We are now at the stage where I get glimmers of hope when walking through the House. Things are coming together and I can finally envision our belongings and us living there (once the plumbing is inspected and approved of course!). The snow and ice over the past few months ground all progress to a halt, but I am still hopeful. Seriously though, do these guys not realize that people build entire houses in the winter in Wisconsin? My brother Eric would have never been able to move in had his builder not been willing to work ALL WINTER LONG. I can’t even get an inspector to brave the cold.

So last weekend I actually got a little teary walking around and looking at the House. While I am happy about almost everything we have done, I do of course have some favorites. When Michael first hung this large wrought iron and glass light in the foyer, I thought “YES”.

Then when we hung a set of curtains in the living room to ensure the length and color were correct, I was in love. They are raw silk and the color, length and weight just highlight the height of the ceilings. They match the walls delightfully.

But nothing compares to the kitchen island. This is a one-of-a-kind piece made by a father and son team from South Carolina. They take heart pine planks from 100-300 year-old houses to create furniture. This particular one was assembled from five separate houses, and the heart pine top is from an old barn in Durham. The stain on the top exactly matches the floors, and the entire piece just ties the kitchen together. Old and new. Modern and historic. I love, love, love it.