Back in Business... First Project! Kitchen Island

So this is where the design idea left off. Now I've been told to start working on ideas for the Island. Actually he said make the drawings. huh.... Make the drawings? Oki Doki! So I really like the look of the above. Originally I toyed with the island being a different color, 2 tiered, etc. but I think I'd like it more simple. Now the above island is probably bigger than possible. We figured a 48" by 72" was the max (countertop) and smaller footprint. And the seating probably on living room side.

I wonder if he ever saw the floorplans where I rotated it? I also tried to put in dinette. Not really what I pictured so would have to play with it.


Original Plan with Island as Discussed and Dinette

So here I did an addition again. I keep going back to an addition because it's so hard to have the layout otherwise include all the componets we discussed without stuff on top of each other. But I also then totally moved the back wall of kitchen forward a few feet which would be bad idea because of all the plumbing there. And didn't even put bathroom stuff back in place. BUT I added a portico which I still insist is a MUST (I am alone on that one I think). It also enables us to put a real fireplace in with the lovely stonework on the outside that would really add to the look of the house.

Plan with addition to swap LR and DR. Turned Island and Added wall of cabinets
 

 Here's the 3d rendering mostly to get a feel for the kitchen. See all the bookcases we both talked about. That's why I added another room so it would still feel open otherwise it might feel like a very small room in a library.

Ok I fixed the floating bathroom fixtures and a few other issues: Still can't get stairways to not being up in air. Apparently you can't do a negative elevation. Here's the 3D:

Melody's Ranch Makeover

I found someone with very similar front yard issues to mine on Fine Gardening asking for help. So thought what the heck a new collage!

Before

 So I used some of the pictures I have of beautiful conifers around steps to redo her entry and front yard.

After

So I hope she likes it! Of course if I had to name all those plants it'd be tough. Basically there are 2 Dwarf Alberta Spruce, 2 Dwarf someother kind of Spruce (sorry I'm thinking Norway), lot of false cypress the weeping gold kind, low growing juniper, phlox, and the airy plant in the back that's yellow I'm thinking is goldenspire.   OK I need to hone down these plants if Melody sees this!

Terrarium Class

I was "leaf"ing through the Chicago Botanical Garden's catalog of adult education and thought oooh terrariums. Later I mentioned to Pat about wanting to take some classes there which he was supportive of until I mentioned the terrarium class. Then he said sounds like clutter. Don't you love it when your hubbie pronouncing something you've put a lot of thought into so quickly as something to dismiss.

So for him I named this collage....
So you don't think you like terrariums!

So I visualized my vertical garden of succulents in the condo window in delicate glass bubbles and galvanized steel gutters! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH boy!

A new collage for the Condo

I feel pretty dumb that I lost my cell phone today. So I thought I'd work on a collage for the condo to feel better. Luckily I took the pictures of the condo right before we went to the Planetarium and I uploaded them using Google+ so I didn't lose them. And I also sent this cool photo of a horse sculpture outside the aquarium to facebook too. So at least I didn't lose any pics.

We discussed putting a Murphy's bed in the condo bedroom and making it more like another room with places to do multiple things since Pat tends to take over the living room TV and I rarely want to watch what he does. I don't know if he has seen these Murphy beds from the Bedder Way. They take it a step further and include a workstation! I'm thinking this may be my only way to have a craft station! Sorry everyone going to Chicago, need to make some things.

And then I found this one on my computer that I didn't even remember doing. So I found something today. I lost something today. Happens.

This one was to try and see what it would like to open up the kitchen and have an peninsula. I doubt it would come over that far but did it so some of it would get in the picture. 

And here's the horse....crap looks like it didn't make it to fb. Oh well.