the 4408 files

2011-09-16T17:23:00.002-05:00

2011-09-16T17:14:00.002-05:00

2011-09-16T17:11:00.002-05:00

2011-09-16T17:09:00.002-05:00

the floors - part one

2011-08-16T19:29:00.000-05:00

I'm about a week behind with construction updates... deadlines at work...

Monday, August 8th
... the moisture content of the wood and subfloor finally dropped to acceptable levels! Hallelujah!
Installation took 2 1/2 days...

... as throughout the rest of the house, White Oak is the wood of choice... when you have a piano and a St. Bernard, you go for the strongest and most durable wood species... no questions asked...

... the staircase, however, is a combination of Red Oak and Poplar. We ended up going with Red Oak for the treads and newel post since the original wood paneling is Red Oak... we wanted to stay consistent... 'softness' isn't a big deal for the stairs. In appearance, the only major difference between the treads and the floors is that the treads will show more 'graining pattern' once stained...

... we are still trying to figure out what to do for a handrail and upstairs guardrail.

Wednesday, August 10th
Installation complete and sanding has begun...

... sanding the stairs and floors took about 1 1/2 days.

We have a couple critical details to figure out in the vestibule... first being the front door threshold. The floor is approximately 1/2" below the original stone threshold... originally the floor in the vestibule was approximately 1/2" higher than the floor in the living room... that is not the case any longer. A transitional wood threshold piece would not have worked... so, what to do...

... not much? The second detail is the front door framing... big gaps all around the door. We need to get some weather stripping, specifically some type of metal stripping for the threshold... otherwise we'll have a wind blown snow bank inside the vestibule, like we did last winter...

Thursday, August 11th
1/2 day of sanding and 1/2 day staining the floors... but...
... which stain color do we go with... Neutral, like the Kitchen and Dining Room? or Rosewood, like the upstairs... which means refinishing the Dining Room and Kitchen? We've been chewing on this decision since July 5th... Rosewood or Neutral? Neutral or Rosewood? Bryan favoring Neutral... I favoring Rosewood... yet both unconvinced...

... when we did the floors upstairs, we went with Rosewood. The upstairs is quite bright, lots of sunlight thanks to plentiful windows and skylights... the Rosewood stain seemed fitting for the house... rich in color... suited for our urban turn-of-the-century rowhouse. However, when we started working on the downstairs, we were concerned the Rosewood would be too dark... the downstairs didn't have as much sunlight as the upstairs (no longer the case... we added 5 windows)... and with the kitchen cabinets being Cherry, we thought having Neutral White Oak floors would be a nice contrast, plus 'lighten' the space...

Neutral

Rosewood
... we figured we could either refinish the upstairs floors or transition with the stairs somehow, the upstairs floors one color and the entire downstairs another... it wouldn't be that bad, especially since both are the same type of wood... but then we really started thinking about it... refinishing the upstairs floors was out of the question... and having one color upstairs and another downstairs... it would bother us... I know it would... so Rosewood won... even though it meant refinishing the dining room and kitchen floors...

... same selections as upstairs... stain is a dry application (wet application = two shades darker) of one coat of Dura Seal Penetrating Finish in Rosewood and finish is two coats of Dura Seal Polyurethane. Downstairs we had gone with water based vs polyurethane... big mistake. After 2 1/2 years, the floors look worn... kind of glad we are refinishing them!

Friday, August 12th
First coat of polyurethane...

Saturday, August 13th
Buffing and second coat of polyurethane were supposed to happen... however the polyurethane was not dry enough, and Rob was concerned about damaging the stain... so...

Monday, August 15th
Buffing and second coat of polyurethane applied...

... pretty!
The photo does not do the floors justice... however, since at the time this photo was taken we could not walk on the floors yet, my camera angle was a bit limited.

I kind of don't want to move much furniture back in... maybe just a chair and side table... but such is not the case, since this morning all the furniture we had moved into the dining room and kitchen, and more, moved back into the living room so that Rob could start sanding and staining the other half of the first floor...

the vestibule door

2011-08-06T16:57:00.000-05:00

heat + humidity = delay in wood floor installation... time for some serious A/C action

2011-08-06T16:55:00.002-05:00

... the wood floor strips were delivered to the house Friday, July 29th. The plan was for them to acclimate over the weekend, and for Rob, the floor guy, to return Monday morning to start installation... Well, the crazy hot and humid heat wave hit and didn't stop... and we don't/didn't have A/C in the house... so when Rob returned Monday morning, he found the wood strips to have 10% to 11% moisture content... they are supposed to be at 5% to 6% MAX. As a result, installation was postponed until we get the moisture content down to where it needed to be...

Step One: Get a de-humidifier running 24/7 near the wood...

Luckily we had one in the basement (courtesy of the previous owner... best find in the house... it has come in handy so very many times!)... so we brought it up and started running the baby... it had to be emptied twice daily... that's how much moisture was in the air!

Step Two: Get window A/C units running pronto...

We had an old, somewhat functioning, ghetto window unit down in the basement, so we cleaned it off, brought it up and installed it temporarily in the gangway window... temporarily since our windows aren't meant for window A/C units. First off, they are too wide... if they were to be a 'permanent' fix/cooling means, we would need to construct side panels to fit b/w the A/C unit and the window jambs. The other problem is the sill... over 1/2 of the windows in the house are aluminum replacement windows... and they have this 2" lip on the sill which doesn't allow for the window A/C unit to sit properly. In any case, we 'temporarily' installed the window unit...

... the combination of the dehumidifier and the window A/C unit got the temperature down to 84 degrees and the humidity level to 51%... but that wasn't enough...

... we needed the humidity down to 45% or less.

Step Three: Time to get SERIOUS
... we ended up biting the bullet and getting a whole-house A/C unit installed. We were hoping to put it off until next summer... but since we had the duct work already installed, we just needed to get a new e-coil and outside unit...
... ha ha, "just".... funny.

Since our furnace was installed by Four Seasons, we opted to go with them for the A/C unit (plus they gave us a competitive price). We decided to place the unit in the gangway (it's compact and relatively quiet)... installation took about 4 hours...

... this is the first house I've lived in that has central A/C... air conditioning, I'm not crazy about it... I much rather have open windows with natural ventilation... however, on a 95 degree day with 70% humidity and a heat index of 115 degrees... it's love.

the front door

2011-08-06T16:49:00.002-05:00

... gaps and chips have been repaired with bondo and wood filler...

... the existing bottom kick-plate panel was in horrid condition... beyond the abilites of bondo and wood filler aid... so, approximately 1/4" to 1/2" thickness was removed/cut/sanded-off and a new 'veneer' was installed.

The door hardware was also installed (finally!)...

... we purchased all of the hardware (for the front door, vestibule door and closet door) thru Clark & Barlow. We ended up going with Emtek... solid quality, clean design... and affordable. Given we had existing holes for the key lock and door knob, our options for the entryset were somewhat limited... our first choice was Lugano, a mortise entryset. We discovered it would have required re-working door quite a bit more, plus it was double the cost of a non-mortise lock, so sadly, it fell out of the running... We ended up getting the Orion in Satin Nickel, with a round knob vs a lever on the inside...

... it works well and looks nice... the lock still needs a bit of work, but it will be completed once they finish restoring the trim and door frame/jamb.

a hidden lintel, doors, and drywall...

2011-08-06T16:22:00.001-05:00

As mentioned in the previous post, the new basement door just needed a lintel and some painting...

... we were at work while they were installing the lintel, so I wasn't able to take any photos of the installation... you will just have to trust me that there are two 4'-0" long steel angles, back to back, behind that brick, above the basement door...

... we also had them paint the door - Behr 'Black Bean'.
CORRECTION... I had them paint the door... and it was a mistake (you were right, Bryan)... they did a very sloppy job... plus they painted the inside of the door, and even though the color looks good on the outside, it's too dark for inside... oh well... something we'll have to tackle on a rainy day.

The front door is fully stripped... plus the glass was taken out... replacement glass should arrive mid-next week... in the meantime, some plywood sheets were tacked on temporarily...

... the locks and door knob were also removed while stripping... lock was replaced (upside down... wtf?)... but door knob was not, so Bryan had to fashion a temporary door knob out of a knotted dish cloth and duct tape... he's the engineer...

... it works!

Vestibule door was patched with bondo and wood filler, awaiting re-installation...

Stair installation is almost complete... wood paneling is pretty much stripped clean... except for the closet door...

... closet door still needs some cleaning up and new hardware.

Drywall is up, taped, mudded and primed... a huge feat since the heat and humidity were making mudding and priming quite difficult...

... getting there...

doors

2011-08-06T15:55:00.001-05:00

I stopped counting days... things were moving along at a fast pace, however the past week things have slowed down a bit... more on that later... in the meantime... DOORS.

Part of the living room gut-rehab scope is the vestibule... which includes the vestibule door and the exterior front door. The guy who did our stairs also does doors (he's a woodworker), so he's agreed to fix up/partially restore both the front door and the vestibule door...

The existing front door needed lots of work... chips, cracked wood, missing pieces... mulitple locks... security glass, of which one panel was cracked... layer upon layer of paint, blistering and cracking...
Bo's dad, Jarek, started the process of stripping the doors... front door being the biggest challenge...

Vestibule door only needs a bit of touching up, following the paint stripping...

... the doors are incredibly heavy, so we are stripping the existing hinges and reusing them, since they were specially made for those doors.

While on the subject of doors... we decided to go ahead and tackle the basement door and lintel now vs later... things were already covered in plastic... plus we may get ambitious and decide to build a deck/balcony in September... however, the primary reason we decided to this now vs later is the fact that the existing basement door had NO lintel above it, despite the fact that there was significant weight resting on it... and we have started to see a few hairline cracks in the grout above the door... plus we needed a new basement door (the existing door wouldn't stay closed and could not be locked from the outside).

We picked up a Jeldwen door at Home Depot... not a huge selection, plus our budget was very tight... but we managed to find something... we decided to get a door with windows, to allow some natural light into the basement... best. decision. ever.

... lintel still to be installed... and door still to be painted.

days 14 and 15 - still drywalling and building stairs...

2011-07-29T16:17:00.002-05:00

view from vestibule - looking west

view towards vestibule/front window - looking east

vestibule

... work on the doors starts Monday. All doors need attention, however the front door and respective exterior trim are in extremely bad shape (not to mention to non-existant interior trim). Exterior trim will be sanded and partially replaced... Front door will be sanded, gaps/chips/old hardware holes plugged, sanded and filled smooth with wood filler/bondo, new glass installed, new hardware holes bored and new hardware (including mail slot) installed. Since refinishing for a stained wood finish would require major restoration and reveneering, which is way out of our budget, we are going to keep the trim and door (outside and inside surface) painted (Sherwin Williams "Iron Ore")... we like how it looks painted anyway, so win-win on this one! Vestibule door isn't in very bad shape, so it will be sanded, gaps/chips filled with wood filler/bondo, new hardwared installed, and painted (Sherwin Williams "Dover White").

In addition to the doors, the wood panel fascia and closet door will be sanded and primed for painting beginning of next week...

stair / closet under stair

... we had a bit of a 'failure to communicate' situation with Bo's dad, who is currently working solo on the stairs... As mentioned in a previous post, while demolishing the stair, the newel post and base surround/fascia were discovered to be unsalvagable. We figured out a way to rebuild both, within our budget... however, it appears as though the details got lost in translation... or just blatantly ignored. The first step was supposed to be 'built-in'/wrap-around/enclosed by the vertical base fascia... Instead, Bo's dad took liberty to design, and construct, another option.

... not cool, Bo's dad, not cool... especially since your option looks like ass...

After a bit of heated discourse, we decided to let this slide... we can always do a bit of altering later... it's just not worth the added aggrevation/delay in schedule to rebuild... moving on...

day 13 - all about the drywall and stairs...

2011-07-27T20:12:00.001-05:00

The drywallers have moved in... and they are moving fast... in fact, they are still at the house, drywalling, as I write this... they are on a mission and motivated...

... meanwhile, the stairs are slowly moving along... the quality of the work is phenomenal (shout out to Bo and his dad)..

... the treads are red oak and will be stained the same color as the floor... the risers and stringers are poplar, and will be painted... Sherwin Williams Dover White, of course!

Impressive detailing...

I wish we could afford to have them completely refinish the wood paneling and newel post... however, the cost was astronomical... So, instead, we are just having them sand the wood paneling down a bit, so that we can paint the wood, nice and smooth... Sherwin Williams Dover White... same as the risers and stringers...

... the newel post is posing quite a challenge though... originally, our plan was to sand it down as well, and repaint it... However, in demolishing the stair, which included the handrail and fascia for the base (both unsalvagable), the newel post lost bits and pieces of itself... and to restore it is sadly out of our budget...

... since it is an integral piece of the wood paneling, it's not going anywhere... So, the new plan is to encase it in red oak and construct a newel post around the original... we'll see how that creative endeavor goes...

Our other little creative endeavor is a sistered joist/beam that straddles both the dining room and living room. The ceiling in the dining room is a good 12" to 18" or so lower than the living room... alas, the now visible joist/beam, which previously had been nicely concealed in the ceiling. The drywall guys took it upon themselves to detail how the drywall wraps the beam/beam expression in the living room...

... um, yeah, no.

days 10, 11 and 12 - insulation in, drywall started and the stairs... gone?

2011-07-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

... construction progress is moving fast now...

view east

view west

Insulation took about a day and a half/two days to install... days 10 and 11.
Since we live in a very narrow house, and since in the living room, both long walls are party walls shared with our neighbors, our overall insulation value is quite good... the only two walls that needed to be beefed up (6" with combination rigid and batt insulation) were the short walls - the east wall (front picture window/entry door wall) and the diagonal northwest wall (small window looking into the gangway). As for the long party walls, our primary concern was acoustics. Since we were trying to maximize our narrow space constraints, we placed the 2x4 framing in long direction vs the typ. short (deeper) direction... We then placed 1" thick rigid insulation b/w the framing strips... we did the same thing upstairs and it has worked well.

On day 12, yesterday, Jose and his crew finished framing out the firebox with cement board and got quite a bit of the drywall up... and Bo and his crew started on the stairs.

I was expecting to come home to find the treads and risers missing, however the rest of the staircase (stringers and surround) intact... that was not the case... except for the newel post and wood paneling/closet door, and a couple of random surround pieces we found stashed away in our living quarters beyond the plastic, all elements of the stair were GONE...

... wow. That was unexpected...
Everything got cleared up this morning... stringers will be rebuilt today, in addition to starting the treads and risers... and hopefully we'll be able to get back upstairs via stairs by Thursday...

... but... let's get back to the firebox/fireplace.
As I mentioned in a previous post, rebuilding the existing fireplace would have been ideal... it was compact, wood burning... a true fireplace. Unfortunately our budget did not allow for such, so if we wanted to have a fireplace, our only option was to install a ventless gas firebox... since fireplaces are cozy and a must in an 1880s home... we figured it should be okay... the firebox could be partially installed in the opening of the existing/old fireplace, saving on precious floor space... and we'll make it look as built-in as possible... even though it is gas... well... the firebox could not be installed in the existing opening, not even partially... so... as for making it look 'built-in'...

... this should be interesting.

day 9 - a little more framing and furring...

2011-07-26T12:18:00.000-05:00

view east

view west

days 7 and 8 - electrical...

2011-07-26T12:05:00.000-05:00

... fairly straight forward, fast and without glitches. Hallelujah.

Our lighting plan, and selection, was driven by budget... therefore, we opted to go with Halo recessed can lights and Lutron switches (courtesy of the Home Depot). We did splurge a little on the trim... instead of baffle, most of the fixtures will have an eyeball trim piece... we then can direct the light at artwork and such and get all archi-artsy-fancy-shmancy... class.

For recessed cans, Juno would have been the preferred choice, but it priced out at twice the cost... the ideal lighting plan involved hidden cove lighting (no one likes a swiss cheese ceiling), a few 3" halogen can fixtures, and a couple of pendants... however, that priced out at five times the cost... we had discovered long ago, when we first started renovating, that our 'ideal' plan/design will never be an option, so switching over to the el cheapo option wasn't too heartbreaking, although it did renew my motivation to play weekly Powerball.

Since there is still a lot of construction dust to be had (drywall, wood floors, etc.), the electrician put in some temporary switches... since the Lutron switches are somewhat pricey, better to preserve them a bit...
He also managed to locate a new mail holder for us too...

... not sure how I feel about this.

it's dogone fun during construction...

2011-07-14T19:26:00.000-05:00

On days when there are (multiple) workers at the house, running back and forth from the living room to the basement, using noisy power tools, creating and kicking up dust, we take Charlevoix to Dogone Fun for the day...
We take her there for boarding whenever we go out of town, in addition to grooming, whenever she needs some serious shed management or a good haircut... They offer 'doggie daycare' and she loves it, although now that she is in her golden years, she a bit more lazy than she used to be... they have these webcams set up so that you can observe the dogs in the various playlots during the day... so, I checked in on Charlevoix, from time to time, to see what she was up to...

... apparently she's got a new boyfriend... Sammy, the Newfoundland... I met him the other day... he's cute.

day 6 - the return of power and the joy of tuckpointing...

2011-07-14T19:07:00.004-05:00

The power came back on in the middle of the night... oh happy hum of power tools! I love me a power outage as much as the next person... strike that... clarification... I love me a summertime power outage as much as the next person... winter = no heat, and that's not cool... but let's get back to the summer power outages...
... no tv... no lights... sitting outside, watching the lightening bugs light up the sky as the sun sets... the smell of a freezer full of barbequed meat wafting from every single neighbors' yard... it's kind of fun...
However... when you are in the middle of gut-rehabbing, while on a tight schedule... well... during those times... I'm not feeling the love.We were lucky... there were many people without power for a couple of days... that was one bad ass storm front... hurricane force winds... knocked down trees all over Chicago... I always get sad when I see a knocked down tree... ... I digress... Day 6... construction... it was all about tuckpointing... and a little bit about framing. There wasn't a great amount of tuckpointing to do... but quite a few patches here and there...

... the attention areas were primarily around the ceiling joists... in addition to a few areas around the windows and chimney bump-outs...

Originally, we were planning on furring out all the walls with new 2x4s, placed along the original furring strips... partly for insulation purposes... but mostly because the original furring strips are flush with the outer edge of the foundation wall... the foundation wall is slightly higher than the subfloor, so instead of raising the subfloor, it's easier and more cost-effective to add additional framing/furring to the walls, so that the drywall will rest on the new plywood subfloor, rather than the foundation wall... however, the south wall is proving to be a problem...

... the front door frame requires that the drywall be secured to the original furring strips... if not, it will overlap the door frame by a few inches... so... that means that the top of the foundation wall in the vestibule must be chisled down so that the new subfloor meets the original furring strips = lots of work.
Jose's crew managed to start a bit of framing, however a couple items need attention...

... the previous owner of the house took out all the radiators and put in forced air heating... as a result, we have these poorly planned ducts traversing in the most inconvenient and illogical locations, one being between the front door and the large front window. The duct is enormous, and therefore, has a large radius when it turns to feed the second floor register... that radius has to decrease so that the box-out framing for that duct can decrease... it eats up way too much valuable space in the living room.
The second item is the register near the vestibule door... needs to shift a bit to accomodate the straightening of the vestibule wall.

To be continued...

day 5 - rebuilding the chimney with power outage...

2011-07-11T21:13:00.001-05:00

... yup... a power outage... really...

Week from hell... both B and I have deadlines at work... B has the Chicago to Mackinac race this weekend... construction schedule is very tight... electrician starts Wednesday, and he's squeezing us in, so we can't push his start date... Jose and his crew still have to do a bit of tuckpointing on the interior, and finish furring, in some cases framing, the walls, so that the electrician has something to which to attach the conduit...

... so, of course, at 8:30am a storm front would have to blow thru, with winds of 85mph, knocking out power to over half a million homes in Chicago, including ours... and of course ComEd would continue to notify us all day that they don't have an estimated time for power to be restored... could be 12 hours... could be 48 hours... could be 72 hours...

Jose and his crew are returning tomorrow morning with a generator... and ass will have to be hauled in order to be ready Wednesday for the electrician...

The day was not lost... the sun came out and chimney master Giovanni showed up with his side kick Cesar, plus 2 other guys (who kept changing the subject when I asked them their names... should I be concerned???), and built a brand new masonry beauty...

... Giovanni constructed a little tent around the chimney, to (somewhat) help provide some shade... given it was about 95 degrees today on the street, it about 195 degrees on the roof...

... this is Cesar. He's my new best friend... he is the happiest man... he doesn't speak much english yet I managed to have a 30 minute conversation with him...

... he gave me a hug after they packed up and were ready to go... the man radiates happiness.

We still will have to add caps atop the chimney stacks... there are four total within that one chimney... two feed our house and two feed our neighbor's house... we'll deal with those in August (Giovanni is going on vacation for three weeks starting this Thursday... I want a three week vacation... ).

Given the power outage, plus a few other surprises, tweaks, and add-ons, the construction schedule has been revised a bit:

... still on track with completion date!

day 4 - the subfloor, start of the fireplace and a surprise...

2011-07-10T21:32:00.003-05:00

The floor joists are level and the new subfloor is in...

... the fireplace is partially installed... the gas line is in, and the framing is partially complete... tomorrow the firebox will be hooked up to the gas... burner will be installed once the dusty work is complete (drywall and wood floor installation).

View looking east... look at that new subfloor...

... I kind of like the living room without the vestibule... it seems SO much larger and more open.
Unfortunately, we kind of need the vestibule... even though we will be refinishing the front door, its insulation value is not, nor will be, that of a new door... and we can't afford a new door (given shape and size, the door would have to be custom made... estimates came in ranging from $8K to $15K... yes, you read that correctly)... so...
In addition, we have the Charlevoix factor... she turns into Cujo when the mailman drops the post thru the mail slot... the closed off vestibule keeps her away from the mail slot and away from the mailman's hands...
Finally, the vestibule niche will provide a small area in which we can hang coats and deposit shoes...
... so, the vestibule stays...

SO... you know how I previously mentioned our concern about that possibly collapsed chimney, due to the debris we found in the demolished fireplace? Well, since the fireplace guy was at the house, installing the fireplace, I had him take a look at the chimney...
The good news was no collapse occured during demolition.
The bad news... the chimney was about to collapse due to age and water infiltration...

... this explains why we were getting water damage down the furnace flue stack and all that salt residue/corrosion on the basement masonry wall...

... could remove chunks by hand... very ugly situation indeed...

... see that bubbling? It's buckling...

B was working on the boat, so I gave him a call with the news... he didn't believe me at first, but after I emailed the photos to him, he called back and with a quiet, somber voice sighed, "... we need to rebuild the thing... sh*%."

The chimney sub took pity on us and gave us a bit of a price break (I think this may be because while at our house, he got some additional work on our neighbors house... turns out she has a tree growing out of her chimney/parapet... I kind of felt better after hearing that news... does that make me a bad person???).
Old chimney has been knocked down and the new one is being built tomorrow....

I have a feeling this isn't the end of the chimney drama... we will have to have the furnace guy inspect the flue/liner... do I dare be optimistic and hope for the best? I'm guessing no...
... and you wonder how I became so cynical....

day 3 recap - demo complete!

2011-07-10T21:06:00.001-05:00

Day 3 ended with the completion of demo... yay!

SHOCKINGLY, all the floor joists are in great shape... unbelievable, I know!

There are a couple of minor repair items that surfaced:
+ the framing around the light well exterior window needs attention (a bit rotted)
and
+ a few areas of the masonry walls need a bit of tuckpointing

The floors have definitely sagged/settled a bit over the years, so leveling will be needed...

... but overall, the centurian floor joists are looking good!

Under each fireplace tile hearth, we discovered thick concrete beds/slabs... those have been taken out...

... while demo-ing the concrete, some of the framing/blocking got knocked out, so that will need to be repaired...

The closet under the stairs has also been demo-ed, revealing the structure of the stair...

... and as suspected... new treads and risers are needed asap...

The vestibule walls are now gone, along with the tile floor...

... and under the tile floor, there was also a thick concrete bed/slab...

... now gone as well.

day two recap - demo continued...

2011-07-07T09:38:00.003-05:00

... in addition to two (2) layers of plaster walls, turns out we had not two (2), as previously mentioned, but three (3)... yes, T-H-R-E-E... layers of plaster ceilings... so, yesterday was devoted to finishing up ceiling demolition.

The good news:
+ all of the 120+ year old beams/2nd floor joists are in great shape...

The bad news:
+ during ceiling demo, the plastic around the stairwell fell
+ when the plastic fell, it also ripped
+ the demo guys kind of tacked the fallen plastic back up with 3 nails (vs the 300 staples we had used)
+ 3 layers of plaster ceilings = epic amounts of plaster dust
+ dust travels

We came home to horrific amounts of dust covering not only the area under construction, which was expected, but also back half of the first floor that isn't under construction AND the entire upstairs...

... if yesterday's dust were a movie, it would have been rated NC-17...

I didn't take any photos, since I spent the night cleaning (4 1/2 hours and not even close to clean)...
... but, I thought the following clip (a favorite 80s old-school classic) sums up our daily chaos perfectly...

Phase MMXI: day one recap - demo

2011-07-06T15:02:00.003-05:00

The front bay window is in good shape and so it stays (phew!)... trim will go though...

The entry vestibule... doors are to be refinished...

We suspected there was a fireplace covered up near the front window... and there was... and it's collapsing... only partially though, so I guess we got lucky... no matter... given we can't even afford to restore one fireplace, the second one is not happening...

The primary fireplace... where we are installing a new ventless gas firebox (it's killing me, but no wood-burning turn-of-the-century marble fireplace charm is to be had... unless we win the lotto in the next two days)...
... note the fully collapsed masonry inside the fireplace? ... now THAT is more our style... none of this partial deteriorating business...

... that white film on the floor? Dust... dirty nasty gritty demolition dust (primarily from plaster)... and yes, it has managed to infiltrate the entire house, despite the plastic... which we knew it would... but, the plastic did help keep it under control a bit...

Note the ceiling... we had two... the first ceiling (deteriorating and very poorly installed drywall) was slapped onto the original plaster ceiling (which is in horrid shape as you can tell from the photos)... first ceiling is gone... original ceiling still to go...

... how many more days left of construction?

living in a ziploc...

2011-07-06T14:28:00.000-05:00

... the plastic is back.

I hate the plastic... let me explain... in and of itself it's harmless... it actually could be a vehicle of creativity... I could have pulled a Christo and gotten all artsy-fartsy in wrapping, covering and plastifying the house during construction prep... that would have been fun... I could have documented it Gordon Matta-Clark style... that would lead me to continue documenting (in a creative and aesthetically challenging yet appealing manner) the entire gut-rehab process... two or so years from now, my creative documentation would be awarded a Graham Foundation Grant... which would lead me to publish a book... I would transition into teaching, while working with non-profits, schools, galleries and design centers, all the while continuing on independent studies and projects from my home office/studio... the sun would shine... it would be in the 70s every day... everyone and the world would be happy and healthy...

Unfortunately, that's not happening... and it's because the plastic means layer upon layer of dirty dirty construction dust veiled upon everything and then some... it means surprises... expensive surprises... it means weeks of cleaning and still having dust floating around, with attitude, six months from now... it's exhausting the first time around, let alone the fourth... I hate the plastic.

... but I'm giving it one more shot...

Dear Plastic,
I'm afraid our relationship has soured over the years... I think it's time we part ways...
However, before we do, I'm giving you one more chance...
We have called upon you one last time, to protect and serve... save us from the dust...
Yours truly,
I.

Phase MMXI: living room, vestibule and stair gut-rehab

2011-07-06T13:46:00.004-05:00

... has begun.

Scope:
+ complete demo (existing walls, ceiling, floors, fireplace... down to the studs)
+ repair floor and ceiling joists
+ install new subfloor
+ install new ventless fireplace, floor plate and fireplace surround
+ install new electrical (fixtures, switches, outlets, phone jacks, doorbell)
+ install new insulation
+ install new drywall (walls and ceiling)
+ repair stairs (rebuild stringer, new treads and risers, sand/refinish wood paneling)
(when budget/savings permit: install handrail and guardrail)
+ install new wood floors
+ refinish front door and vestibule door
+ retile vestibule
+ misc. (paint, install trim, fit-out closet under stairs, install window shades, make it pretty, etc.)

Schedule:

... no more ghetto living room... hard to believe... with your duct-taped carpet, surface mounted electrical conduit, track lighting from the 70s and stairs that are 'this-close' to collapsing... I'm actually going to kind of miss you... but not really...

weekend to-do list

2011-06-04T09:13:00.002-05:00

FINALLY, summer... you have arrived!
... it took you long enough... for awhile, I was starting to think that you were going to pull a spring with a no-show... it's okay... all is forgiven, as long as you stick around until late October... deal?

Lots to get done this weekend...

GO TO:
+ ~~Home Depot (sand, grass seed, mulch)~~
+ ~~Target~~
+ ~~grocery shopping~~

OUTSIDE:
+ ~~plant flowers in all the planters and pots and feed roses~~
+ re-plant Cotoneasters
+ ~~re-plant jade plant and green leafer into larger pots~~
+ level pavers / fill gaps with soil and grass seed (Bryan's working on it... )
+ paint lampost and housing/casing (July 4th weekend project)

GENERAL:
+ ~~meet with A/C subs for estimates (3 scheduled)~~
+ ~~figure out back deck design and complete drawings~~ (in-progress)
+ ~~call fence sub to find out if they could pour footings for deck (save us from renting an auger)~~
+ organize bookshelves (~~dining room~~, bedroom, study) (to be completed during the week of June 6th)
+ ~~organize/clean out closet~~
+ install hardware on basement cabinets
+ ~~organize/clean-up laundry area~~
+ ~~bag-up items for Salvation Army~~
+ ~~clean house~~
+ ~~laundry~~
+ ~~catch up with emails~~
+ ~~finish at least 1 of the 4 books I'm reading (realistic goals here... )~~

8 years of floor plans...

2011-05-04T14:02:00.001-05:00

This past March marked our 8th year at 4408... eight years... EIGHT YEARS?!?!

... hard to believe... so much has happened during the course of those eight years... yet... we are STILL not finished gut-rehabbing!

... then again, when are you ever truly finished? I'm starting to wax philosophical...

We have a very ambitious (and exciting!) to-do list planned for this year (and, most likely, into next), hinging on finances, time and no major unforseen hurdles or potholes (... there will always be the unforseen, we just don't want major...).

While assessing what still needs to be done, budget and schedule, I compiled before/after (or rather, current status) plans of the house... basement, first floor, second floor and roof. They are somewhat schematic... I opted not to include electrical, mechanical and plumbing info on this post... who wants to see that stuff anyway?! I'll try and pull together a photo before/after series sometime soon as well...

BASEMENT

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

ROOF
(btw... the plans are flipped, in case you were a bit confused/disoriented... I clipped them from our Green Roof Grant Proposal document... )

... and still going strong!

some backyard eye candy...

2011-04-14T14:17:00.001-05:00

A few beautiful NYC urban gardens by Foras Studio.

... yo, warm weather... anytime you feel like making an appearance...

bookworm

2011-04-06T15:13:00.000-05:00

... in keeping with spring-cleaning efforts, I've been busy sorting thru/organizing books... lots and lots of books.... so very many books... we have too many... we're addicted...

In managing the addiction, I'm always on the hunt for library storage ideas... one of my favorites is Kartell's Bookworm. It's pricey... and it doesn't hold many books... but it's beautiful!

powder room sink options

2011-04-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

Option A:
Duravit Happy D. Handrinse Basin
$180.00

Option B:
Whitehuas Wall Mount Basin
$275.90

Option C:
Duravit D-Code Bathroom Sink
$92.00

... faucet options forthcoming.

the April to-do list...

2011-03-29T16:28:00.035-05:00

... Charlevoix's April to-do list?
+ Lounge on couch... done and doing.
+ Shed winter coat... getting it done while lounging on the couch.

Mine is a little longer...

GENERAL:
+ ~~Assemble Ikea Kassel storage boxes~~
+ Organize books/bookshelves (~~front bedroom~~, ~~study~~, dining room)
+ ~~Sort thru boxes upon boxes of STUFF from the Michigan house~~ (IN-PROGRESS)
+ ~~Figure out what to do with textiles~~
+ Wash windows (inside and out)
+ ~~Deep clean the house (top to bottom)~~
+ ~~Spackle misc. attention areas of walls~~
+ ~~Finish hanging artwork (downstairs and upstairs)~~
+ ~~Schedule Salvation Army Pick-Up~~
+ ~~Spring clean~~
+ Purchase a few planters/pots and replant plants that are currently in leaky pots

STUDY:
+ ~~Adjust shelves in closet~~
+ ~~Organize~~ (IN-PROGRESS)
+ ~~Paint and~~ hang pin-up boards
+ ~~Figure out,~~ and purchase, a wood top for hairpin desk legs (budget choice = Ikea; to be picked up next trip)

LIVING / DINING ROOMS:
+ ~~Assemble coffee table~~
+ Assemble pendant light fixture
+ ~~Replace burnt-out light bulbs~~
+ ~~Figure out when the Craigslist dude is picking up the giant wood ceiling panel~~
UPDATE: The Craigslist dude has gone M.I.A. (GASP! No... REALLY???) Oh well... the search for a new Craigslist dude has begun...
+ ~~Do a bit of creative re-arranging with some of the furniture~~
+ ~~Figure out what to do with the tv/media console hideousness~~
BASEMENT:
+ Organize laundry zone
+ Move misc. items to the basement (sewing machine, tool cart, glass panel)
+ Install cabinet hardware
+ ~~Purchase and~~ Hang smoke/CO2 detector
+ Finish outfitting basement powder room (mirror, shelves, hooks)
+ ~~Construct/~~Install hook rack
+ ~~Clean-out/Organize front-half~~ (IN-PROGRESS)
~~+ Coordinate with Craigslist dude as to when he is picking up the 2 skylights~~

OUTSIDE:
Front Yard
+ ~~Repair bird house that fell from branch~~ and re-hang
+ ~~Clean up front yard (rake up dead leaves, trim/cut down rose bushes, sweep and clean out basement stairwell)~~
+ ~~Trim tree branches~~
Back Yard
+ ~~Rake clear all dead grass in backyard and plant grass seed~~
+ ~~Plan of action for backyard (walkway, tree, plantings, etc.)~~
UPDATE:
Grass seed is not taking... more drastic measures will be required come May.
2011 Landscaping Plan complete. Follow-up in May.

FEELING AMBITIOUS AND IN-THE-MONEY:
+ Pick up Enje shades from Ikea and install them (needed in the dining room and upstairs)
+ ~~Price out~~, purchase and install sink/faucet in first floor powder room.

basement update...

2011-02-01T13:28:00.016-06:00

photo taken looking east... towards closed off nasty other half of basement.

Looking good... with our crazy tight budget, definite improvement... except for:

1) The electrical and plumbing connections for the washer and dryer.
They bother me to no end... visually, they disturb me. I'd even go so far to say that they are flat out offensive. They scream, "HEY THERE, YOOHOO! YEAH YOU... LOOK AT ME!!! I DISRUPT THE ENTIRE BASEMENT WITH MY INTESTINAL APPEARANCE...".

2) The mammoth piece of ductwork running the entire length of the basement.
How ugly can you get? ... why oh why, dear previous owner, would you place that thing smack down the middle? WHY?

... well, we needed the washer and dryer connections to be accessible... and as for the ductwork, it is just way too expensive to move... so, I'm just going to ignore them. You can too...
photo taken looking west... towards door to backyard.

The bathroom still needs a little attention:

... along with a somewhat long list of other items still to be addressed:

... not to mention some finishing touches, such as cabinet hardware, hooks, some additional shelves and storage solutions, artwork/posters, etc.... aka. the fun stuff!

basement progress...

2011-01-14T00:52:00.008-06:00

... slow... but getting there.

Plumbing roughed in. Electrical roughed in. Insulation in. Drywall is up, taped and mudded. Brick wall sanded and primed. Concrete floor patched. Tile floor starting to go in...

... yet still so much to do.
... not loving the tile... but it doesn't offend me, so I think we can learn to live in harmony. Budget ($1.07/sf) beat aesthetic (approx. $3/sf) this time around. It's the basement... I'm keeping perspective.
... we almost gave up on the bathroom. The existing WC booth was raised on a plywood platform... below the plywood was a sand subfloor... yes, sand. Actually, the entire basement floor has been quite the challenge... the existing concrete floor is only about 1" thick... Ideally, we would have loved to have just a nice, high quality, smooth and sealed concrete floor throughout the entire basement... we seriously considered digging up the existing floor, dropping it about 8" and re-pouring the concrete... that way we'd get (much needed) extra head clearance and a finished floor... but budget doesn't allow... $$$$$. Alas, the patching and $1.07/sf tile solution...

Washer and Dryer are scheduled to be delivered next week... stay tuned.

the basement - finishes

2011-01-10T11:42:00.002-06:00

Flooring: Home Depot - Marazzi Ceramic Tile, 12" x 12"= $1.07/SF

Ceiling: Home Depot - USG Ceilings, 2' x 2' Panels = approx. $2.00/SF

Paint: Sherwin Williams - Dover White

Washer/Dryer: Home Depot - Amana = $780. for both (super sale!)

Cabinets: Ikea - Akurum base cabinets with Applad panels, white

Countertop: Ikea - Pragel, white = approx. $6.00/SF

Sink: Ikea - Boholmen = $105.99

Faucet: Ikea - Alsvik or Ringskar, both $159.00

Shelves: Ikea - Lack = approx. $20.00/ea.

Doors and Hardware: Home Depot, tbd.

Basement Powder Room Faucets and Fixtures: Home Depot or Ikea or Fixture Universe.com, tbd

the basement

2010-12-23T20:31:00.010-06:00

existing plan

new plan

reflected ceiling / electrical plan

... it's time.

I've avoided talking about the basement... I've shirked from posting photos of it... it's a frightening, and embarassing, place... but, it's time to tackle it...

We use it to access the backyard... we use it for doing laundry... we use it as a construction workshop... and we could use it for organized and clean/dry storage (instead, it's a dumping ground)...

So, we have decided to tackle the back half... it will serve as kind of a 'mud room' entry from the backyard, with laundry area, storage closets and powder room. The front half, which houses the furnace and water heater, will be used as our 'workshop' and overflow storage, and will stay unfinished for now...

backyard landscaping - step one

2010-07-05T23:13:00.010-05:00

backyard fence

2010-07-05T23:11:00.003-05:00

start of a summer reading list...

2010-06-03T23:50:00.008-05:00

pocket strip wall organizer

2010-05-19T14:02:00.001-05:00

I could definitely use this...

thoughts on the backyard...

2010-05-04T17:11:00.006-05:00

tax refund = dining room pendant light (maybe)

2010-02-11T19:10:00.009-06:00

I love tax time... I used to dread it... I hated it... but now, given the interest we pay on our mortgage, in addition to Cook County real estate taxes, tax time offers.... THE GLORIOUS REFUND! ka-ching! ka-ching! ka-ching!

Actually, it's more like only one ka-ching!, but still... $$$.

In addition to stashing some cash in savings, a little bit of the refund is scheduled for cosmetic, but much needed, home improvements... Towards the top of the list - the dining room / kitchen light fixture situation.

Currently in the dining room, there is just a bare bulb in an exposed wire fixture socket... bare bulbs, when designed/installed with thought, can be used quite effectively in lighting, however the bulb situation in our dining room is not an example of such.

About 3 or 4 months back, we installed a red vintage Panton Topan Pendant in the kitchen. I grew up with it in my room. Originally, we were going to hang it in the study upstairs, however the kitchen needed a pendant over the island so I figured let's hang it in the kitchen for now. The pop of color is striking against the charcoal soapstone counters... HOWEVER, I stumbled upon the Topan Pendant in black and man, oh, man... that fixture would look NICE in the kitchen. Especially when lit... the inside has a copper glow. So, now I'm wondering do we get the Topan in black for the kitchen and move the red one upstairs to the study??? Hmmm....

First and foremost, which pendant should we go with for the dining room? We've narrowed it down to two choices - 1) the cost effective yet fun/edgy Patrick Townsend Orbit Chandelier OR 2) the OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive beautful yet never affordable so we'll have to find a used one on eBay or get a knock-off Artichoke Pendant by Louis Poulsen.

Photoshop mock-ups located above... Thoughts?

more inspiration

2009-11-10T21:08:00.004-06:00

... the Shapiro-Bigbie house in San Francisco.

inspiration

2009-11-10T20:56:00.004-06:00

The photos above are of a residence in Boston... sigh. Can I live here??? Please.

a few dining room pendant light options

2009-11-10T17:00:00.006-06:00

Autoban: Double Octopus

Tom Dixon Modern Beat Shade - Fat, Tall or Wide

Patrick Townsend: Orbit Chandelier

Caravaggio P4

status update

2009-07-09T22:46:00.010-05:00

The front garden is almost in full bloom. It has been a very cold and rainy summer, so unfortunately, the garden is not as lush and color-tastic as last year (don't get me started on this summer's weather, here in Chicago... I'm extremely bitter). In any case, we planted a few more additions (begonias, dahlias and petunias) to the roses, hydrangeas, lilies, astilbes and evergreen-leafy-berry ground cover plants whose name escapes me at this moment... the dahlias are doing well but the squirrels are snacking on the petunias... nasty tree-rats.

We rented a 20 yard dumpster around the 4th of July, taking advantage of the long weekend, using the extra days off to clean out the basement. We had about 8 months of constrution debris waiting to be hauled away. In addition, we had that random junk that tends to 'grow' and accumulate in one's basement... you know, broken beyond repair fans and toilets, 99% empty buckets of drywall joint compound, tools barely held together by duct tape, broomsticks without brooms, etc. I did not bother taking any photos of the basement... someday, maybe. You will just have to take my word... the basement looks a bizillion times better after losing 20 yards of junk in its trunk.

While de-junking we recovered numerous goodies we had stashed away 3 years ago, prior to starting construction on the 2nd floor. One such discovery were my parents' old director's chairs. They bought these chairs 30 or so years ago... the frames are nice and solid, with a nice patina of wear and age. I just have to get/make some covers for the chairs, which will be a bit of a project since these chairs are larger and wider than standard director's chairs on the market today (the original covers became threadbare and torn with wear so they were thrown out about 10 years ago by my parents, before I inherited the chairs).

Bought some plants for the kitchen... a jade plant, one of those spider-super-hardy-viney plants, herbs (oregano, basil, cilantro and lavender... still would like to get some mint) and some cut sunflowers...

... and Charlevoix... well, she has been having some 'fur management' issues. We're sill working on it...

different details

2009-07-09T21:38:00.006-05:00

Something a little non-house related... but still about details. via NYTimes and Style.com

details

2009-05-28T20:05:00.003-05:00

One of my biggest heartaches during our whole gut-rehab adventure has been that my dad wasn't able to see any of the major work completed. He was diagnosed with cancer soon after we purchased the house and within 2 years he was pretty much bed-ridden and unable to communicate very well. We had just started the major work on the second floor when he passed away... My dad gut-rehabbed 2 houses on his own... I learned from him and his work, but I cannot count how many times I have asked and continue to ask myself "how would dad detail this?" or wish that he was still alive so that he could come and critique all the details I screwed up (Jesus Christ... have you heard of a level? Who the hell hung the drywall? I'm getting motion sickness from the waves... (then with a smile and pat on the back) Looks good!!!!)

My mom has put their Michigan/summer house on the market... so I've been busy taking photos of the house whenever I go up there to visit... During my last visit I took lots and lots of photos of the front deck... lots of great little details to keep in mind when constructing our own deck (hopefully this summer). My dad had all these elegant little details/solutions stored away in his brain... God is in the details, right?

iron ore

2009-05-28T18:53:00.005-05:00

Since our existing front door is and has been in extremely bad shape, howling wear, tear and age... since we can't afford a new door this year... since our house looks a little schizophrenic with dark trim on the second floor and light trim on the first... since it's time to get things a little more 'finished'... we decided "for the time being" to spruce up the front door and downstairs window with a fresh coat (or 3) of paint...
BEFORE photo of the front door and downstairs front window, with cracked and peeling cream colored paint:

AFTER photo, with 2 coats of Sherwin Williams Iron Ore Eggshell Paint (1 or 2 more coats to go, plus a little detail painting at the door jamb and window screen trim):

I was toying with the idea of maybe painting the house numbers a pop-y color... If the door frame was chunkier, I'd say the door frame stays Iron Ore grey however the actual door gets painted a deep aubergine... but it is what it is for now, so for now, I've got the numbers... maybe.

cuckoo clock round-up

2009-05-28T13:19:00.008-05:00

Cuku City Clock

Albero (cucuruku) Clock

Birdhouse Cuckoo Clock

Cuckoo Clock by Pascal Tarabay

Cuckoo Clock by Tobias Reischle at MOMA

coat trees and hooks

2009-05-27T20:39:00.005-05:00

We have an Eames-Hang-It-All (I got it about 10 years ago), but we could still use some additional coat storage around the house... a few that have caught my eye:

Off the wall hooks at MOMA
Belleville Metal Coat Hanger
John Lewis Stamford Coat Stand

...and my favorite...

Hi Tripod Coat Stand

for those who just can't lie still while on the beach...

2009-05-27T20:32:00.004-05:00

... take a hint from Jim Denevan. His work reminds me of some of Andy Goldsworthy's pieces...

what's up?

2009-05-07T12:14:00.006-05:00

... not much. We have been kind of in a holding pattern... examining our list of 'things to do, complete and/or work on', then trying to figure out what we can actually afford to work on. Reality blows.

Anyway, during the past month, we've managed to:
+ stain the back door, door trim and window trim (Minwax Ipswich Pine 221 with protective top coat finish)
+ install can light fixture trim pieces
+ finish drywalling and mudding the basement stairwell and doorway/soffit (next up: priming and painting)
+ start on a temporary paint job for the living room stairs (since we won't be rehabbing the living room anytime soon, we'd like to at least 'clean it up ' a bit)

So what's next...

We're trying to figure out if we should:
A. Clean up the basement a bit and set up a laundry zone. Currently the clothes burning and energy hogging 1979 washer and dryer are located next to the furnace way way away from the basement stairs and in the area we'd like to use for storage and a 'workshop'. The thought was to move the NEW washer and dryer next to the basement stairs.
OR
B. Start fixing up the backyard (see previous post).

Our front yard is really lovely and we definitely use it, so it's not as though we are lacking outdoor space... but with a backyard, we could bbQ, Charlevoix would have (a little bit) of space to roam without a leash. Only problem is, the backyard project will run us about 3K + more than the basement laundry project.

With warm weather here (kind of), I'm really aching for the backyard... who cares about clean clothes, right??? Sigh.

springtime = backyard garden planning

2009-04-24T17:21:00.004-05:00

Now that it is FINALLY spring, and now that we have a back door, we've decided it's time to start tackling the backyard so that we (and Charlevoix) can actually USE it and ENJOY it this summer (= bbQs, margaritas, naps in a hammock and Charlevoix lounging in a kiddie pool).

After going back and forth with several ideas, and given our budget, we decided to keep it simple: fenced in paved patio, with a small wood deck (or rather, balcony - mainly just to provide access down to ground level), two small planter beds and a flowering tree. We decided to go with paving mostly for function - this way we can use the back as a patio AND for parking.

Construction kicks off in May... the garden/patio should look better than my quick Photoshop montage (above)... or at least the deck/balcony and stairs will... I hope...

thonet on the cheap

2009-03-27T15:56:00.004-05:00

I'm not a huge Thonet fan... but there is something appealing about his chairs. They are what they are - the design and construction virtually unchanged for YEARS... a smart and elegant yet functional piece of good design (i.e. form meets function)... they are light and airy... classic.

Several days ago I stumbled on 2 used Thonet chairs for sale... they were manufactured in 1910 (Poland) and had been in storage for 50 years. Guess how much... just guess...
... $40.

I bought them... seriously, at $40... that's less than a cab ride to O'Hare!!!

survey says...

2009-03-25T13:49:00.007-05:00

Survey time! We have several options regarding the dining room table...

Option A: Ikea's NORDEN table
Finish: Beech
Cost = approx. $300.
Pros: Cheap(er); Ready to buy; aesthetically nice; extension table so size flexible
Cons: Not exactly what we're looking for - concerned that the red Eames DCW chairs with the table will look too 'clunky'; not a permanent solution BUT we could always sell it /use it elsewhere in the house (i.e. basement workspace?)
Option B: Do-it-Yourself Wood Slab with Chrome Legs (similar to table in photo below)
Finish: Not sure. Depends on how much we want to spend for the wood slab...
Cost = $300. - $500. + ?
Pros: Around the same cost as the Ikea table (= cheaper), or more mid-range in price, but much more streamlined / more along the lines of what we were looking for (if we build it okay...)
Cons: Depending on our millworking skills/budget constraints, may not look as nice as the table in the photo below; size not flexible (no extension leaves)

Option C: Vintage Danish Table
Finish: Rosewood
Cost: approx. $1300.
Pros: Investment piece; aesthetically beautiful; size flexible (2 extension leaves included)
Cons: Price $$$

... I'm kind of leaning towards Option B right now. Option C is GORGEOUS, but $$$. Sigh. What to do?
Thoughts?

thoughts about the backyard fence...

2009-03-23T15:20:00.004-05:00

... the backyard fence is on our spring to do list.

lomonosov porcelain

2009-03-23T14:40:00.006-05:00

Quite a few years back, Bryan's mom picked up a set of Lomonosov porcelain dishes for Bryan, while in St. Petersburg. The dishes have stayed tucked away in boxes, down in the basement, for the past several years... awaiting the completion of the kitchen and dining room. Well, this past weekend, I finally managed to unpack all those boxes and was amazed to find a set of 114 pieces... yup, 114 pieces of hand painted, fine porcelain...

My first thought... dinner parties!!! My second thought... uh oh. WHERE are we going to store all of these dishes???

I've been trolling around for a good buy on a vintage danish or Knoll credenza / sideboard, but that purchase won't be happening anytime soon, given its priority is pretty low on the to do/wish list... So, in the meantime, I figured we could use my baby white cabinets...

My parents bought these cabinets from some scandinavian furniture store in Hyde Park (which unfortunately no longer exists) 34 years ago... They followed me to college and 4 apartments before ending up in this house. They have a few scratches here and there, but overall, they are still in pretty good shape!

The dishes filled the cabinets completely... onto more unpacking...

no more plastic... for now...

2009-03-23T14:23:00.003-05:00

Granted, the living room still needs a COMPLETE overhaul, but this is so much more livable than 6 months ago...

prouve meets reality

2009-03-17T20:50:00.007-05:00

I was hoping to salvage my grandparents' old 1950s wood dining table. It's nothing fancy, in fact, it's rather rickety... However, it's a wonderful size, with 3 table inserts, and it would definitely serve us well until we could build or afford something we really love, like the Prouve EM table...
(I love Prouve!) Back to reality... besides the budget factor, it's my grandparents table... The problem is that the table endured quite a bit of water damage while in storage. In addition, the table base is quite ornate (2 curved legs with lots and lots of stiles), so in order to refinish it well, the cost would be more than what the table is worth... sigh.

Ikea has 2 tables that really aren't that bad looking, plus they are both a really nice size... the Forsby and the Norden... they aren't dirt cheap, but both priced under $300, they aren't out of reach either...

... Prouve EM will have to wait a few years. or more.

how narrow can you go...

2009-03-12T18:27:00.005-05:00

Our house is one of many narrow historic rowhouses, dating back to the 1890s. I'm not sure why, but our block's lot sizes are not those of typical Chicago city lots. They are much narrower and a bit shorter. As a result, our house interior is approx. 15' wide x 65' long (the total lot length is approx. 105').

Don't get me wrong, we are very lucky to have as much space as we do... I just wish our house was 3' wider. 3' extra width would make a WORLD of difference in layout for spatial flow... especially downstairs. It would allow for clearly defined 'zones': entry/stairwell; corridor/travel flow; and living.

While trying to figure out the perfect solution, I'm gathering ideas/inspiration for narrow living rooms/dining rooms off the glorious world wide web. Images above are courtesy of Living Etc. and sfgirlbybay (both excellent resources!). Any additional suggestions are more than welcome...

Finn Juhl

2009-03-09T17:21:00.009-05:00

The Finn Juhl Home in Denmark: via The Mid-Century Modernist

kitchen millwork complete

2009-03-09T12:59:00.005-05:00

This past weekend we finished installing the rest of the kitchen millwork (a couple of shelves, a few door panels, trim pieces for base cabinets and the garbage/recycling bins). We also installed the base cabinet door and drawer pulls. The pulls are made by Linnea (stainless steel - item no. 221/F) purchased back in October 2008 at Clark & Barlow (I lovelovelove! that store). The pulls took awhile to install since they are recessed into the millwork panel about 1/4" (as a result, the pulls are flush with the panel edge).

A few things still to do before the kitchen is 'complete':
- install trim for all recessed can lights
- install window hardware
- install some type of window treatment on back door and large back window
- apply finish coat to window/door trim
- install undercabinet lighting
- finishing touches/organize

more books

2009-03-09T12:41:00.002-05:00

So, given our 'temporary bookshelves' allow for approximately 80 SF of vertical storage, I thought FOR SURE they would fit all our non-reference books, with a little extra room for 'growth' - text books, reference books and periodicals would be stored elsewhere (upstairs). Well, turns out, not only there is ZERO room for growth (more books), but we still have a lot of NON-reference books without a home:

... I think we'll need more bookshelves... somewhere.

a REVISED normal

2009-02-17T17:27:00.004-06:00

Referring back to a note posted a couple weeks ago, we decided to revise our temporary layout for the living room (see above). I don't know if this will help us get to normal, but let's hope we manage to achieve some level of comfort.

On a side note, ignoring the crumbling plaster walls and crudely constructed surface mounted electrical conduits... the existing flooring in the living room is this tightly woven beige berber carpet. It would be tolerable except for the fact that it is SHREDDED in several areas, and when I say shredded, I mean huge patches of pulled fibers exposing the floor underneath. We're not going to discuss in detail how we got those patches. Let's just say that instead of chewing on furniture, Charlevoix shredded carpet, books and dvds as a puppy. ANYWAY, our pathetic temporary solution for THAT problem was to cover the patches with cheap area rugs strategically placed in two zones. Problem is, the layout above doesn't cooperate with our 'zones'.

What to do?

The floors underneath are in grotesque shape. They look like rotten teeth and probably function like them as well - we're afraid that the carpet is holiding the flooring together, so we don't want to pull it up quite yet. Recarpeting the living room is not an option either - too expensive (unless we go with $0.50/sf Astro-Turf from the Home Depot... yeah, NO).

Suggestions...? I'm thinking we just get a couple of LARGER area rugs for the time being...

the start of a dining room/library

2009-02-15T22:34:00.002-06:00

The past week has been somewhat busy at the office (even with this economy, believe it!) so we haven't had a chance to tackle too much at the house. We did manage to set up the dining room table and chairs and unpack a few boxes of books.

The table is a hand-me-down from my grandparents (dad's side). It's very very old (1950's) and in desperate need of refinishing and some major repair, which we plan to try and do once the weather improves. Depending on our repair effort results, we'll see if eventually we'll need to invest in another dining room table. For the time being though, this will do just fine.

nothing is original

2009-02-11T12:59:00.001-06:00

via Uniform Studio

the beech BILLY

2009-02-07T21:43:00.006-06:00

Today's project was to assemble the full wall of bookcases in the dining room. As mentioned in a previous post, unfortunately our budget, at this time, doesn't allow for custom bookshelves PLUS we still have yet to rehab the living and who knows what we'll end up doing once we tackle that area.
SO, as a (temporary) solution, we decided to buy four BILLY bookcases (31 1/2" wide each) from IKEA, plus the extension unit for each, placing them at approx. 8'-0" tall (our ceilings are close to 10' so we try and maximize vertical space wherever possible, PLUS most of the doors and the tops of the window openings are at 8'-0" so a standard height looks good).
The four of them fit perfectly against our north dining room wall, so that they almost appear to be built-in. We ended up going with the beech veneer option since it looks similar to cherry. As a result, our dining room and kitchen now have this continuous visual flow. Now we finally get to unpack all of our books!!!

normal

2009-02-05T10:43:00.003-06:00

Even though the living room still needs a complete overhaul, it's not going to be happening anytime too soon, given the following:
1. We're trying to be conservative with spending given each morning we awake, wondering if there will be layoffs at the office, due to the crappy economy.
2. Our own personal finances have been drained after the last gut-rehab phase (kitchen/dining/powder room/basement stairwell).
3. We're tired.
So, in an effort to live somewhat normally, we figured out a temporary, yet comfortable, layout for the living room. The best part... take a look at the plan above... compare to our October 2006 floor plan ... notice any difference? NO STORAGE BOXES! NO STORAGE SHELVES! NO LUMBER! NO BEDROOM FURNITURE NEXT TO THE LUMBER! NO BATHTUBS NEXT TO THE TV! This is a major improvement folks...

the sebastian

2009-02-02T21:21:00.003-06:00

During the latest Ikea expedition, I picked up two Sebastian barstools for the kitchen. I think during the next Ikea expedition, I'll pick up at least one more. They are comfortable, the perfect height, and look quite good in our kitchen... plus at $49. each, not a bad buy at all (sorry Bertoia, $800. for one barstool is just not in the budget).

95% of a new kitchen

2009-02-01T13:46:00.005-06:00

... the plumbing has been plumbed, gas connection hooked up, all the appliances have been installed, dishes unpacked and refrigerator and pantry kind-of filled. The only things missing are a few additional shelves for the cabinets, hardware which still needs to be installed, plus the trash bins which also have to be installed. Then we just need to live in the kitchen, figure out a place and space for everything and slowly get it a little more organized.
We wouldn't be architects if we didn't have a few criticisms:
1. The cabinets could be hung about 8"-12" lower for me. Bryan likes the height functionally, and I like the height aesthetically, since at their current height they almost touch the ceiling. But functionally, they are a little too high for me. Oh well, the price we pay for good design!
2. The cooktop is a little crude. I would have been okay with electric, but Bryan really wanted gas, and we could not afford a sleeker/flatter looking gas cooktop.
3. I really wish we had an extra 6 sf of space for a pantry. Maybe we'll be able to come up with something...?
... however, in general, we love the new kitchen!

the ever-changing construction schedule

2009-01-23T13:01:00.002-06:00

... appliance installation December 23rd? ha. What were we thinking???

soapstone countertop installation

2009-01-21T13:31:00.006-06:00

... the photos don't do the material justice... the counters are beautiful, especially after applying a coat of mineral oil. The mineral oil makes the stone darker and brings out the 'veining' more - it almost looks like a blackish greenish marble.

If we want the counters to be lighter, we should not treat the soapstone with mineral oil - the counters will then be a similar color/tone as in the installation photos above. However, if we want the counters to remain dark, we should apply mineral oil once or twice a week for the first month, once a week or every other week for the second month, then, starting the third month, as needed.

I prefer the darker stone, although both options look nice... it will be interesting to see how the material 'patinas'.

Dover White

2009-01-19T22:21:00.006-06:00

The first (and only) paint coat went on today... Sherwin Williams Dover White. We're holding off on the second coat until after we tackle the living room renovation...

first appliance in...

2009-01-19T22:13:00.003-06:00

... the oven/microwave unit.
Bryan tested out the microwave yesterday with some leftover Pad Thai... Result: Success!

brr.

2009-01-16T14:15:00.005-06:00

Beautiful and serene photos by Michael Kenna, which help make this winter a little more tolerable...

white or birch?

2009-01-14T23:36:00.007-06:00

Given the shape and spatial constraints of the house, our goal has been to redesign rooms in that they are equipped with ample storage and also so that they are able to serve double duty, i.e. guest room/study, dining room/library, etc.

Our original plan in the dining room was to have cherry shelves built into the north wall, floor to ceiling, so that there would be continuity/flow into the kitchen (the kitchen cabinets are cherry). Well... unfortunately, cherry shelves are not in the budget, for now. However, the Ikea BILLY bookcase falls well within budget. PLUS, as luck would have it, 4 of the 31" BILLY bookcases fit perfectly, wall to wall, so that, almost, the bookcases could look built-in (minus the soffit detail). Question is.... do we go with white or birch?

I collaged a quick mock-up, in Photoshop, for both options:
Since the walls and ceiling will be painted white (Sherwin-Williams Dover White), I think I am leaning more towards the white option. I'm just afraid between the cherry kitchen cabinets and the white oak floor, adding another wood to the mix will just evoke visual chaos.

Call out for suggestions...

Happy Kitchen-less Anniversary!

2009-01-14T13:33:00.002-06:00

4 months... We celebrated by not eating.

dog days of winter...

2009-01-12T23:51:00.003-06:00

... at least somebody truly appreciates today's blizzard.

first coat of primer

2009-01-12T23:43:00.003-06:00

soapstone

2009-01-08T21:13:00.006-06:00

After much deliberation, we decided to go with soapstone for the kitchen counters. Granite wasn't an option for us (even though it works very well in numerous applications, neither Bryan nor I were a fan for our own kitchen). We liked butcher block, however since we decided to go with wood cabinets in lieu of white, and since we have wood floors, butcher block would have been wood overkill. White Corian would have looked very sharp, but it is very expensive and a maintenance nightmare for a kitchen. Same with Carrera Marble. We thought about concrete, however several friends and co-workers have said the maintenance is not worth the cost. We also considered slate, however it just was too 'rustic'.

Soapstone is the material of choice for high school chemistry lab counters. It's extremely durable, temperature neutral and pretty much impervious to all chemicals. It has the subtle veining of marble, light grey when dry, however it turns a deep dark charcoal grey when treated with mineral oil (and in terms of maintenance, all you have to do is oil it every month or so, depending on how dark you want your counters to be...).

The soapstone in the photos below will be our kitchen counters (top photo is when wet, bottom is when dry)...
Installation should take place within 2 weeks. Woo hoo!

a little bit of inspiration

2009-01-08T21:08:00.006-06:00

via Remodelista

thoughts on a dining room table...

2009-01-08T17:26:00.006-06:00

Something about a table with benches (chairs optional) appeals to me...

UPDATE 01.14.2009:
Bryan nixed the bench idea. Something about a backless seat did NOT appeal to him.
... it looks good though.

kitchen cabinets - installation day two

2009-01-05T14:32:00.006-06:00

Andrew returned this past Saturday with door, drawer and side panels, shelves, drawers, plus some shim and trim pieces. It was a full day of work (11 hours) but the cabinets look great! One really nice detail is the wall cabinet hinge - it allows the door to open 170 degrees.

We have one more weekend of work still ahead of us - we were short 3 shelves, plus 3 door panels were too big. Andrew also is going to bring down his router/jig so that we can flush-mount the hardware pulls. NICE!

acoustical alphabet

2008-12-22T17:39:00.004-06:00

DROP CAPS installation by The Heads of State.

crafty with straw(s)

2008-12-22T17:15:00.004-06:00

Lithuanian Straw Ornaments

Lithanian [Drinking] Straw Ornaments

lighting mural

2008-12-11T16:53:00.003-06:00

A lighting installation, by PSLAB, in London, using recycled car headlights, incandescent light bulbs, and red fabric electric cord.

I LOVE IT!

I'm thinking it would be fun to do something like this in our 30' long upstairs corridor...

kitchen cabinets - installation day one

2008-12-08T21:19:00.006-06:00

Andrew (our friend who made the cabinets) and Bryan hard at work... I think... on a side note, check out the toolbox in the bottom left corner in the photo below... Andrew made it from Mahogany wood. I could barely lift it...

We are now researching countertop options... I think we've narrowed it down to either slate or soapstone.

the appliances have arrived...

2008-12-08T21:16:00.002-06:00

... the fridge and dishwasher didn't make it into the photo... I couldn't find the extra ultra wide angle lens.

office in a closet

2008-11-30T19:14:00.004-06:00

Even though we try to keep our 'stuff' to a minimum, we're human, we're an architect and a structural engineer, we like books and projects and collecting things, so... we have a lot of 'stuff' and a lot of this 'stuff' still doesn't have a home, as seen in the photos above.

In order to maximize space, we decided to turn the smallest bedroom into a guest room / study, and while doing so, to maximize space, to turn its closet into an office...

... now our 'stuff' will have a home.

... the final coat.

2008-11-28T17:31:00.001-06:00

the first coat...

2008-11-28T13:11:00.002-06:00

happy thanksgiving

2008-11-26T15:19:00.003-06:00

Papercraft Turkey Dinner... for those of us who don't have a kitchen this holiday. hahaha.

floor stain mock-up

2008-11-25T21:56:00.002-06:00

... and the winner is the clear coat finish. We think...

cherry sample

2008-11-22T17:16:00.003-06:00

We finally received a nice sized sample of the cherry (finished) that will be used for the kitchen cabinets... see photos above. We're still deciding on which floor stain option to go with...

the start of wood floors...

2008-11-22T17:02:00.004-06:00

REVISED "to do" list...

2008-11-21T13:32:00.001-06:00

drywall continued...

2008-11-15T14:33:00.004-06:00

the start of drywall...

2008-11-12T23:53:00.004-06:00

wood floor stain survey updated

2008-11-09T19:28:00.008-06:00

Image above: Rosewood Option

Image Above: Neutral Option

Image above: CHERRY used for kitchen cabinets
Image above: Floor stain options - Neutral or Rosewood

The installation of the wood floors is scheduled to begin in about 2 weeks, so today, we took another look at all the different stain options.
When we were doing the floors upstairs, we decided to go with the 'Rosewood' stain option. The floors turned out really nice - very rich and not too dark. At the time, we figured we would go with 'Rosewood' downstairs also...
Today, Bryan suggested we go with a lighter stain, like 'Neutral'. Reason being: the downstairs doesn't get as much natural light as upstairs and he's afraid it's going to be too dark. I can understand his concern, but I'd prefer to have the same floor stain throughout, especially since we have wood kitchen cabinets... I'm afraid we're going to have a mish-mash of woods.
However, after taking another look at the wood used for the kitchen cabinets (image above), the cherry is close to the 'Neutral' stain option for the floors. Plus, the kitchen is very narrow. SO, maybe it would be better to go lighter with the floors downstairs?
What does everyone think? Call out for suggestions...

UPDATE
Thanks to all for weighing in your suggestions and thoughts.
Here's the tally as of now:
+ Rosewood Option = 2 votes
+ Neutral Option = 3 votes
+ Not Sure = 3 votes

starting the drywall...

2008-11-09T19:25:00.003-06:00

parapet wall = done (for now)

2008-11-06T12:45:00.003-06:00

The front parapet has been on our 'to do list' since July 2007. We have been putting it off, knowing the repair will be costly, plus it's not like the roof is leaking, right?

WRONG.

Back in mid-September, we had 3 full days of pouring, driving rain. It was during that weekend that the roof started leaking in the front bedroom. Not a major leak, but a noticeable one.

We asked the roofer to come and check it out... Turns out, because the parapet was in such bad shape, rain was seeping in thru the deteriorated joints AND the flashing wasn't adhering at the back of the wall (since the plaster-patched brick was crumbling). PLUS, the stone could be jiggled with your bare hands (translation: it wasn't secure and could potentially fall = BAD).

This 'repair' was NOT in the budget for this year, but after some SERIOUS negotiations with the roofer, we agreed on a price and the parapet wall has now been rebuilt, re-pointed and re-flashed. Give it up for the roofers Walter, Wally and their other brother Wally. Woo hoo!