Creeping along...

Drywallers still plugging along, but slowly because the weather is not favorable to the "mud" drying quickly.  It is what it is - one of the variables of building in winter!
We also made cabinet face style selections and are working on the overall cabinet layout (mostly for the kitchen).  And the cabinet colors too, of course.  All of the cabinets (and the built-ins) will be constructed by a craftsman/cabinet maker located right here in Huntersville.  We have seen his work in other Morgan homes and it is superb.

Classic chunky Shaker-style cabinetry for the kitchen (including island).  This is a door sample only, not a color sample.  And pls disregard the janky carpet in the rental shack.

This will be the style in the master bathroom; I guess it could be called a modified Shaker.  Hard to see, but there is a slight bevel (or routed area) on the outside perimeter, and a thin piece of quarter-round on the inside of the styles and rails.  It's a very nice look.  Again, color here is irrelevant; the final paint will be in the blue/grey family, or perhaps even espresso brown.

Cyndy chose this slick style for the guest bath, which she is designing top to bottom.  We think it looks sort of retro or art deco, which will coordinate very nicely with the other style elements chosen for that room.  (That was a teaser, btw!)

And a pic of all three together.

More Drywall!

As expected, The A Team finished up the first floor this morning, and were working on the garage when I visited this afternoon. It's really looking good!

Library.  Very sunny in the afternoon.

Looking from front foyer all the way to back yard (through keeping room windows).

Library to dining room transition.

Looking rearward from library through dining room to family room and screen porch through the windows.

From the library all the way to the keeping room.

Powder room door on left, then kitchen, then door to pantry/drop zone, then keeping room.  Note the nifty ceiling angle toward the rear wall.

The powder room is another one of the spaces in this house that really thrills with it's angles and interest to the eye.  It will finish out so nice.

Dining room wall (looking more or less east).

Standing about where the kitchen island will be, looking through dining room toward library.

Family room wall.  It will be heart-stopping once the built-ins, mantle, and trim/millwork are in place.

French doors and windows to the screen porch.

Tools...or maybe raw materials...of the trade.  Tape, corner bead, and mud.  Way too cold to start with this stuff today, but they'll be back again tomorrow.

Hey future pantry, what's cookin'?

The walls are closing in!

The drywall crew (4 guys) hung all the sheetrock on the 2nd floor and about 75% of it on the 1st floor.  In one day!  They are machines.  They'll finish hanging tomorrow (Tue 1/7) and start taping and mudding.  An amazing transformation to the interior!!

Insulation passed inspection, unsurprisingly.

Looking up the stairs.

Bonus room.

Bonus room.

Bonus room.

Bonus room LOL!  The protruding wires are where the front L-C-R speakers will be mounted for surround.  The rear L-R wires are visible in one of the pics above.

Looking down the upstairs hallway.

Peeking in the master bedroom from the upstairs landing.

The writing closet!

Master bedroom.  Love that upper window cluster!

Master bathroom lofted ceiling.

I soooo want a set of these stilts!

Stilts!

Going to batt.

Insulation going in nicely. It's already significantly quieter in the house.  The crew will probably finish up on Friday (Jan 3), and then the drywallers will take over.

'Rock and rolls...

SheetRock and Rolls of insulation, that is. Actually, batts of insulation, but who is counting.

The drywall dude from Morrison Brothers told me they had 260 sheets of 'rock on the truck, from 48" to 54" wide by 144" long.  Per-piece weights are about 54 Lbs up to 80 Lbs, depending on the product.  We have some from LaFarge, CertainTeed, and National Gypsum.

French doors & transom between keeping room and screened porch are now installed (and locked!)  Here they are from the porch looking in.

And from the inside looking out.

More drywall coming in through the window upstairs!

Here are some of the boxes of "mud" that the drywallers will mix up.

Time to wave bye-bye to the wiring and plumbing, as they will soon be sealed inside walls.

The insulation guys got started (sort of), but called it a day pretty early.  It was New Years Eve, after all!

Knauf Insulation "Eco Batt" products will be used in the walls, crawlspace, and certain other areas.  Once the ceilings are in place and sealed up, loose insulation will be blown (to R-38) into the attic spaces.

I wanted to hug it - he'll keep us warm in winter and cool in summer, and quiet year 'round!  It's a very nice "green" product and I'm pleased that it'll be in our walls & floors.