A Great Week at Retro Bungalow

Here's this weeks news from The Bungalow...

Our windows arrived early Monday morning.

There were a couple of unexpected surprises in regard to them.

I tend to scrutinize details and was taken aback and disappointed with the detailing, 

or lack thereof, on the interior joints where our picture windows 

and attached transoms come together.

Actually, it tied my stomach in knots.

There are two other assembly details that I'm not too thrilled about, 

but the likelihood of anyone else ever noticing is slim. 

I did a lot of research, put a ton of thought into, and spent a ridiculous amount of time 

on my window selection for The Bungalow.

When we first began the design process I was adamant that 

we would not be putting white frame windows in. 

I knew I wanted bronze frames.

But then, for a few weeks, I thought red would look positively charming.

And then...

I began toying with white frames!

But I soon found myself back to bronze.

And I was definitely planning on grids on all the windows.

But I realized that grids on bronze windows may not be worth the extra
cost because they really wouldn't show up well.

So, how about white frames with grids?

Okay.

I came to my senses remembering that I'm somewhat of a minimalist.

I don't like clutter.

I get frustration headaches if ever I visit stores like TaiPan or
Quilted Bear or Hobby Lobby because
there is so much visual stimuli (clutter and detail) to take in.

Reminding myself of this personal reality, I decided to eliminate grids completely.

I was shopping for Milgard widows.

I changed my mind and began looking at Andersen.

And then I realized that I really, really liked the thick, heavy, chunky frames of 

AMSCO's Artisan windows.

Wait?

WHAT?!

I was DEAD-SET AGAINST using anything but the best windows
our budget would allow, but I could not deny how much
I loved the Amsco Artisan frames.

So, with my #1 window man, Shawn, we started putting together
an order for Amsco windows.

I felt pretty good about it because I'd done plenty of research and found
that Amsco's insulating factors were just as good as the others and
Amsco offered the same lifetime guarantee/warranty as well;
PLUS they are a local company, which simplifies ever having
to take advantage of the guarantee/warranty.
After finally putting an order together (I began window shopping in August),
I changed my mind on configuration several times.
One afternoon as I was standing in the mostly framed front room,
it occurred to me that the east-facing windows that flank the fireplace needed grids.
Walking back and forth across the main floor as I thought about it,
 I knew it would be silly to just put grids in those two windows.
So, I thought the top sash of the single hung windows in our little dining room
 would look great with grids too and tying the two sets of windows together with the same
grid pattern was a smart design element.
But which kind of grids?
Craftsman?
Colonial?
Prairie?
I went with Prairie.
And that was that.
After months of agonizing, I texted Shawn,
"Let's do this thing! Order TODAY."
And he did.
Wow.
That was long.
I got a little carried away there.
That'll be tedious for whoever actually reads this.
Sorry.


Monday also found me back at Wheelwright for some A35's, window flashing
and a few other goodies.
I gotta say I'm very pleased that Mr can text me a shopping list with things
like that and I know what they are and exactly where to find them
without asking for assistance from the salesmen.
I love the education I've gleaned from this project.
Dean was up on the roof in the dark and freezing cold that night
installing those last brackets

Dean took Tuesday off from his 9 to 5 and finished the very last details of the framing.
On toward the end of the day, I helped him drag the last barge rafter up onto to roof -
a 2 x 8 x 22 footer!
Just as we had gotten that beast set in the right place, Tannon drove up.
Boy, was I glad to see him!
I climbed down the ladder, he climbed up and took over.
He and Dean then built the little hipped detail on the front porch.
When we went to bed that night the framing
was
COMPLETE!

When Dean got home from work on Wednesday, we measured and cut
 window flashing and installed the first two windows!
YAY!

Thursday nights are set aside for ward missionary visits and I had
a Primary Board dinner/in-service to attend, so no work that night.

Friday was a 'red-letter day'.
We hired a roofing company and they came out and prepped the roof for shingles!
That is so exciting.
Choosing shingles is a whole other story...
not as bad as the window saga and I'll be kind and spare you the details.
We can't get the shingles down until we've got our plumbing vents through
the roof and hopefully we'll get that done this week.
Friday night Mr & Me measured, cut and put up the rest of the window flashing.

Yesterday (Saturday) Mr and Me spent the entire day installing windows.
I cannot begin to tell you how gratifying is was for me to be working with him
doing something significant on The Bungalow.
I haven't been heavily involved in the framing and have felt useless to some degree.
But installing windows...now that's something I can do!
And I had a great time.
We have three large picture windows with attached transoms and they were
very heavy and awkward, so we called Tan to come help with those because
I just wasn't man enough.
And our girl Aubs showed up later in the afternoon and just in time because the kitchen window,
although not large, is component heavy and she helped me handle that baby.
We have two remaining windows that aren't yet installed.
One of them is a hopper window that came in as an awning window.
Hoppers aren't common and people don't often order them,
so that may have been the reason we got an awning instead.
The hopper should be here by the end of the week.
The other window is just a window frame that I'll take into Kelly glass
and have our art glass piece started. Patrick, the artist, didn't want to begin
without the frame in hand so he could be sure the measurements were exact.
And those unexpected window detail surprises that I mentioned...
I'm over it and I'm generally happy with the way they turned out.

Stomach knots are gone.

Al helps in her own way by keeping an eye out from her favorite spot while we work.

Here is the first of several 'reveals' to come...

And since I still had some steam left after the last window was installed,
I told Mr we should install the front door.
So we did...

Just like with the bronze windows, I just knew I wanted The Bungalow to have a
craftsman style front door. I shopped and shopped and researched and realized
that wasn't what I wanted after all.
I then considered a 3/4 glass door, but the privacy issue was a concern and
I could not see myself putting a curtain (gasp!) or a shade on our front door.
I  found that I really liked planked front doors - a door simply made of planks.
Mr didn't agree, though.
He gives me full control over all the design elements, but voiced his opinion on this one thing.
I could not ignore his dislike for my choice - that just wouldn't be fair.
I compromised and chose a two panel, flat panel, planked door with square sticking.
The problem was I did not want raised panel or an arched top panel  and
those details are what's available in "off the rack" doors.
 I had to go with a special order from a mill in Nampa, Idaho.
They are also making all of our upstairs interior doors.

This morning Mr told me that it was HIS turn to post something on the blog.
He said it was high time there was a picture of ME here,
especially since I worked so hard with him yesterday installing the windows.
So, here I am...

I think that's all for tonight.
Thanks for stoppin' by.
Good night and God Bless.