Monday, October 27, 2014

What top cabinets?

So, with a kitchen this large I wondered if we could do without top cabinets.  Its all the rage now, I understand.  

Here is a picture of the cabinets in place and with the bar still intact See Removing of the bar for that project.  
With top cabinets


We shook, yanked, and pulled on those cabinets for an hour.
One side down, now for the other
This side was a &*##@, they had to come down connected to the each other.  If you were there when I took the picture, you'd hear us calling those cabinets every horrible curse word in the book, and lots of exhausted breath catching.  
They had to come down together.


And now.....
What cabinets?
What cabinets?

Before removing these cabinets I had the brilliant idea of using them in the butlers pantry <pictures of that coming soon> but all you have to do is flip it over and build up the counter-top or build a box for them to sit on to get them to counter-top height.
By flipping them, the handles are now off the floor and nearer the counter-top, plus inside the shelves are now flipped over and look nice and new with the bowing changed.
The picture below gives you an idea of the cabinet flipped, but you are going to have to wait to see where I used them.  







What bar?

Although the idea of this bar was a good one for the former owners, it was not good for us.  The kitchen side was rough sawed lumber and plywood scraps.  No doors or proper storage at all.  The front was outdoor paneling.  It also sucked up all the light from the two bright windows in the dining room.  
I knew it had been installed to hide something, as the floors in the rest of the home are wood.  The kitchen floor is concrete and obviously they'd not gotten around to removing everything and building up that floor to match the others.  
Sure enough, a 1 1/2 inch step.  
It is what it is.  A different flooring design between the kitchen and dining room should save my drunken tripping expected in the future.  

Bar from the dining room looking into the kitchen

From the dining room looking into the kitchen and almost down

What bar?






Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Paint color "Grey Tweed" by Glidden

The paint just before pouring


This color was bought on a whim.  I liked it in Home Depot, and so did hubby, so we stupidly <or not> bought 5 gallons.  
After getting it to the house, I painted a splash on different walls of rooms I was intending to use, but I just wasn't feeling the color.  
FIVE GALLONS!

In the foyer

In the dining room

In the formal living room


I had to use it somewhere.  Originally, I considered painting the floors a dark brown, but after trying it in a corner of Kyle's room, I knew it would be the floor color and TA-DA I had plenty of it for all the original wood floors in the home. 

In Kyle's bedroom

In Derrick's bedroom

Coming soon, another bedroom and the hallway!


Saturday, September 13, 2014

The Shortline Mansion

Here it is.  
My newest endeavor.
Let me introduce you to The Shortline Mansion.
I named it the Shortline because it sits right next to the railroad tracks, and the Shortline is from the Monopoly Game.
But honestly, its because there is a very short line between any level spot in this home.  Nothing is plumb.  
It is what it is, and I love it.


The Shortline Mansion

Train goes by

Just a sample of how loud it is on the front porch.  
Then.... Peacefulness again.




Saturday, August 30, 2014

Storm rolling in

I was lucky enough to be at the house when a lovely summer storm rolled in.  Even got a wee video of it!


Rolling clouds


Skies just about to open up
My first ever blog video.
Wish you could smell that freshly dampened earth smell that is so strong when you have a dry August and it finally pours.   
We needed this rain in a bad sorta way.






Sunday, August 17, 2014

Paint and light

In the dining room corner


In front bedroom or formal living room


In foyer <originally intended> 
Its grey Clyde!  Dark Grey!


Sunday, August 10, 2014

Laundry area re-think







Kitchen cabinets before and after a scrub..

Man, these were dirty.  
Pay no attention <please> to the counter tops.  
They will be replaced with something much more easy to maintain. Cracked and broken tile is not very sanitary in any kitchen setting.  

Before
Next to the stove.  GROSS!

  After
After.  Soooo much cleaner and Kathy friendly 

Bathroom sink before and after a scrub.

It just amazes me what a little elbow grease and some simple green will do for a dirty bathroom sink.  I mighta thought that faucet was done for.  After 15 minutes, it looked fresh and almost new.
 

 
 










The other side of that tiny bridge is another world..

 
 
We have a little bridge to the mailbox.
How small-town country is that?




The attic











Look how much room is in the center!
He is a 6ft'r




Saturday, August 2, 2014

New plan, old house

Ban the multi unit idea.
It is now a single family home.  A LARGE single family home. 
Most of the rooms in this house are 16x16, and many are bigger. 

Included is the current floor plan.
Sorry, its an iphone picture and I am no architect. 
Please practice your chickenscratchreading before proceeding any further.  ;)

The main floor as it is today



The second floor, as it is today


Thursday, July 31, 2014

2nd day


So, mostly these are pictures I had forgotten to take the first day.  This time the place was cleaned out.  Lots of crazy little things about this place that tickle me.  In this room below, the dining room... all the light switch covers and electric socket covers are black with skulls that glow in the dark. 
In the living room.  LMAO!


In downstairs living room, looking at utility closet

Inside utility closet

More utility closet

Opposite corner of room, utility closet, kitchen and stairwell

Stairwell from living room, bedroom to the right

Utility closet on left facing downstairs bedroom/den

 
Apparently I had posted a cool picture with a built-in washer and dryer, set on a pedestal, on my facebook page.  Well, Kyle loved it so much he decided to build one here.  It was almost finished.   
Gooooood try, Kyle!
Im gonna tear it down and install some matching kitchen cabinets above it.  ;) 


Another utility way far right, straight in front washer dryer hookup


Back door entrance, soon to be pantry on right

The utility room is not chinked log.  Its faux painted.

Back door entrance, another utility closet on left

Inside utility closet at back door

This is an original doorjamb

more inside utility closet

Looking in from back door.  Pantry on left, utility closet on right

Cleaned up kitchen

More cleaned up kitchen

Downstairs bathroom

Downstairs bathroom sink

Downstairs shower stall

Downstairs shower