Eastern Siding and More Popham Design Tiles
Eastern siding is done. Now on to finishing the porch, deck and other three sides! Our Popham Design cement tiles from Morocco have arrived. We are mentally preparing to prepare them to be installed. They are gorgeous. Now it would be lovely if the snow would finish melting and go away.
An Orange Door
After many samples and testing the exterior door colors have been chosen. Blue to the east and south (my choice) and orange to the north (French hubby’s choice). The decision was not easy, but we are happy, we think. We now need to choose paint colors for the upstairs of our house. Aie. Help!
Popham Design Tiles in Maine
Tiles, like many other design decisions that I take so seriously, are difficult for me. I spent months going from store to store from Maine to Massachusetts to look for the perfect tiles. I spent countless hours on Pinterest and Houzz scrolling through photos of tiled bathrooms. Finally, I found, what looked like, the perfect tile at Marrakech Design. It turned out Marrakech is in Sweden and when I almost finalized the order (with very expensive shipping), the charming sales woman told me (when asked if the photos were accurate) that, oops, the colors had recently changed. When a recent photo was sent, after all the back and forth, they were not what I wanted any more. Argh! After this disappointment, and more searching, I ended up on the site of Popham Design. Luckily, Ann Sacks is a semi-local distributer and I was able to go to see colors and a few examples of tiles in their Boston Design Center location. After copious back and forth, with the ever patient and lovely Barbara Bowker, we decided on three different Popham Design cement tiles for the floor of the master bath, the floor of the guest bath, and the back splash in the kitchen.
As these cement tiles are handmade in Morocco, delays can be long if not in stock. Color choices are confusing, endless and overwhelming. Luckily, two of the three tiles we wanted were in stock in the US (the third is on a container from Morocco and due soon, we hope, after a three month wait). Fingers crossed that customs is friendly.
Once you actually have the tiles, the fun begins. Cement tiles are heavy, porous, sandy, and have lots of stains and spots that need removing. There is a very precise procedure for cleaning, treating and installing the tiles. One must be truly motivated. The photo above is the tiles getting laid out in our master bath. We love them!
The irony? Popham Design’s founder and owner is from Maine but lives and designs in Morocco! Small world.
Kitchen Going in. Maine.
Today was a big day at the house. The kitchen came and was partially installed (local carpenter). Exciting indeed. Now the countertop people can come and template. Then we wait three weeks for them to install. After much contemplation jet mist granite has been chosen. It is American, from Virginia, and not fragile! Now the appliances need to make it down our, quite muddy, 1500 feet of road to be delivered. Tomorrow the island is coming. Certain pieces of the kitchen were made with maple from our land.
In other parts of the house tiles are going in and walls are being primed. Movement everywhere, inside and out, as we head into the final stretch of making our home.
The Sunroom
Sunroom in our Maine house
The sunroom. It’s a wonderful space of reclaimed floors, high ceilings and light. We now need to decide on the paint. Once that is done, and the floors are sanded, furniture will be necessary!