house on the hill

Long time since last update

noreply@blogger.com (mamachill) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:57:00 +0000

A lot has happened since the last entry. Unfortunately, I can't say that we're done unpacking. I did manage to plant some bulbs on the other side of the front entry. Three months later, this is what happened:

Not too shabby. This past summer, we've been getting drenched with rain. Add the heat and you've got a nice fertile environment. And mosquitoes.

I'm not sure if we'll get much more going as far as landscape. Mainly because of time. Things should ease up early next year. Then again, January is not exactly prime growing season. The focus until then will be pulling out the weeds (and poison oak that's lurking about) and reining in the mulch. Fun fun fun.

drawings......

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:45:00 +0000

simple!!!

studio[MUD]

more KUHNER

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:37:00 +0000

we have been really busy trying to move in...move out...pack...unpack...finish the semester..run the kids around...etc...so we have not had time to post anything new. below is a link where you can find all the pics Craig Kuhner took of the house. enjoy!

http://homepage.mac.com/craigkuhner/Hill-Residence-Finals/index.html

MR. KUHNER

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:43:00 +0000

Craig Kuhner took these amazing shots. enjoy!

MAS MASako

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:16:00 +0000

studio[MUD]

what a ride

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:50:00 +0000

cleaning out my computer and ran across some old files....original montage and study model. seems like ancient history when we had no idea if we would ever be able to build or not. it was pure fantasy land. babygirl was so little. we did it. ill try not to cry now.

studio[MUD]

shots masako

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:07:00 +0000

a few more shots from masako..they will trickle in over the next few days......enjoy!

studio[MUD]

MASAKO nights

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:05:00 +0000

a friend of ours MASAKO came by to take a bunch of pics. will post a more later but this is the first of many fantastic shots.

u dig?

studio[MUD]

GOOD times....

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:45:00 +0000

we had a very nice turnout on saturday. thanks to all those who stopped by. house is still standing...no holes in the walls...nobody fell off the roof terrace or in the pond. no fights....
GOOD times.

amazing thing is..many of the neighbors dropped by to introduce themselves...and to let us know how much they love the house. thats great and all but kind of disappointing because we dont have any stories to tell of protests with people chanting no gas stations or office buildings in their neighborhood. nobody had to move away because they get sick everytime they drive by...nothing. just "wow...we love it" thats no fun.

more pics soon.

studio[MUD]

time to party........

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:58:00 +0000

02.28.08

well...we would like to celebrate being almost finished with the house. still countless trim issues, details, paint touchups, few doors, landscaping, millwork, lights, etc.....but those things will never go away. so if you live in the area - DFW TX - then stop by for an open house/party.

if you can make it please let me know .... chill@studiomud.com i will forward directions if needed.

garage.......

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:18:00 +0000

well...here it is....

for a long time we tried to get the city to let us do away with the garage requirements. no deal. city requires a minimum 2 car garage of some odd s.f. NO carports although there are several next to me that have them. there is no maximum size of garage needed. i inquired about putting a 10 car garage in the back and the guys at the city thought that would be ‘awesome’. another annoying thing about it is that if i cut down the trees in the back and put a long drive and slab behind the house then i don’t have to have anything at all. also cant have a linear tandem garage either...so this is what we came up with. don’t have any budget for it so tried to do something that had a modicum of integrity. Simple painted exposed studs, wrapped with white chloroplast, 1” strips of the last massaranduba scraps, and a block wall in front to try and screen it from the street and connect it to the house. Chester Reed (mason) hooked me up with the wall this week and I will work on some drawings for him. Good trade. Looks fantastic at night with the lights on….

more power shots....

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 04:51:00 +0000

took a few more shots with the lights on. need to get a better camera but these will have to do. some lights dont work but that is expected. have a look.

boys sat in for the shot but max did not understand "look natural..sit there and play with sticks..dont look at camera..." what can you do.

studio[MUD]

powerON

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

only took two days for utility company to come out and put on the meter and hook up the house. RECORD. however it did take 3 frustrating days back and forth calling different power companies...blah blah blah. now i can take some nightshots. mmmmmmmmmmmm.

studio[MUD]

GOT IT...with caveats

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:27:00 +0000

FANTASTIC......had final inspection today. PASS...kinda sorta. there a few things that we need to finish. detached garage being the major item however we can go ahead and get the power and gas hooked up. most small touch up things will be done later when we hit the lotto. for now she is almost finished. good day.

studio[MUD]

wrapping it up.......still

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:06:00 +0000

eiji welded the stops in for the front door. going for final inspection tomorrow. we'll see how it goes. stay tuned...

THICKwall finished...almost

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:07:00 +0000

robin's crew swung by this week to wrap up the maple THICKwalls downstairs. FANTASTIC!!! now i have to put the doors and pulls in.....when i can afford the hardware.

studio[MUD]

massa island

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:37:00 +0000

more massa scraps put to good use. island is finished. lothar came by to plug in the oven and microwave. only ting left in the kitchen are toe kicks and the backsplash. they may have to wait until after we get the c.o.

floors almost finished. lighting and power almost finished. roof decking almost finished.

stay tuned.

studio[MUD]

badonkadonk

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:12:00 +0000

take a wisten!

studio[MUD]

MASSAtop

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 01:45:00 +0000

finished the kitchen countertops today. scrap massaranduba looks pretty good. (at least better than in a pile collecting dust) hope to fnish the island this week. it is a little more complicated. the whole island gets wrapped in some way. i will figure it out as i go. darrell at robin's shop is building the slabs for me then i will hack them up good and proper..

studio[MUD]

from the spring...

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:12:00 +0000

a back view from another property across the spring. you could see it a lot better if it were not for the trees. not bad for an eclectic 70's/80's suburb.

studio[MUD]

mas ROJO

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:22:00 +0000

finished with the red paneling (sans doors and drawers that will come after C.O.) turned out pretty well considering they parallel Robin's millwork. kitchen island is in. Darrell helped me with kitchen countertops made from scrap massaranduba which seems to be the material of choice. ill try and finish tomorrow. starting to put finish flooring in - cheap bamboo on wall and ceiling in picture above. Lothar (electrician) will wrap up this week hopefully. concrete guys pour the last of the flatwork and ac pad in the morning. Lumber for garage was dropped off today. LIFE IS GOOD....except the part about being broke.

PECAN....

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:31:00 +0000

robin's guys installed the office cabs today. the PECAN seems to be the favorite so far of all the millwork these guys have installed. they are perfect. a little adjustment here and there then i will oil them. the kitchen island will go in tomorrow along with the last of the riff-cut white oak paneling. sand - shoot - DONE. in a little over a week robin has transfomed the whole house. i was hoping his cabinets would deflect your eye away from the shoddie craft of everything else....INDEED.

studio[MUD]

i like em' THICK

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:41:00 +0000

john and darrell are almost finished with the maple THICKwalls downstairs. fantastic. 3' deep cabs with bookshelves in the hall side and drawers/closet on the other. door 'portals' make the perfect threshold. almost feel like you need to duck. we'll use some sort of translucent or colored acrylic in the top portion to share light from bedrooms/hall/library.

more millwork ACTION

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:21:00 +0000

john finished the kitchen cabinets and moved downstairs to work on the maple THICKwalls. we'll try and build the massaranduba countertops tomorrow and get the appliances in by the end of the week.

YEEEEHAAAWWWW!!!!!!

millwork has begun...

noreply@blogger.com (chill) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:29:00 +0000

Robin Smith / millwork solutions (strapping young lad seen in the sweatshirt below) has started installing the kitchen cabinets. these guys really do amazing work. they will be here most of the week finishing the kitchen and cabs downstairs. the kitchen is riff cut white oak. they even sprayed them for me. cant find a run yet but i am sure there will be something i can complain about.action shots below..

studio[MUD]