The Home Improvement Thread

[Geraldsh]

I could sleep by the window; I don’t snore and never fart before noon.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I love the office. That's exactly what I'd want in a home office for myself.

Yep it's pretty close. Have to get a lot of cable management done and obviously new office chairs (only had one on hand), and the plan is to put a Samsung Frame 65" on the wall behind the monitors so that when we're not working, we can lower the standing desks to minimum and watch TV while sitting in those grey recliners. At all other times it'd be in art mode and should be pretty unobtrusive as a result.

Behind the recliners there is a spot for built-in shelves that I'll eventually do, painted to match the baseboards and trim. Then I can do rear speakers in the shelves (maybe Samsung music frames, but not necessary to do that). That's essentially all that's needed for the office I think.

[Sliver]

Wow. I'm going to have to scroll through those a few times and soak it all in.

Love fk central under the window.

I think I have that same beige couch thing in Canmore. Long part flips up so you can throw blanket under it? Other part folds out to make a bed?

Such a great design. Quality is a bet meh, but for a second property you're in good shape. I literally put my elbow through the balsa wood arm rests just by leaning on it, but they sent a dude out to Canmore to repair it on warranty. Five years later and it's still fine.

What a place. I remember you talking about getting something like this for years. Congratulations. Great achievement and it looks absolutely perfect.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think I have that same beige couch thing in Canmore. Long part flips up so you can throw blanket under it? Other part folds out to make a bed?

Nope - no storage or bed or anything, just a 2 piece sectional. It's a Stylus couch, which is a maker in Vancouver that makes furniture primarily for Urban Barn. It's very, very well made and incredibly comfortable - I got it new (with a 25 year warranty no less), but because it's made of a fabric they're closing out / not using going forward, it was like... 70% off retail because they were essentially just using up the remaining cloth they had left. I got a lot of deals like that, thankfully. The couch was one of the toughest things we had to find, I sat on probably 40 couches before getting that one.

What a place. I remember you talking about getting something like this for years. Congratulations. Great achievement and it looks absolutely perfect.

Yep, I started getting designs, quotes, etc about 8 years ago but was planning longer than that - like, 2012ish. First site work was in 2020 during COVID. At one point I was talking about moving an existing demolition-ready house there by barge rather than building a new one. Lots of iterations and work to get to this point. And obviously still lots more to do, but the heavy lifting is complete atleast.

[CroFlames]

Have a link to that desk?

[Fuzz]

I mean, it's no garage, but I guess it's alright.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I mean, it's no garage, but I guess it's alright.

He had a massive advantage. He could just dump the clay in the ocean.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

... the plan is to put a Samsung Frame 65" on the wall behind the monitors so that when we're not working, we can lower the standing desks to minimum and watch TV while sitting in those grey recliners. At all other times it'd be in art mode and should be pretty unobtrusive as a result.

I am sure you will, but be sure to research alternatives to the Frame. We have one and it is ... meh. The picture quality in general is not great and the art is ... just ok. My Samsung OLED has amazing pic quality and can work as a Frame by screen saver or even just youtube vids that show art. Also, you have to use workarounds for the art if you don't want to give Samsung another $80 per year so you may as well get a better tv and use the workarounds anyways.

It looks awesome. I agree the hood stove is just ok. Are you (your partner) planning for decorations on top of the cupboards? i think that would make the hood vent less dramatic.

[Titan2]

I am curious about the island. It looks small and like you have a lot of space, which may be the pictures. Did you consider aligning it the long way and using a bigger one? I know that in most situations, the island becomes the focal point when socializing and cooking. Just wondering about your thoughts? I do like the idea of a non-permanent island. My parents put theirs on wheels as well, so they could maneuver it where they needed it. I thought it was dumb until I saw its practicality.

[Shazam]

Now do those same pictures with a blacklight in six months.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Have a link to that desk?

https://www.flexispot.ca/pro-plus-st...UaAlb4EALw_wcB

Originally Posted by Titan2

I am sure you will, but be sure to research alternatives to the Frame. We have one and it is ... meh. The picture quality in general is not great and the art is ... just ok. My Samsung OLED has amazing pic quality and can work as a Frame by screen saver or even just youtube vids that show art. Also, you have to use workarounds for the art if you don't want to give Samsung another $80 per year so you may as well get a better tv and use the workarounds anyways.

I have - the alternatives are the TCL and Hisense editions, and while they have some pros (they include bezels and don't have the subscription cost you mention), they are apparently just generally worse TVs, and as you say the Samsung is already kind of meh as a TV. Since the cost difference appears to be about $200 I figured I'd just do the Samsung thing.

I am going to have a glorious OLED but that's going in the bedroom on the wall above the dresser.

It looks awesome. I agree the hood stove is just ok. Are you (your partner) planning for decorations on top of the cupboards? i think that would make the hood vent less dramatic.

I don't think we are... it just gets dusty up there, and it ends up looking kinda grimy and cluttered I think. I still have to finish the cornice trim at the top of the cabinets. I think it looks alright, after spending some time there you just kind of stop noticing it and it doesn't take very long so I've decided it's fine.

Originally Posted by Titan2

I am curious about the island. It looks small and like you have a lot of space, which may be the pictures. Did you consider aligning it the long way and using a bigger one? I know that in most situations, the island becomes the focal point when socializing and cooking. Just wondering about your thoughts? I do like the idea of a non-permanent island. My parents put theirs on wheels as well, so they could maneuver it where they needed it. I thought it was dumb until I saw its practicality.

I think part of the reason it looks like there's a lot of space is there's no dining table and chairs yet. We have considered aligning it the other way, which we'll try at some point, but my initial view was that it's actually too big - I think a square one would be better, but then you don't get to have the stool seating. The benefit of the larger size, once there's a dining table there and ultimately one on the deck, is that it makes for a good serving table.

In any case, we're just going to try it as it and mess with the configuration for a while and see if we like it or want to turn it 90 degrees, or if we want to do something else. I don't want it on wheels though; it's easy enough to move as it is and wheels wouldn't look as good I think.

[Titan2]

Ah. Makes a lot of sense if you are adding a table. I told you that soon you ignore things you obsessed over so it is good to see it kicking in already. Overall, looks great.

[Lubicon]

That's a gorgeous place in a gorgeous location Corsi.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I haven't updated this in a while... we're getting very close on the inside. The deck will be a project for next summer, and I still have a few things like backsplash tile, fireplace surround, blinds, closet shelves, etc etc in addition to rugs for the bedrooms and TVs and things like that. But it's now quite livable as a house.

What did you end up doing for flooring? I know you were talking about vinyl plank, is that what that is? I normally have mixed feelings on vinyl (though obviously it's extremely practical), but that looks really nice.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by opendoor

What did you end up doing for flooring? I know you were talking about vinyl plank, is that what that is? I normally have mixed feelings on vinyl (though obviously it's extremely practical), but that looks really nice.

Yes, it's LVP - specifically, this product in "silent morning".

https://andersonfloors.ca/biyork-hyd...plank-flooring

I got a really good deal - it sells for $6-$6.50 per square foot and I paid under $4. Which is still on the higher side for LVP, but it's very good stuff. The thing that really sells it for me, aside from the beveled joints in the plant, is that while most LVPs have ridges and grooves to make it "feel" like wood, those contours are random, and bear no relationship to the pattern printed on the plank. For this stuff the contours and the print match up, so where it looks like there's a ridge or a knot on the plank from the print, there actually is one.

The other thing is it's extremely easy to clean and HILARIOUSLY durable. If I'd done engineered hardwood I would definitely have a bunch of dings and scratches by now with the electrical and finishing work that's been done since the floor went down but not with this stuff.

The only downside is that I felt given that this is the most premium LVP product they offer, they should have varied the patterns more, especially on a lighter tone wood - you can see certain features repeat if you're looking closely, even though when I was installing it I did my best to make sure there was some distance between similar planks. But with rugs and furniture breaking things up, it'd be hard to notice even if you were looking for it.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Too many trees!

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Those trees and a bunch of other smaller ones will all go, but it's not first priority. Probably gradually over the winter they'll come down. None of them are big, it can all easily be done by hand.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Those trees and a bunch of other smaller ones will all go, but it's not first priority. Probably gradually over the winter they'll come down. None of them are big, it can all easily be done by hand.

You be careful, mister.

[Bill Bumface]

The view is way better with the trees.