Final Inspection!

The last time I wrote about our home addition was in August when we finished the mud room. I haven't written since then because we have not done anything. The project was at a total stand still.

Last week, Ed finished making the window seats. I loved the idea of using the two corners by the fireplace for storage. After deliberating over whether to have drawers, cupboard-like doors, open shelves with baskets, we finally chose a toy box style box, mostly because it was the easiest way to have a lot of storage.


I love the final outcome. The top is walnut left from other projects. I was planning to make a cushion, but this wood is too pretty to cover. For now, I just threw on a pillow. It is good there is two of them because this is hot real-estate! The children love to perch here with a pillow or two.


Now my only question is what to store here. I'm not planning to use it for toys. I hate toy boxes as the favorite toy is always on the bottom crushed under twenty other toys. I prefer shelving for toys and we already have a good place for toy storage.

For now, I am using one window box to store picnic supplies and paper-ware. I never had a good place to put these things and was actually storing them in the master bathroom closet! I think this spot, right inside from the picnic table, will be convenient.

The other window box holds all my table cloths, another item that lacked a good home. When I walked around the house gathering up the table cloths, I was surprised to discover how many I owned, and how many different locations I was storing them. I can still change my mind, but for now I am pleased.

On Saturday, Ed seeded grass. We had planted some grass in early summer. But it was right before the summer drought. The only thing that grew was weeds. Ed sprayed it all down and started over.


A couple loads of topsoil helped to smooth down some uneven areas.


Sprinkle on the grass seed (with Ed's grandfathers old grain seeder.)


Scatter some straw.


And hope it grows!

Monday night, my brother came back to finish one little area on the outside.

Then yesterday, the inspector visited. And gave his signature for final inspection! We are officially done seven months after making a huge dirt hole in the back yard. We have certainly been living and enjoying this addition for months but now I have permission to finish moving in furniture and hang things on the walls!

We learned a lot through the building process. Maybe my next post should be "lessons learned when building a home addition"!