Aren't we sick of homogenized housing yet?? [Archive]

catherine

11-10-19, 12:15pm

]Ugh.. A Better Homes and Gardens article popped up in my inbox and I was intrigued by the title: "You Have to See This Stunning Bungalow Transformation!" Having a little bungalow, I'm always interested in ideas. And this was a 1936 Craftsman house.

You would never know it!! Wright and Morris are rolling over in their graves.. The "charm" of Craftsman completely whitewashed with shiplap, all the unique built-ins removed to create "open concept" and you would never guess this was ever a "charming Craftsman cottage."

My 1936 California Craftsman had that charming old-house style—formal rooms with built-ins, a fireplace, and cove molding—but the layout wasn’t working for me. The house is 1,400 square feet, and the little rooms felt extra tight. I knew tearing out walls would give me the indoor-outdoor flow I was going for, but it also meant taking out the fireplace. That’s a solution most people wouldn’t consider, but for me, the open space was totally worth it.

What design trends are you sick of? How do you feel about destroying the original character of a home? Arggghh..

Here's the article: https://www.bhg.com/decorating/makeovers/before-and-after/bungalow-renovation/

Teacher Terry

11-10-19, 12:28pm

She ruined that house. I love built in cabinets.

iris lilies

11-10-19, 12:33pm

UGG, yes! All the flooring is rectangular often gray the walls are gray, the shiplap is all over the place, and oh yes it’s “open concept. “
P

We just 10 minutes ago met with our architect and I’m proud to say that we are keeping our bungalow’s little rooms, aint no “ open concept” Happening here. Although I do have to point out that this house has had a mishmash of renovations and additions already,
we are just trying to stay true to the look. My idea is the front of the house will look like its little 1940s/50s self and the back of the house will have new modern appendages and that’s OK because it’s the back of the house.

Edited to add:

I read this article and so many things parallel what I’m doing with my Hermann house. Our house is also 1400 ft.². I like U shaped kitchens. I was just talking to our architect about a brick floor and as much as I like that idea, it’s non-standard and also it would stain so probably I would regret it, but man do I like the idea.

catherine

11-10-19, 12:35pm

UGG, yes! All the flooring is rectangular often gray the walls are gray, the shiplap is all over the place, and oh yes it’s “open concept. “

We just 10 minutes ago met with our architect and I’m proud to say that we are keeping our bungalow’s little rooms, aint no “ open concept” Happening here. Although I do have to point out that this house has had a mishmash of renovations and auditions already, We are just trying to stay true to the look. My idea is at the front of the house will look like it’s a little 1940s/50s self in the back of the house will have new modern appendages and that’s OK because it’s the back of the house.

I thought of you when I saw this article, IL. I know you of all people will stay true to the spirit of your home.

Teacher Terry

11-10-19, 12:41pm

We kept our 1950’s living room. The dining room and master bathroom were added in 1970. We did open most of the wall between the galley kitchen and dining room. We also moved the side wall to make that room smaller so we could add a bathroom attached to the master bedroom. We also took a closet out so we could make the guest bathroom bigger and turned a tiny bedroom attached to the master into a walk in closet. It would also make a good nursery. We left the other original bedrooms as they were. The kitchen already had fairly new cabinets. I might have kept the original cabinets depending on the condition.

Tybee

11-10-19, 12:42pm

It is a real shame she destroyed the fireplace and the built-ins that make a bungalow a bungalow. It's sad that she did not keep more of the original house.

I did like the new exterior paint job and opening up the landscaping to see the house, although not sure I would have taken down a redwood to do it!

What is a shame is that she didn't just build a new house, which could have had what she wanted.

I did like the brick herringbone floor and I liked the way the house looked after, for the most part. I liked the kid's desk.

What I don't understand is why you would put shiplap in that house.

I didn't see any before pictures and that is probably just as well as I get upset when people destroy bungalows, it's my favorite kind of house. My grandparents had a 20's bungalow in Savannah, and how I loved that house.

LDAHL

11-10-19, 12:44pm

Tybee

11-10-19, 12:47pm

Oh gosh, I think I saw a couple of the before--why on earth get rid of the leaded windows, and what is that giant coffin of a firepit? Ugh.

catherine

11-10-19, 12:51pm

We finished renovating a 1985 ranch this year, and spent a small fortune on built-ins. The cabinet maker said he hardly ever gets to do that. On the other hand, we saved a lot by not going with granite or quartz countertops. I never understood why people want that.

So great you are adding craftsmanship to your home, LDAHL! Yes, and the granite thing is definitely a trend I'm tired of. I must say that I did go to a granite place to try to find a remnant for a 2' x 2' base cabinet we put in our kitchen, but DH is hell-bent on gluing together a couple of layers of plywood and putting some kind of a finish on it. We already have the plywood, so it would save us $300.

Tybee, I took issue with her statement that she took the character out of the house so she could create character with furniture, but I see a dearth of character in the furniture. It all looks like the first thing that pops up under "most popular" on a Wayfair site. The sofa looks cheap to me. Those old diamond paned windows that she replaced--why?? She tried to "invent" character with the clawfoot tub and the herringbone floor, but everything else looks sterile to me.

(I do have those exact Pottery Barn filing cabinets, and I did use them as a desk, but they're still in NJ. Not sure if they fit up here.)

Oh, well. to each their own.

iris lilies

11-10-19, 12:56pm

Oh gosh, I think I saw a couple of the before--why on earth get rid of the leaded windows, and what is that giant coffin of a firepit? Ugh.I know! I mourned the loss of those windows, what an idiot.

I think expensive granite is beautiful but I worry about the care of it. Supposedly you’re supposed to seal it every year. We have quartz which I love for looks and practicality but I don’t let myself think about the fact that it is a man-made composite material because that makes it tacky. So I don’t let myself think about it.

I’m pretty sure I’m gonna use an interior designer for this house in Hermann because once the contractor starts you need to have all the materials lined up in advance, there is no leisurely picking out stuff over 30 years like I did with our city house. Anyway, I say this because our brick fireplace Will. Not. Be. Painted. And those ladies love to paint the fireplaces.

LDAHL

11-10-19, 12:57pm

So great you are adding craftsmanship to your home, LDAHL!

We have been reliably informed that we will never get our money back should we sell the place, but I intend to die there and make it a moot point.

Tybee

11-10-19, 12:58pm

ApatheticNoMore

11-10-19, 1:21pm

To some extent any housing is good housing (well there are dilapidated places that make one question that of course).

But this idea that houses have to be constantly remade (I don't mean repaired which may be the case, but remodeled) is not good. It's incredibly wasteful, construction is a major source of resource use and greenhouse gas emissions (how much exactly is contributed by remodeling single family homes, I don't know, not none). Houses should be primarily functional, if they are non-functional, can't cook in a kitchen the size of a closet say, then maybe there is a case for remodeling. But every house being remade for one's taste every time it gets a new owner (even if that's not that often) is just incredibly wasteful. I don't think houses also being built to be beautiful is a problem, I think remaking perfectly functional houses all the time is a problem.

Teacher Terry

11-10-19, 1:23pm

We always put in pre fab granite. The price is half and the only difference is the granite is in precut lengths. So if your countertop is really long you will have a seam. If you hire a skilled installer you can’t see it. I only seal once when new. You can put hot pans on it which is nice. Once you start remodeling IL send pictures during the process. We should have taken before pictures but didn’t.

iris lilies

11-10-19, 1:25pm

We have been reliably informed that we will never get our money back should we sell the place, but I intend to die there and make it a moot point.

I have already told DH I want quality wood doors and nice cabinetry and decent woodwork. Hang the cost. We will be matching the simple woodwork found on original walls here since some yokel installed typical cheap paneling somewhere along the way with cheap quarter-round to finish it.

And just 30 minutes ago I told our architect we are ok with spending more on this house than it will be worth. That is kind of a Hermann thing, and he has a similar project down the street. He has designed several projects on our block where people take original house and re-design it for the view.

iris lilies

11-10-19, 1:29pm

Teacher Terry

11-10-19, 1:33pm

We have lost money on homes. However, we bought this as a foreclosure at the bottom of the market and the bank wanted it gone. So they listed it for 52k and had a open house for 3 days. They would only take cash offers with no inspections/contingencies. Since DH is a engineer he knew what had to be done. There were 6 bidders and my realtor told us to bid 58. I said no we will bid 60 because I think most people won’t go that high. We put another 70 into it. Most of that was materials except for the full time helper we hired for 3 months. It’s now worth 350.

LDAHL

11-10-19, 2:39pm

I have already told DH I want quality wood doors and nice cabinetry and decent woodwork. Hang the cost. We will be matching the simple woodwork found on original walls here since some yokel installed typical cheap paneling somewhere along the way with cheap quarter-round to finish it.

And just 30 minutes ago I told our architect we are ok with spending more on this house than it will be worth. That is kind of a Hermann thing, and he has a similar project down the street. He has designed several projects on our block where people take original house and re-design it for the view.

It’s not a terribly large house, so we wanted to make use of every nook and cranny. Plus we both like the look of wood on walls, floors and ceilings. It’s an indulgence, really. I don’t see the place so much as an investment as a place to live and enjoy. We tried to design it in preparation for possible future decrepitude. At this age, we aren’t especially worried about the tastes of future buyers.

Geila

11-10-19, 2:51pm

I'm usually in the minority on housing tastes around here and this time is no different. I really like the renovated space. The before was already pretty muddled up - that kitchen was horrible. I LOVE those new green cabinets and all the windows and glass doors throughout the house. As much as I like the charm of old windows, putting in new ones makes a big difference heating and cooling wise. Many (most?) LA homes won't have AC and if you put in new double paned windows you will hardly need to run the heat at all. Weather is so mild that fireplaces are unnecessary and they take up a lot of space. Here where I live, the city is strongly discouraging the use of wood burning fireplaces due to air pollution and I don't think they even allow it on new construction.

I strongly dislike dark closed-in spaces. Or cramped spaces. Makes me feel claustrophobic. We took out 4 large walls in our 1450 sq ft house, two of them load-bearing. Huge difference and I love it. The light here in CA is beautiful and it feels really sad to me to miss out on it.

That said, I do also dislike renovation waste and wish people would be more selective on how they can get what they want with less waste. The only waste in our reno was the drywall. We refinished the hardwood floors, saved the 2x4's and salvaged every kitchen cabinet we could for storage or garage use. The old kitchen sink is now in the garage and we use it quite a bit. But we have friends who redo their houses with every new trend that comes along and it makes me sad to see so much unnecessary waste. I do think the renovated space in the article will stand the test of time and hopefully have minimal waste.

Built-ins I like. Sometimes. We saw a house recently that had a 1980's built in cabinet in the dining room. It took up too much space and it was too bulky so I would probably want to take it out and put it in one of the bedrooms instead. Of course, then you have to deal with the wall and floor issues from taking it out. I think most people now just prefer to have the open space and put in their own cabinet wherever they want it. We put in a built-in bookcase wall in one of our bedrooms. But you know what? Someone else could come in and say they want their kid's beds set up such that the big bookcase is in the way. So we made is to that it can be removed easily without much wall damage, just some simple patchwork.

Now trees is another matter! I love trees and was sad to see that she removed what looks like two large trees from the front yard.

Teacher Terry

11-10-19, 4:06pm

Geila, I did like the kitchen.

JaneV2.0

11-10-19, 4:55pm

I liked the back yard. As I've mentioned before, I hate open kitchens, and that was no exception.

Since I've only ever owned houses built in the seventies, I'm A-OK with formica in the kitchen; it's served me well over the years (even though it's always been yellow :D.) If I ever do get my dream dwelling, I may hire a designer or contractor who can facilitate things. I know what I want, roughly, but not necessarily how to get there.

catherine

11-10-19, 5:04pm

I know what I want, roughly, but not necessarily how to get there.

Yeah, the getting there is the hard part. I know exactly what IL was talking about her other house taking 30 years. Same for me.

Geila, maybe our difference in preferences is a regional thing.. Your need for open and light in CA, and my need for "cozy" in VT--also, I really value architectural detail--not so much reducing things to a white box. I love coffered ceilings, built-in bookcases, reading nooks, and surprises around the corner.

My issue with this do-over is that they called it a Craftsman cottage, but they didn't do what they said--I don't feel they paid homage to its roots at all. Whether you like that design style or not, don't turn a house with an iconic style like that into a Joanna Gaines rip-off and say that it's still a Craftsman.

catherine

11-10-19, 5:24pm

Catherine, IKEA sells butcher block wood counter tops:

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/kitchen-countertops-24264/

Also, Lumber liquidators has a really impressive 8 foot one that would match your Boos table:

https://www.lumberliquidators.com/ll/c/x-lft-Maple-Butcher-Block-Countertop-Williamsburg-Butcher-Block-Co.-MABB8/10006983?=recrawl&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr-qz1Y3g5QIVDtVkCh1h5gBnEAYYASABEgJUg_D_BwE

8 feet is a lot,but you could probably find a use for the remainder somewhere else, or make a desk somewhere.

Or make cutting boards!

We don't have the Boos counter anymore!! First, we found it uncomfortable to sit on counter stools for a long time and we have too small of a living room for accent chairs, so my kids would come up and leave with sore butts. Second, we LOVE our old, very "wabi-sabi" farmhouse table Jim bought years ago. It was hard to give that up when we were downsizing, plus, the four chairs we have to go with it came from our favorite Japanese restaurant. We had taken our kids there almost every Saturday night for years. When they were renovating, I asked the owner if he would sell us 4 chairs, as I was looking for simple chairs like his, and he gave them to us, and even dropped them off at our house. So they have sentimental value.

But to your point: Yes, that was exactly my first thought--to get a butcher block countertop! I almost hit the "buy" button on one from this company. https://butcherblockco.com but they're expensive, too. I didn't think of IKEA and Lumber Liquidators.. I may go back to my original thought--we put up an IKEA magnetic knife thing right above that cabinet (See the IKEA one here https://knifelover.com/top-10-best-magnetic-knife-holders/). so a butcher block right there would be perfect.

Tybee

11-10-19, 6:03pm

We don't have the Boos counter anymore!! First, we found it uncomfortable to sit on counter stools for a long time and we have too small of a living room for accent chairs, so my kids would come up and leave with sore butts. Second, we LOVE our old, very "wabi-sabi" farmhouse table Jim bought years ago. It was hard to give that up when we were downsizing, plus, the four chairs we have to go with it came from our favorite Japanese restaurant. We had taken our kids there almost every Saturday night for years. When they were renovating, I asked the owner if he would sell us 4 chairs, as I was looking for simple chairs like his, and he gave them to us, and even dropped them off at our house. So they have sentimental value.

But to your point: Yes, that was exactly my first thought--to get a butcher block countertop! I almost hit the "buy" button on one from this company. https://butcherblockco.com but they're expensive, too. I didn't think of IKEA and Lumber Liquidators.. I may go back to my original thought--we put up an IKEA magnetic knife thing right above that cabinet (See the IKEA one here https://knifelover.com/top-10-best-magnetic-knife-holders/). so a butcher block right there would be perfect.

We put in IKEA countertops in our house in Illinois and they were very nice and very easy to work with--they are thinner than the Lumber Liquidators and would probably fit in better with the smaller scale.

Alan

11-10-19, 6:21pm

Yes, that was exactly my first thought--to get a butcher block countertop! I almost hit the "buy" button on one from this company. https://butcherblockco.com but they're expensive, too. I didn't think of IKEA and Lumber Liquidators.. I may go back to my original thought--we put up an IKEA magnetic knife thing right above that cabinet (See the IKEA one here https://knifelover.com/top-10-best-magnetic-knife-holders/). so a butcher block right there would be perfect.
We bought an IKEA butcher block countertop about 18 years ago. It was 25" x 60" and we cut it down a bit to fit a small kitchen island and I've used it as my cutting board for all this time. I think it was about $60 and I'm pretty sure it will last forever.

https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/75339555_976030069424858_5211139680581451776_n.jpg ?_nc_cat=111&_nc_oc=AQnJe0z_CcuEwg2_8h9jDoh0Ei0HLxW7nNemfJYy7y0 nNvqDpBQLGh9mnJUjZFb5X3TLIzgjR42XdKLWGqy4O0kK&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-2.xx&oh=241024b85252eabdc112963729bb7e5d&oe=5E4899BE

catherine

11-10-19, 7:07pm

Nice, Alan! That looks almost exactly the size I would want. (25 x 27.5).

Alan

11-10-19, 7:40pm

Nice, Alan! That looks almost exactly the size I would want. (25 x 27.5).
This one was cut down to 25x40 and it's 1.5" thick. Someone else mentioned the IKEA ones were thinner than from another source, but I think 1.5" is just about perfect.

pinkytoe

11-10-19, 10:34pm

I think the word craftsman is often incorrectly used when describing houses by those who are not familiar with the original designs. Although the clean aesthetic of her remodeling appeals to me, it seems like these re-dos start to look too much alike. Same types of light fixtures, etc. I am a serial house looker and it amazes me how many really ugly houses there are out there.

Gardnr

11-10-19, 10:37pm

The Magnolia influence is HUGE in this country:( We quit watching as we felt like all the homes began to look the same.

I will say, they've done wonders for the economy in WACO however. And in 2020? Their own Cable TV network! Chip and Joanna are an industry at this point! They may well give O a run for her money.

razz

11-11-19, 6:33am

I love an open kitchen, sort of the farmhouse type with the dining table. My little efficient house has one large room - kitchen, dining area and living room complete with fireplace. I love its convenience and efficiency for mixing with guests, ease of food prep and generally keeping clean. The house in the OP is too busy and cluttered with stuff.
Interesting how different the viewpoints are in each post above.

Rogar

11-11-19, 9:00am

What design trends are you sick of? How do you feel about destroying the original character of a home? Arggghh..

I think certain renovations are a reflection of changing family habits. My early '50's ranch is probably close to being in the trendy mid-mod style, but the kitchen is tiny and there's no space for a kitchen table, just the formal separate dining table. I think as times have changed the kitchen has become more of a gathering place for friends and family. I'd love to remodel to open up the kitchen space but it's just not practical and it's something you get used to. On the other hand I have coved ceilings, built in cabinets and a built in bookshelf, arched doorways, and a fireplace with a wood stove insert. Things you don't usually get with new construction.

I actually had to look up the magnolia effect. It seems like there are some remodeling changes that make a place more comfortable. Bungalows are traditionally dark inside, mid-century modern homes likely have small kitchens and baths, not to mention poor insulation and inefficient windows. However the design trends I really object to are the sprawling new homes built just a few feet from one another.

catherine

11-11-19, 10:19am

However the design trends I really object to are the sprawling new homes built just a few feet from one another.

It seems that trend will decline. Younger generations can't afford starter homes, never mind big sprawling houses. Plus, they don't seem to consider large homes status symbols. At least that's what I've been reading.

JaneV2.0

11-11-19, 10:26am

Kitchens have always been gathering places--at least since people started doing their own cooking. There's no reason houses can't be built with kitchens big enough to accommodate kibitzers. Tiny kitchens (like mine), and kitchens in the living room are anathema to me.

pinkytoe

11-11-19, 11:36am

The amount of people ripping out granite counters for quartz because it's the thing now is depressing. Our first house was a 1905 Sears catalog kit house and the current one a 60s split so I have appreciation for aspects of both.

Tradd

11-11-19, 12:02pm

There are a lot of bungalows in Chicago and nearby suburbs. Most were built 1910s-1920s. The woodwork is amazing. There are a lot up in the Milwaukee area, too. Friends have one and it is mostly untouched. Gorgeous.

Tradd

11-11-19, 12:03pm

https://www.chicagobungalow.org/

catherine

11-11-19, 12:12pm

https://www.chicagobungalow.org/

Very cool site! Thanks, Tradd!

Teacher Terry

11-11-19, 1:19pm

We had a Milwaukee bungalow when we lived there in 1979. I loved that house. The kitchen was a good size and eat in.

Geila

11-11-19, 1:34pm

Yeah, the getting there is the hard part. I know exactly what IL was talking about her other house taking 30 years. Same for me.

Geila, maybe our difference in preferences is a regional thing.. Your need for open and light in CA, and my need for "cozy" in VT--also, I really value architectural detail--not so much reducing things to a white box. I love coffered ceilings, built-in bookcases, reading nooks, and surprises around the corner.

My issue with this do-over is that they called it a Craftsman cottage, but they didn't do what they said--I don't feel they paid homage to its roots at all. Whether you like that design style or not, don't turn a house with an iconic style like that into a Joanna Gaines rip-off and say that it's still a Craftsman.

It could very well be a regional thing. I just spent the whole weekend in shorts and a tank top, tomorrow's forecast is 75 and sunny, and I can't remember the last time I wore a sweater on Thanksgiving. Last year I remember it being quite warm. Even in winter, when I bring out my yoga pants, I see the kids outside playing in shorts and t-shirts. But I see that Vermont's forecast for tomorrow is 22! Brrrrrrrrrrrrr..... yeah, I can see how you might want cozy right about now! And it looks like it's windy as well, which makes it feel even colder. Double Brrrrrrrrrrrr.

It's probably also personality. I'm not nostalgic at all about the past, tradition or history. I think the designer probably did think that she was doing what she said she did and in her mind it's still a Craftsman cottage. I think she tried, and even with my gripe about the trees, she planted new ones to replace the ones she took out and she kept the big one in the back, even designing around it. So to me, I don't really "see" the lack of integrity in the renovation, all I see is a beautiful home. I don't think it had much of the intricate interior Craftsman charm to begin with. If she wants to put shiplap in there, I don't really care! :D I mean, she is a single working mom, she designed the whole thing herself and she served as the general contractor on the project. She's a total badass!

catherine

11-11-19, 2:05pm

Geila, you're right--she did do a great job as a single mom. Maybe I've cycled through too many styles--"mid-century modern" is what I grew up in, and then I bought my first house complete with shag carpet, harvest gold, and metallic wallpaper. And I definitely get nostalgic, and I love the story behind things more than the things themselves. That's why I love my little house. It was build in the 40s, and renovated in the 90s, and then the young couple winterized it by recycling as much as they could from the original house, and it's just a totally unique house. Tiny little door with window panes in the mudroom. Funky pine dutch door in the pantry. Octagonal stained glass window in the bathroom. Old windows that open like French doors and fasten closed by turning a wood block.

It definitely has design flaws. No doubt about it. The door to the lean-tos for the wood are facing away from the lake to prevent you from freezing your a$$ off when getting firewood, but that means nobody knows how to get into the house. The living room used to be a porch so it's very narrow and disconnected from the "kitchen/hallway" area. Very hard to arrange furniture in. The kitchen is dark. But I'll take it because it makes me smile. Eventually I'll figure out solutions for those problems.

Geila

11-11-19, 2:40pm

Right - it makes you smile! And a dark kitchen makes me depressed. Why shouldn't we both have what we want? :)

Sure, white boxy houses might be boring, but considering the many, many problems we have going on (mass shootings, racism, wealth inequality), how big of a problem is it really? And when you think about how many people are leaving everything they have and literally running for their lives around the world, and those who live in servitude, utter poverty, and endure a lifetime of back breaking labor, is an overabundance of shiplap such a big deal? :)

I think these trends are really most obvious in articles or websites because they have to do what is trendy. We've been house shopping recently and I haven't seen a single shiplap wall or treatment. Although I have seen several hideous slabs of cheap gray granite. Blegh.

Now, don't be mad, but I actually bought some shiplap last year. During our kitchen reno we moved cabinets and that left some unsightly walls. It's really expensive to have them retextured and I don't like wall tile with formica (which is what we put in, I actually like formica). I thought shiplap would be a good way to go but I was worried about dust collecting in the grooves and never actually put it up. We just painted over the unsightly walls with flat paint and they pretty much just blend into the background. When we sell, I'll probably use some of it. It's cheap, it's easy to do, it can be painted any color you want, and if new buyers hate it, they can just take it out. I see a lot of houses with ugly, dated tile that would be a nightmare to take out. I think shiplap kind of serves the same purpose that tile and wallpaper used to, but it's easier and cheaper to do. And probably somewhere in the middle, waste-wise. More waste than wallpaper but much less than tile. And apparently wall paper requires a totally flat wall, so that's pretty much off-limits for older houses.

As a conciliatory offering here is my version of a lovely craftsman bungalow (you'll probably hate it because everything is painted, but all the beautiful details are still intact!):
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0b/28/ff/0b28ff0d42879efb3445d14650faa7f5.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/01/c2/19/01c2195cc3a525bc6badb334f70f7bf9.jpg

Teacher Terry

11-11-19, 3:12pm

Painted or not that’s beautiful!

iris lilies

11-11-19, 3:24pm

Generally speaking, the closer you stay to the original house in renovations, the better longevity for your renovation. I have seen this throughout all of the Victorian houses in my neighborhood that have been modernized over 45+ years.

I think it is important to preserve quality builds typical of their time and place. They aren’t making any more of those, they’re only making Ccheaply built structures that last 50 years instead of 300 years.

A good example of quickly dating cosmetics is our second floor. We made a modern bathroom with glass block walls for the shower and a sleek vanity. 30 years ago if we had taken a more traditional approach, that was kind of a big Yawn. But today, that yawn bathroom if it had pedestal sinks and bead board on the walls, would have been less of a time capsule than our sleek-st-the-time bathroom.
I personally like painted woodwork and I’m fortunate to live in a neighborhood where these houses had painted woodwork, for the most part. I would not paint the woodwork on the craftsman shown above.

Right now I’m struggling with accepting that my Hermann house has exterior cladding that is of the period and speaks to its origins. It is asbestos siding. I have always associated that with houses of poor people because where I’m from that is kind of the case. But in Hermann it was used a lot in the 40s. It is in good shape. It would be pure vanity to rip it off.

catherine

11-11-19, 3:48pm

Geila, I actually love the colors they chose, and they kept the bookcases and fireplace intact, even though they painted them. I'd pick all those colors myself--my house in NJ was that same "silver sage" color, and my hallway was similar to the rust. I'd be very comfortable in that house.

You're right that in the scheme of things decor isn't that big a deal, but I think it's fun. And the way trends go in and out is very interesting. But I do agree with ANM and others that trends coming in and out quickly wind up being a waste and eco-unfriendly. When I watch HGTV and they rip out nearly brand new cabinets because they're not white, it drives me crazy. So, paint the darned things!! But that doesn't make for good TV.

JaneV2.0

11-11-19, 5:52pm

Geila's pictures are lovely. The house I grew up in was Craftsmanlike, with a similar fireplace arrangement. I don't mind the painted woodwork, which looks wonderful there.

herbgeek

11-11-19, 6:51pm

What a gorgeous house Geila!

Teacher Terry

11-11-19, 8:13pm

I stripped all the woodwork and doors in our 1920 Wisconsin house but I was younger.

iris lilies

11-11-19, 8:55pm

When I was poking around the Internet last year I ran across this video of an “airplane craftsman” house in Venice Beach. I stayed in this house with my boyfriend of the time because his brother owned it. I’d been looking on the Internet to find the address of this house because I was trying to figure out where that was back in the day. The brother used to party with one of the Beach boys who lived down the block.

Anyway, it was interesting to see the house and I didn’t know it was such an important piece of architecture when I stayed there although it was pretty cute. The kitchen was small. This current owner guy has redone the bathroom, the one where he talks about all the Victorian fixtures.

http://bulldogrealtors.com/properties/vintage-home-1-25-blocks-from-venice-beach-2/#prettyPhoto%5Bgallery1%5D/4/

The kitchen has been redone since I was there but thank the Lord every owner has kept the flooring. My boyfriend’s brother had an old 1950s stove when we were there. My boyfriend remarked to me privately “well you know they’re fixing it up and they probably don’t have a lot of money” and I had to set him straight that this old stove thing was the top of the trend then.