Seriously, this home-build update is SO long overdue because I’ve been so dang busy BUT I don’t want to skip out on any of the AMAZING stuff that’s been happening at our build site, so here’s the update!!! The biggest news: we are DRIED-IN!!!! If you don’t know what that means, neither did I until now, so I feel ya. It means that all the doors, windows and roof are INSTALLED and our house is protected from the elements and starting to look like a real home. (Technically we have one sliding glass door that needs to be installed, but let’s just go with it.) We’re still shooting for August as our move-in date, which is VERY convenient because August/September is going to be CRAZY for us so this timing is right on the mark… stay tuned for more about this on a blog coming very soon!

Let’s start with the windows. Oh-em-gee I am IN LOVE!!!! We are using Pella Windows for the entire house because we wanted the best quality windows and great customer service and we got just what we asked for. We chose black window frames which is something that I was so nervous about but we pulled the trigger and as soon as they arrived on site I knew it was the perfect choice for us. I actually made a slight mistake and meant to order black frames on the outside and inside of the windows, but somehow I accidentally only ordered the black frames on the exterior, so the interior of the windows is actually just raw wood that needs to be painted. I have been known to be busy and not pay full attention to questions that come my way (Tim will vouch), and this was one of those times – ha! However, after my initial shock, I ended up being so happy I made this mistake because now I have the choice of what color to paint them, so I can mix and match black and white, depending on the room. I think the bedrooms will have a white trim and the main rooms will have a black trim, but this is yet to be decided, so for now it’s been added to my massive list of decisions to make. Oh boy.

Our house-build is a ranch house with a LOT of windows and it turned out even better than I imagined. The first thing you see when you walk in the front door is the 21ft window wall on the back of our Great Room and it is a show stopper (see above photo… drool). We decided to get custom doors from Dallas Millwork for our exterior entrances so we could match the exact style of our build and use our front door to make a statement. We chose a natural Sapele Mahogany for our front door and side entrances because the color is STUNNING and goes well with our Douglas Fir beams and Cedar shingles that accent the roofline. Our front door is massive and 2 ¾ inches thick so it feels like a castle door and I looovvveeee it. Having castle doors on a farmhouse might seem like overkill, but that’s not the point. They’re beautiful and Dallas Millwork did an incredible job making our design dreams come to life.

I went back and forth about the glass on the front door and finally chose privacy glass (see below) but I still think I might swap it out for clear glass. Don’t tell Tim, because he loved clear glass the entire time and now it’s going to cost extra money to swap it – woops – but the wooden door itself is just SO beautiful and I can’t decide if the privacy glass is a good fit… What do you think? Privacy glass or clear?

One of my home-build saviors has been David Glover, from Design Gaps  in Charlotte, NC. I honestly cannot say enough great things about him and highly recommend him if you’re anywhere in the NC or SC area and looking for some help with your home build or renovation. He specializes in floor-plan review, space planning, framing details on the redesign and all-things kitchens and cabinetry. He was a huge, huge, huge help for us with our lighting design (which was WAY over my head so I’m glad we had an expert on board) and cabinetry design for all areas of the home. I drove to Charlotte a few times for meetings about space planning and our kitchen area and he was able to add additional layers of detail to our plans that are “product specific” and not just generic placeholders, which ensures we do it right the first time around. At first I thought he was just helping us with cabinetry choices, but he turned out to be the KING of so much more.

Below is my soon-to-be kitchen that David turned into my DREAM! Y’all know I LOVE to entertain and feed people so this kitchen is going to be unreal!!!! We just placed our order for all our Downsview Cabinets through David and the samples make me want to cry and dance at the same time because I love them so much. We also just ordered a full Miele appliance package through David, with a 48″ range and two massive refrigerators so if you ever come over, you better believe you will be well-fed.

I should also give a shout-out to Clifton Hicks, who is our builder in Raleigh and very good friend of ours. I am surprisingly loving the building process (which goes against everyone’s warnings!) and I know it’s because he is the best at what he does. Tim and I both agree that we can never build again unless Clifton does it, because I cannot imagine going through this process and not being able to trust the builder. I always know that Clifton is making the best decisions for us and has our best intentions at heart, so I can sleep soundly and know he’s got things handled. Thank you Clifton – you are an absolute DREAM to work with!!

Next up, we’re making some power moves in the exterior department. Our BEAMS from Caribou Creek Log Homes are get getting installed in the gables and interior of our house which are S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G and massive! Our Panoramic Doors are getting installed on the back porch (hellllllloooooo 16’ sliding doors!) and we are narrowing down our paint colors for the exterior of the house. The siding of the house is going to be white board and batten, but did you know there are approximately 2309204304 different shades of white?? Me neither. But now I do, and I’m not loving it. If you have any suggestions for your FAVORITE paint colors, please help a sister out and comment below. I am drowning in paint swatches – send help!

Soooo there you have it! The latest update on the Shockey-Brent house and I plan to post the NEXT update soon, so stay tuned. If you’re in the building/reno market, here’s a recap of our FAVORITE vendors we are using. I am a research FREAK so believe me when I say I found the best options (quality, customer service, etc.) on the market. Here you go:

Pella Windows

Dallas Millwork

David Glover from Design Gaps

Builder: Clifton Hicks

Caribou Creek Log Homes

Panoramic Doors

And as always, my super talented friend needs a mention for all the beautiful photos!!! Jennifer, you’re the BEST!

Photos by Jennifer Wilson Photography

Keep everyone in the loop by sharing this post: