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Chinaberry Update: Brick, Faucets, Shingles, and More!

View overlooking Chinaberry House

I’m so excited to finally be able to share a few updates on the Chinaberry House with y’all! I know it’s been a while since I share the plans, but if you’ve ever been told that building a house is a test in patience, you’ve been told correctly. We’ve been blessed with a great builder who has been masterfully navigating through the building process during a pandemic, but some things are even out of his control. So while things are moving slowly, they’re moving and we’re just so excited.

As I explained in the post about the plans for the main house, the style of the house is very “farmhouse.” And while we love that, we wanted it to be a little more classic and maybe a touch more “Southern.” Now, that’s a term we use loosely. I’m not exactly sure what a “Southern” house looks like, but that’s what we’re going with, so bear with me. To do that, we removed a few of the design elements that made the house look super farmhouse-ish. We eliminated the post brackets and exposed rafter tails, for instance. We also removed the gooseneck lights.

Another thing we did was to add a considerable amount of brick.

House front elevation

The real challenge came when choosing that brick. As with so many things in the building industry right now, production on building materials hasn’t returned to pre-covid normal. Many kilns are running at a greatly reduced capacity which means that many brick makers aren’t producing their full lines. For us, that translated to us picking something we loved to then be told we couldn’t get it.

Heather and I were set in that we wanted something that looked reclaimed, but we didn’t really have the budget for actual reclaimed brick. Heather also loved a few samples of brick that we found that had a little bit of color on it – almost like the bricks had been part of a painted sign on the side of a building or something. After a considerable amount of research, we came across the Silo Square brick from Cherokee Brick. We instantly knew it was the right choice.

  • Photos from CherokeeBrick.com
  • Photos from CherokeeBrick.com

It’s got the salvaged look that we were hoping for and the little pop of blue color that Heather loved. We opted for a flush mortar joint in a slightly off-white color to give it even more of that classic, old-timey feel. It will look a little different than the pictures above, but we’re super excited to see it.

One of the other decisions we had to make early on was about plumbing fixtures. Much like the brick situation, the factories that produce the faucets and such aren’t running full-steam right now, so they’ve reduced their production to their most popular lines. (Y’all see a pattern here?) Our builder saw this one coming, too, and had us make these selections early as a result. He’s a big fan of Delta because of their warranty and really pushed us in that direction. For the majority of the house, we chose the Cassidy collection from Delta combined with a few pieces from the Linden collection as well.

  • Photos from DeltaFaucet.com
  • Photos from DeltaFaucet.com
  • Photos from DeltaFaucet.com

These fixtures have that old school yet modern feel that we’re going for and since we’re using a pop of brass on many of the drawer pulls, decided to go with brass faucets as well. Technically, I think this color is called Champagne Bronze, but you know what I mean.

The other thing that we picked out was shingles. This isn’t super glamorous or earth shattering, but it’s an important part of the process. While the mock-ups for the house include an all metal roof, we decided to shingle the main part of the house and go with metal on the awnings. We wanted something with tan tones as to match the dark tan metal, so we went with TAMKO Heritage Natural Timber.

One of the things that was super helpful in picking out the shingles was that the company gave us addresses of houses that had recently used the colors of shingles we were looking at so we could ride by to see the colors on actual houses. We had nearly decided on one color based on the samples in the showroom, but then completely changed our minds when we saw that color on a house. It looked vastly different installed.

Chinaberry House framing

In terms of actual progress on the house, water and power have been run to the site and we’ve entered the framing phase. We can even start seeing rooms take shape. After the foundation was finished, several of the rooms felt a little small, but now that the walls are going up, it’s been a huge relief to “feel” the space and realize that it’s hard to gauge that based just on the foundation.

Another view of framing of Chinaberry House

It’s crazy to say this, but it’s even starting to feel like home. We’ve worked so hard to get to this point, I just love being there. It’s almost to the point where I go by at least once a day. I could sit on the top of the hill and just take it all in for hours… you know, if it wasn’t a thousand degrees! Gracious, its hot! I have mad respect for the folks that work out in the heat all day.

So there you have it, a little (or big!) update on Chinaberry. I hate it’s taken me so long to get it put together, but it’s here nonetheless. As always, we appreciate y’all following along!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Virginia says

    This is ‘fun’ sharing this experience with you and your family.
    Keep the pictures coming.
    The view of your landscape is amazing.

    Reply

  5. Jackie Clonan says

    OMGyou guys have very creative minds & right up my alley. LOVE the brick❣️❣️❣️Perfect. And suggest Forrest green shutters go well w that color.
    Oh what fun❣️❣️❣️❣️Keep them coming❣️
    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    Reply

  7. Rhoda says

    Thank you for sharing your great adventure of building a home for you and your family. I send best wishes for a smooth journey. Please keep sending updates????❤️

    Reply

  9. Sherry Smith says

    The house is going to be absolutely beautiful Stacey ! Every detail is suiting your style perfectly , soft touches with a flare ! So happy for you guys , keep us updated !

    Reply

  10. Gayle Morrow says

    I am super excited for you guys! I love your choices and can’t wait to see how it all fits together. I’m ready to take a field trip over there and check it out! Hugs!

    Reply

  11. Suellen Dehnke says

    Patience. Our new house was supposed to be ready to move in before Christmas 2019 but one delay after another made it the last day of May 2020 before we could move in. Moving in the middle of a pandemic. What fun! But those delays meant I was able to pack everything up a little at a time and take around 30 trips to Goodwill and recycling and didn’t feel a mad rush. Moving Day ended up being more relaxed because I was more than ready. Sit back and enjoy your journey.

    Reply

    • Stacey says

      There is certainly an advantage to having more time for those things. I’m so glad to hear things went well for you! Thanks, Suellen!

      Reply

  14. Suzanne Gower says

    Hi Stacey!
    Everything looks great so far and keep the pics coming as enjoyed viewing your new home.
    Loved the shingles and brick. Looks awesome.
    Keep up the positive attitude . Sue

    Reply

  15. ruth says

    Thanks for the update. How are the plans for your studio/kitchen/test site coming along? You did not mention it

    Reply

  16. Regina says

    Thanks for letting us know how your dream home is coming along. So happy you both agreed on the brick.. It is nice. It seems like a long time building, but you can’t rush a master piece. Keep us updated.

    Reply

  18. Sharon says

    Have you considered a metal roof? I love the look on a farmhouse. Just say’in. Love the brick and fixtures. I know you are getting excited and can’t wait to see the finished product. Will you be in by the holidays? Blessings.

    Reply

    • Stacey says

      We have. The house was initially designed with a metal roof, but we’ve since decided to do some of the roof in metal and other in shingles. It’s really about cost for us, too.

      Reply

  21. Linda Copeland says

    Stacey, your shingle color experience has happened to many other people. Aren’t you glad viewing them installed on another house was possible before hand? Patience is such a needful thing in this huge process, and I know it’s hard at times, but I feel sure all the Southern Bite family is praying for y’all. Please keep us posted on your progress when you can find the time! Blessings to all. ????
    Linda

    Reply

    • Stacey says

      It really made a difference so we’re so grateful that option was offered to us. Thanks so much, Linda! We appreciate all those prayers!

      Reply

  22. Dawn Caskie says

    I have that kitchen faucet in brushed nickel. Ours drips incessantly no matter how carefully we turn the lever to the off position, and we’ve already replaced the head a couple of times because it clogs and can’t be disassembled for cleaning. Other than that, it’s great.

    Reply

  24. Paula Johnston says

    There’s so much to be said about going from an empty lot to watching the foundation being poured to seeing the wall studs nailed in place and, finally, watching the transformation to your home that is all personal and all hand-picked. It’s your very own creation and you guys have done an amazing job, even through the frustrations that go along with it. Can you believe how much you and Heather have learned through the entire process? It’s all precious memories in the making for your forever home. Hang in there and be patient – it’s all moving right along. So proud for you both.

    Reply

    • Stacey says

      Thank you so much, Paula! You are so right! It’s been a process for sure, but we truly have learned so much – about the process, about ourselves, and about each other!

      Reply

  25. Carol Parmer says

    This update was awesome to receive – thanks for sharing! Love your choices, colors and style. Very classy.

    Suggestion – I’m sure that many of your fans (not just me) would be willing to make a financial contribution to this magnificent project. Every little bit would add up quickly. Where can we send our “love offerings”?

    Also, when the project is compete, please provide us with a virtual tour. How thrilling would that be?

    Love your recipes and always look forward to receiving more!

    Keep up with the positive attitude, be encouraged, and let your light continue shinng!

    Carol

    Reply

    • Stacey says

      Hi Carol! What a kind, thoughtful, and loving suggestion! You following along is all that we need! And yes, we will certainly be sure to give y’all a tour once it’s all finished up. I seriously can’t thank you enough for your kindness!

      Reply

  26. Barbara says

    Love all the pictures. So happy for ya’ll building your dream home and test kitchen. I did not see the address are you sharing that yet? So proud of you both❤️

    Reply

  28. Cindy Medvid says

    Wow it is certainly a beautiful home Stacey. I know from experience that there’ a lot of trails and tribulations when building a home. It takes a lot of patience and making changes that you didn’t think about. I love following your updates and wish you continued success with your building project. Thanks so much for sharing your progress.

    Reply

  29. Ruth Anne says

    Stacey! Beautiful floor plan! I noticed you plan to use Delta faucets, and wanted to suggest you consider for your kitchen sink to buy the touch sense model if they have it in your pattern. It was the best choice for working with raw meats. To turn the faucet on, just touch it with any part of your arm – no need to touch and contaminate the handle. And touch to turn off! Best thing for chefs!!! Enjoy building your house!

    Reply

  30. Heather Dunn says

    Great design and aesthetics! I wait with bated breath for more.
    Best wishes and much love from Canada.

    Reply

  31. Judy Fontenot says

    Love, Love ya’lls selections on Everything. Thanks for letting all of us to ” travel on your New Home Journey” along with you.. . Judy Fontenot

    Reply

  32. Mollie Frook says

    Thank you for sharing the progress on your forever home. As many others have said patience is your best companion thru this journey, especially with the added stresses caused by the pandemic. Your choices show lots of thought and care have been taken. We are as excited as you and your family to see the various phases of the construction and will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. Mollie

    Reply

  34. Jane says

    Thank you so much for sharing! It’s like we are all getting to build a house together!! Very EXCITING!! Chinaberry will be finished before you know it!!! Please continue to share it all with us!!

    Reply

  35. Johna Weeks says

    So excited to follow your building project! What kind of kitchen appliances are you going to install? We have the “opportunity” to replace our appliances and countertops, and I’m curious about what you have selected.

    Reply

  36. Carmen Echevarria says

    Stacey, I am very happy for you and your family. A place to finally call home. All the memories and happiness Chinaberry will bring for y’all. As I was reading what you guys went through I got so excited to know you were building a home. I have so much trust and faith in the Lord our Father. And yes He is with you and He always will. Don’t forget to thank Him every day of your lives. God is good. Many more blessings and Merry Christmas ⛄🎄

    Reply

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