Regarding the stairs, Heather and I had one of those discussions last night as she finally started to understand the nature of the deck and stairs that I had designed. She took issue with their proximity and what would be between them. I, in my architecture focused brain, just thought we could do a Monty Python shrubbery between them. Once Heather saw the installation, she thought it would be better to make one of those big wide stairs that turn the corner. They look like the plinth at the Parthenon or Temple of Zeus; in this case there'd be seven steps. 
So to further the discussion (we needed to get to a conclusion on this), I started drawing what that would look like on the butcher paper on the floor that's covering the wood floor, and a second sketch showing what I had planned. (Click on photo left.) 
We ended up concluding that the conjoined stairs would be good, but instead of standard width stair treads, we'd skip every other riser and make wider treads, so they'd be a good size to hold potted plants and also serve as a bench. I left Steve a note on the plans "STEVE; LOOK AT THE DRAWING ON THE FLOOR!" It actually took him a couple hours to notice it; I got his voicemail that he understood it fine sometime around 10:30AM.Here's a shot of that privacy wall from the yard looking back at the house, showing clearly the stair that goes down towards the basement stairs - you can almost see the other stair going to the west, towards the future garage.
doghouse is the dishwasher that was finally delivered today. And this last photo is the little extra piece of sheetrock that Steve put around the opening to the stairs that I asked for - it allows the wall paint to turn the corner and stop so the ceiling color can start. 
He worked a lot on the drywall around the stair today, and there you have it.Heather had dinner with her friend Ulricha from work; I guess we're invited to her house for dinner on Friday night. I'm looking forward to it!
Ciao!
Posts
