BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

This all seems like a distant memory.

What used to be this is now a cozy spot on a cold evening.

The fire is so delightful.

Side note: The antique firescreen was a Christmas gift from my sweet husband.  It fit as if it were made for this spot.

BEFORE & AFTER : KITCHEN

February 2011:
Kitchen as seen on first viewing of this house

March 2011:  Kitchen during demolition 

May 2011: Wallace, replacing kitchen floor joists

March 2011: Michael clears out crawl space below kitchen

December 2012:  Completed kitchen

CHECK IT OUT

  The install of the library shelving began last week.  

Roy Hoffert, 

kitchen cabinet-maker extraordinaire,

 has designed, crafted and is now installing  the shelving.  

Cabinets are unloaded using a ramp to the porch

The largest of the sections ekes around the newel post & through the library doorway

Floors are protected every step of the way

Bun feet and shelves - underside

Upper cabinets

This old house continues to give Roy a run for his money.  As was the case when installing the kitchen cabinets and the music room shelving, neither walls nor floors are level.  This presents a particular challenge that would have caused many men to run, perhaps screaming, from this job....but not Roy.  While he said he was a little stressed trying to make it work, one would never know it.

Not only has Roy built this piece of furniture from scratch, but also he has had to weave in 2 antique pieces Wallace and I picked up.

Amidst the tools is an old file cabinet and glass doors to an antique cupboard 

Antique glass front cupboard built into shelving unit

The library is almost complete.  Stay tuned for final photos.

THE LAST BIG PROJECT

   Do not misinterpret the title of this post.  There are still MANY details to attend to here on Hawthorne Avenue.  (We have not even begun addressing the exterior landscaping) Perhaps I should have titled this "The last big CARPENTRY project."  No matter.  We began tackling what we are calling our "last big project" this past weekend.

   As the story goes, I have a long-standing aversion to bi-fold doors.  Over the years on Warren Road, I have removed all but 1 set of bi-fold doors to make way for alternative designs.  When the contractor who framed the bathroom addition mentioned he would enclose the laundry area with such doors I cringed.  Wallace and I decided we might build a sliding door to separate the bathroom and laundry areas.

    Although we have kicked all contractors out of the house while the floor guys work their refinishing magic, we have access to the house on weekends.  This past weekend we began building the barn door.

    Remember what I have said on numerous occasions:  ONE MAN'S JUNK...

Several months ago, Wallace found a set of antique iron barn door hardware online.

Since Caravati's wanted our radiators and other antique sundries, we held a bit of 'credit' in our pockets.  One of the things Jimmy over at Caravati's did for us is restore this old hardware so we could use it.

    Before building the door it was necessary to construct the support structure for the door.  Using 1 x 8 poplar we began.

The picture molding is notched out

Slightly widening the space between the baseboard and tile

Cutting the mortise in the vertical board

The mortise

Attaching the barn track with lags

Laying out the bead board atop the 3/4 plywood

The opening the door must cover is 80 inches tall and 69 inches wide.  Each bead board is squared on the ends and cut to 80 inches.  Again we find a job for Titebond III.  We are putting that gallon jug to good use.

Each board is glued and screwed to the plywood backing.

Titebond III

Dozens of screws are put in through the backside along chalked lines

Skill saw does the trick taking off the excess tongue and groove on one side

Refurbished hardware is temporarily attached

Completed door awaits painting

 *Return this weekend to view the door painted and hung

   

AMAZING TALENT

Cabinet from Caravati's

   
    Check out this facebook link.  Our kitchen cabinets are being installed and our cabinetmaker Roy is doing a fantastic job.  He has incorporated an early 1900 kitchen cabinet from a home on Three Chopt Rd. that we got from Caravati's  and 4 old corbels I picked up at Paul's Place, both local antique and salvage shops.  In addition, Roy has used the last bit of bead board, original to the house and leftover from building the stair well wall, to line the back of the book shelf area on the kitchen island.

Original bead board recycled as backing for bookshelves in kitchen island

Corbels shelved at Paul's Place

My kitchen is going to be so beautiful I am eager to begin enjoying it all the time.

*  Roy, if you are reading this, look at the shamrock corbels on the shelf next to the ones you put in my island!  Are they calling out "HOFFERT,  TAKE ME HOME!" ?

THANKS MIKE AND BEN !

    Before we purchased this house, we knew it required air conditioning.  Shortly thereafter we determined that we would convert the heating system to a combination of gas and heat pump.   This means we will not be needing our radiators.  

(as beautiful as some of them are)

During the demolition process back in March,  all the radiators (of which there were 4 different styles) were disconnected and removed from the house.  Given that there were several TONS worth of radiator,  most of them made it no farther than the front porch!  Two of the largest never came down from the 2nd floor.

One pair of radiators made a sturdy set of saw horses for several weeks.

A low radiator made a bench seat on the front porch

   Just a few weeks ago we had Caravati's , a local architectural salvage company, remove the radiators when they came to pick up our claw foot tub and my little sink to be refurbished.

Since I could not stand to let all the original radiators go, I am having Caravati's sandblast and clear-coat the smallest of the scrolled radiators.  We will tuck the refreshed radiator in a nook and, topped with marble, it will become a plant stand or a spot to stash keys, loose change, and mail.

Thanks Mike and Ben for building the 'sled' to get the monster radiators off the 2nd floor and spending the time and effort to help us.  We really appreciate it.  We are your newest loyal customers.