Fun with a concrete slab patio

Urban Arcadia Builders has a new resident carpenter/artist. Paul Haugland decided to take this basic patio slab and turn it into something a bit more interesting.

The result will be a dark gray concrete patio slab with a sun cut into it. These lines would typically be squares  to allow for cracking, but we thought that was too drab. 

More Queen Anne Kitchen Remodel!

Queen Anne Kitchen Remodel

Hi Again! I am going to switch from the unbearable facts about the GOP and their definition of rape to.... a Pretty Pretty Kitchen! Sounds so wrong doesn't it? Here are some pics of what is right for at least one woman and her sweet daughters :) (see previous blog post for context)

This Queen Anne kitchen remodel was designed and built by Urban Arcadia Builders.  The best part was the homeowners keen eye for the details. We love this in a customer. 
The remodel  doesn't stand out in an overt way, it is only after you get in there that you see how modern and sleek it is. This makes me giddy!

2736 Part 2, daylight basement

So, yesterday I showed you the exterior and upstairs interior... and today I am showing you the lower level interior. This space is unfinished, yet not completely devoid of assets.. For example; there is heat, water, a fireplace, a yard level exit and a 25 year warrantied waterproofing system. I think the house was on the market for so long because it looked just plain ugly. For us ( a contractor husband helps with this) the upgrades are cosmetic and not structural which is a huge difference compared to 2341. The lower level here will eventually be a family room, music room, office, bathroom/laundry and art studio/garage.

I promise to not bore you with only posting about my new house project, but I think there is something exciting about sharing the process and getting opinions from all you readers.

My first step in visualizing this house was to look at tons of pictures on websites and in magazines and them throw them away. I throw them away because they are already in my subconcious ( just by viewing once) and the concepts that are worth while have already affected me and how I am seeing the space. By throwing them away I am then filtering those ideas thru MY design and style filter, ensuring an original design. I never recreate a room or look exactly as I see it in a book or website. Published pictures are an example of someone else's vision of design and style filtered thru their lifestyle and budget....

So there you have it, my starting point exposed.... and my ugly (soon to be lovely) new house.

2736.

Hey All I have missed you, I have been moving and I wanted to start a series of my new home project.  Here are the real estate listings from the new place. Consider these the official "Befores" I can't wait to show you this week what we have done already...

Our Coop, totally borrowed/stolen design from the fabulous internet.

Anne here, this is our chicken coop. We built it recently from a great design we found on the web. I will post the link asap. It was pretty simple, we added the lucite windows to the design and lucite roof. So the chickens can get some sunlight and vitamin D. They just started laying their eggs.. It is very exciting

.

Architectural Coop, Seattle.

This coop in North Seattle was built by Royal @ Urban Arcadia Builders and Designed by Stuart Silk Architects' John Adams. It was an auction item that fetched a pretty penny for the elementary school and resulted in a fancy home for some hens.  I particularly like the varying textures and it's sleek design.

Inside 2341.

2341.

Dearest Readers, I want to share a home tour with you that is very dear to my heart!  This is our home that we are selling so that we can move on to a new project. As a builder/designer couple, we have put our very best ideas and love into this home and hope it makes another family as happy as it has made us. Today I will show you the exterior, and tomorrow the interior. We have lived here since 1997!. It was a 720 sqft little cabin put together with newspaper and tape. We saw it as the most beautiful place in the world back then. There were ferns and native flowers and big trees , the yard smelled like a rainforest and the house was high up on a hill. This is what sold us! . We had been living in a basement apartment that was flooded in that big New Years Seattle storm of 1997, when all of the houses were falling off of cliffs and the snow melted creating big floods. We knew we had to find higher ground and there it was......with what seemed to be beams of heavenly light shining down on it... we rented  at first and then a synergistic sale to us from the landlords. Before we knew what hit us, we were homeowners... This land has some magic powers in it, as many friends can attest to... Enjoy the tour :)
Anne

More fence design. Wedgwood

  





















A great fence/rail design by Urban Arcadia Builders. This is one of my favorites.--R

Rosita's Summary

Here we are on Sunday with what looks like a 95% complete restaurant. What is left, is the hanging of a few things on the walls this week and the re-delivery of the newly upholstered booths tomorrow morning at 8 am. The employees of Rosita's are busy cleaning it and resetting the tables for a busy week of serving some hungry people. You would not believe how many people came to the door wanting to eat, read the sign and walked away moping... Sergio and his crew have some very loyal customers. I have to say that even though it was a hard few months of planning, the actually work this week went smoothly. Everyone had a good attitude and worked extremely hard. I felt very proud to have been a part of this and I learned a lot,  for example:
1. Just because complete remodels are our business and seem easy to us, does not make it easy for the customer.  Remodeling is a HUGE emotional, monetary stress on people who haven't undertaken many remodels before. They are required to take a huge leap of faith on people who typically aren't considered trust-worthy ( contractors ).
2. If your husband whistles a lot, just try to ignore him.
3. If you think you have Strep Throat, you probably do.
4. It feels very good to have other people love their surroundings after my work is done, something I have always known but continues to bring me much joy. The best part is pleasing a person who seemed at first skeptical

Stop in if you get a chance and have a Margarita. I hear they are good. I plan to be sampling them this week.
Happy December, by the way. I think Rebecca is back from the east.... Maybe she will post some pics from Thanksgiving in PA.
-A

More bar

The Bar!!!!!!

Visit mexico

The awesome painters .

ADR Painting Inc.

Dorel, Johnny, and Vio

206 920-0169

Carpenter with style.

Here's Royal building a valance for the Rositas bar.
I caught him looking stylish;)

;)

Aaaaah

Oooooh Color!

Good-bye Cactus Mural

Just wanted to give you one more chance to say bye-bye to this cactus mural. I know you will be sad.

Today I have a Dr's appt, for my ear, and neck pain.. possible ear infection right before the "big" design meeting with the entire Rosita's clan. At the job site, carpet is being pulled out and newly sanded wood is being coated with clear coat.

More pics tonight as the carpet gets put in....