a hymn for trim

Progress!!  Several seemingly eternal drawn-out projects are finally coming along or completed.  Happily, one in the FINISHED category is the dining room.  We lived for months with it blocked off by plywood...but we finally have floors, walls, and even trim!

We had a pocket door installed between the dining room and the mud room (which is where we keep the litter boxes and the dog crate).  It's hard to see here, but one of the bottom panels is removed from the door, so the pets can go in and out as they please. 

An old exterior shot shows more detail.  The old dining room was tiny, with a low ceiling and only one window.  You had to go outside onto the covered porch to access the mother-in-law quarters that became Todd's office space.  We ripped off the old dining room and back porch(es) and added a much larger dining room that encompasses the old dining room plus the back porch.  The garage is now connected and we love it. 

So much light!!

I bought a low wood table at IKEA for some plants...and I'm going to get another one when we go again.  I love it.

I'm trying to add more house plants in general, despite my abysmal record with keeping them alive.  A Dracaena trifasciata (snake plant) is perfect for our dark kitchen.

Because the house is so dim with its long covered front porch, I didn't want to have any curtains.  We've got bamboo roll-up shades in the living room but rarely use them.  Definitely no curtains in the new dining room...but I did decide to add some long cotton plaid curtains in the bedroom for a little softness.  I'm really loving how it looks.

I also added several chairs to the front porch.  We've already got a pair of adirondack chairs, but I bought a couple of simple faux wicker patio chairs.

Claudia approves. She sleeps in them all day long!

We also added a couple of wooden patio chairs for the other end of the porch, and a new patio set for the back of the house.  It will be so nice to eat amongst the flowers!  :)  Even with a canopy, though, it's a bit warm right now for outdoor meals. 

And drumroll...the barn addition is nearly complete!  We added about 600 square feet.

Concrete floor and electricity are coming within a week!

I am going to love my view from my future potting station!

I've been thinking a lot about views lately.  I can see quite a bit from my office window...

Next year, this view will be amazing, with the tall cut-flower garden!  I can't wait! I'll be trimming up that apple tree to give an even better view.  Right now, I'm just enjoying all of the late summer flowers...

...and plotting, always plotting, for next year.

Have a great week!