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Kitchen counter hybrid
One of the features that we have saved until the end of the project is the giant counter island between the kitchen and dining room. It’s been a concept in my head for quite a long time, but a big question mark about how we’d have it done. This week, Sasaki-san and I sat down…
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Fishing shed treasure
One of the outbuildings on the property, just at the end of the driveway, has been falling down since we first saw the place. I call it the Fishing Shed because it’s been full of fishing nets, mostly. I want to move the Tile Mines into this space and decided to take the wooden structure…
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Color palette
One fun but challenging decision has hung over me since May – the selection of tile and wallpaper. Last night, we finally got it all decided. Here it is, the final color palette for the walls and tiles: We have mostly grey-leaning earth tones with pops of color and texture for interest. No strong patterns…
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In the cracks
The other day while we were sitting around 555 on a break, Sasaki-san asked if I had started packing for the move yet. “A little bit,” I replied. But mostly I am thinking about what I want (and don’t want) to take with me. Right now, I am decluttering my “fantasy selves”. For example, I…
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Hidden messages
I have been adding magic to the house by writing messages on the framing of the rooms. I have imbued the house with guiding words and affirmations. They will all be covered over by walls and floors. Invisible to the eye, the energy of my intention and incantations will seep through gently. When you look…
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Green & more green
I have been neglecting my grass cutting, as Shimizu-san reminded me when he stopped by 555 on Friday. He isn’t wrong. It’s been a couple of weeks and the weeds grow wildly fast. The sugina (pictured above) has taken over a lot of the spaces. So today I made an effort to tidy things up,…
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Closet doors
This week, I got the quotations for building the closet in the bedroom, which is also the main wall in the doma. The total was a bit over a million yen (about $7,500) and half of that was for the set of doors we’d need. It was a big quote for those doors. I didn’t…
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Wood: raw or finished?
I am not sure why, but everyone on the project is telling me not to finish the raw wood. Not the floors, not the windowsills, and not the exterior. I didn’t listen to them about the exterior and it turned out quite gloriously with the kakishibu. I am definitely not touching the massive 2F ceiling.…
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I see white plastic…
…and I want to paint it black. The exterior house light that I liked the best (or disliked the least, I suppose) only came in white. But with primer and paint, I fixed it. Now it looks better and I won’t cringe when I walk under it every day. I take on projects when visual…
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Kitchen Installation Day
It’s finally here! The kitchen, which transformed in concept multiple times over the last two years has finally been installed. From the beginning of the process, the kitchen has been a challenge. First figuring out a layout – and even where in the house it would be. Ironically, it ended up in the place I…
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