Happy Valentines Day!

Charlie and Lady would like to wish everyone who is reading their blog a very Happy Valentines Day!

Rebuilding the Kitchen

A few posts back I mentioned that the kitchen needed to be re-built. We did mean this literally, not figuratively. The rear wall is now completely torn out and being re-framed. There will be a pocket door leading from the kitchen to the mud room when this is done. This should be the last of the major demolition, and from this point forward things will be being put together and looking pretty, rather than ripped apart and looking like a disaster.

The Duck in Flood

On the weekend of Feb 6th, the Duck River reached its Flood Stage. We don't live in a flood zone so this didn't affect us, but we found a really great overlook across from the park and got some great photos of the river.

Another Paint Palette

Josie's guest room is starting to come together. The carpet is out, the windows are in, the room is painted. The colors are:

Homestead Resort Tea Room Cream (Ceiling)

Cooper Molera Fanfango Red (Accent Wall)

Lyndhurst Rose Glow (All Other Walls)

Bright White Trim

2.5 Baths

We are increasing the bath count to 2.5 baths instead of 2. This is the beginning stud-out of the half bath, which will be in the downstairs hall under the stairs. Compact, but sufficient.

No More Nasty Rug

Joel stripped out the stairs of the old yucky carpet that ran down it. Also note, the hall is down to the bare lathe and ready to be re-plastered. It looks pretty rough, but this is major progress!

Gut-Wrenching

Or Nauseating. The gutting of the kitchen unveiled some interesting smells. This room is pretty much a complete re-build due to old water damage.

Same Story, Different Room

New Joists for the Kitchen....Also a gas line for the range, and new water lines for the kitchen sink and for the pot-filler which will be over the stove. While the floor is open, the house is being re-wired.

Root Cellaring

There is a root cellar under the dining room. It will also serve as a storm cellar in the case of inclement weather. Right now it is getting joists installed so the dining room floor will be solid, and you won't accidentally fall through into the root cellar.

His and Hers

We've been punk'd. Joel and Sariah showed up to the house to lovely stump seats on the front porch. These lovely stumps were formerly under the house serving as joist supports. Very clever. Obviously we had to do something better than a tree stump to level the house, but the stumps have been re-purposed into seats.

Decking Up, Decking Down

David installed the decking over the new joists in the living room, while Joel removed the old decking so the joists could be repaired in the dining room.

Wallpaper Alert

This wallpaper was covering the walls in the upstairs loft. It is metallic, newer, and glued on so solidly it would have been a nightmare to get rid on. Instead, we coated it with bonding primer; an oil based glue-like paint that essentially changes the foundation of the wall. It will make the wall hold plaster even without removing the paper first. Stinky stuff, but what a time-saver!

Falling slowly sing your melody, I'll sing along.

There were a lot of places on the floor where you would step, and feel like you were going to slowly sink and fall through. Thankfully most of the house is on a crawl, rather than a basement, so it wouldn't be a long fall, but it is still a rather disconcerting feeling, and something that needed to be resolved. Once we pulled up the hardwoods we found that most of the joists were fully rotted. It was heartbreaking to have to remove all of the original hardwoods, but what we found fully justified the decision. New joists have gone it, as well as 3/4" plywood decking, and the house is now solid! It is fantastic to be able to walk room to room with no give in the floor and everything is level.

The Name of the Game

...is removing wood panelling! Ugh...who ever decided this was a beautiful look?

Autograph your Artwork

We purchased an antique collonade that will go between the living room and dining room. We were able to find this one locally at Preservation Station, an architectural salvage place in Nashville. We were very happy to find that this one was signed by the carpenter who made it.

The writing on the says, "Built By Larry Barting. November 1921, Gorin, Missouri Cabinet Maker"

Framing the first Fireplace

The first Fireplace will be installed soon, and the framing for all three has now been put in place to support the mantles. We are just waiting on the tile to come in for the living room fireplace. Everything else is here and ready to go!

Rolling a Marble Across the Floor

We found a marble sitting on a window ledge, so of course we had to see how quickly it would roll across the floor. It rolled pretty quickly. There is really no way to jack this section of the upstairs up, so instead, we have had it reinforced, and firring strips put in to level it off. It really appears that the upstairs just wasn't built level in the first place, but that problem is now remedied, and the floors are just waiting for the hardwoods.

Siding and Ceilings

Though the outside probably won't be finished till Spring, on days that are warm and dry enough, the outside work is continuing. New siding is replacing the old on the front porch,and the tongue and groove ceiling is being installed.