A House into a Home…

This has been a busy two months.  Moving into an unfinished house with construction dust was not what I envisioned at the end of the renovation, even though it’s still not done yet.

To say it has been stressful would be an understatement.  Slowly but surely, I am digging out of it.  Sometimes with the help of family and friends and sometimes going it alone, each weekend I accomplish something that helps me feel better about all the trouble.  Washing and vacuuming every surface, setting up proper bedrooms so sleep can be peaceful, editing collections, figuring what I can do without, working hard not to fill every square inch of storage so there is room to grow, cleaning the outside of the house, removing construction debris that wasn’t removed, having a pop up antique sale, arranging furniture, hanging pictures and just generally setting up house that will be the place I call home.

This weekend, I had the help of one of my most special friends, Vince Maggio.  He is the truly undiscovered master of arrangement.  He worked on my living/dining area and what a great job he did.

These are iphone pictures, not using  my Canon camera, so take that into consideration.  These two pictures are just snippets, I’ll do a more comprehensive article when I am closer to finishing with setting up the house.

I hope you find some inspiration.

All the Best,

Cindy

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A $65 Craigslist table that was partially stripped. I like it just the way it is. $25 One King’s Lane bamboo directors chairs that match the tone of the table and the linen press. A grouping of vintage nautical print from The Round Top Antique Show placed in floating frames and a variety of other collected pieces.

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Antique linen press full of curated items, a comfy couch across from the fireplace (pics of that later, it isn’t finished) and inexpensive IKEA pillow, along with a French ticking stripe pillow from Home Goods all come together to make a beautiful, comfortable place to set a spell and take a load off.

 

The One Minute Mile

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The perfect contrast of light and dark

 

Big things happen in little minutes and that just about describes what will happen in the next 5 days.  Floors, cabinets, tiling, plumbing finishing, electrical finishing and painting.  And that’s just the inside.  The rain has hampered working on the outside but it makes  no difference to me.  I just want to sleep in my own bed and fall asleep staring at my own ceiling.

Here are the lastest pictures.  Everything is in a state of being completed.  And then, with a wing, a prayer and a good tail wind, it will all come together.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

Stained new wood (left) against sanded old wood on the right.

Stained new wood (left) against sanded old wood on the right.

Windows that were in another part of the house, reset in the upstairs sitting area

Windows that were in another part of the house, reset in the upstairs sitting area

Simple silk shade lamps throughout the house

Simple silk shade lamps throughout the house

Kitchen cabinets built around an original feature of the house, the brick chimney

Kitchen cabinets built around an original feature of the house, the brick chimney

Kitchen cabinets

Kitchen cabinets

Newly built kitchen cabinets are lovely.  We have used an antique piece as the base for the kitchen sink.

Newly built kitchen cabinets are lovely. We have used an antique piece as the base for the kitchen sink.

More kitchen cabinets.  Note the bun feet instead of a toe kick.

More kitchen cabinets. Note the bun feet instead of a toe kick.

Exterior lighting used for interior lighting.

Exterior lighting used for interior lighting.

Barn door hardware to close off my very small office/work space

Barn door hardware to close off my very small office/work space

Stylish and budget friendly, these stock zinc light fixtures picked up at Home Depot

Stylish and budget friendly, these stock zinc light fixtures picked up at Home Depot

More kitchen cabinets

More kitchen cabinets

This wall/door didn't exist before the renovation, but you would never know that.  It looks like it is original to the house.

This wall/door didn’t exist before the renovation, but you would never know that. It looks like it is original to the house.

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The interesting angles, windows and walls of an old house

 

Finishes, Finishes.

 

We are in the final stretch.  The frenzy to the finish.  Twelve days from today, the moving truck will show up so I can (finally) go home.

In truth, the house is a bit of a war zone right now.  A lot going on, many trades working at once.

Here are a few pictures that show the walls being painted and the ceiling ships lap left exactly as it was when it was put up some 80 years ago.

To the finish line…

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

 

Old rim locks for the interior doors.

Old rim locks for the interior doors.

Hallway painted with an old window side light turned into a transom to allow natural light into the hallway.

Hallway painted with an old window side light turned into a transom to allow natural light into the hallway.

The front bedroom.

The front bedroom.

Front bedroom with an antique piece that I have permanently affixed to the wall that will work as a closet and storage.

Front bedroom with an antique piece that I have permanently affixed to the wall that will work as a closet and storage.

The original plank ceiling.  Sealed with a simple finish that brings out the natural luster in this old pine that was probably 100 years old when it was installed.

The original plank ceiling. Sealed with a simple finish that brings out the natural luster in this old pine that was probably 100 years old when it was installed.

It was quite the hunting trip to find old four panel farm house doors for the house.  Certainly no easy task.

It was quite the hunting trip to find old four panel farm house doors for the house. Certainly no easy task.

Down the hall and around the corner…

My first response walking into the house this week: Holy Toledo!  We are making visible progress.  This simple cottage gets more interesting with each layer of construction completed.  The walls are going up and it helps the house take shape.

Every square inch that is possible to build out, has been built out.  It means that we have to build around architectural features like roof pitches and stairwells.  Almost from the minute you walk through the great room to the rest of the house, every hall you go down and every turn you make leads you to something quirky and cozy.  I look forward to using all these nooks to create small treasures of respite.

Updated pictures below.

I hope you find inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

XOXO

The Kitchen.

The Kitchen.

Master Bedroom.

Master Bedroom.

Master Bedroom.

Master Bedroom.

Bedroom  (formerly the garage)

Bedroom (formerly the garage)

Closet in Bedroom (formerly the garage)

Closet in Bedroom (formerly the garage)

Guest Bedroom

Guest Bedroom

Guest Bedroom.

Guest Bedroom.

 

Inching Toward the Finish…

Went by the house this weekend and there has been incremental progress.  We have a pile of planks and ships lap from the demolition that we have committed to reusing.  The trick is maximizing this very limited resource and minimize waste.  This takes time and progress over the last week has been a bit stilted.    Having said that, what was completed was choice.  The great room is starting to realize the design.  Contractor Pete, as I like to call him, has been able to clad the pantry and the fireplace completely with harvested, salvaged ships lap and it looks amazing.

Just a couple of pictures to show the progress.  As if that wasn’t enough good news, some pictures of my budding hydrangeas, mint leaves and rosemary from the garden.  I love the transition to Spring.  It means the Winter hibernation is over.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

New wall with an old side light,  oriented horizontally.  It will act as a transom and allow natural light into the new hallway.

New wall with an old side light, oriented horizontally. It will act as a transom and allow natural light into the new hallway.

Pantry and Fireplace clad in old ships lap.

Pantry and Fireplace clad in old ships lap.

Paneling in the stairway with paneling taken from our salvage pile.

Paneling in the stairway with paneling taken from our salvage pile.

With the trim removed, the old window weights are revealed.  I love old houses.

With the trim removed, the old window weights are revealed. I love old houses.

Leaves coming in on the Hydrangeas.

Leaves coming in on the Hydrangeas.

Mint springs up from the ground for harvesting when I am back in the house and cooking up a storm in my new kitchen.

Mint springs up from the ground for harvesting when I am back in the house and cooking up a storm in my new kitchen.

Hardy rosemary plants, evergreen throughout the seasons.

Hardy rosemary plants, evergreen throughout the seasons.

The Winter Progression

I was pretty sure last week was a wash as far as renovation progress went.  The weather last week was unforgiving and unyielding, so I assumed nothing had been done at the house.

Just for grins and because I am an eternal optimist, I went over to the house this weekend to see if any progress had been made.  Much to  my surprise, there was substantial progress.  To call me happy as a lark would be an understatement.

  • The HVAC system and duct work was installed.
  • The outside of the fireplace had been clad in siding and trimmed out.
  • The fireplace box had been installed and framed in.
  • The electrical was completed.
  • The outside stairs leading to the court yard were built and the antique window installed in the Master Bedroom.

It was a lot to take in, mostly because I wasn’t expecting it.  But it made me happy and that makes today a good day.

Pictures below.

I hope you find some inspiration.

xoxo

Cindy

Exterior fireplace.  The cladding and trim work is complete.

Exterior fireplace. The cladding and trim work is complete.

Although the flash didn't engage, hopefully you can see the old side light window in the master bedroom.  The bed will go under this window.

Although the flash didn’t engage, hopefully you can see the old side light window in the master bedroom. The bed will go under this window.

Just a picture to show what a bit of  a war zone the house is right now.  It's the ugly before the pretty.

Just a picture to show what a bit of a war zone the house is right now. It’s the ugly before the pretty.

Zero clearance fire place set up and framed in.

Zero clearance fire place set up and framed in.

Duct work, duct work and more duct work.

Duct work, duct work and more duct work.

Ah...sweet relief. My old HVAC system a source of great consternation and funds depletion.  A total new system and I am a happy camper.

Ah…sweet relief. My old HVAC system a source of great consternation and funds depletion. A total new system and I am a happy camper.

Renovation Taking Shape

Progress is satisfying. Every visit to the house yields something on the punch list complete. Framing is 95% completed.  Plumbing is complete and electrical was being worked on this weekend and should be complete.  Once these three things are done, all three will need inspections from the city. Once inspections are completed, then onto insulation and then we can begin closing the walls and trim work.

The exterior of the house is being closed in as well.  I am hoping that we’ll be able to paint the exteriors at some point soon.  Although I haven’t picked the colors, I am shooting for a grey exterior with bright white trim.  But that is getting ahead.  Let’s stick to the inside.

A variety of pictures to show this week’s progress.

I hope your find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

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The Physicality of the Space


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The physical feel of each room is starting to take shape.  This is meaningful because we are working with the existing foot print to carve out additional rooms; not by adding square footage to the foot print.

You can look at scaled drawings and imagine it in your mind, but neither of those things give you a real sense of the space.  Walls are going up, windows are being added and storage is being built in and all of these thing are starting to help me understand the physicality of each room.

It’s fair to say, this will be a cozy cottage with small but well appointed rooms.  Every room is getting a closet, plus some additional built in storage squired away because I am losing my garage for storage and I have to make up for it somewhere else.

Nothing illustrates this more than the master suite.  We have a bedroom, sitting area, bathroom, dressing area, closet and some generic storage.

Since the master area occupies the entire second story, it will become a true retreat.  I made the decision to build out an additional 120 square feet, the question becomes what is the best way to use the space.  They did some additional framing, but before we can do more, I need to decide what the configuration should be.  With some guidance from my contractor, I have settled on using it for closet space, storage space and a dressing area.  Picture and diagram below.  Other framing updates follow.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Cindy

xoxo

Always

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A Lesson in Renovation Mathematics & Updates

I had about sixteen feet of unused attic space.  Part of that space is allocated for the HVAC unit.  That would leave about ten feet where I was just going to throw down some plywood and use as attic storage.  Then I had this thought, since we are doing all this other work, why not just build out the space?  It wasn’t structural, so (I thought) why not just add the insulation, some electrical, sheetrock and bippity boppity boo…I have additional square footage.  How much more money could it be?

Fast forward…things are not that simple.  Some engineering is required, the electrical is a bit more complicated, add duct work and we’ll need some additional hardwood flooring.  So my incredible contractor (who really is a great guy) got the numbers together and to build out this additional 120 square feet, it will come to about 45 per square foot.  But it would appraise much higher per square foot handing over some instant equity.

We had some windfall monies from parts of the renovation that we over budgeted, so those monies will fund the build out of the 120 square feet of attic space, keeping us within budget.

Bippity Boppity Boo is right.

Updated pictures from the progress from this week.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always.

Cindy

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A Lovely Mess


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The Guest Room

The last few weeks have been stressful, to put it mildly.  Closing on the loan, packing, moving and settling in to a tiny apartment.  It’s fair to say that I am a nester and being in limbo is not my strong suit.

I needed to see progress on my house in order to feel like this is all for something.  In this case, moving forward, or progress begins with stepping back and deconstructing.

Week #1 has begun with demolition.  And it’s a lovely mess.  I am beyond thrilled to see that under all the sheetrock was ships lap.  Original to the house and of its time, it really needs to shine.  We are keeping it exposed for the renovation and will eventually paint it.  We’ll harvest, patch and repair where we need to and fill the whole house with it.  Wood walls.  Warm, comforting wood walls.  What a simple path to happiness.

Here are the pictures from the first week.  Please join me on this journey.

Always,

Cindy

FullSizeRender (17) FullSizeRender (16) Looking towards the stairs. Another kitchen shot. Layers of subflooring scrap through. I wonder if there are wood floors underneath. FullSizeRender (21) FullSizeRender (22) FullSizeRender (19) FullSizeRender (15) FullSizeRender (14) FullSizeRender (13)