Little Lanai In The Villages

Little Lanai in The Villages

As many of out regular readers might recall, when we purchased our villa in The Villages we bought it with a dreamcicle colored kitchen  a Pepto pink bathroom, and odd yellow in the guest room and a padded headboard in the master bedroom.  The kitchen cabinets were a nice oak when the house was built and they wee quickly shabby sheiked which made them dull, dry and they had black blobs on them.  They will be replaced next winter.

The lovely lady who sold us the villa under spectacular terms had a bout of claustrophobia so she tore out the screen enclosure between the lanai and the birdcage which houses our pool.  Feeling that nature and the great outdoors is over rated, we really didn't care too much but as we lived here longer and longer we just needed more usable space so we decided to actually enclose the lanai with more than just the screens that were originally there and make a year round room out of it. 

I checked around for a contractor and found a good one.  Having been burned during the building process of our house in Jefferson I was very uptight about mechanics liens and stuff like that.  Finally the owner told me to relax, it would be fine.  After five or six revisions of the plan we finally got it.  Being a Judy Judy fan, Steve and I read every single word of the contract.  I noticed that the windows were not tinted so we had to change that.  Finally we were ready to go. 

We got down here with hopes they'd get going on it soon but NO.  They finally came to measure and told us that if the windows came in on Thursday they'd start Friday.  Well, that was three weeks ago and they just started this week.  Within five minutes the old frames and screens were torn out.  The new lanai has been framed in with all new aluminum and the gorgeous tinted windows are here with a door that could hold back a prisoner.  

We were so excited that we went out and bought a pressure washer so we could clean the screens and siding and a spot on the pool deck that gets moldy a lot.  I even helped out.  

They came on Thursday and got it all framed in and told us the inspector had to come and sign off before the windows could go in.  Well, that didn't happen so no work was done today either.  We're hoping for tomorrow.   After it's done we will make it a small den-family room.  Steve put in a new fan with a light and we're eager to get to the Beyond (Bed, Bath & Beyond) to spend some money.  We just love it there. 

Watch as the room continues to take shape.  

ROOM FOR MORE

 As Steve and I prepare for a month of very weocomed visitors our room is finally done.  As wonderful as the new room is, they used some sealers on the windows that really smells and actually can give a person a head ache.  Unfortunately, we have a little water leak which was expected by the builder and by us.   Nothing major but we will have them stop by and fix it. 

The crazy lady who owned the house prior to us would just hate what we've done.  The wall with the door and windows on it was originally screened in but she had it all torn out because she didn't like to be enclosed.  It just made for a waste of room so needing more room in the house without a major addition, this was the best way to handle it, gain more room and it looks pretty nice.

Steve got to use his new toy as well.  About a year ago we spent a good chunck of money having the

house pressure washed so we went and bought our own washer.  Well it's one of those things, once you start the completed part looks so good that there is no place to end.   He started on the north wall and had to come all the way down the entire side of the house.  Then he started on the white fence and that was all moldy so that had to be cleaned as well.  After that he started washing the mold off the metal braces of the bird cage.  Again, once you start there's no place to stop.  I finally got involved and did some if ot.  Having a pool back there plus the normal humid climate of Florida there is always mold and things to clean up.  The pool deck is not spotless and ready for our guests to come down . 

 

As usual I tried to talk Steve into tackling a job he's never done before.  I thought that because the room looked so good I'd like to have ceramic tiles put out there.  He's never done that sand believe it or not, I could not talk him into tryingit.  I guess we'll just keep what we have. 

 

All that being done we have durtains ordered from The Beyond.  We had to buy a bunch of panels and each one will have to be shortened.  Steve is so patient with that.   I think it would be easier to raise the ceiling.  We don't want to block any of the sun as the room faces west but it just needs som softness so we'll do that next.   We think it turned out pretty well if we do say so ourself.   Now if we could just sell the place we really want a house with three bedrooms so we can entertain all the people who are coming to visit us.   Maybe next year.  The real estate market is HOT here but all the people who own here already are competing with the 10,000 new houses being built in Brownwood.   We shall see.