New Year's update

Happy New Year everybody.  I haven't posted in a while, work has been pretty strenuous and busy as I have some dead lines to meet.  So, I am taking a few minutes to update my family room project.  Thought I'd leave politics and other opinionated blogs for another day.  So, with that disclaimer out of the way, here we are.

We started this project with two goals in mind; get rid of the built in shelving, and turn the TV area so it can be seen from the kitchen.

We have completed the drywall, paint, lighting and even have some temporary flooring and bookshelves.  The fireplace works and Lora has begun hanging family pictures and other wall art now that Christmas is over.

First a few catch up photos.  Drywall, not my favorite thing but has to be done.  My son snapped this shot of me mixing up some mud using an old school technique, yea that's it, old school.



Below are a few more shots leading up to where were are now, getting the drywall hung, taped, textured and applying paint.

To the right is a good shot of the inset area I wrote about during the framing stages on my last blog of this project, before and after taping or texture. My only regret here is not running a small spot light above the area, but it turned out pretty good.  Better shots are below...

So far, I am very happy with the project but, anxious to get more done.  Below are shots as it is now.  We have our picture of Jesus holding a small child on his lap in the inset, walls are painted and like I said above, temporary carpet and shelving.  I will be rerouting the wire for the TV as well.  When it's finished there will be no exposed wiring.

It's difficult to see, but there is a patch in the ceiling where I discovered a broken floor truss.  Never noticed it from the ground floor but there was a slight sag in the floor upstairs.  When I took the half wall from the stairs, for some reason I noticed it as I was walking down the stairs one day.  

I should have taken pictures of the repairs, but tools included a floor jack to raise the broken truss back into place, then I attached a couple of plywood gussets on two trusses to make the repair.

Next will be the stairs; replace treads and risers, new railings and perhaps wainscoting on the wall going up the stairs, who knows

That's it for now, and that was out loud.