Hermann house renovation

[Teacher Terry]

That’s really funny IL!

[catherine]

That is funny!

In our NJ house, when we moved in in 1985 it was already on its way to becoming a vintage Brady Bunch house. There were shag wall-to-wall carpets. Metallic floral wallpaper. Dark brown cabinets and avocado tiled floor. Harvest gold appliances.

The room I designated for the boys' room was covered in a big daisy floral print wallpaper. We tried to remove it, and it was literally like trying to peel a sheet of paper apart into two sheets. We tried steaming, scraping, you name it. I finally papered over it with a textured wallpaper and it remains to this day.

IL, it must have been fun living in a brothel/planetarium!

[iris lilies]

DH is such a busy guy! He Just finished the marble backsplash in my condo, and then he went to Hermann this week to install kitchen cabinets in our Hermann house.

Here is a picture of progress so far:

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You are probably seeing the true color which is called “celery,” a light green. The countertops will be black granite with soft white streaks running through it. The stove will be red
, and I will have red small appliances and the cabinet handles/knobs will be black and red.

[rosarugosa]

The cabinets look great!

[catherine]

DH is such a busy guy! He Just finished the marble backsplash in my condo, and then he went to Hermann this week to install kitchen cabinets in our Hermann house.

Here is a picture of progress so far:

4321
You are probably seeing the true color which is called “celery,” a light green. The countertops will be black granite with soft white streaks running through it. The stove will be red
, and I will have red small appliances and the cabinet handles/knobs will be black and red.

Celery (or any light-to-sagey green) and red is one of my favorite color combinations!! And the black countertops will set it off so nicely!

[razz]

Neat timeless colour of cabinets. This time I am seeing the celery colour.

[iris lilies]

Neat timeless colour of cabinets. This time I am seeing the celery colour.
Oh good! i’m glad you think it is timeless. I am shooting for a timeless, cottage look.

The backsplash I am planning is a soft green that varies from tile to tile because it is marble. It has a lovely natural look.

[Tybee]

I think it is so cool you went with color, and absolutely great color.

[happystuff]

That's really nice! I'm having a hard time picturing a black countertop, so am looking forward to seeing pics.

[JaneV2.0]

That celery and black combination is one I often imagine in my kitchen design pipe dreams. Good choice! :idea:

[iris lilies]

This seems too good to be true:

* granite countertops will be installed April 22

* dishwasher delivered 10 days after ordering it

* stove coming in June or July…9 months after ordering

We can operate without the dishwasher and new stove since we have a backup stove in the basement, probably two of them if I looked carefully. Hell we probably have a backup dishwasher squirred away somewhere, knowing DH.

but anyway, we need 3 things to move to Hermann:

1. functional kitchen

2. 1 functional bathroom

3. functional dog run area

Kitchen looks like it could be useable in less than one month.

[happystuff]

Moving right along, IL!

[iris lilies]

I’m in Hermann for two days to attend to iris and lily beds and am watching too many HGTV shows. We have cable tv in Hermann. It struck me how cottage-y is our U-shaped kitchen. Our architect drew the kitchen this way, and it didn't occur to me to re-work it to have the modern “island” because the U shaped kitchen just seemed so natural to this house.

Now that I see the cabinets installed I can see that there really is room for an island thingy if the kitchen was arranged differently but I’ like the U!

My only concern is that it’s kind of a large center space and the “work triangle” is not tight so it’s not especially efficient.

[JaneV2.0]

You could invest in a wheeled work area/portable island--easy to stow away when unneeded.

[catherine]

I’m in Hermann for two days to attend to iris and lily beds and am watching too many HGTV shows. We have cable tv in Hermann. It struck me how cottage-y is our U-shaped kitchen. Our architect drew the kitchen this way, and it didn't occur to me to re-work it to have the modern “island” because the U shaped kitchen just seemed so natural to this house.

Now did I see the cabinets in, I can see that there really is room for an island thingy if the kitchen was arranged differently but I’ like the U!

My only concern is that it’s kind of a large center space and the “work triangle” is not tight so it’s not especially efficient.

UGH.. HGTV. "open concept.. big kitchen...white cabinets... lots of storage... big island.. " blecch!

Can you put one of those small butcher block carts in the center? Would it interrupt the workflow? Does it looks like it "needs" something in the middle or not? (Oops--I just read Jane's post--great minds think alike :)

[iris lilies]

Believe me I’ve already been thinking of all kinds of ways I can put an antique piece in the center of the little U kitchen, on wheels, because I love these looks pictured below. The problem is that this is not THAT big of a U-shaped kitchen, and I have plenty of counter space anyway. I don’t need a movable island for more workspace. I need the refrigerator as part of a tighter triangle. But it’s too late for that and I like the way the kitchen looks and for me that’s pretty important.

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[catherine]

Well, if you like it, that's all that's important! I'm sure it's beautiful!

[iris lilies]

Oh well 0F COURSE We have a spare dishwasher sitting around the basement in Hermann, I walked by it regularly, I just have blocked it out of my mind because I tried to block out the junk and besides everything is topsy turvy and nothing is where it’s going to be.

But since we are on the topic, I will take you on a tour of all extra kitchen appliances we have sitting in the basement in Hermann house, and isn’t even all of them. There’s a couple out in the bunker.

this dishwasher I vaguely remembered but walked by this morning is black, so that means it’s from my city condo. It had black appliances. Why we moved it here is beyond me.

The stove next to the bed is unconnected, is old stove from our city house. It is filthy. Doesn’t everyone need a filthy unused stove sitting next to their bed? Is this the trailer trash way to live or what?

The giant French door black refrigerator is from our friends who moved to Arizona. The white standing freezer next to it is from another neighbor who moved.

The normal size black refrigerator is from our city condo which replaced the refrigerator that we bought in the Hermann house that went kaput. So this was a useful appliance and I’m gonna move it upstairs to my Hermann renovated kitchen where it will serve us for a while until we get a permanent refrigerator.

Please do not ask me about what is sitting in the bunker because I don’t remember sure but it’s at least one appliance and maybe two.

All this is of course reflecting DH’s need to hoard items. I will give him credit though —-that a couple days ago I observed him here in Hermann negotiating with a neighbor on buying one of our sheds. I want the sheds gone, they are ugly and stupid, and I’m really proud of DH that he’s able to let go of them.


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[Teacher Terry]

I couldn’t open any of those. It said invalid link. You are a much more patient woman than me. I would be calling a junk removal company when he was out of town.

[ToomuchStuff]

Photo's don't show.


That said, Dishwashers make good parts washers, if your husband does any wrenching. (and it keeps the wife happy, because he is not using the one in the kitchen)
Old stoves are great for curing powder coating, heat treating parts, boiling water for stuff, etc.
And both can be scrap metaled when done with them.

Old fridge, working, beer/soda fridge for the shop. Not working, disquiseable storage (gun safe, paint can, etc).

[iris lilies]

I couldn’t open any of those. It said invalid link. You are a much more patient woman than me. I would be calling a junk removal company when he was out of town.
You aren’t missing anything by not seeing these old crappy appliances.


The basement is DHS exclusive domain and if he wants to pile a bunch of old appliances in it, that’s his deal. The refrigerator will be useful. One stove might be useful even. I don’t need a dishwasher so I’m not gonna have that dishwasher hold upstairs and hooked up, or I wouldn’t be surprised if one day I come to Herman and find that it’s already in place.

[catherine]

this is a bit off-topic but didn't want to start a whole thread. I just saw this picture on CheapOldHouses of a Victorian in St Louis and wondered if anything about it looked familiar--

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcEkKwuM-kE/

[iris lilies]

That neighborhood is kind of tough, but it’s not totally awful. It’s a few neighborhoods over from mine. The house has lots of good stuff in it. Many houses in my neighborhood were like that when we moved here. My house was much worse because it had been stripped everything including the plaster on the walls.


The listing agent on this house is my neighbor, Bob Austermann.

[catherine]

That neighborhood is kind of tough, but it’s not totally awful. It’s a few neighborhoods over from mine. The house has lots of good stuff in it. Many houses in my neighborhood were like that when we moved here. My house was much worse because it had been stripped everything including the plaster on the walls.


The listing agent on this house is my neighbor, Bob Austermann.

Interesting! The house has so much potential if someone would be willing to invest in it.

I really love checking out those Instagram posts from CheapOldHouses. It's fun! Makes me realize that there are some great deals out there and beautiful old houses--even though they rarely post any in the Northeast or West Coast.

[JaneV2.0]

Interesting! The house has so much potential if someone would be willing to invest in it.

I really love checking out those Instagram posts from CheapOldHouses. It's fun! Makes me realize that there are some great deals out there and beautiful old houses--even though they rarely post any in the Northeast or West Coast.

There are lovely old houses on the West Coast--not as old as those farther east, of course, but nothing that would qualify as cheap. I looked at a nice condo in my old complex that would have gone for 325K a year ago--for sale for 425K. The mind reels...

[iris lilies]

Interesting! The house has so much potential if someone would be willing to invest in it.

I really love checking out those Instagram posts from CheapOldHouses. It's fun! Makes me realize that there are some great deals out there and beautiful old houses--even though they rarely post any in the Northeast or West Coast.

A problem is that a house this big takes a lot of money to renovate and even in this market, in that neighborhood I doubt that it would be economically viable.

[iris lilies]

One nice thing about doing the finish work ourselves is that we can talk through door placement. We’ve already changed pocket doors the architect drew. Architects like pocket doors. Theoretically I like them because you don’t need to plan space for a door swing. But – the contractor doesn’t like pocket doors because they’re trickier to build and as a user it seems to me they get stuck on their track and are not reliable.

So we are changing the swing of the French doors because they currently swing into into an area that will be quite crowded. We’re changing the swing of the door into the sunroom so that it will be swinging into an unused wall.

Since DH is installing all door trim, he can determine where the doors will go. The last two changes have saved a lot of future irritation.

[catherine]

A problem is that a house this big takes a lot of money to renovate and even in this market, in that neighborhood I doubt that it would be economically viable.

Yeah, that's the message I was getting when you said it's an "OK" neighborhood. Too bad.

On a side note and unrelated, the other day I was watching one of those gawdawful HGTV shows and the designer was renovating a 70s ranch house that was left to the client from someone in the family. So she wanted to "maintain character" and in that effort she asked the carpenter to make Craftsman-style trim around the windows for some "old-time character". But this was a mid-century modern home--not a Craftsman at all. These designers are so clueless.

The other thing she did for "character" was to throw up some 1x4s in a pattern to make an accent wall. Of course she had already removed all the true mid-century modern character. These decisions by designers on HGTV remind me of how industrial bakers remove all the nutrients from flour when making white bread and then they add in nutrients later, calling the final product "enriched", but what they really did is take out what was great and replace it with something inferior.

[sweetana3]

We just visited some Frank Lloyd Wright houses and then were watching some Youtube videos. Someone bought one and wanted to demolish it. Someone else painted over all his specially created wood finish.

Of course, some of his ideas were crazy. 21 inch wide hallways, kitchens tiny and some ceilings 6 feet tall. Storage eliminated so people would not accumulate clutter.

[catherine]

We just visited some Frank Lloyd Wright houses and then were watching some Youtube videos. Someone bought one and wanted to demolish it. Someone else painted over all his specially created wood finish.

Of course, some of his ideas were crazy. 21 inch wide hallways, kitchens tiny and some ceilings 6 feet tall. Storage eliminated so people would not accumulate clutter.

The 21" hallways were part of his principle of "compression and release" (I learned this from the tour guide in a tour of Taliesan West--amazing tour.). Here is a description:


"Wright abided by a design principle he referred to as “compression and release.” In his structures, before entering an open, spacious area, one must first pass through a narrow, constricting one. This idea is most apparent in moving from the former drafting room in his home to the children’s playroom.
The drafting room, once an open, sunlit space, is divided by a 3/4 wall in the center, halving the square footage. From this smaller space one transitions into a long, dim hallway with an arched ceiling. At the very end there is a bright light, and upon stepping out, the playroom blossoms before you, vaulted ceiling and bands of windows creating an illuminating and inviting atmosphere.
The change is so abrupt and surprising that you might blink, temporarily blinded by the difference in space and brightness. Then, a moment of relief, as if escaping a nightmare." Source (https://writingcooperative.com/compression-and-release-ca2222624905)

[sweetana3]

Yes, and this normally works but a 21 inch interior hallway with a ragged edge stone side makes for a difficult trip. Imagine trying to carry anything. This was the house built for no servants. They made quite a few changes to Kentuck Knob and loved it. They lived there 30 years and only left due to husband's illness and length of drive for help or groceries. It is still 30 minutes to any store.

Fallingwater had at least 4 live in servants and they moved back and forth with the family since it was only a summer home.

[iris lilies]

We just visited some Frank Lloyd Wright houses and then were watching some Youtube videos. Someone bought one and wanted to demolish it. Someone else painted over all his specially created wood finish.

Of course, some of his ideas were crazy. 21 inch wide hallways, kitchens tiny and some ceilings 6 feet tall. Storage eliminated so people would not accumulate clutter.

I toured a Frank Lloyd Wright home last spring that had narrow hallways. I’m not sure that they were 21 inches but Lord they were dark and narrow, but fortunately not very long. Yes kitchen was not very big either. The entire thing was weirdly dark.

But because it had everything original including original upholstery on the furniture that was created especially for this house, it was pretty special place.

[iris lilies]

Yeah, that's the message I was getting when you said it's an "OK" neighborhood. Too bad.

On a side note and unrelated, the other day I was watching one of those gawdawful HGTV shows and the designer was renovating a 70s ranch house that was left to the client from someone in the family. So she wanted to "maintain character" and in that effort she asked the carpenter to make Craftsman-style trim around the windows for some "old-time character". But this was a mid-century modern home--not a Craftsman at all. These designers are so clueless.

The other thing she did for "character" was to throw up some 1x4s in a pattern to make an accent wall. Of course she had already removed all the true mid-century modern character. These decisions by designers on HGTV remind me of how industrial bakers remove all the nutrients from flour when making white bread and then they add in nutrients later, calling the final product "enriched", but what they really did is take out what was great and replace it with something inferior.

People like craftsman style. There has been a dumb trend in historic neighborhoods around here to put up craftsman styled (faux) Windows and doors. We don’t see that often enough to be irritating. 1920s windows and doors on our 1880s houses is a no go …(edited.) building codes prohibit it but of course people can’t be bothered to follow an ordinance because they’re special snowflakes.

I wonder if I will be able to resist watching HGTV when I moved to Hermann. We have cable TV in Hermann after never having it for decades in life. It really does a number on my head. I walk away from a couple hours of it and look at my little shabby cottage house which two hours prior I was very happy with and it just looks small and dull.

One of the shows I watched last week was the finale of a extravaganza where four of the leading renovators on HGTV came together to each renovate a carbon copy builder house in Charleston. I liked their choices of decor for those houses I have to say, because they were new houses and had no character anyway despite the fact that it was in Charleston.

There’s one show called something like “Build it in 100 days “where they build a new house for the owners very quickly and it’s the same drek in every house they build, and they build on the same patch of Florida swamp land out in nowheresville. Blech.

[Teacher Terry]

When people paint over the woodwork I want to kill them:)). Probably because I spent a few years stripping it. Luckily the people that bought our house loved it so didn’t do that. I enjoy watching hgtv but it doesn’t make me yearn for a bigger space because I have been there and done that. Besides loving my condo I am really enjoying the friendships I have made in this building. It’s so fun to get together with people on the spur of the moment.

[iris lilies]

When people paint over the woodwork I want to kill them:)). Probably because I spent a few years stripping it. Luckily the people that bought our house loved it so didn’t do that. I enjoy watching hgtv but it doesn’t make me yearn for a bigger space because I have been there and done that. Besides loving my condo I am really enjoying the friendships I have made in this building. It’s so fun to get together with people on the spur of the moment.

Yes, the ad hoc meet ups would be fun. I’m already a little sad that I won’t be spending enough time at my condo to probably develop much of a relationship with people, yet I could work harder at that. Our back yard common area is pretty and shady. And then we do have a common room that’s open right by the back door so people always see it when they walk into the building.

[iris lilies]

Last night and this morning I cooked in our Hermann kitchen. It is 90% complete, lacking only a stove, a few pieces of cabinetry and trim, and the dishwasher being functional. I was curious to know how the work triangle really functioned because it is not as tight as what I’m used to. It seems to be OK.

DH keeps saying that we could fit in a small center island in the U-shaped kitchen, but I don’t think it’s at all necessary since we have plenty of counter space, and it’s just something I would be walking around constantly. It would be in the way.

[jp1]

I’m intrigued at the idea of cooking without a stove.

[iris lilies]

I’m intrigued at the idea of cooking without a stove.
1) microwave oven

2) electric frying pan

dinner consisted of warming up a meat dish, laying out purchased potato salad and cooking corn on the cob in the microwave. I smashed some strawberries and warmed them up in the microwave with sugar and poured those on top of a dessert cake for dessert.


Breakfast consisted of onions, peppers, and eggs cooked in the frying pan.

[JaneV2.0]

I’m intrigued at the idea of cooking without a stove.

Instant pot, air fryer toaster oven, induction burner...

[iris lilies]

Instant pot, air fryer toaster oven, induction burner...
Yes, All those would work fine! I do have a crockpot there and a great rice cooker. I’ve never purchased a toaster oven because I don’t need it.

[jp1]

While I don’t consider using a microwave to be actual cooking I will agree that those other tools do count as cooking. It’s just that other than an air fryer/toaster oven we don’t own any of them so it didn’t occur to me that others might.

In any case, I agree with you Iris that an island sounds unnecessary and would just be an annoyance that you would have to walk around every day.

[iris lilies]

Microwave oven is the the easiest and best way to cook corn on the cob. Put corn in plastic bag. Nuke for 6 minutes.

I can’t think of anything else that the microwave actually “cooks” tho—-it warms stuff,, it melts stuff.

[JaneV2.0]

I have a couple of rolling carts that replace the nonexistent counter space in my pitiful kitchen. Roll 'em in, roll 'em out...

[frugal-one]

I cook ground beef in microwave occasionally for tacos, bacon, corn on the cob (2 minutes per ear here), baked beans and a few others. I don't know why that would not be considered cooking since the food is raw to start with???

[jp1]

Our microwave mainly defrosts stuff of reheats leftovers. Corn is usually grilled alongside some sort of main course meat dish.

[JaneV2.0]

It took me years to get a microwave and about a year to unload it on my SO. I love a good kitchen gadget, but the ratio of usefulness to counter space sealed its fate.

[jp1]

Our microwave gets used multiple times/day. The week when the last one had broken down before we got this one was really annoying. Even things like having my second daily cup of coffee became a hassle.

[iris lilies]

Cannot live without microwave oven.

Oh right, I cook baked potatoes in it, that is cooking. I seldom use my stove oven.p, actually.

DH makes fruit desserts in the microwave.

My new red retro style microwave oven has a knob for setting the cook time, not a button to push . I like that. Apparently it has no timer, though.

[catherine]

Way back in the late 80s/early 90s, MIL offered to buy us a microwave. I said no, because I'm really not interested in being in the kitchen. But I should have said yes, because I'm really not interested in being in the kitchen.

She didn't pay attention to me and bought us a state-of-the art GE convection/microwave that we had for years and I was forever in her debt--because it minimized my time in the kitchen.

[JaneV2.0]

...
My new red retro style microwave oven has a knob for setting the cook time, not a button to push . I like that. Apparently it has no timer, though.

I've seen that model; it's adorable.

[JaneV2.0]

I don't much enjoy cooking, either. My Instant Pot is my friend, because I can just throw ingredients in and go do something else. It automatically defaults to Keep Warm when cooking is complete--I make sure any appliance I buy has that feature. I wouldn't be without my IP and my electric kettle.

[frugal-one]

Years ago when I got the first microwave they had classes on how to use them. It was invaluable. It showed me everything that could be done in a microwave and how to use it. Did the same when we got our first Apple computer. Again, invaluable.

[iris lilies]

Years ago when I got the first microwave they had classes on how to use them. It was invaluable. It showed me everything that could be done in a microwave and how to use it. Did the same when we got our first Apple computer. Again, invaluable.
I should’ve force myself to take an Apple computer class. Well I’ve got a new Mac so maybe I will do that. I teach myself minimally, and then I learn bad habits, and then… Well I’m never especially proficient at any of it.

[jp1]

Years ago when I got the first microwave they had classes on how to use them. It was invaluable. It showed me everything that could be done in a microwave and how to use it. Did the same when we got our first Apple computer. Again, invaluable.

I remember when my aunt and uncle got their first microwave back in the 80's. My cousin wanted a mid-afternoon snack of a dinner roll so he thought he would just cook it in the new-fangled microwave. He kept starting it and opening the door to check every 30 seconds or so but the roll just wasn't browning. So after 5 or 6 minutes of microwaving this one roll he finally took it out and found that he had turned it into something incredibly hot and with the firmness of a hockey puck...

[Alan]

I remember when my aunt and uncle got their first microwave back in the 80's. My cousin wanted a mid-afternoon snack of a dinner roll so he thought he would just cook it in the new-fangled microwave. He kept starting it and opening the door to check every 30 seconds or so but the roll just wasn't browning. So after 5 or 6 minutes of microwaving this one roll he finally took it out and found that he had turned it into something incredibly hot and with the firmness of a hockey puck...
Yeah, I've never tried actually cooking anything in ours. We do use it a lot for defrosting, re-heating leftovers, preparing the occasional frozen dinner, heating water for my hummingbird juice, etc.

[catherine]

I remember when my aunt and uncle got their first microwave back in the 80's. My cousin wanted a mid-afternoon snack of a dinner roll so he thought he would just cook it in the new-fangled microwave. He kept starting it and opening the door to check every 30 seconds or so but the roll just wasn't browning. So after 5 or 6 minutes of microwaving this one roll he finally took it out and found that he had turned it into something incredibly hot and with the firmness of a hockey puck...

Well, the same MIL who so generously bought us a state-of-the-art microwave was left in charge of cooking a whole chicken while DH and I went out shopping. When we came home we smelled something absolutely putrid. She had put the chicken in the microwave, but instead of using the convection, she cooked the chicken in the microwave for 90 minutes! It made the turkey in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation look raw.

But, being the frugal Scotswoman she was, she insisted "there's nothin' wrang w'it," and proceeded to try to eat it until we insisted she throw it out.

[iris lilies]

I have two new kitchens as you all know. I’m in the process of organizing them.


The organizing tool I’m using is this: keep kitchen cabinet doors open for weeks or months so that I learn where things are. My eyes are going to teach my brain.

Both kitchens have adequate cabinetry and counter space. My condo kitchen especially has excess cabinet space. It’s all in the upper cabinets, the third shelf, but there’s nothing wrong with leaving those bare.

Our Hermann kitchen is filling up fast and already I’m planning on overflow kitchen stuff residing in the attached garage right off the kitchen. I plan to get a cabinet, a cheap one, to hold our cleaning supplies, broom, vacuum and possibly Dog healthcare supplies. But that’s what’s great about an attached garage, you can use it for overflow house storage.

[nswef]

Oh, Iris,overflow storage in the attached garage....dangerous! They fill up like attics and basements...ask me how I know that!!!

[iris lilies]

Well, there’s been a glitch in our moving process. The possession date where we give up our city house is July 7. DH wanted to have most everything out by July 1, which would give us a few days to clean and weed the yard.

You may remember that DH is insisting on moving everything himself. He loads everything into his truck and into the trailer. Earlier in the week he did have two young men, at the teenage neighbors, help load a few pieces of furniture including the giant freezer.

All that ground to a halt because DH has an infection in his leg. So this is pretty much my worst nightmare come true, we’re under a deadline, we have no one lined up to move our crap, and DH is laid up.

fortunately DH has moved 3/4 of our household including the basement which was full of stuff, his stuff. At this point we have pieces of furniture and of course many boxes of stuff. I think we will be OK and we still have time after his leg heals up but right now, after seeing the doctor yesterday, it looks like he can’t use it for a few days.

[iris lilies]

Oh, Iris,overflow storage in the attached garage....dangerous! They fill up like attics and basements...ask me how I know that!!!
Oh I’m sure they do! We’re going to keep our big chest freezer in the garage as well, like true suburbanites.

[Tybee]

Why not hire some local movers to move the rest of the stuff right now? Then, if his leg gets better, he can spearhead the weeding/cleaning effort. You can't really count on it getting better before July 1, so I'd get the movers now.

[iris lilies]

Why not hire some local movers to move the rest of the stuff right now? Then, if his leg gets better, he can spearhead the weeding/cleaning effort. You can't really count on it getting better before July 1, so I'd get the movers now.
Indeed,why not? Ummmm…. Because he will not. And what worries me is that he doesn’t understand all resources like this are in very short supply. We could decide on July 4 that we need movers on July 5 and guess what – – they’re not available until July 21

I have enlisted our friend/real estate agent To talk to DH about this and they’ve already had one conversation. Anything I say falls on deaf ears.

[Tybee]

That's really a good point and probably that would be the result if you waited and he could not do it. Hmm.
Have you talked to the doctor about whether he can even use his leg that way once he "feels better." Maybe doc assumes he would not do that, insist on moving...

[iris lilies]

That's really a good point and probably that would be the result if you waited and he could not do it. Hmm.
Have you talked to the doctor about whether he can even use his leg that way once he "feels better." Maybe doc assumes he would not do that, insist on moving...
Tomorrow DH goes back to the doctor. I went to his doctor’s exam with him yesterday and will go tomorrow. We need a firm word from the doctor to make a plan to move.

[Tybee]

Good idea, to involve the doctor.

I hope DH can see the light.

[catherine]

I hope it works out alright, IL!

[happystuff]

I hope your dh heals quickly!

[iris lilies]

Today’s doctor appointment saw DH’s leg as being much better. He has cellulitis, a bacterial infection. So, he loaded his little truck and trailer with lots more stuff and is on his way to Hermann.

We have two more weeks before we have to be out. When I eyeball the amount of stuff here in this house, it looks like only two more loads.

We have been moving since last January. The day the garage door was installed in Hermann is the day we started moving stuff there, placing everything in the garage or in the basement. So I guess we will be OK, it is all doable, it’s just that I panicked. This is why DH becomes annoyed with me because I worry about stuff.

On a happy note the stove people called yesterday to say that our red Big Chill stove is in St. Louis.

[nswef]

Yay! Iris Lilies, husband better, able to move, a couple loads left AND the big red stove!!! I also panic and fret. Husband stays calm and laid back...Oh how I try to emulate calm!

[iris lilies]

“The Clampetts Move to Hermann”

Here you see DH’s rig of trailer and homemade ladder rack which he uses to haul ladders and building materials, most recently molding.
The trailer has DIY sides. DH has moved most every object in our house in this rig. Nearly every thing. He did get two guys on our block to help him get our giant freezer out of our basement, and large pieces of furniture over the spiral staircase.

I made several trips with boxes of “ smalls” but that was less than 10% of our stuff.

otherwise…he did it all. I am in awe, as are our friends.


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[ToomuchStuff]

Where is the rocking chair in the truck bed?

[iris lilies]

Where is the rocking chair in the truck bed?
Do you see the chair? It Doesn’t rock, and it’s not on the truck, it’s on the trailer, but yeah, it is hillbillyesque!

[iris lilies]

DH is now finishing the downstairs main bathroom. We bought onyx panels for the shower. I’m not sure why we did that. I think it’s because our contractor suggested that’s what we should buy.


I’m not a fan of this onyx stuff. It looks cheap but isn’t. That is not a good combination.

Keep telling myself well, there’s no grout lines. You will like that in the end. That’s what I keep telling myself.

[ToomuchStuff]

Did you look at different panels?

[iris lilies]

Did you look at different panels?
Yes. They were all a version of not nice.

[catherine]

Why did you go panel instead of tile if you're not crazy about it?

[iris lilies]

Why did you go panel instead of tile if you're not crazy about it?
It was the lure of no grout.

[iris lilies]

I am stuck, really really stuck on decor for my bedroom. First of all, we are many months if not a year away from finishing my bedroom in this house. It is a very cute bedroom, an attic bedroom with A nice size dormer alcove. I always think attic bedrooms have lots of personality.

So I have lots of time and unlimited budget to do what I want to do. But I have little idea of what I want to do. I’ve already changed several times my idea. Generally, though, the house is a cottage style house so the bedroom would be something that fits with that.


The bed is a full-size bed, but certainly limits new beds frames because most things are queen-size these days. That is OK, I don’t mind that limitation. I would likely get a vintage or antique bed anyway. Platform beds are probably too big to get up in a little staircase of this cottage house.


I’m just musing here not looking for ideas necessarily. I do continue to like that wallpaper Catherine used in her house. I like the pink version of it. But there are lots of wallpapers I could like. Do I use wallpaper at all? Do I wallpaper ceiling and walls? Do I wallpaper just The alcove? I have tons of photos on Pinterest about wallpapered alcove attic bedrooms.

[ToomuchStuff]

It was the lure of no grout.


Probably should have considered larger tile then. The shower in my current house, after the shower handle broke and I sent late boss the sockets to do the job, he said the heck with it and redid the bathroom. 12 or 16" tile on the walls of the shower.

So did they use that stuff on the floor as well?

[iris lilies]

Probably should have considered larger tile then. The shower in my current house, after the shower handle broke and I sent late boss the sockets to do the job, he said the heck with it and redid the bathroom. 12 or 16" tile on the walls of the shower.

So did they use that stuff on the floor as well?

Yes, the shower base is that Onyx stuff as well. For our Upstairs bathroom we did choose a large plain white tile fir shower area that will hopefully be timeless.

[Tybee]

If it really bothers you, consider replacing it right now to what you have upstairs!

[iris lilies]

If it really bothers you, consider replacing it right now to what you have upstairs!
There’s no way DH would agree to that. He has been working hours on it and I wouldn’t want him to waste his life energy that way.


It will have a glass door in front of it so I won’t have to look at it head on often. I will use the upstairs bathroom anyway. Oh another Good thing about this cheap but expensive shower material is that it’s supposed to be easy to clean with any non-abrasive cleaner. Well I guess they all are.

[catherine]

There’s no way DH would agree to that. He has been working hours on it and I wouldn’t want him to waste his life energy that way.


It will have a glass door in front of it so I won’t have to look at it head on often. I will use the upstairs bathroom anyway. Oh another Good thing about this cheap but expensive shower material is that it’s supposed to be easy to clean with any non-abrasive cleaner. Well I guess they all are.

I think it will look really good once it's installed with the finishes etc.

[Teacher Terry]

I would withhold judgment until it’s finished IL.

[ToomuchStuff]

I am stuck, really really stuck on decor for my bedroom. First of all, we are many months if not a year away from finishing my bedroom in this house. It is a very cute bedroom, an attic bedroom with A nice size dormer alcove. I always think attic bedrooms have lots of personality.

So I have lots of time and unlimited budget to do what I want to do. But I have little idea of what I want to do. I’ve already changed several times my idea. Generally, though, the house is a cottage style house so the bedroom would be something that fits with that.


The bed is a full-size bed, but certainly limits new beds frames because most things are queen-size these days. That is OK, I don’t mind that limitation. I would likely get a vintage or antique bed anyway. Platform beds are probably too big to get up in a little staircase of this cottage house.


Hopefully it is properly insulated with proper venting for heating and a/c. As for platform beds, I have a full one, and depending on your drawer setup (mine has a single, huge drawer underneath the bed), it should easily be taken upstairs and assembled.
That doesn't mention CL for things like bed frames, or maybe your local antique store for something like the old 3/4 brass bed, etc.
Or look at this site and find something you want handy hubby to build:
https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/modern-farmhouse-bed-frame


There’s no way DH would agree to that. He has been working hours on it and I wouldn’t want him to waste his life energy that way.


It will have a glass door in front of it so I won’t have to look at it head on often. I will use the upstairs bathroom anyway. Oh another Good thing about this cheap but expensive shower material is that it’s supposed to be easy to clean with any non-abrasive cleaner. Well I guess they all are.

His shower, let him keep it. As someone who mechaniced for a while, he and you might appreciate how easily it cleans.

[catherine]

I am stuck, really really stuck on decor for my bedroom. First of all, we are many months if not a year away from finishing my bedroom in this house. It is a very cute bedroom, an attic bedroom with A nice size dormer alcove. I always think attic bedrooms have lots of personality.

So I have lots of time and unlimited budget to do what I want to do. But I have little idea of what I want to do. I’ve already changed several times my idea. Generally, though, the house is a cottage style house so the bedroom would be something that fits with that.


The bed is a full-size bed, but certainly limits new beds frames because most things are queen-size these days. That is OK, I don’t mind that limitation. I would likely get a vintage or antique bed anyway. Platform beds are probably too big to get up in a little staircase of this cottage house.


I’m just musing here not looking for ideas necessarily. I do continue to like that wallpaper Catherine used in her house. I like the pink version of it. But there are lots of wallpapers I could like. Do I use wallpaper at all? Do I wallpaper ceiling and walls? Do I wallpaper just The alcove? I have tons of photos on Pinterest about wallpapered alcove attic bedrooms.

Here's an idea for a cute attic bedroom. It's a picture from my favorite decorating "book" (it's a small book but loaded with beautiful ideas) by Alice Whately: Peaceful Spaces.

I like the sleigh bed and the whitewashed walls and ceiling. I like the floral vintage duvet. When I think of attic bedrooms I also think of bright colors and iron beds.

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Here's another dormer bedroom. This one is a little more "clean" and sophisticated. This one is from a decorating book called Shades of Country by Chippy Irvine, who was a neighbor of mine in Dutchess County, NY, and I actually didn't know until recently that she and her husband, Keith Irvine, were well-renowned designers.

Here, I like the buttercup yellow built-ins and that gorgeous four-poster bed. And the little doggie beds.

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[iris lilies]

Here's an idea for a cute attic bedroom. It's a picture from my favorite decorating "book" (it's a small book but loaded with beautiful ideas) by Alice Whately: Peaceful Spaces.

I like the sleigh bed and the whitewashed walls and ceiling. I like the floral vintage duvet. When I think of attic bedrooms I also think of bright colors and iron beds.

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Here's another dormer bedroom. This one is a little more "clean" and sophisticated. This one is from a decorating book called Shades of Country by Chippy Irvine, who was a neighbor of mine in Dutchess County, NY, and I actually didn't know until recently that she and her husband, Keith Irvine, were well-renowned designers.

Here, I like the buttercup yellow built-ins and that gorgeous four-poster bed. And the little doggie beds.

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I recognize the name Chippy Irvine because I used to flip through all the major decorating books. Four poster bed in that second room is really pretty I agree. I haven’t decided if I’m going get it a poster bed or not. One end of my bedroom would allow for it, and the other end would not due to ceiling height. I haven’t decided where the bed will go for sure. I may consult feng suei.

The first bedroom is a little too rustic for me.

[Teacher Terry]

I love both pictures!

[rosarugosa]

I love the built-ins, Catherine.
There is a wonderful bedroom at Beauport/Sleeper-McCann Mansion in Gloucester that comes to mind:
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Our bedroom is kind of an attic bedroom, since we live in a 1 1/2 story cottage. Our bedroom has all those slanty wall/ceilings and many head bumps have been sustained over the years.

[iris lilies]

I love the built-ins, Catherine.
There is a wonderful bedroom at Beauport/Sleeper-McCann Mansion in Gloucester that comes to mind:
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Our bedroom is kind of an attic bedroom, since we live in a 1 1/2 story cottage. Our bedroom has all those slanty wall/ceilings and many head bumps have been sustained over the years.


rosa! I have already pinned that room on Pinterest. I love it! But I will not be able to achieve that level of old world English country.

[happystuff]

I love the built-ins, Catherine.
There is a wonderful bedroom at Beauport/Sleeper-McCann Mansion in Gloucester that comes to mind:
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While very pretty to look at, this is just way too "busy" for me to actually try to sleep in.

[JaneV2.0]

I love the built-ins, Catherine.
...
Our bedroom is kind of an attic bedroom, since we live in a 1 1/2 story cottage. Our bedroom has all those slanty wall/ceilings and many head bumps have been sustained over the years.

Mine too. Except for the cottage part.

[iris lilies]

Here is my attic bedroom, unfinished. I have a lot of time to plan decor.

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[iris lilies]

Here is DH relaxing this morning.

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[Teacher Terry]

Love the house!

[rosarugosa]

rosa! I have already pinned that room on Pinterest. I love it! But I will not be able to achieve that level of old world English country.

I've been in that room (twice!) and it is quite wonderful. I agree with Happy that it's quite busy as is, but I could certainly live with a modified, more subdued version. My house is nowhere near being in Beauport's league, so my takeaways from places like this are always just little snippets of ideas.

[iris lilies]

Rosa, this is so cool for me that you have been in that house! I love that room. Is that wallpaper on the walls or an artist’s work?

[catherine]

I love the built-ins, Catherine.
There is a wonderful bedroom at Beauport/Sleeper-McCann Mansion in Gloucester that comes to mind:
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Our bedroom is kind of an attic bedroom, since we live in a 1 1/2 story cottage. Our bedroom has all those slanty wall/ceilings and many head bumps have been sustained over the years.

I love that bedroom!!! It's like a Secret Garden bedroom.

I lived in a Cape Cod, and my bedroom had lots of slanted roofs, and my father had built some wonderful built-in shelves and dressers. It was a T-shaped room, and I had two twin beds in one part of the T and the other part was my little reading/hobby area.

Built-ins are almost a must for those slanty spaces. And I love the craftsmanship of built-ins. A lot of Shaker houses had them--you can make the most of space that way.

[iris lilies]

I love that bedroom!!! It's like a Secret Garden bedroom.

I lived in a Cape Cod, and my bedroom had lots of slanted roofs, and my father had built some wonderful built-in shelves and dressers. It was a T-shaped room, and I had two twin beds in one part of the T and the other part was my little reading/hobby area.

Built-ins are almost a must for those slanty spaces. And I love the craftsmanship of built-ins. A lot of Shaker houses had them--you can make the most of space that way.

I am trying to figure out what kind of cabinetry I would like to have in my bedroom. I need one closet type wardrobe thing. Not sure what else.I can’t have DH build them because they wont be done until ?i am 85 years old! Or dead.

But if I put an order about now with the Amish guys, I would have them in about a year.

[rosarugosa]

IL: Here is some info about the wallpaper: https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/capobject/?gusn=56877
It is a wonderfully quirky property; I love so much about it. It's well worth a visit if you are ever in the area of Gloucester, MA as well as the nearby Hammond Castle.

[catherine]

IL: Here is some info about the wallpaper: https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/capobject/?gusn=56877
It is a wonderfully quirky property; I love so much about it. It's well worth a visit if you are ever in the area of Gloucester, MA as well as the nearby Hammond Castle.

It might be a trip for IL, but if I ever am near Boston, I'll definitely make a side trip to this house!! I love the description of the process of paperhanging in that room--"A polyhedral nightmare." That's great! Reminds me of my first wallpapering experience in our first apartment after we married. The bathroom was old, and had all the quirks and slants of a Victorian house, complete with clawfoot tub. So, what did I choose to paper it with? A faux-Delft tile pattern. It truly was a nightmare trying to line up the squares against the walls that had settled and work with the angles everywhere.

That was a case of "live and learn" for me. Match the paper to the walls. OTOH, that wallpaper in the Gloucester house was done absolutely beautifully.

[JaneV2.0]

Your cottage bedroom provides a perfect opportunity for cozy décor.
Is there a bathroom on that floor, or will there be a chamber pot? :~)

[iris lilies]

Your cottage bedroom provides a perfect opportunity for cozy décor.
Is there a bathroom on that floor, or will there be a chamber pot? :~)
Ha ha, there is a full bathroom on that floor. No toilet is installed there yet though. Currently that is where the one working bathtub is.

[iris lilies]

Here’s a Hermann bathroom update:


This half bath on our first floor is completely functional now with flooring, sink, toilet, door. No decor yet.

[JaneV2.0]

Priorities.

[Teacher Terry]

That’s great IL!

[happystuff]

Is the brown thing the sink? Very cool!

[iris lilies]

Is the brown thing the sink? Very cool!

yes. It is kind of a mid century modern look, not especially in keeping with my 1941 cottage but I really liked it.

Our other bathrooms are more predictible.

[iris lilies]

2nd bathroom nearly functional. DH is taking an inaugural shower right now. It is very small so I can’t take much of a photograph. It’s just a small cottage style square bathroom with three essentials, a sink, a toilet, a shower. DH finished installing the shower after doing the tile work last week.

We are replicating the original woodwork in this house. There was only one room that had original wordwork, But it was enough for us to know what the original looked like. We are also replicating the doors, two panel doors.

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[iris lilies]

Yesterday DH installed our red stove. We’ve been waiting for weeks for the overhead fan unit to be shipped to us, and then we had to wait a couple of weeks for our contractor to come back and cut a hole in the roof for it.

The second picture shows a fully framed door. DH is re-creating the original woodwork for this house. When we bought this house there was only one room that had original woodwork and an original door. Someone had torn everything out in the 1970s to put in cheap awful stuff. But now every room will have the original woodwork profile which is really quite simple befitting our simple cottage house.

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[rosarugosa]

Looking good, IL!

[catherine]

I am so jealous of that stove!! Can you remind me of the color of the cabinets? The cabinets and the stove complement each other really well.

[iris lilies]

I am so jealous of that stove!! Can you remind me of the color of the cabinets? The cabinets and the stove complement each other really well.
The cabinets are Sherwin Williams “Celery” color. Countertops are a honed black granite with soft white veining.

[catherine]

The cabinets are Sherwin Williams “Celery” color. Countertops are a honed black granite with soft white veining.

Oh, perfect!!! I love that color combination! If I didn't acede to my DH request for blue, that would be my color palette for my house

[iris lilies]

Oh, perfect!!! I love that color combination! If I didn't acede to my DH request for blue, that would be my color palette for my house
It is colorful and a little bit cutesy. I have red accents all over the kitchen and I think I’m gonna tone that down. The backsplash is going to be soft light green marble tile which varies in shades and I like that. I haven’t installed cabinet handles yet because I was going to do red and black, and I probably still will. But I don’t know, red and black it’s getting to be a bit much.

It makes me want my living room to be shades of oatmeal, tan, and beige, in other words, calming. So that’s what I’m thinking right now, taking a color cue from the fireplace brick which is shades of tan. I usually like lots of color but there is such a thing as too much if they’re not well coordinated between rooms.

[JaneV2.0]

I find myself gravitating toward complementary colors so celery and red would suit me fine. And black as an accent color always works for me. Handsome stove.

[Teacher Terry]

I love the stove and cabinets. My kitchen is white with black granite that has specks of white. I used red accents such as a red toaster, canister set, and can opener. I like your idea of red cabinet handles and may see what I can find.

[happystuff]

Yesterday DH installed our red stove. We’ve been waiting for weeks for the overhead fan unit to be shipped to us, and then we had to wait a couple of weeks for our contractor to come back and cut a hole in the roof for it.

The second picture shows a fully framed door. DH is re-creating the original woodwork for this house. When we bought this house there was only one room that had original woodwork and an original door. Someone had torn everything out in the 1970s to put in cheap awful stuff. But now every room will have the original woodwork profile which is really quite simple befitting our simple cottage house.

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Very nice, IL. Your Hermann House is really coming together! Congrats!

[Tradd]

IL the kitchen looks fabulous!

[iris lilies]

Here are images of our 3rd bathroom, tile work in progress. DH is punching out little blue octagon tiles from a hunk of blue tile, and inserting them into a pattern within white tile. This bathroom will be cute, small of course.

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[catherine]

Wow! Those tiles are adorable!!

[iris lilies]

Wow! Those tiles are adorable!!

We see this kind of tile pattern everywhere, it is fairly common in old houses. But I never thought about how much time it takes to make a custom design like this. He has to cut these tiny tiles, sometimes in half, sometimes 3/4, to get it all to fit against walls and tub. And then, he has to clean off every bit of adhesive and tape on the blue tiles because they’re part of a roll of blue tile. It is labor-intensive.

Grout in both tiled bathrooms are a medium stone color. I learned from my decorating guru that grout should always be “a color of stone. “

[ToomuchStuff]

Here are images of our 3rd bathroom, tile work in progress. DH is punching out little blue octagon tiles from a hunk of blue tile, and inserting them into a pattern within white tile. This bathroom will be cute, small of course.

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Took me a minute on the second picture. Was trying to figure out the hole in the wall and thought that was a shelf with too low of ledge. Then realized it was the tub and the hole was probably a floor vent.

[Teacher Terry]

I also like the tile. Very cute!

[happystuff]

So much work, but definitely very nice tile!

[catherine]

We see this kind of tile pattern everywhere, it is fairly common in old houses. But I never thought about how much time it takes to make a custom design like this. He has to cut these tiny tiles, sometimes in half, sometimes 3/4, to get it all to fit against walls and tub. And then, he has to clean off every bit of adhesive and tape on the blue tiles because they’re part of a roll of blue tile. It is labor-intensive.

Grout in both tiled bathrooms are a medium stone color. I learned from my decorating guru that grout should always be “a color of stone. “

I believe that the customized tile is labor-intensive, but you guys will think about DH's handiwork every time you walk into that bathroom.

Thanks for the grout tip. That's good to know.

[iris lilies]

Finished with major things in this bathroom #3: tile,, wainscoting, paint, fixtures set in place. Needs several small things but basics are done.

This little bathroom looks like it was part of the original build from 1941, but it is in a dormer built 12 months ago.


I show the bathtub surround only to show how extremely plain it is. You can’t identify the tile in time, was it put in 1941? 1981? 2022?
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[rosarugosa]

I think it looks great, and a small bathroom doesn't need to be all that exciting in the basic infrastructure. After all, it will merely serve as the backdrop for the perfect toilet brush holder! Our toilet brush holder discussion reminded me of when we got our tiny one and only bathroom remodeled (can it really have been 20 years ago?) My grand obsession at the time was toothbrush holders and I came up with two new words:
Obsessorizing - obsessing about accessories
Excessorizing - when you can't decide which toothbrush holder, so you buy several
I suspect you can relate.

[iris lilies]

I think it looks great, and a small bathroom doesn't need to be all that exciting in the basic infrastructure. After all, it will merely serve as the backdrop for the perfect toilet brush holder! Our toilet brush holder discussion reminded me of when we got our tiny one and only bathroom remodeled (can it really have been 20 years ago?) My grand obsession at the time was toothbrush holders and I came up with two new words:
Obsessorizing - obsessing about accessories
Excessorizing - when you can't decide which toothbrush holder, so you buy several
I suspect you can relate.
Oh yes! But I am not a fan of toothbrush holders because I don’t want them sitting out on the counter with the toilet flushing sending aerosol sprays. I’d like them to be in a drawer. And boy are there tons of toothbrush holders! I mean there’s must be 1 million of them. There’s not nearly that many toilet brush holders.

I think I’m going to reject a mirrored medicine cabinet I bought for this bathroom months ago because it’s too big. I know better than to buy things before I absolutely have to.

I keep staring at Catherine’s toilet brush holder and it’s so solid and artsy, I really like it.

[Teacher Terry]

The bathroom is cute IL!

[rosarugosa]

IL: Couldn't you just repurpose a nice looking flower pot?

[iris lilies]

IL: Couldn't you just repurpose a nice looking flower pot?
Probably. I will look for something with appropriate dimensions, doesn’t have to be an actual toilet brush holder.

[catherine]

I keep staring at Catherine’s toilet brush holder and it’s so solid and artsy, I really like it.

I'd be happy to sell it to you for the right price. :).

[iris lilies]

Here is a cool thing I found in the local antique store. It was made to fit at the end of a kitchen counter in the 1950s, so that is where I’m using it at the moment. When DH gets home from the hospital he will not be happy about it so I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it there or not.

I can paint it to match our kitchen cabinets, but at the moment I like its original color.
But isn’t it cool, the way it complements my vintage-themed kitchen? I’m talking about the open cabinet with rounded shelves..

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[JaneV2.0]

Here is a cool thing I found in the local antique store. It was made to fit at the end of a kitchen counter in the 1950s, so that is where I’m using it at the moment. When DH gets home from the hospital he will not be happy about it so I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it there or not.

I can paint it to match our kitchen cabinets, but at the moment I like its original color.
But isn’t it cool, the way it complements my vintage-themed kitchen? I’m talking about the open cabinet with rounded shells.

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Perfect--I hope you have veto power!

[littlebittybobby]

Finished with major things in this bathroom #3: tile,, wainscoting, paint, fixtures set in place. Needs several small things but basics are done.

This little bathroom looks like it was part of the original build from 1941, but it is in a dormer built 12 months ago.


I show the bathtub surround only to show how extremely plain it is. You can’t identify the tile in time, was it put in 1941? 1981? 2022?
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4921Okay---Looks good. But yeah---I can see the need for additiional features, such as: Book shelves & magazine racks, several high shelves for catts to sit on; and maybe a cupboard to store snacks and drinks. Also, a medicine cabinet, with an array of stuff to treat ailments and injuries. Also, I can make you a deal on some salvaged lirrrary light fixtures, too.It would be easy to convert them to led or incandescent, if you dont want 400 watt metal halide. Yup. This way, the room will serve as a private little getaway. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

[catherine]

Here is a cool thing I found in the local antique store. It was made to fit at the end of a kitchen counter in the 1950s, so that is where I’m using it at the moment. When DH gets home from the hospital he will not be happy about it so I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it there or not.

I can paint it to match our kitchen cabinets, but at the moment I like its original color.
But isn’t it cool, the way it complements my vintage-themed kitchen? I’m talking about the open cabinet with rounded shelves..

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I really like it--and I would keep the original color. The only thing I'm not sure about is the way it sticks out a little into the entryway, but it's hard to really tell without being there. Why will DH not like it?

[iris lilies]

I really like it--and I would keep the original color. The only thing I'm not sure about is the way it sticks out a little into the entryway, but it's hard to really tell without being there. Why will DH not like it?
The aisle is quite wide So I think it works.

DH will not like it because he will think it looks Janky because it’s not built in.

I will keep that color for a while it’s just so 50s.

[JaneV2.0]

No problem then. Challenge him to make it look built in. A coat of paint, a marble (granite?) top and voila'.

[happystuff]

Very cool! and I like the color! I would vote "no" to painting it.

[rosarugosa]

I love it, but I would have to paint it.

[ToomuchStuff]

Seen that built in to many kitchens growing up (not a separate thing). From a little kid whose neighbors had one in their kitchen (their daughter is the artist that I remember painting Iris pictures that are in a home on the national historic register). It had a napkinholder, a tin, which kept the plastic cowboys and indians in it, and I believe the salt and pepper/table top stuff.

[JaneV2.0]

This is a random post; indulge me. I think this place is haunted, due to the price, which seems way low. Maybe it's the neighborhood?
At any rate, I think IrisLily will appreciate it:

https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2022/11/property-watch-queen-anne-victorian-oregon-city

[Tybee]

I cant see the price, but it's really a beaut!

[iris lilies]

This is a random post; indulge me. I think this place is haunted, due to the price, which seems way low. Maybe it's the neighborhood?
At any rate, I think IrisLily will appreciate it:

https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2022/11/property-watch-queen-anne-victorian-oregon-city

I don’t know anything about Oregon city but it sure is in the right place in the state of Oregon. I poked around that neighborhood and it seems… OK. Ranging from nice little old middle-class houses to maybe not so great apartment complexes. The house itself is very nice. I especially like the way they have decorated it, absolutely minimally to show the woodwork and floors.

[iris lilies]

I cant see the price, but it's really a beaut!
It’s listed at $799,9oo.

[Tybee]

It’s listed at $799,9oo.

Yowsers.

[JaneV2.0]

I don’t know anything about Oregon city but it sure is in the right place in the state of Oregon. I poked around that neighborhood and it seems… OK. Ranging from nice little old middle-class houses to maybe not so great apartment complexes. The house itself is very nice. I especially like the way they have decorated it, absolutely minimally to show the woodwork and floors.

I felt the same way about the décor--I rarely see such an all-around good remodeling job.

I imagine it would go for well over a million here, but the Portland area is pricey, too. A nice craftsman on a city lot there will go for about the same price.

[JaneV2.0]

Oregon City is a suburb of Portland, located in Clackamas County. It doesn't have the crime/squalor problems that Portland has, at least partly due to a police force and local government that are actually functional.

[iris lilies]

Oregon City is a suburb of Portland, located in Clackamas County. It doesn't have the crime/squalor problems that Portland has, at least partly due to a police force and local government that are actually functional.

Give them time, the rot will reach outward.

I didn’t know people were actually speaking of Portland in terms of “crime/squalor. “That is unfortunate.

[iris lilies]

I am 68 years old and for the first time in my life, I bought a headboard for my bed. I never had a bed with a headboard and a footboard that was purchased, although we did make one for our city house but it was not a good effort.

This bed buying saga has been going on for weeks. The thing I really really want is antique, living on the East Coast, and in need of rebuilding. There’s so too many reasons not to buy it.


There are modern versions but all the modern beds are queen size. I do not want a queen size bed in my small bedroom. I currently have a double bed there and it’s perfect and anything bigger will fit but I lose necessary space.


So I was looking at vintage items But a surprising number of beds and headboards manufactured over the past 40 years are still queen-size. I did finally find a headboard that was acceptable —not great, but acceptable.

My bedroom aesthetic is Victorian faux bamboo but since I don’t see much of that around I’m settling for burnt bamboo.

there is a bedroom set out there in the world manufactured just a few years ago that would be perfect, so I’m telling DH that if one of those comes up for sale on the Used market I’m buying it. But I’ve been perusing eBay for months and have not seen the exact right thing.

My current plan is to do a chinoiserie treatment on the walls but I haven’t figured out exactly how to accomplish that.

[JaneV2.0]

I've never had--at least in my memory--a bed without a head and foot board. My next bed will be a stout iron twin sized model, in black or antique bronze, with some art or design elements.

[iris lilies]

I've never had--at least in my memory--a bed without a head and foot board. My next bed will be a stout iron twin sized model, in black or antique bronze, with some art or design elements.
Lady, you with your headboard and footboard are a pretty damn fancy person!

One of the complicating factors in my hunt for a bed is that I’m putting it up against the window. I don’t HAVE to do that, there is plenty of room to flip it and put it at the other end of the room against a wall with no window, but I like this placement because the ceiling is sloped over the bed and it’s like crawling into a cave to go to sleep. It’s very cozy.

So, my new headboard is an open weave of bamboo type material that does not block the light from the window.

Shopping shopping shopping for this is mentally exhausting, ha ha! A first world problem.


Now I’m shopping for pretty things for my bathroom. Currently looking at antique cup holders and an antique French soap holder that screws into the wall.

[JaneV2.0]

My bed now is a pretty fancy iron number, but too big. It's butted up against a slanted ceiling and next to a large window.

Do send progress pix!

[Teacher Terry]

I have always had a headboard. When I moved into my condo I got a new sleep number queen size bed and a beautiful tall upholstery headboard. My bed at the top can be raised so when I get sick I can breathe since I have asthma. I absolutely love it and was worth every penny.

[catherine]

Only since a few years ago have I ever had a bed I bought. All the others were given to me. So some had headboards (my great-aunt's tiger maple four-poster twin beds, and my grandmother-in-law's full bed) and the others were just mattresses on a cheap frame that we inherited somehow . I know I can't have much royalty in my blood because unlike the princess and the pea, I am not that particular about my beds, unless the mattresses are too worn and lumpy or too firm. When I read in bed, I just pile pillows against the wall.

[JaneV2.0]

Here's a headboard for you...

5004

[iris lilies]

Here's a headboard for you...

5004


If thought I could afford that bed, I would turn it around getting it away from the window and change my entire bedroom decor. I love art nouveau and that is stunning!

[JaneV2.0]

If thought I could afford that bad, I would turn it around getting it away from the window and change my entire bedroom decor. I love art nouveau and that is stunning!

I was ready to organize a heist until I realized the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art was in Denver, and not in the next town over from me. Oh well. :~)

[iris lilies]

I was ready to organize a heist until I realized the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art was in Denver, and not in the next town over from me. Oh well. :~)
That bed is worth a jail stint so bring on the heist.

[JaneV2.0]

That bed is worth a jail stint so bring on the heist.

:devil:

[iris lilies]

Time for an update. Progress is steady but slow. DH, old retired guy, works only 6 hours a day on our house. Bless him tho for doing it.

This week he finished our new sunroom, new addition to this house. We have a mini split for that room so I’m curious to know how it will keep up in extreme weather.

The first picture is the room when he started on it. Our contractor did the rough work up to drywall. DH is doing all the finishing work throughout the house. The second picture is the finished room today.

5082



5083

[Tybee]

WOW!!!!

[iris lilies]

WOW!!!!it is a pretty room. We keep many plants in it. It is super handy that our east facing deck has a door to this room, so we just have to drag all plants out to the deck in the summertime. Not far at all.

I am worried about keeping these pretty floors dry, I don’t want a plant watering accident staining them.

[catherine]

That room is beautiful! What views!

I hear you about the floors. Can. you get a couple of those mats that have lips on them? May not be beautiful, but it might help mitigate wet floors.

[iris lilies]

That room is beautiful! What views!

I hear you about the floors. Can. you get a couple of those mats that have lips on them? May not be beautiful, but it might help mitigate wet floors.
Big mats with lips, good idea. I will keep that in mind. Also, I will have to keep moving the big plants and furniture around because this floor reacts to coverings and sunlight. We had a paint tarp on it for months, and I can see the line where the tarp was.

[littlebittybobby]

Well--Okay---looks like it might be completed, someday. Good Job. But, when are you going to show us the workshop? Is there also a lirrrarray full of Books, too? That's what I'm interested in. Also, I have for sale some authentic, pre-owned lirrrrabrarry light fixtures, that had been replaced during a redecorating at the locall lirarrarry, here. They would be perfect for your Chateau. Yup. Might I also suggest a 6'-high, wrought-iron fence, completely surrounding your lot, to deter trespassers? Hope that helps you some.

[rosarugosa]

What a beautiful room, IL. Would love to see a picture when plants and furnishings are in place.

[chrisgermany]

How about keeping the plants on dollies? The space between the bottom of the dolly and the floor prevents sharp lines from the sunlight and you could also move them around. The dollies might have waterproof bottoms.
Another project for DH?

[happystuff]

Beautiful sunroom, IL!

[Teacher Terry]

Love the room and the view!!!

[iris lilies]

DH finished the last pieces of kitchen installation last week: backsplash tile, crown molding, and dishwasher panel.

Finished kitchen here. The backsplash has a blue cast, but it is green. Green marble.

5186

5187

[iris lilies]

Next up: finish the laundry room and linen closet area outside of the main bathroom downstairs.Tile floor has already been completed. We are currently doing laundry in the basement so it will be nice to have first floor laundry facility.

[catherine]

Beautiful kitchen! The colors are gorgeous--although I have to imagine the backsplash in green--it definitely comes off as blue-grey.

The 1st floor laundry sounds great! We have a stackable unit on our "first" (and only) floor, and it's so much better than it used to be having to go down to the dark, depressing unfinished basement to do laundry. In fact, my DIL (the one living in our house) transformed my former home office right off the kitchen to a first floor laundry room. At first I thought that was a bad use of first floor real estate--more and more people want designated home offices--but she's a) a clean freak and b) has two young boys, so it has actually been great for her.

I love seeing your progress reports! It's been quite the journey. When did you buy the house? 3 years ago?

[iris lilies]

Beautiful kitchen! The colors are gorgeous--although I have to imagine the backsplash in green--it definitely comes off as blue-grey.

The 1st floor laundry sounds great! We have a stackable unit on our "first" (and only) floor, and it's so much better than it used to be having to go down to the dark, depressing unfinished basement to do laundry. In fact, my DIL (the one living in our house) transformed my former home office right off the kitchen to a first floor laundry room. At first I thought that was a bad use of first floor real estate--more and more people want designated home offices--but she's a) a clean freak and b) has two young boys, so it has actually been great for her.

I love seeing your progress reports! It's been quite the journey. When did you buy the house? 3 years ago?

I was looking through old posts on this website and I think you guys bought your house about the same time as we did. We made an offer December 2017 and we closed March 2018. At the time, we bought it as a weekend house but in the back of my mind, I knew it was big enough to become our permanent house if we wanted to do that.

We enjoyed a few few years of doing absolutely nothing to the house. It was such a old creaky thing, yet entirely livable, so we spent all of our time working on the 1 acre yard. Cleaning, cleaning, making beds.

in our city house, recently sold, the new people are turning our breakfast nook into a laundry room.Basement laundry service is so passe!

[catherine]

I was looking through old posts on this website and I think you guys bought your house about the same time as we did. We made an offer December 2017 and we closed March 2018. At the time, we bought it as a weekend house but in the back of my mind, I knew it was big enough to become our permanent house if we wanted to do that.

We enjoyed a few few years of doing absolutely nothing to the house. It was such a old creaky thing, yet entirely livable, so we spent all of our time working on the 1 acre yard. Cleaning, cleaning, making beds.

in our city house, recently sold, the new people are turning our breakfast nook into a laundry room.Basement laundry service is so passe!

Wow, time flies! Yes, we saw our home on September 17, 2017, made an offer in November, and closed January 9, 2018, so you and I made our big home and life changes at the same time. We only toggled between VT and NJ for a year before realizing we could happily live up here full time.

[JaneV2.0]

Very handsome kitchen!

[Teacher Terry]

That’s gorgeous IL! My condo doesn’t have laundry because it’s built in 1978 with a laundry room. However, they allow people to install apartment size washers and dryers. The dryer vents into a small bucket of water. I already installed the dryer in my office/guest bedroom and having a plumber come this week to give me an estimate to install the washer.

They hook it up to the plumbing under the bathroom sink. My bathroom is so small that they will have to hook it up at the end of the hallway. Then they can run the lines right through the wall to the sink. I am very excited about having my own laundry again after 2 years.

[jp1]

I love that red stove Iris! Such a fun pop of color to spice up the room. Much more exciting than the black and stainless stove we have in our kitchen.

[catherine]

Spooky Facebook eavesdropping crap.

Look what keeps popping up on my feed....

5278

I didn't know it was the Romance Capital of Missouri!

[pinkytoe]

Very nice. Good to have a handy hubby!

[iris lilies]

My new decor inspiration is an Instagram account that perfectly captures the aesthetic for our Hermann house. She shows things I want, things I already have, or things I have shopped for but rejected due to functional reasons. It is perfect for me.

That Insta account is: our1925home

My other decorating guru is Laurel Bern, love her work and her blog. There was a period of about 18 months where nearly every week she touched on some aspect of interior design I was working on. I also listen to YouTuber Garrett LeChic, a nice young interior designer who designs in a traditional style.

Garrett, on the other hand, lives in some sort of modern California house that never looks interesting at all but his furnishings are nice if a little bit too…18th century wannabe for me. But I like to hear him talk about current decorating trends and problems.

[catherine]

I looked up that instagram account, and I agree--I would be very comfortable in that setting.

[iris lilies]

I looked up that instagram account, and I agree--I would be very comfortable in that setting.

Laurel has a kick-ass condo in a Boston brownstone. She is gearing up to make mega changes to her kitchen, staircase, and lower level. Her ceilings are around 14” and she has stunning plaster work in her 1bedroom unit.

[littlebittybobby]

I am going balls-out on my helluva kick-ass backyard cottage. I got more VERY exquisite file cabinets, salvaged from a public defenders' office. Yup. So you kids will dirty your drawers when you see how awesome and amay-zeen it is. Sure will.

[iris lilies]

5396I have finally selected the dishes we will use in Hermann. It took two years. I am a dinnerware aficionado, and I have to be careful not to collect too much stuff. Years ago, I gave away several sets of dishes.


I knew I wanted something with a 1940s vibe. Fiestaware was always a possibility. I really would’ve loved some Clarice Cliff inspired cottage scene dishes, but they are very hard to find and are super expensive, and then I didn’t feel that I should actually use them hard like in the microwave and in the dishwasher.


Then I came across this pattern that everyone of a certain age has seen and I decided Oh yeah, this is it! These inspire a Cottage feel, they’re easy to get, they’re not very expensive. So I buy bits and pieces on eBay.


The pattern is Franciscan Ivy.

[catherine]

5396I have finally selected the dishes we will use in Hermann. It took two years. I am a dinnerware aficionado, and I have to be careful not to collect too much stuff. Years ago, I gave away several sets of dishes.


I knew I wanted something with a 1940s vibe. Fiestaware was always a possibility. I really would’ve loved some Clarice Cliff inspired cottage scene dishes, but they are very hard to find and are super expensive, and then I didn’t feel that I should actually use them hard like in the microwave and in the dishwasher.


Then I came across this pattern that everyone of a certain age has seen and I decided Oh yeah, this is it! These inspire a Cottage feel, they’re easy to get, they’re not very expensive. So I buy bits and pieces on eBay.


The pattern is Franciscan Ivy.

Very nice... I can see the table set with [my] emerald green table cloth, and maybe unbleached muslin napkins. They almost look hand-painted, which I love.

Another decision made!

[iris lilies]

Very nice... I can see the table set with [my] emerald green table cloth, and maybe unbleached muslin napkins. They almost look hand-painted, which I love.

Another decision made!
Supposedly this pattern IS hand painted, but that doesn’t have much meaning to me. It just means someone sat at a factory table and slapped paint on a predetermined stamped pattern.

This pattern started in the 1940s and was made through the 1970s, and they do vary somewhat. I have purchased dinner plates from several sources, and depending on what decade it was made, they vary a bit in size and shape, but just a bit.

I like buying dishes this way. I don’t have to buy mugs or coffee cups. Who uses coffee cups anymore anyway?

I also like that I can go back in time to purchase vintage shaped bowls. I hate the modern bowls that you get with modern dinnerware sets. Also, that particular kind of ceramic dinnerware seems to retain heat from the microwave oven, but this old style Franciscan ware does not.

I think these are probably full of lead, but at my advanced age I don’t think it much matters. I’m not sure I would feed small children on these plates though.

[catherine]

Speaking of dinnerware, DH and I have used a checkerboard Fishs Eddy pattern for years. We bought the set on a visit to NYC--we passed by the shop at their downtown Broadway location and just purchased the set on impulse. We haven't used it since we've been up here, but we just recently brought up back up from NJ, and we decided to donate our cheap second-hand dishes and go back to using our beloved Fishs Eddy. Problem was we had broken 3 of the plates over the years. I was happy to live with 6, but we only had 5. What if you have two couples over?? That pattern has long been discontinued.

I searched Replacements, EBay, and nothing turned up--finally I found an Etsy seller who had one plate. It was $60 plus $10 shipping, but I had to buy it to complete a set of 6. 8 would be better, but we can only seat 6 at our table, so what's the point of buying more?

$70 was an extravagant purchase for one plate, but we made the choice to use our Fishs Eddy pattern, so we had to pay it.

ETA: adding the Fishs Eddy web address. Some of you know how much I love whimsy, and Fishs Eddy has it in spades. https://fishseddynyc.com

[iris lilies]

Cause she made me look up those fishes eddy plates! I assume you have the black ones. I see they also come in red. I like them.

[catherine]

Cause she made me look up those fishes eddy plates! I assume you have the black ones. I see they also come in red. I like them.

Yes, we have the black check ones.

[littlebittybobby]

I was sitting here, seriously wondering if you could get your architect to draw up the plans for Phase 2 of your Herman house project. Here is what I'd like to suggest---to make it a duplicate of the notorious stigmatised property on 112 Ocean Drive, Amitybville, NY. But yeah---you could make it a tourist draw, with rooms for the night, and scary mooo-vvesss, starring Margot Kidder and James Brolin. Yup. See photo. Thankk Mee.539953995399

[littlebittybobby]

Okay---Or else---you could make it a Munster-style House. Yup. Show old Steven King scaaaaary movies. Yup.54005400

[littlebittybobby]

Okay----What they do in SFD & vicinity is this: They(and by that I mean Those People, local yokels) is purchase a 50's or 60's-style ranch home. So anyway---Those People are at the bottom rung of home buyers, who don't have enough income, even though they both work. But yeah---they got a Truck Payment, and Chile' Support Payments, Boat Payment, and this kind of stuff. Plus, they get in trouble and have legal fees. See? But anyhow---what they do is buy a home---maybe two or three bedrrom, with an attached garage, and then almost always convert the garage into living space. It's either a "famly room" or another bedroom for his/her/their kids. Or a MIL apartment or space for a child returned home, for awhile. See? They always do it, more than not. But yeah---steada cutting back on Rolling stock buying a bigger place to begin with, having that truck/boat comes first. So, the kids end up living in the garage, with the boat/truck/camper parked outside. Yup.

[iris lilies]

When we bought this 1941 cottage, the biggest bedroom had been the former garage. Someone in the 80s? Converted the garage to a bedroom.


Today it is a kitchen


Oddly enough, that original garage had a basement underneath it.

[iris lilies]

5559Our Sun room is 556095% done, meaning not only is the construction done, the decor is complete. I need a couple more pillows and a big basket to contain detritus. The coolest thing is that I stopped into Goodwill before ordering a couple of things on Amazon. I’ll be damned if I didn’t find the exact perfect pillowcases,. I also bought a few pillow forms. I love our local Goodwill. It is clean, well organized, and the merchandise moves.

In this room I found a use for my old Victorian shawl and a few vintage tins.

[littlebittybobby]

Our Sun room is 95% done, meaning not only is the construction done, the decor is complete. I need a couple more pillows and a big basket to contain detritus. The coolest thing is that I stopped into Goodwill before ordering a couple of things on Amazon. I’ll be damned if I didn’t find the exact perfect pillowcases,. I also bought a few pillow forms. I love our local Goodwill. It is clean, well organized, and the merchandise moves.

In this room I found a use for my old Victorian shawl and a few vintage tins.

….photos…
Okay---Damn, you've got some kool stuff there, faux! That being said, I like how you generate those stats in percentages' Ha. I always say something like: "98% half done". Like I'm a demmmacrat. Yup. That's where I'm at on my backyard cottage. But yeah--you might axxe the city if they'd put some signs directing sight-seers in the direction of your manor. Yup. Hope that helps you some. Thannkk mee.

[iris lilies]

For you littleBobby, cat man, here are gratuitous cat photos in our Sun room

55615562

[catherine]

Your sunroom is beautiful!! I love the furniture? Is that new furniture or antique? Can you describe the fabric? The room is so cozy, yet bright!! What a view!

[iris lilies]

Your sunroom is beautiful!! I love the furniture? Is that new furniture or antique? Can you describe the fabric? The room is so cozy, yet bright!! What a view!
The furniture is new and in a style called “bobbin chair “among other names. It is a style out in the market for 10 years, so I imagine it will be gone from trend soon if not already. That is the problem with buying new furniture. However, I do like the black painted wood accent in here. The chair fabric came with the chair.

The other fabrics are bedspreads directly from India, Pillowcases from Goodwill, Victorian shawl from my friend.

The style here is a bit Boho.

[catherine]

The furniture is new and in a style called “bobbin chair “among other names. It is a style out in the market for 10 years, so I imagine it will be gone from trend soon if not already. That is the problem with buying new furniture. However, I do like the black painted wood accent in here. The chair fabric came with the chair.

The other fabrics are bedspreads directly from India, Pillowcases from Goodwill, Victorian shawl from my friend.

The style here is a bit Boho.

I love it! The bobbin chairs are reproductions, I'm sure, of earlier styles. They look very familiar to me.

[Teacher Terry]

The room is really pretty and you have an awesome view!!

[JaneV2.0]

...

That Insta account is: our1925home
I also listen to YouTuber Garrett LeChic, a nice young interior designer who designs in a traditional style.

Garrett, on the other hand, lives in some sort of modern California house that never looks interesting at all but his furnishings are nice if a little bit too…18th century wannabe for me. But I like to hear him talk about current decorating trends and problems.

I looked at a Beaverton condo completely decorated in a traditional style recently. I found it kind of horrifying. :D

www.realtor.com
MLS# 23583228

[iris lilies]

I want to see this condo so I can pass judgment on it! But I can’t pull it up with that number, I don’t know how to search with just a number. I need the full link.

[JaneV2.0]

I want to see this condo so I can pass judgment on it! But I can’t pull it up with that number, I don’t know how to search with just a number. I need the full link.

Bring up realtor.com, enter #23583228 in its search box.

Or try this: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5075-SW-Normandy-Pl_Beaverton_OR_97005_M21263-45815
I used to live on this street, in this complex.

Sorry for the confusion.

[rosarugosa]

Your sunroom is lovely, IL.

[happystuff]

Love the sunroom, IL! I could see hanging out in there most of the day doing... whatever!

[littlebittybobby]

For you littleBobby, cat man, here are gratuitous cat photos in our Sun room

55615562Okay--Yes, yes--this thread is taking a turn for the better--Catts! But no--I can't see those attachments, unfortunately. Nope. So anyway--I'd like to suggest summa those shelfways for cats people like mee construct for their indoors catts. They love to have high vantage points to keep an eye on things. Yup. Hope thatt helps you some.(See photo)5564

[Teacher Terry]

I looked at a Beaverton condo completely decorated in a traditional style recently. I found it kind of horrifying. :D

www.realtor.com (http://www.realtor.com)
MLS# 23583228
The condo was nice but way too much furniture that isn’t my style.

[JaneV2.0]

The condo was nice but way too much furniture that isn’t my style.

Not my style, that's for sure. It was probably staged, but if not, they should have refaced the fireplace.
The more I look at it, the more horrified I get. They opened up the kitchen, which--IMO--was a disaster.

[iris lilies]

Not my style, that's for sure. It was probably staged, but if not, they should have refaced the fireplace.
The more I look at it, the more horrified I get. They opened up the kitchen, which--IMO--was a disaster.

i’m speaking only to the furnishings here: No, that’s not my style at all even though I like antiques. That look is far too English classical 18th century wannabe. The only thing I wouldn’t turn down are the brown velveteen chairs and even then I don’t love them.

I can’t imagine staging a place with that kind of furniture so I doubt it is staged. Wait…is that digital “staging?”

[iris lilies]

Jane that condo is cute and I could happily live there as a single person, no problem. The price doesn’t seem to be terrible for your part of the world.

[JaneV2.0]

Jane that condo is cute and I could happily live there as a single person, no problem. The price doesn’t seem to be terrible for your part of the world.

The units there were running about 20% cheaper not long ago, but they've aged really well.

As much as I love this area, I should have just stayed put there; now I'm stuck with Chez Decay for the time being.

[Tybee]

But are you really stuck with Chez Decay (love the name, btw). I think that condo is insanely affordable for that area and looks very nice--furniture can easily be changed to something wonderful.

[catherine]

But are you really stuck with Chez Decay (love the name, btw). I think that condo is insanely affordable for that area and looks very nice--furniture can easily be changed to something wonderful.

I agree... I think it's a lovely home and seems relatively affordable.

[JaneV2.0]

But are you really stuck with Chez Decay (love the name, btw). I think that condo is insanely affordable for that area and looks very nice--furniture can easily be changed to something wonderful.

I would have to change all the fixtures and window coverings, replace the wall and cabinetry in the kitchen, etc. before I would feel comfortable there. It's a large complex, so something else will come along.

The thought of packing up, doing repairs, listing, etc. is one of those "impossible tasks." It would take a "village" that I don't have. I'll stop whining now. :~)

[Tybee]

I would have to change all the fixtures and window coverings, replace the wall and cabinetry in the kitchen, etc. before I would feel comfortable there. It's a large complex, so something else will come along.

The thought of packing up, doing repairs, listing, etc. is one of those "impossible tasks." It would take a "village" that I don't have. I'll stop whining now. :~)

I think Frugal and Terry need to go into business as ennui-busters--I would hire them.

[frugal-one]

I think Frugal and Terry need to go into business as ennui-busters--I would hire them.

Nope. Hope to never have to do this again in my lifetime (as least to this degree). Truthfully, it is harder than I thought. Will be SOOOOOOOO happy when it is done!

[JaneV2.0]

Nope. Hope to never have to do this again in my lifetime (as least to this degree). Truthfully, it is harder than I thought. Will be SOOOOOOOO happy when it is done!

That's what I'm afraid of. I've moved myself a few times, but not as an old cripple. :(

[frugal-one]

JaneV2.0…probably easier if not such a major downsize. We have been in this house 37 years. It has massive amounts of storage. We are going from 1850 (not including full basement and 3 car garage) to less than 900 sf. If we did not have to unload so many things it definitely would have been easier.

[JaneV2.0]

My downsize would be similar. I could put in a stair-climber and stay here, but--for many reasons, I'd prefer to move.

[iris lilies]

We were in our house for 33 years. And I live with someone who is, well, not a hoarder exactly, but has things that are decades old that he’s never touched. I will say he got rid of some of them like three piece suits he never wore in 30+ years. But he still has some college textbooks and I mean from undergrad school. So that tells you what else he might have.

oh and also… not just “stuff” he has, but he has tons of tools, large and small, and gadgets and that kind of thing.

also – he has enough limestone to build three walls. He has enough brick to make a couple of long sidewalks. He moved ALL of that himself in his little truck and trailer.


We didn’t have much in the way of furniture and as far as the stuff that was under my control, I got rid of lots of it. I’m currently acquiring stuff for my new house. And that’s OK.

if I have the patience to load a picture, I will show you all the lime stone wall he just built and the brick sidewalk he’s laying, and all the extra stone and brick we have for other projects.

[littlebittybobby]

Okay---I've had this sitting out back, in inventory, for many years. Yup. All of a sudden--bingo, I need it. Hope that helps you some. Thank mee. Dumpsters are made for consumers. 5573

[littlebittybobby]

Okay--I got that carb & intake refurbed and installed on the motor I pulled at the wreckin' yard over Memorial Day.

[littlebittybobby]

So, anyway--- I was gonna inquire about that potential tiny house Faux has sitting out by the curb. Why sell it? It would make a great guess cottage for visiting SL members. Yup.

[iris lilies]

So, anyway--- I was gonna inquire about that potential tiny house Faux has sitting out by the curb. Why sell it? It would make a great guess cottage for visiting SL members. Yup.
Stalker.

We sold that tiny yellow house some months ago.

[iris lilies]

Decor tip, a basic one for me: just live in a place before you start buying things.

Already I’m jettisoning a couple of things I bought for the small bathroom on our 2nd floor., it is very cute and I don’t want a big ass mirror hanging on the wall. I hate the cheap Small cabinet I bought, its cheap fiber board material gives me the icks. Oddly, I bought another small and cheap cabinet but it is made of different material and it doesn’t give me the icks.

My interest is in basic quality of materials, and I am not very picky about condition. If there are nicks and bumps and signs of wear, that doesn’t bother me.

[catherine]

Decor tip, a basic one for me: just live in a place before you start buying things.

Already I’m jettisoning a couple of things I bought for the small bathroom on our 2nd floor., it is very cute and I don’t want a big ass mirror hanging on the wall. I hate the cheap Small cabinet I bought, its cheap fiber board material gives me the icks. Oddly, I bought another small and cheap cabinet but it is made of different material and it doesn’t give me the icks.

My interest is in basic quality of materials, and I am not very picky about condition. If there are nicks and bumps and signs of wear, that doesn’t bother me.

I second that! We closed on our house in January 2018 and didn't move in until May. I bought a couple of things that I thought were going to go great in the house which didn't exactly go well at all--like a mid-century modern futon and a large framed Stephen Huneck lithograph.

You definitely have to live in a place before buying.

[iris lilies]

I second that! We closed on our house in January 2018 and didn't move in until May. I bought a couple of things that I thought were going to go great in the house which didn't exactly go well at all--like a mid-century modern futon and a large framed Stephen Huneck lithograph.

You definitely have to live in a place before buying.

because we are doing gut rehabs, we buy some “out their items rather foolishly.

Decades ago, I remember the very first thing we bought for our city house was a used garage door. Doh!!! That would have been in 1990. We didnt build a garage until 15 years later. We never used that door, it was long gone. The second thing we bought was a beat up Toyota truck, a sensible purchase.

I bought a couple of things for my condo that I will not now use. I am still deciding if I will use them here in Hermann.

[iris lilies]

I am Singing the praises again for my local Goodwill store. It is absolutely phenomenal! Here you can see the daybed decor in our sunroom. Only the bedspread was purchased new, from India. Everything else is from the Goodwill store.

The pillow in the middle of the bed is covered with a wonderful length of curtain fabric and I’m trying to figure out.—Should I go back to the Goodwill store and get more of it? I have to be careful not to buy excess stuff.

This morning I was trying to talk myself into using all of those curtains, and there are six of them at the store, as the fabric for our guest room. But I do have my heart set on red toile fabric so I will stick to that plan. And who knows, within the next two years, someone may donate their set of four red toile curtains to that Goodwill, and there will be my fabric!

Each curtain is $4.59. It’s nice quality fabric that would be easily $35+ dollars in a fabric store.

p.s. The secret to mixing prints as I am learning is you mix a big pattern and a small pattern together in the same color and it works.

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[Tradd]

That fabric is quite nice! Buy the curtains! You can always donate them back to GW if you don’t use them b

[rosarugosa]

Nice score! Those patterns definitely do work well together.

[catherine]

So much fun to find exactly what you want at Goodwill! We have a local thrift shop called Granny's Attic, and I was able to find the perfect curtains in the perfect color for my second bedroom for $6.

I really like the mix of your patterns!

[happystuff]

Very pretty, IL! I have come to accept the fact that I have no talent for decorating, so I really enjoy looking at other's work.

[iris lilies]

Here is a house construction update, before and after images of our hallway.

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we have new oak floors in the hall, entirely new drywall, new baseboards. Walls are painted a soft cream color. I love it! Eveything is so clean and fresh.

DH works about four hours a day on the house, Monday through Friday. I reckon we’re two years away from having it done. The work he’s doing is baseboard trim, window trim, filling holes in the drywall, sanding it, and painting everything. We have a new staircase to put in, and that will be major work, but he’s a carpenter so he can handle it.

All tile and cabinetry work is done.

We are saving whatever parts of the house we can, so we have three exterior original doors that need a lot of attention. He probably spent a week on each door, and we still have one more to go.

These exterior doors are important in contributing to this cottage’s original look. I wish we had original windows but we do not. Grrrr, some fool tore them out in the 90’s.

As for interior doors, there was only 1 original door because the same 70’s-90’s renovations took them. Ugh. But fortunately, the one remaining door showed us that original doors had two panels, so that is what we bought for this house: 2 panel doors.

We also replicated the original workwork (which existed only in 1 room by the time we bought this house.) The woodwork is very simple, fortunately.

[catherine]

That is beautiful!! You guys are doing such a great job! I love that it's getting such loving care and respect for its roots. The floors are gorgeous.

[rosarugosa]

Very nice, that is quite the transformation!

[happystuff]

Beautiful! Not just a house, it looks to be a truly beautiful home!

[iris lilies]

DH, after spending 3 weeks to put finishng touches on our kitchen, has now started to work on our living room. Like all the rooms in our house it needs trim and painting, and he is re-working the bookcases on either side of our fireplace.

Here is the room today. In about three months it will look finished but not furnished. I will have to obsess about furnishings for quite a while to het everything right.

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[rosarugosa]

Very nice, I especially love the fireplace. How wonderful to have a whole new realm to obsess over!

[Tradd]

Very nice.

[iris lilies]

Very nice, I especially love the fireplace. How wonderful to have a whole new realm to obsess over!
Yeah I’m not sure about that. I have been unable to make a decision about window treatments in one small bedroom and it’s making me crazy. It’s making me insane. I just can’t get it. My dilemma is the bedroom is small and the windows are huge. Any treatment is going to overwhelm the room, so… I guess I want something that will blend with the walls.

[rosarugosa]

Yeah I’m not sure about that. I have been unable to make a decision about window treatments in one small bedroom and it’s making me crazy. It’s making me insane. I just can’t get it. My dilemma is the bedroom is small and the windows are huge. Any treatment is going to overwhelm the room, so… I guess I want something that will blend with the walls.

If you provide pictures, we can give you our unsolicited advice!

[iris lilies]

If you provide pictures, we can give you our unsolicited advice!
Well fine, you asked for them!

this small bungalow bedroom has two big windows.

For decor, the only thing that remains in this room in its final iteration is the black four poster bed. Accessories will come later. I love this bed, I wanted a four poster bed that has very delicate scale for this small room and we got it used for $50. Score!

The color theme for this room is blue and black.

So here’s the challenge: the windows need blinds, and those blinds will always be down. That’s just a fact of life, the blinds will never be raised . This current set of blinds are poorly fitted and I can’t stand them, so they have to go.

The obvious answer is get blue shades and paint walls a color to match. That’s where I am right now after going full circle away from it.

I played with idea of fabric swags over the current blinds, and then incorporating that fabric into bedding, but I don’t want the fabric window toppers to overwhelm the room because these are WIDE windows, like 52 inches wide. but I haven’t given up entirely the idea of swag toppers as long as I use a quiet fabric. Have already received fabric samples from online fabric sources. There is one fabric that’s a possibility.

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[catherine]

I would go with blue light-filtering cellular shades if you want shades down all the time but you still want some light as well as privacy. They also help to insulate the room against cold and heat.

https://www.selectblinds.com/cellular-shades/minimalist-light-filtering-cellulars.html?ColorId=6402

Or Roman shades, but that would probably mean you'll have a very dark room.

I have sage green cellulars in my office and I have them down most of the time because the sun comes in so strong it sometimes hurts my eyes. Yet, the room doesn't feel dark to me.

[iris lilies]

I would go with blue light-filtering cellular shades if you want shades down all the time but you still want some light as well as privacy. They also help to insulate the room against cold and heat.

https://www.selectblinds.com/cellular-shades/minimalist-light-filtering-cellulars.html?ColorId=6402

Or Roman shades, but that would probably mean you'll have a very dark room.

I have sage green cellulars in my office and I have them down most of the time because the sun comes in so strong it sometimes hurts my eyes. Yet, the room doesn't feel dark to me.

Roman shades are super popular right now, and that was my first thought, but I do have some hesitations.

My hesitations are that I’m not sure how the shades look when they are down. Their pleasing crip folds probably are not apparent in the down position.98% of the photos you see of Roman shades show them halfway covering the window.

Every time I price Roman shades for these wide windows I come up with horrific prices like $350, $ 450 $500amd that is PER WINDOW. Ack!!!! I’ve watched videos on how to make them but the mechanics confuse me although DH could help me with that. I can sew straight lines, but all of the manipulation of the fabric to create the folds just confuse me.

for some reason, honeycomb shades give me the icks. Not sure why and maybe I can get over that.

so I have been looking at slat shades like those currently at the window, only properly fitted ones that are the color blue. When I look at colors, they are also very expensive and there is a very limited color choice. Circle circle circles, going around in circles I am.

[iris lilies]

OK and another decorating issue is a rant. For more than a year, I was looking at a particular piece of art, an illustration from an old cover of House and Garden magazine to get for my kitchen. I love it! It is bold and gives vintage vibes and has pretty flowers. So I was waiting for DH to finish the walls in the kitchen. Now they’re done.

On December 30 I sat down to order the print and guess what!??! Art.com no longer carries it. My theory is their contract for reproducing those images ran out at the end of calendar year 2023. What a giant pain in the ass. So I’ve spent two days searching the art reproduction sites because I want something vintage, and I found something, but I don’t love it like I love the original choice.


Here is my original choice which I can no longer get. Rest in peace you big beautiful illustration .

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[catherine]

How's this?

https://condenaststore.com/featured/house-and-garden-garden-furnishing-number-cover-ethel-franklin-betts-baines.html

[iris lilies]

How's this?

https://condenaststore.com/featured/house-and-garden-garden-furnishing-number-cover-ethel-franklin-betts-baines.html

you are my hero! OK this outfit is asking $200 more than art.com wanted. For the size I want it’s $525 but damn I do love that image! You know what,—I probably will buy it. Thanks so much! If I buy it I’ll show you what it looks like in my kitchen when hung.

and I have even already purchased another image, but that’s OK. I can probably use that one elsewhere.

really, thanks so much!

[catherine]

you are my hero! OK this outfit is asking $200 more than art.com wanted. For the size I want it’s $525 but damn I do love that image! You know what,—I probably will buy it. Thanks so much! If I buy it I’ll show you what it looks like in my kitchen when hung.

and I have even already purchased another image, but that’s OK. I can probably use that one elsewhere.

really, thanks so much!

My pleasure, IL!! DH used to work for Condé Nast and I have a subscription to House and Garden so I figured it would be best to go right to the top! I definitely want to see it in your kitchen!