Here we go...picking our options

Today Brian and I had the crazy, exciting and somewhat stressful appointment to pick the options for our house. Having been through the build process before, we went into this with a much better knowledge of what we wanted. We had also done our homework as far as styles of floors, cabinets, etc. so we went in with ideas. I won't even post the two-page list of things we went in with.

It's so exciting to have a better sense of what our house is really going to look like. It was also a lot more exciting this time versus last time because we are at a different place in our lives and have the ability to do extra things we know we'll love.

From left, carpet, tile, cabinet, backsplash; across the top - paint and granite

Our interior lights will be brushed versus shiny and pointing down 

(these were installed upside down)

Lever door handles versus knobs (middle metal color)

We'll have the top style of shower fixture and sink features below it, 

all in the bottom brushed nickel 

The bottom center (2012) swatch is the cultured marble we'll have in the bathrooms

Another composite picture

Carpet, paint chip and the stone for the fireplace 

Bathroom counters (2012), cabinets and the tile (top right)

Prior to picking our options, I went and checked out a house that didn't have the crazy expensive ($24,000) walnut floors that were in the model we toured so I could get my head around what it'd look like with tile and carpet instead. It really helped me visualize what we'd want to do.

It also made me really happy we went ahead and got the big, triple doors for the back because look at the difference:

I was also able to see what I'm fairly sure our closet in the master bedroom will look like. I'd loved the California Closets-style closet in the model, but it just wasn't in our budget. I do think this will actually work really well and it's the default in the house, too. I LOVE that there won't be any wire closet racks anywhere in this house, and we'll have real shelves for storage.

In the model, they also had split mirrors in the bathroom. We really wanted that, but for whatever reason you can't actually pick that as an option. We could, however, get these pretty framed mirrors. So much better than just the plain glass.

And here's where all this pretty stuff is going to sit in fewer months than we probably even realize.

As silly as it sounds, we never got a pic with a "sold" sign the first time so I loved taking this now - especially now that our family is totally complete.

This lot did cost more, but it's going to be worth every penny to be backed up to this amazing arroyo/trail that actually leads over to the girls' eventual elementary school. Plus, we'll never have a house directly behind us.

The view from the back of the lot toward the front. There will be houses across the street at some point.