space in addition to the breakfast area. The kid's room sizes are average at best because we don't imagine them doing much up there except sleeping. We would rather everyone be hanging out together downstairs.
Also, I'm pretty sure this is where we landed on the exterior. Between Facebook, Instagram, and the blog, over 100 of you commented on your favorite exterior options (which you can see here). Things can still always change in this arena, but this option offers some different elements while still staying within our budget for this line item.
Now here's hoping we have more progress to share soon!
Jesse Coulter says
Love the floor plan! Can't wait to see you style it!
Caleigh says
Wow, very cool! Very modern looking. We have our house for sale but the market is suuuuuper slow here. Our current house is just way too small & inefficient for us (our 3 year old is sleeping in the mudroom, his bed is opposite the door to the garage and the laundry hookup! And our one year old is in a pack n play in our teeny tiny 'master' bedroom.) I am so excited at the thought of everyone having their own room someday! I wish you good luck on your house being built, it's such an amazing process!
Bri Towne says
Jen! It looks amazing. So exciting! The shot from above makes it really easy to imagine what all's going in there. What an exciting time!
Jen Pinkston says
Thanks so much, Bri! It really does suddenly feel real with the framing going up!
Amanda @ life on linton says
Looking forward to seeing more updates! I live in Houston, where a 2 car garage is a dealbreaker for many. What made you decide to go with only a 1 car garage?
- Amanda
Katie H. says
I was also wondering this, Amanda...
Jen - It looks awesome! Super stylish, yet practical. I love how you guys are maximizing space and preserving the existing mature trees. Can’t wait for more updates!
Jen Pinkston says
Haha! See below for the garage explanation 🙂 I'm so excited for more updates soon, too!
Jen Pinkston says
Yes, it's so funny! Some people are definitely two car garage people and have mentioned that about our plans. Most of the neighborhood is actually only one car garages or they have really long driveways and a detached two car garage in the backyard. In LA, we had the detached situation and never actually used the garage for cars because of a big beautiful tree that hung low and actually blocked them from getting through. After 4.5 years in that house, we were totally un-phased by not having a garage, so when it came time to design this house it wasn't a priority. Also, the lots in the neighborhood where we are building aren't super wide, so if you imagine doubling the size of the existing garage, it would have been the majority of the front facade of our house which we weren't keen on.
Linda P says
This looks fantastic!'
Jen Pinkston says
Thank you!