The New Look of the Salo House

The New Look of the Salo House
Here's the house -in clary sage, white dover trim, and burgundy/rust accents. Sigh.

The Before Shot

The Before Shot
This is what it was in the beginning. Still cute! But different...

Please Come In!

Please Come In!
We love our home. Come in and see why!

You are welcome here!

You are welcome here!
Our snazzy door star says it all

The Cozy Living Room

The Cozy Living Room
Two Couches. Fireplace. Happiness.

Coat closets!

Coat closets!
we put coats in closets. Or if you are Matt, you put them on the closest piece of furniture.

The Office/Study

The Office/Study
This is where we store our prize possession. Rock Band!

Our Home Fires are Burning!

Our Home Fires are Burning!
The fireplace is one of the greatest parts of our new house.

The Kitchen!

The Kitchen!
How do we love you kitchen? Let us count the ways.

The Sink that Will Defy All Sinks

The Sink that Will Defy All Sinks
The picture may not do this sink justice. We could probably wash our car in this sink.

The Pantry!

The Pantry!
Wow.

The Dining Area.

The Dining Area.
Who knew people could sit at a table to eat? Go figure!

Powder Room

Powder Room
We still need a mirror, but do our guests really need to worry about their looks when they're relaxing at the Salos? Of course not!

The porch in all its glory.

The porch in all its glory.
This is happiness. What else can we say?

View from Behind

View from Behind
Things are nice in the backyard. And soon, we'll actually get a lawn-mower!

Rustic or Rusty?

Rustic or Rusty?
This is our cute rusty wheelbarrow that sits in the backyard.

Our Cute Patio Peach Tree!

Our Cute Patio Peach Tree!
The Squirrels will eat all the fruit. But the process will entertain us greatly from the patio!

Apple Trees!

Apple Trees!
Granny Smith and Rome...will they bear fruit? We'll see!

Blooming flowers

Blooming flowers
We love our back yard!

The Upstairs

The Upstairs
This is our upstairs hallway, leading to many bedrooms

The Master Bedroom!

The Master Bedroom!
We have bedroom furniture now!

The Closet!

The Closet!

The Master Bath

The Master Bath
Double vanities...sigh

The 2 Person Shower

The 2 Person Shower
Rain-water faucet and Hand-held faucet, bench, and the approximate square footage of our former residence.

Guest Bed #1

Guest Bed #1
People can stay with us now. And they won't be sleeping in our living/dining room in order to do so.

Guest Bed #2!

Guest Bed #2!
More people can sleep here!

Guest Bath

Guest Bath

Oldie Style Tiling

Oldie Style Tiling

The Guest Shower

The Guest Shower

A closer look

A closer look
Here's the front stoop a bit closer. We are still finalizing the paint job - but you get the point. Welcome sign coming soon!

Our House Got Back

Our House Got Back
This is the lovely new exterior of the backside of our home. Sadly, the basket-ball hoop is next on the execution list. I know, I know! It's not right! It's immoral.

Yee Haw!

Yee Haw!
Matt is doing a Michael Jackson move to express his happiness with walls.

Windows

Windows
Bill Gates, watch out, we got our own windows now. This is a shot from the new windows looking out to the back porch from our dining room.

Living Room!

Living Room!
Here we see the living room being "floored" with wood. You get a better idea of how this house is going to look.

The Study

The Study
Here's the room you just saw by the door. This is where we'll set up the computer and stuff. A powder room is in this room for guests.

Better View of the Living Room

Better View of the Living Room
This is a better shot. You see the fireplace. This would be a shot taken from the future kitchen area- which is going to be open to this living room.

Stokin'

Stokin'
Matt's ready to stoke the home-fires in our soon to be fire-place. It's there. You just can't see it yet.

The Dining Room

The Dining Room
This is a somewhat decent photo of the dining room, although it now has the new flooring and paint on the new french doors.

Going up the stairs

Going up the stairs
Here's the upper level and hall area.

View from Hall toward bedrooms

View from Hall toward bedrooms
not much to see - but it gives you a sense of what is happening here. Rooms.

View of one of the 3 upstairs bedrooms

View of one of the 3 upstairs bedrooms
This bedroom is to the left of the top of the stairs. The other is to the right (both the same size).

Master Bath

Master Bath
This is a strange foto, but it the vanities will go on the left, under the left window. The 2 person shower is on the right of the little window in the back. The toilette - it's on the right too - you can't see it. It has it's own little room!

Guest Bath

Guest Bath
Hard to make out - but it's a guest bath with a tub in there.

Laundry Room

Laundry Room
Yay! A room for laundry. It will go here. It has light. A stackable w/d will go in a nook to the left, so there is room to set up a folding table, etc.

Master Bedroom - second view

Master Bedroom - second view
This shows the view to the Master bath on the left and the closet on the right.

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

The Porch

The Porch
This porch is painted now and fixed up. It's looking a lot better. No screens in this shot - but they'll be returned!

Parents

Parents
These are the parents again. They are standing in front of our back doors - and they look quite natural there. I think we'll keep them.

Hangin Out

Hangin Out
One day, we get to hang out for real in here. Until then - we will hide in the bushes and watch the construction workers.

A Prior Photo of the Facade

A Prior Photo of the Facade
This is the current state of our home. Compare to the old photo below!

SOMEONE STOLE OUR ROOF!

SOMEONE STOLE OUR ROOF!
After Demolition - Facade

Profile of a Great House

Profile of a Great House
This is what it looks like from the side. So tall now!

Innards...taking shape

Innards...taking shape
So this is the view inside - looking out french doors to the porch. The space to the right will be the dining area. To the left of the doors, the kitchen. The photo is taken from what will be the living room, open to the kitchen. The area to the right of the stairs will be the study.

The Soon To Be Kitchen

The Soon To Be Kitchen
The fridge will be to the left, with cabinets and stuff wrapping around like an L there. The sink under the windows. And island will go where that big pipe is poking up.

Step by Step, it's coming together.

Step by Step, it's coming together.
Are my puns, annoying? Tough. I'm the one writing this blog. And this is a shot of our new stairs, and one wall of our new dining room. On the other side of these stairs, there will be a powder room and a study.

People in a Bedroom Drinking Coffee

People in a Bedroom Drinking Coffee
This is one of the upstairs bedrooms. And that's Matt and his folks, Earl and Gail. Who are a good and kindly folk.

The Master Bedroom & the Masters

The Master Bedroom & the Masters
Here we are in our Master Bedroom. Our bed will go right 'tween them li'l windows. Sigh. The master bath will be to the right of where we are standing.

Weird Thing

Weird Thing
This is a weird spider looking thing that is providing what we think is heat and air to the rooms. But we like to imagine that it's a giant spider. A friendly spider that eats the boogie man.

2 Person Shower in the Master

2 Person Shower in the Master
You can't see it well, but this is a two-person shower with a rain-spout and an ample bench to sit and read an IHOP menu. Matt can hardly wait.

Standing in the Future of a Closet

Standing in the Future of a Closet
Jeannie can only imagine all of the things she wants to put in this closet.

Back of the House. Woo Hoo!

Back of the House. Woo Hoo!
This is what it looks like from the back now, but the back porch will be painted, repaired, and the doors will be centered with steps. And that lady will not always be there looking so enthusiastic. Sometimes she'll be in the living room, kitchen, and/or jumping out from around corners to scare Matt.

Poor Sheddie

Poor Sheddie
Here Lied Shed. Once. He was a good shed. He had a lot of spiders though. A lot of other stuff. We never went in there. Once I saw an old fashioned pencil sharpener in there. RIP.

New Front Stoop

New Front Stoop
Matt is examining the consistency of this step. Will it be strong enough to hold him and that giant forty he will be drinking out of a bag every Sunday morning? Along with C-Mac, Howard, and the other kid. Will it? More tests needed.

Port-O-John

Port-O-John
As you can see, the Port-o-John is still here. But he's looking tired. It's a dirty job. With little gratitude. What's that? I think he's asking for some hand sanitizer.

Moment of Zen

Moment of Zen

In the spirit of the '08 Elections - Take this Poll: Do you like what is happening to our home, and did we make the right decision to renovate?

Another poll: Should Matt get Jeannie a Puppy for Christmas?

Dumpster o' Trash

Dumpster o' Trash
Memories in the form of rubbish.

Wha Happened???

Wha Happened???
Matt is amazed at how light and airy it is now.

Wheel Barrow in a Living Room

Wheel Barrow in a Living Room
It's not a title of a book, but it should be. This is our living room. This is a wheel barrow in our living room. This is a radiator, next to the wheel barrow, in our living room. Fin.

Stay Back, Demons!

Stay Back, Demons!
Matt is prepared for the Vampire portion of our construction project.

The Stairs to a Blue Tarp.

The Stairs to a Blue Tarp.
Once there was a roof. Now, there is only blue plastic. And yet, I am drawn there, like a gnat.

Through a Window of Trash, We see into ourselves.

Through a Window of Trash, We see into ourselves.
This is the window we use to look through to complain about the neighbor's messy yard. Hee hee hee. We are now the ultimately messy-yarded neighbors. Boo ya!

Back Deck Kitchen

Back Deck Kitchen
This is our back deck, and also a place for our appliances. Who knew?

Destruction at Sunset

Destruction at Sunset
This is where the wall once stood. It is now...gone. And it will become our new living room. Woo hoo!

Port-o-John

Port-o-John
The Port-o-John is a beacon of civilization. This means that our demolished house is inhabited by construction people. And that's a sign of progress, people. STAY TUNES FOR MORE PROGRESS! But use your own bathroom.

The Before Shot - Facade

The Before Shot - Facade
We will pop the roof off and raise it up to create another floor. The front stoop will be repaired, covered, and the whole house will be painted.

Before Shot - Rear View

Before Shot - Rear View
There will be a four-square second level, and this deck will be repaired and repainted. The doors will be centered in the back with french doors to the interior kitchen.

Before Shot - Deck Interior

Before Shot - Deck Interior
There will be french doors in the center of the deck. The wood will be rebuffed and stained. We'll use the deck for eating and relaxing.

Before Shot - Interior Living Room

Before Shot - Interior Living Room
There will be a study on the left. All walls to the right will be knocked out to create a new living room open to the kitchen.

Before Shot - Kitchen

Before Shot - Kitchen
This tiny kitchen will be pulled out completely, and the space will become the dining room. The new kitchen will be open to the living room (replacing an existing bedroom that you can't see in these pics).

Before Shot - Downstairs Bath

Before Shot - Downstairs Bath
Bye Bye Bathroom. This will be knocked out. At least we don't have to worry about cleaning it first. Yuck.

Before Shot - Upstairs Bath

Before Shot - Upstairs Bath
This bath will also be knocked out completely, and the room will become a Master Bedroom, with a new separate Master Bath including a 2 person shower.

Before Shot - Basement 1

Before Shot - Basement 1
The basement will be repainted, and the floor will be covered in a basic padding and carpet, so that it can be used for a kids rec room and storage area.

Before Shot - Basement 2

Before Shot - Basement 2
This deeper side of the basement will probably become a work-out zone (likely to be ignored).

March 15, 2008

Finding an Architect and Builder

After the vision was born, Jeannie and Matt set out to research the world of construction and remodeling. And after a very long process of researching, meeting, procrastinating, designing, and REDESIGNING with a new company, Matt and Jeannie FINALLY signed their contract with Mickey Simpson design company and builders.

Mickey Simpson has been around for 39 years -- since 1969 -- serving Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, Falls Church, and Bethesda. They bill themselves as a one-stop-shop for anybody looking to build a new home, addition, or remodel. They handle design concepts, plans, permits and construction services -- and they will even choose every material and color for you, if you hate making decisions (or if you tend to spend more than you should). Another really attractive point was their policy of choosing to design based on a set budget. In the case of the Salo Home, it was important to stay on budget -- even if it meant sacrificing the bowling alley and coy pond in the living room.

The final design includes:

  • The complete renovation of the entire interior of the house, including a new kitchen, re-designed living room with fire place, study, 3 bedrooms upstairs, 2.5 baths, upgraded appliances, etc.
  • A brand new second floor (four square on top of the existing main level) with a Master bedroom with a full bath, a second full bath, and 2 bedrooms, and laundry center upstairs.
  • New central heating and air condition system (there's no air now, yikes!)
  • New roof (of course) and over hanging roof for a the newly painted and repaired front stoop and steps, with columns.
  • Freshly painted and repaired back deck, with re-located french doors to the back-yard
  • Removal of concrete slab in the backyard and new grass for the lawn
  • New painted exterior of the home (new siding where necessary)
  • Brand new windows for the entire home
  • New paint job for the basement, and a layer of padding and carpeting.
  • New privacy fence in the backyard
  • Haul away of all of the Salo "junk" including the "scary shed" in the back
  • Landscaping for the finishing touches

After the completion of the design and sign off on the materials and specs, and final contract - the next step was getting the city of Alexandria to issue permits for construction.

The adventure is just beginning...

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