Go inside the making of Lyndsey Lewis’ certified green home in Little Rock! Through her At Home blog column, Lyndsey invites you into the planning, construction and interior design of her house, as it’s being built by Bret Franks Construction. If you haven’t been following, click here to learn more, and watch as this exciting project unfolds through the eyes of its owner…

The construction of my Whidbey is scheduled to take 6 months total. To date, we are just past the half-way point. So I thought this would be a good week to bring readers up-to-date on the progress.

After grading the lot, framing began in early September. This stage was the first time I was able to walk through the actual-size space where I’ll be living. I had visited rooms with similar dimensions as my rooms, trying to get a feel for the scale. But walking through the framing was pretty exciting.

After the framing was covered in protective sheeting, roofing was underway.

From this rear view of the house, you can see the opening for my backdoor. (Note the bins for scraps and recycling on the job site.)

This picture of my detached garage with carport is taken from my backdoor. There will be a walkway leading from my house to the covered patio. And yes, the garage is almost as big as my house!

I chose to upgrade my design with wood-clad windows. The grids and trim will be painted to complement the house. (These windows also have LowE insulated glass for increased efficiency.)

From the interior, these front windows provide tons of natural light for my guest bedroom. Although the space is only 9×10 feet, the walls of windows keep the room from feeling cramped.

Next, the installation of Hardiboard siding and trim began. (Hardiboard is a cement product manufactured in strips similar to finished lumber.) This stage is a labor-intensive process that involves cutting each piece of board to size and then attaching it to the house. When painted, the Hardiboard will look like wood siding.

And with that, you are up to speed on the little house. In the coming weeks, the interior will start to take shape as the sheetrock is installed and the trim work begins.

This piece of art was a gift for my 30th birthday and will adorn my mantle. It’s an original family portrait by Lewis, my 4-year-old nephew.