Architect's Journal

Powder Room Renovation #6 - Wall Color

Dec 11, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Selection of the paint color can be the most controversial part of a design with everyone having an opinion on color.  To make matters more difficult, the paint that goes on the wall is never exactly the same as the paper paint swatch from the store and the color  will always vary in different lighting conditions or when next to a another color. 

It is helpful to do a test patch of paint on the wall, and look at it with the lights on, lights off with natural light, etc.  And to also see how it looks next to the different elements in the room; flooring, sinks, window trims, etc.   

 

Here we have selected "Cloud of Winter" by Pratt and Lambert, it could be described as a green/blue/gray color.  From the psychology of color, the green hints at health and relaxation, while the blue adds cool, refreshing feelings, and the gray seems to restrain the overall compostion with an element of sophistication.  I think a suitable choice for the new powder room, and what is the worst that can happen if it is not right?  We paint it again.

Powder Room Renovation #5 - Painting

Dec 1, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

It is amazing how much brighter and spacious this small room feels now that the wood wainscoting is painted.

The preparation for the painting required that a BINs Primer was used first over all the wood, and then we could apply the coats of paint.  This primer is a shellac that hides stains, seals the wood, and can be painted over with any latex or oil based paint.  http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=10  The photo shows two coats of paint on top of the primer, but it looks like we may need a third coat. 

 A little glitch that had come up is what to do with the mirror?  We wanted to have a little medicine cabinet on the wall over the sink, however I am hesitating cutting into the wider wainscoting cap.  I also think that a medicine cabinet may protrude a little too much making the space feel smaller. Instead for storage we may add a small cabinet over the toilet and go with a solitary mirror over the sink.

Powder Room Renovation #4

Nov 20, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

The floor has been installed in the powder room and not without some controversy!  The flooring is made up of small 2" x 2" travertine limestone tiles.  All salesmen and TV show hosts always say that in a small space you should install large tiles to make the room seem larger.  Well I don't necessarily agree with that in this case.  No tile size will disguise that fact that this room is quite small!  However there is also good reason for the smaller tile. 

The first is that the floors are wood and that eventhough they have been reinforced there may be a chance that we may get some uneveness in the floors in the floors and that a larger tile may be more susceptable to cracking. 

The second and deciding reason was that I feel that one of the beauties of using a natural stone product in particular travertine is the variegation in the color and textures of the tile.  If we were to use a large tile this would be less noticeable.  I love the look of these small squares and feel that it adds much more visual interest to the space.

Don't miss new photos for two new projects.  The MacIsaac residence in Homes and Cottages, and the New Cornwall Townhall in Public Buildings!

Powder Room Renovation #3

Nov 13, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Here we can see the interior of the space.  We have taken off the wallpaper, plastered all the cracks and removed the sloped bulkhead from one side of the ceiling.

The bright spot on the wall is where the mirror will go below the recessed light in the ceiling and the pedestal sink.  The water closet will be to the right hand side below the long narrow window.

This room will also serve as a test piece for the painting of the wood wainscoting to brighten up the space. If the painting looks alright here we will do the same in the hall. 

Next step in the work will be to install the tile floor.

Powder Room Renovation #2

Nov 9, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

This shows quite a bit of progress from the last photo.

 First the ceilings and all the wallpaper under the stair and in the hall were removed along with all the woodwork where the new  wall was built.  Gyproc was applied and a door that was originally in the kitchen is being used here now. 

We will be installing a tile floor and in preparation we have laid a 1/2" plywood underlay screwed into the existing wood floor on a 6" grid. 

Electrically we will have recessed pot lights to maximize headroom/space and we are adding a bathroom exhaust fan that will require a hole being made through the solid brick wall to the outside to vent.

As for all the original wood moldings,posts  and carvings?  They were carefully removed and at the moment are being stored in the basement.  I am not really sure where they will be used next. 

Powder Room Renovation #1

Nov 2, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

While the kitchen is awaiting a final coat of paint, I thought that we could start looking at the next little project that we are undertaking in the house - the addition of a half bathroom  "powder room" on the main floor. 

The location of this new room will be in the space below the main staircase.  Originally I believe that it served as a small telephone/sitting area.  However now with cordless phones, wireless internet connections and laptops we felt that this space would get very little use.

A powder room because of it's size can be a room where you can economically splurge on high end finishes.  We are planning to leave all the workwork as it is inside the space, and I think that it will be  a unique and charming space, that will be more visible and a better integrated part of the house.  It is well located offering some privacy and yet conveniently near all  the rooms on the first floor.

Kitchen Renovation # 26 - Pendant Lighting

Oct 21, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

The pendant lights for over the island in the kitchen have finally arrived and been installed!

Selecting the right light fixture can be a tough part of any project, and after a while of looking through many catalogues everything starts to look the same. However, it was love at first sight when I saw this pendant from LBL lighting.  It is simple, and is made of two glass shades with the interior sand blasted.  It was minimal yet traditional. 

We did have a few hiccups with it however.  The delivery took about 6 months and then came with the wrong bulbs that made the inner shade look pink!  However with a little experimentation and a few trips to the hardware store we were able to fix it. 

Kitchen Renovation # 25 - Refrigerator Revealed

Oct 4, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Here is a photo of the cabinet that houses the refrigerator. A difficulty we had with housing the refrigerator in the cabinet was determining the size of doors  (Ultimately the door size is limited by the depth of the cabinet ) and making them the same size as those on the opposite  side of the island, and still be in proportion to the adjacent unit.  I feel that we accomplished what we set out to do and were also able to gain a fair amount of useable space next to the refrigerator. 

Next to the refrigerator we have a wine rack and a series of pull out drawers below.  Above the refrigerator we have a 12" deep cook book shelf (I find if the area above a refrigerator is any deeper then 12" it becomes unuseable due to the clutter that accumulates).

 

The next unit we call the "white dish "unit.  It is for the china that only gets pulled out for special occasions or for stuff that just looks neat.

Kitchen Renovation # 24 - Coffee and Dish Station

Sep 26, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Here we are with a look inside the cabinets.  This one is located next to the stove and houses the dishwasher below, a microwave above and the coffee maker on the interior counter top.  To economize inside the cabinets we used plastic laminate counter tops that were similar in color to the island stone top. 

To the right of the dishwasher instead of shelves,  pull out drawers are used in which there are small appliances, mixing bowls etc.  The cabinet to the right (with one door open and one door closed) is the toaster station.  If you remember this counter top is only 12" deep due to the furnace chimney behind. With such a shallow depth it was easier to install shelves below the counter instead of pull out drawers.

An added benefit of this set up is that with the dishwasher inside the cabinet it is higher up, off of the floor, making it a little easier on the back to load and unload the lowest dish rack.

Kitchen Renovation # 23 - Closer look at the Island

Sep 15, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

A closer look at the work side of the island.   The top as I mentioned before is a quartz product - Caesar Stone, and the skirt was applied to have the appearance of a thicker top. The sink is a stainless steel under hung sink, with a single lever Grohe faucet with a pull out spout.

The island contains starting from the left:  the first two doors are where recycling bins are located on a pull out drawer, next are kitchen accessories/ silverware/linen drawers, under the sink is the water filtertration system, waste and compost receptacles, along with some storage space for detergents, etc. and at the far end are cutlery and pot drawers below. 

On the back side opposite the recycling bins there is a space for two stools for seating at the counter (can be seen in previous photos).  My favourite spot for having morning coffee, reading  the paper, listening to the crows and enjoying the morning light.

Kitchen Renovation # 22 - The other side

Sep 9, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

This photo shows the other side of the kitchen.  

 The refrigerator is hidden in the cabinet to the far right and the dishwasher is in the cabinet to the left directly opposite the sink. 

As you can see we still are waiting for our lights over the island, and still have to do some painting of baseboards, window and door trims.

Next photo we will have to do some house cleaning and open the doors.

Patio Status

Sep 1, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

I thought that I would give an update on the back yard patio. 

As you can see the patio is now useable, unfortunately it is the end of summer and school will be starting next week.  Nevertheless, it is nice to sit out in the backyard, eventhough I may need to wear a winter coat soon.  

Next job on the TO DO LIST is to stain the shingles of the new porch.  We were thinking of a color/tone similar to that of the brick. 

Next posting I will get back to the kitchen.

 

Cymbria Summer Home Under Construction

Aug 26, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Yesterday was such a nice sunny day, and it was beautiful on this construction site overlooking Rustico Bay.  I love all my projects, however I have a special place in my heart for this summer home .  One reason being that this home is being built on a site that used to be the family farm of a good friend whose family has since moved away from the island.  

The design of the home recalls the rural PEI traditions of wood shingle siding  and eventhough  the metal roofing is common on most farm structures, it will add  a modern touch to this house.

To the left is a "tower" that houses the stairs and a sitting room above with an almost 360 degree view.  There is a bedroom and a bathroom tucked under the center gable and a guest suite is over the garage to the far right.

The construction of this home is scheduled to be complete in October. More information and photos can be found under  Homes and Cottages on this web site.

 

Kitchen Renovation # 21 - 90% complete

Aug 22, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

It has been some time since I last posted a photo of the kitchen.  I was hoping that it would be complete by now, but we are still missing a few finishing touches.  There are two pendant lights on order that will be installed over the island, and the painting is unfinished.

I will try over the next little while to post photos of different kitchen views with the doors opened and closed.  What will be behind doors 1 & 2 !

Kitchen Renovation # 20 - Patio Concrete Poured

Aug 16, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

It is now easy to see the step in the concrete that I mentioned earlier that was made to accept the brick around the perimeter.   We had a bit of rain over night and it was a good opportunity to see which way the water ran.  Fortunately it was all as planned, there is approximately a 2% slope across the surface which is about 3" difference from the front to the back and the water ran away from the house.

Kitchen Renovation # 19 - Patio

Aug 9, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

So how does a kitchen renovation end up including a new patio? Well, one of the premises of the kitchen renovation was to gain access to the backyard, which was accomplished with the back porch.  And as with all renovations it is hard to find a point to stop, which in our case lead to the addition of a patio (we were also getting tired of tracking mud in across our new floors)!

In the photo you can see the formwork for concrete.  We debated on how to build the deck and felt that the character of the house called for a stone, brick, or concrete patio instead of wood.  The shape of the new patio will reflect the curve of the bay window and will have a step from the higher porch level to the lower main area.  To provide a little bit of interest and improve the aesthetics of the patio we are experimenting with the addition of a brick border, using bricks that were saved from making new openings in the exterior walls of the house. 

It is a bit tricky, because the formwork for the concrete must incorporate a 2" step along the perimeter for the brick to be mortared in after the concrete has cured.  The step in the formwork are the wider sections of the wood along the perimeter seen in the picture. 

 We are one step closer to moving the bar-b-q off of the front steps!

Kitchen Renovation # 18 - Island Counter Top Arrival!

Jul 31, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

We were all too happy to see the men from Nova Tile and Marble (NTM) in Halifax deliver the counter top and begin its installation.  There was quite alot o f behind the scenes work that went on to get the top delivered.  Originally, we had ordered a marble top, however due to issues of locating the seam between two pieces of marble, and NTM cautioning that the top may not make the trip due to the fragile nature of the material, we opted instead for a new product called Caesar Stone, which is a quartz product that I believe is made in Israel.  This was also the first time that NTM had made a top like this with a skirt, it was a learning experience for all, with numerous drawings  sent back and forth to verify dimensions, and details.   In the end we are very happy with the top, in particular it's uniform color and texture. 

In the photo you can see the installation of the under mount sink being clamped after it was glued and fastened to the underside of the stone top in predrilled holes.  The stone skirt was also glued and clamped around the perimeter of the top.  After the epoxy glue initially set, the installers inserted wood shims to allow them to remove the clamps, and allow the glue to set for 24 hours.

I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, won't be long now to finish the kitchen, however the new mudroom/porch addition still has a little work to be done.  I will post it's progress next.  Here is a link to the Caesar stone website.

Kitchen Renovation # 17 - Door has arrived

Jul 21, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

We made good headway over the last week, a lot of work has been on the interior and we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

 In this picture you can see that the door is finally in!  We had decided not to put windows in the side walls in order to increase the wall area for storage closets.  To simulate the look of the existing house and reduce the "mass" of the wall without windows, the top part of the wall will have panels similar to the panels seen at the top of the photo.  They also align nicely with the transom over the door. 

Cornwall Town Hall #1- Roof under Construction

Jul 14, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

I thought that I might take a break from our home renovations and bring you up to speed on some of our other work under construction. 

This photo is of the Cornwall Townhall viewed from the Trans Canada Highway.  The main entry is on the opposite side and is one storey while this side is two storeys.  The council chambers will be to the upper left, a public space and  feature stair in the center and offices to the upper right, and the new library to bottom right.

 

Kitchen Renovation # 16 - Mudroom Update

Jul 12, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

We have been able to progress on the mudroom/new back door. In this picture the concrete floor is being poured.  It  had to be done using a  wheelbarrow to transfer the concrete, the concrete truck wasn't able to get  close enough (you can just see the chute in the background to the left). 

The black seen on the roof  is the start of the weatherproof membranes that will be under the asphalt shingles and provides additional weather protection at the roof ridges and valleys. 

The soffit (the underside of the roof projection) is complete and was made to match the existing one on the house using 1x6 tongue and groove boards with a strip of metal venting in between.  Also in the picture can be seen the corner boards over the tyvek for the wood shingles to butt up against.

We have been asked a few times why such a big opening?  Well the opening is for a double door with a large transom window above.  It was done to match the proportions of the other windows along this side.   I have also always wanted to see what a 10' door and window would feel like and how much light it would provide into the space so the porch was a great place to try this out.  Who knows, when I design your next house maybe we can use one there too!

Kitchen Renovation # 15 - Moved In

Jul 7, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

We have moved into the kitchen even though it is still in an unfinished state.  Still waiting on the doors to be finished, and the counter tops for the island and the cupboards.  We have been told that the delivery of the countertop for the island is delayed a week, so this will also postpone the installation of the sink. 

The range hood is at the cabinet makers shop being fitted into the cabinet that will go over the stove.  The lighting pendants for over the island are still on order.   They tell us that the dishwasher has already been delivered, however I don't see it in the picture yet, it should be in the large opening to the right of the range! 

The propane and power to the range have been connected, so we can now put the hot plate into storage, and all the plugs work.  We are very happy to be in the new kitchen  finished or not.

Kitchen Renovation # 14 - New back door

Jul 3, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

The activity has shifted to the construction of the new mudroom and new back door.  Some initial problems with this house were the cramped back door entry with no space for coats, boots, or for two people to leave at the same time, no access to the back yard and no deck or patio for the bar-b-q.  I originally tried to incorporate a new mudroom into the kitchen space however my wife would not hear of any reduction in her kitchen. 

The new mudroom off of the back of the house solved many problems.  It provided for as much room as we wanted for coat, boot storage, etc., the much needed access to the back yard and patio.  It will also act as a connection point to a future garage. What I like most is that it is hidden from the street forcing most visitors to enter the house via the front door. 

 The sheet of plywood on the brick wall to the left, is where the entry into the kitchen will be and where I look forward to designing a small set of stairs.  The roof lines and slopes mimic those of the existing house.

Kitchen Renovation # 13 - Island in the Kitchen

Jun 28, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

The island base cabinet has been positioned in the center.  To either side you can also see the fitting of the doors underway.  The unpainted doors on the left are mounted on full length hinges ( the long vertical pieces of black metal seen on the cabinet beside).  The size of the door requires that 4 hinges are secured to the vertical black metal slides.  The way it works is that the individual hinges (4 of them) flip the door open, and then on the black metal guides, the door  slides to the rear into the pocket .  Aligning the doors on the hinges isn't as easy as it looks and the cabinet makers have been at it two days to bring it to this point (perfectionists).   Once the doors are fitted, they will be removed,  taken back to the shop and spray lacquered.  This is somewhat reminiscent of times before mass prefabrication, when the craftsman built the cabinets in place. It has been a pleasure to watch and learn.

Kitchen Renovation # 12 - Cabinets

Jun 22, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

The clean floor didn't last for long.    Thankfully, the cabinet makers, Joe Dunphy and his team are providing floor protection.   The cabinet installation has begun. In order to have all the appliances concealed, an outer cabinet is made first with the doors, and then a second cabinet is being made to fit within the first.   The first part of this installation is to build the door pockets in place (the outer cabinet), and adjust them for correct operation, etc.  and then install the inner cabinets.  You can see one of the unfinished doors leaning up against a cabinet frame. 

Kitchen Renovation # 11 - Flooring

Jun 21, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Finally we have a floor installed and are very pleased with the workmanship.  (We have been fortunate to have had good carpenters and tradesmen working for us to date.)  The floor is prefinished, so we should be finished with the dust for the time being.  The floor was laid without problem, with the exception of the walls in some locations  not being square and as a result we will have to make sure that we install a large enough quarter round along the base board that will cover the void space.   At the same time we have started the second part of this project, the addition of a back porch to the left hand side of this photo (can also be seen on earlier floor plan).  We have started pouring the foundations for this.  By changing the rear entry to the other side we will be adding a mudroom, make better use of the backyard and move our bar-b-q away from the front door!

Kitchen Renovation # 11 - First coat of paint

Jun 19, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

Things have been moving along.  The back window wall was gyproced and the entire kitchen received it's first coat of paint on ceilings and walls.   In the foreground to the left are boxes of hardwood flooring that was delivered early to acclimatize the wood in preparation for installation.  What I like about this photo is that you can see the morning sun begining to light up the kitchen just as everyone is ready to come down for breakfast. 

Kitchen Renovation # 10 - Gyproc and window

Jun 16, 2006 - David R Lopes PEI Architect

This upcoming week should prove to be a productive one.  Priming of the walls and ceiling should be completed on Monday, floor installation starts Tuesday, appliance are starting to arrive, and cabinet installation starts on Thursday.  One big change in this photo from the last one, can you spot the difference?

Kitchen Renovation # 9 - Temporary Kitchen

Jun 12, 2006 - David R Lopes

Some viewers have asked what we are using for our temporary kitchen?  Well here it is. No water at this location, so we have to cart the dishes to the laundry sink.  Can't wait to install the dishwasher. 

Kitchen Renovation # 8 - Laundry Room

Jun 7, 2006 - David R Lopes

For our 10th anniversary my wife and I had always said that we would go some place special, we had thought a second honeymoon in Paris.  As it turned out we didn't leave the island, tried to go out for a special dinner but were turned down at the door of the restaurant. To make a long story short  my wife and I ended up side by side, on our knees removing the many layers of flooring that had accumulated over the years in the laundry room.  Preparing to install the new vinyl tile floor, and the new washer and dryer that was going to be delivered in a couple days.  It turned out to be a memorable day and we are still married.

Kitchen Renovation #7 - Gyproc is on

Jun 2, 2006 - David R Lopes

The gyproc is now on the walls, and the seam filling has begun. The kitchen is starting to take shape.  The cabinet maker came in to take measurements for the cabinets, and as in all old houses it is hard to get a level floor or wall.  To account for walls and floors out of level it was decided to leave a 3/4" reveal (air space) around all the units, that will act as a shadow line and hopefully conceal any imperfections.  You may also notice that the end wall is still unfinished.  We have been waiting for a building permit to begin the work on the new entry porch with the entrance to the left which will require some work to that end of the kitchen.  There is also some electrical work to that wall that can only be done with the porch construction.   

Kitchen Renovation # 6 - Ready for the Gyproc

May 29, 2006 - David R Lopes

The kitchen is almost ready for the gyproc.  This picture shows a view looking at the entrance to the future laundry room.  The door you see to the left is also new and closes off the basement stairs.  As part of this work we also had to re-configure the basement stairs slightly in order to gain a continuous wall surface with out any jogs.  If you look at the ceiling above the door you can see the outline of where the wall used to be located.  At the time I was debating on whether or not to go through the added trouble of shifting the wall to only gain 6".  Now that it is done, it was definitely worth the extra effort!

The plywood seen above the doors is screwed to the existing wall studs above and acts as a beam over the sections of the wall that were removed.  However, this also then required that all the studs be furred plywood of the same thickness to have all the surfaces in the same plane. 

An additional sub-floor was also added through out of 3/8" plywood which makes the floor noticeably stiffer.

The electricians have also completed their work, and have rewired the walls and installed some temporary lights.  Next will be the gyproc on the walls.

Counter Top

May 26, 2006 - David R Lopes

We made a little trip to Nova Tile and Marble in Halifax to order our counter top.  The favourite part of any project for me is actually going to the shop and making a selection from the "raw " goods.  The sheet of marble you see in the front is destined to become our new countertop!  This is also the part of the project where you need to get into the details.  For example this marble only comes in 8' lengths so where does the joint go for our 10' island? I want the top to look like it is 4" thick, but how is this done with 1 1/4" thick stone and still keep the project on budget?  The sink model has to be selected to ensure the cut out is located correctly (only one chance to cut the stone).  The size of the top also has to be coordinated with the cabinet maker of the cupboards to make sure the drawers, and doors are located in conjunction with the sink and that there operation will not conflict with the 4" thick top.  The plumber has to be informed where to put the pipe in the floor.  The electrician has to know where to bring up his wires in the floor and correctly locate the overhead lights.  The biggest challenge will be to get all these people into the kitchen, and complete the work within a reasonable amount of time.   Who would have thought so much coordination was required to install a counter top.

Kitchen Plans

May 23, 2006 - David R Lopes

In order to make the kitchen brighter and improve the flow to other rooms, we decided to remove most of the wall between the kitchen and dining room.  However, by doing this the kitchen is subject to greater view from the dining and living rooms.  As a result of this and the difficulty of always maintaining a tidy kitchen in the best of times, we decided to conceal as much of the kitchen as possible behind door panels, including counter tops, the refrigerator, dishwasher, etc.  The concept is similar to a TV cabinet where the doors open and then can slide back into the unit.  The only elements that will be visible in the kitchen will be the stove, island/sink, and the shelving unit next to the refrigerator for the display of dishes and glassware.   When I explain the concept to others I often get a blank look... Nevertheless, I think it will make for a tidy kitchen with a modern flavour.

The other side

May 19, 2006 - David R Lopes

The other end of the kitchen is similar.  The wall to the left of the toaster oven is going to be opened up, to allow for easier access between the kitchen and the dining room.  I think that for  the next journal entry I will post the floor plan and explain a little about the renovations.  See you then.

Where we started

May 14, 2006 - David R Lopes

There have been some people who have asked what did the kitchen look like in the start!   I hope this photo gives you a good idea. There is an existing chimney behind the mirror that can also be made out in the May 5th journal entry photo.   At this location we will have to install shallower cabinets, it looks like about 12" deep.  The window in the May 5th photo is seen here to the right of the stove location.  Tomorrow I will give you a glimpse of the other end of the kitchen.  Take care.

Kitchen Renovation

May 5, 2006 - David R Lopes

Welcome to the launch of our new web site and what better way to kick it off then to publish the progress of our own kitchen renovation.  I have always liked "Before and After" photos and I hope that the difference will be a welcome surprise.