Dilemma Decided

One of the things I love about our kitchen is the large, rectangular windows. They have been great....even in the Summer when the hot afternoon sun comes streaming in. It has been easy enough to shut the blinds to keep it cool on very hot days. But even then, we've rarely ever had to turn the AC on!

The problem though was the evenings. This huge kitchen had one, small ceiling light in the middle of the room providing very little light when the sun went down. Not to mention the rest of the electrical issues in the kitchen...not enough outlets and outlets in weird places, protruding out of walls.

Between wanting to redo the electrical and wanting to move the plumbing for the sink to the wall of windows, we decided to start this harmless little project sometime last month. It turned out to be more than we bargained for.

Here's the wall of windows. The 2nd window from the right is where we are going to put the new sink......

Here's a close up of the gross windows that I have been so anxious to redo......

You can't tell in these pictures but we found out there are at least 3 layers of paint - lime green, yellow, and then white......

Once again, we think we might be able to work around the old lathe and plaster, cutting out where we want the new electrical and plumbing.......

But, again, it just ends up being better to just take it all down. Come to find out there were many sections that didn't even have the blown-in insulation! We have been able to fill in the gaps with new insulation and we've already noticed a big difference in the drafts and outside noise!.......

So, on to the ceiling and our 1-light wonder! Dustin and I talked a lot about what to do since the ceiling was sagging, cracking, and needed more lights. Is it easier to just tear down the ceiling and start from scratch?

The thought of tearing it down and creating yet more dust clouds was so daunting, especially after we had just done the wall!!

We talked about cutting out where we wanted the electrical and then patching it. Or maybe covering it with some cool looking material like bead board or wood. This is when I started breaking out some magazine pictures I've collected throughout the years.
Here's one with a wood ceiling that I've always loved.....

So we start researching on craigslist to try and find some cheap sources for wood. In the meantime, Dustin starts measuring and cutting out round holes for the recessed lighting we want to put in.

He starts to cut out a little strip for the electric wire and I start to look closer at what is underneath and discover it's Ellie's floor right above the kitchen!

This picture is a close up of what we were looking at and an important decision was being processed at this time. Should we do it?

Within minutes, the whole ceiling plaster was being torn off and the next major storm of dust clouds ensued....

All the windows are opened at this time and wood is being thrown out to me as I fuel a bonfire outside in the field. Ethan helps with the clean up........

We even find a bird's nest! Somehow a bird had pecked it's way in through a knot hole in the wood and made a home. This was before previous owners had recovered it with new siding......

This is what we ended up with for now......(it's not quite finished with molding, etc)

Rustic, yes. Unique, yes. Cool, we think so. The beam to the right had been covered up with plywood so we exposed, sanded, and finished that too.

We will run electrical wires along the joists and hang pendant lights and maybe some small low voltage lighting as needed. WAY more to come.....

Skip to My "Loo" (New Bathroom!)

Wow, I know, it's been SO long since our last blog posting that I even forgot my own password!

We HAVE been sort of busy doing little projects here and there but we took it easy this summer.

Our new bathroom has been "mostly" done since the Spring but it has taken MONTHS for our dumb vanity top to arrive. We kept calling the guy who was supposed to cut the marble but he managed to put us off the whole summer.

Here's a quick rundown of our new bathroom....

We got an old clawfoot tub on craigslist that was in good condition. Dustin was so anxious to paint it with a rust primer that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the "before" but......

......I got a picture of the foot and this is what the whole outside of the tub used to look like.

A few different colors.........

So from the very beginning.....between our bedroom and the kitchen, we took a wide open space and framed in a small but much needed bathroom. This is looking into the future doorway......

Here's looking into that same doorway.....our new bathroom......

Below is the vanity that Dustin built. We thought we would be saving $$$ by building it but nope....Home Depot probably would have been cheaper. But, I love it and am so

proud of Dustin for making it!

I'm sure I wouldn't have found something this cute at a big home center, right?

Note: Missing the back splash! Can you believe after waiting all summer for the vanity top,

the guy forgets to bring the back splash? Maybe we'll get it next Spring.

I hoped by having an open vanity it would make the space appear larger. I think I was right.....

More storage in this built-in cabinet (lots of shelves for bathroom supplies). By the way, Dustin did all the trim work too. The only thing we had help with was the

marble cutting and the plumbing.......

Here's the clawfoot tub....we painted the outside of it a soft yellow like the vanity. Hopefully soon, we will be getting one of those new (but old fashioned looking) telephone faucets that has a shower head.....most helpful for rinsing the hair.......

Pretty glass chandelier from craigslist too (a $35 score).

I bought a glass bead garland to dress it up a bit.......

Fun TP holder......

So, the bathroom is small and compact (I prefer the word "cozy') but I think it's beautiful and functional. And speaking of cozy, I love our new bathtub....it's one of my favorite places to be in the whole house.

Pantry Perfection

Well, the small pantry is pretty well complete....maybe not perfect like the title suggests (it just sounded good) but I feel so clean and organized now.

I refer to this part of the pantry "the little pantry" because it's the part that is located underneath the stairs. For pictures of my HUGE pantry that is attached to this "little pantry", see the previous post called Pantry Progress.

Here's a "before" picture as you would enter the little pantry. Notice the unfinished texture on the walls and ceiling, crumbling plaster, peeling paint.....

Here's the "after"! Clean, new walls, new paint, and a place to put my aprons and bag lady.....

Before, entering the little pantry, this is what you would see. Pretty bad......

Cleaned everything out, textured the walls, and Dustin built some sturdy shelves for me. Beautiful.......

Now, this is what I get use every day.......

This was the section underneath the stairs. SOOOO dusty, dirty, and gross. I couldn't even breath after pounding these boards out......

Now, this is the "after". It's a continuation of the shelves that go all the way back......

Now, when the kitchen is done eventually, I'll actually have a place to put all my appliances. Little by little, a place for everything and everything in its' place!

Patriotic

Finally a flag for our flag pole! Thank you Paul & Corinne (Dustin's parents) for giving us such a meaningful and significant gift. This flag was given to the family when Dustin's grandpa died. It was for his service to our country. From what I know, he served in WWII and was a fighter pilot.

I almost think the flag should be put away nicely somewhere but it was given to us to use and I'm sure grandpa would want us to use it.

Sorry, these pictures aren't great because this was the only wind we had today. The wind was needed in order to show it off........

Pantry Progress

I was hoping and waiting to be able to post the finished pantry but it looks like it might be awhile before that happens. With all the pictures I've taken, it might be fun for you to see our progress.

This picture below shows where we were, at the last posting....framing a pantry in our already too big kitchen. If you notice the little white door under the stairs to right of this picture....this will be part of the pantry too......

Here's a closer look inside that little part of the pantry under the stairs.....peeling walls,
gross industrial carpet, flimsy shelves.......

Here's the shelves loaded and unorganized before we took everything out......

I couldn't wait to pull up the gross carpet and tiles (yes mom, with a mask)......

Off with the old lathe and plaster, cracking walls.....

Here's what it looks like under the stairs. I couldn't believe how dusty and dirty it was pounding these boards out. It was sure fun though......

Old wood siding off and now the old floorboards come up.......

Here's a look at the crawlspace down there, along with the heating & air ducts, some old cans and junk. Although, this is actually where the previous owners found the three big, antique schoolhouse lights. They had hung them in the main room
(we will put them in our kitchen some day).......

Here's the start of the drywalling......

Back to the main pantry. Here it is drywalled.....

After painting, Dustin put up the backing for lots of shelves.....

Here's what we have now, with all our glorious, new pantry shelves. This will also be the place for the spare fridge......

And to the right of the door, more shelves and storage. We may put doors on the cupboard below, depending on what we end up storing there.....

Another view of the glorious shelves......

Death By Asbestos

I know everyone is going to die sooner or later but am I going to kick the can "sooner" by trying to refinish old floors in this old church house?

I've learned a lot about old floors lately. Evidently you're not supposed to sand floors that have had asbestos tiles on them. I knew underneath these ugly old tiles was the original old floors and I wanted so badly to be able to pull them all off and sand the old wood back down to its original glory. Here's what we did:

Luckily, we just experimented on a small section....the new bathroom. We pulled up the first layer of tile, and cut out the layer of plywood that was underneath as seen below........




Underneath the layer of plywood was another layer of tile that was stuck down with this black tar adhesive........



It really wasn't that hard....it came up fairly easily with the right tools. Here's a close up of the black wood floors...you can start to see the lines of the wood floor........





Here, everything is cleaned up (including 1000 staples!) and all we need to do is take up that black stuff....but how? Here's where my life expectancy is shortened by who knows how many years. Any asbestos experts out there? Give it to me straight....how long do I have?




I sanded for about 5 minutes (yes, blowing dry particles out in the air and into my lungs) before I realized it was a futile endeavor. The sand paper quickly gummed up and I was getting nowhere. I decided to try the same adhesive remover we've used on previous projects and it worked pretty well. And yes, I sanded a little more.

I realized though that this would be a huge extensive project and there just had to be a better way. I got on the internet and did some research. I read about a few projects that matched exactly what we were up against and everything I read basically said the same thing...that the tiles and tar adhesive they used back in the 60's or 70's had asbestos and "WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT SAND"!

I ended up calling this company that has a heavy duty adhesive remover and cleaner for just this kind of stuff. I had a couple of questions so I talked to a guy who said some things that really stuck out in my mind. Things to the effect of (again).....

"WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT SAND"!

And "it's not a matter of IF the asbestos causes cancer....it DOES".

He told me of contractors coming in to do a project like mine and finding what we have, then walking off the job until an abatement company comes all dressed in their protective suits and gas masks (or whatever)....think of the movie E.T.

Great. I just felt sick. The guy also said it's almost impossible to get ALL of the black off anyway. And then that black will keep seeping up and staining the floor too.

Oh, FORGET IT!!!!


So our solution? Just cover the whole dang thing up with heavy duty plastic and put new pine floors in........

Two New Additions

Our two new additions are in full swing. I'll start with pictures of the framing and drywall phase.

I just have to add here what our little Ethan said when he came home from school during this starting phase. When he left, it was one big room but when he came home he was so surprised to see all this framing up. He stood there with his mouth open and asked, "Dad really knows how to DO ALL this stuff?" When I told him that he did he replied, "I want to be just like him when I grow up." I'm quite certain this made Dustin's whole year. :-)

Here's a shot from the kitchen area looking at our new pantry on the right and bathroom on the left (the door will be on the other side)........

This was our kitchen before. Notice the big blank wall in the middle........

And now this is the new doorway that will go into the mudroom, bathroom area.......

This is a shot of the new doorway but we took down the rest of the old wall and pushed it back 2+ feet in order to gain some more kitchen space. This will be the built-in fridge area
and cabinets.....hopefully fitting nicely into that extra two feet of space............

Pantry is shaping up nicely. We will have a transom window above the doorway and also above the hallway door. We've been carrying around these old, antique windows that we bought years ago so we are excited to finally be able to use them somewhere!.........

Here are some pictures of our cute electrician......no, I mean framer.....wait, I mean drywaller.......
I mean carpenter......I mean everything handy........

Now comes the drywall!!! I even helped put up a few sheets :-)

Now regressing a little bit to show the stages of the new bathroom that is down the little hallway from the kitchen (pantry is behind)................

Now the drywall. The little hole there will be by the tub/shower for shampoo and such.........

Dustin will put shelves in this long cubbie for much needed bathroom storage...........

I once read in one of my favorite home magazines (I even cut it out to save), "You can never have too much bead board" I have to agree. Here in the bathroom, the bead board goes up 2/3 of the wall and will be finished with base and crown molding.......


What do you think? More pictures to come!!!!!