Customizing Your Home, One Built-In At A Time

It's been suggested that my blogging has been too slow...so here's my attempt to get you all caught up. Only one more post stands between now and the final reveal!

Once the ceiling and walls were painted, it was time to start framing out the built ins before we could install the wainscoting. (picture to the left is the way the room looked when we bought the house in 2008)

BASIC CONSTRUCTION:

We decided as part of the project to install book cases on either side of the fireplace.  For us this space was a bit awkward and not really usable so having two shelves for books, extra lighting and my vinyl collection made perfect sense.

Because there is a floor vent about 20 inches from the wall we knew that the shelves could be no deeper than 17 inches...which after building we realized was more than deep enough since standard book cases usually run 12 inches deep max.

To get started Paul took a million measurements and crafted the shelves outside before "custom" fitting them in place.  Using the table saw he was able to make precision cuts that he had only dreamed of before.  

That being said, no matter how much you measure or how perfect your cut is, nothing ever fits. This meant that he had to get creative and use a router and laminate top cutter to trim off the tiny bit of excess that was keeping the unit from fitting snugly in place. 

Why? Because the last thing anyone wants to do is disassemble the entire unit over a 1/4 of an inch. All in all a little patience and finesse yielded a perfect fit.

Once in place, we used 2 inch wood coarse screws to secure the shelving unit to the back wall.

DESIGN:

Based on a simple cabinet style construction, we decided to add hand-routed detail for a more decorative flare. To create the detail on the front of the shelves Paul glued two 1 x 2's together and used a Roman style Ogee router bit to mimic the door and window frames that run throughout the house.  Next he added a 1.5 inch piece of pre-milled trim to give it a bit more substance.

We also opted to change up the tops for a more craftsman feel, which helped them blend in with the mantel that Paul made previously from salvaged roof timbers from the old garage we took down last year. 

Using stain-grade Aspen we picked a stain and poly blend with a matte finish.  It took a couple rounds of sanding with steel wool to pick up the fine particles but after a couple passes with the foam brush--the tops were a most welcome addition.

All that was left was to install the adjustable shelf pieces and add a little paint (we picked a soft Du Jour white in a semi-gloss instead of your typical bright white in glossy). 

Voila!  Custom built-in book shelves.

Cheers,

Laura

Conquering the Popcorn

And no I don't mean the delicious kind.  It seems that over the last 60 years various tenants decided to "update" 1148 with popcorn ceilings.  Fortunately, most of the rooms have already been scraped or fixed by floating drywall over the mess. But since the family room and dining room have expansive ceilings nothings been done.

Wanting to do it right, Paul and I called in for a quote on having the ceilings scrapped.  To our amazement due to complications with 60 year old plaster, etc. etc. they wanted $5,000 to scrape the family and dining rooms. (insert hysterical laughter here)

Clearly, that was not the answer.

Behold the commercial paint sprayer.  I rented her at Home Depot and for the next 8 hours we were the best of friends.  At least, until I had to clean her.

I must admit I was intimidated.  I know my way around tools but spraying something that could break every window in the house over my head, just didn't sound like my cup of tea. But Paul had to work, so off I went.

Here are a few suggestions if you ever find yourself faced with a commercial paint sprayer.

1. Don't listen to the clerk at the paint desk.  Go with your gut and get as much paint as you think you'll need.  They tried to tell me 1 can would cover the ceiling, I opted for two and midday way had to run to back--covered in paint--to get a third.
2. Get a FLAT paint.  No body wants a shiny ceiling.
3. Cover every inch of your body thoroughly or it will get painted.
4. Cover every inch of you house or it will get painted.
5. Cover furniture with at least two layers--no body wants a polka dotted couch.
6. If you over spray onto the walls (say you haven't painted them yet) this is not a bonus of extra primer.  Roll them out quickly--or you'll end up with bumpy spots all over the new drywall your husband just spent days installing. (sanding helps but rolling immediately would have been so much easier)
7. Light coats are the best.  Popcorn likes to drip, so keep a brush on hand to help discourage this.
   
8. Remove all ceiling fixtures ahead of time.  Trust me, its hard to control where you're "not" getting paint. :)

Other than that, it's really not as hard as it sounds.  Don't forget mineral spirits (or water) to help thin the paint and go at a pace you're comfortable at.

Cheers,

Laura

Bungalow Paneling: It's Electric!

So as you've probably noticed, we had to take a brief hiatus from blogging because we've been hard at work on the family room.  So I'll attempt to get you all caught up as quickly as possible.

After having the chimney fixed, the next step was re-wiring the electrical work to support the new sconces before we could get the sheet rock up (btw-congratulations to those of you who voted for #3--modern candle).

Always a tedious process, running new electricity is never a fun project and almost always (ok, always) falls to Paul for instillation.  I help out where i can, fishing wire, holding flashlights and flipping breakers but the real genius lies in the hands of my husband. 

Since you all chose the modern candle, we had to adjust the original sconce holes slightly--moving them down about 5 inches. This allowed for a more central location on the wall, right at about eye level. Of course, the studs didn't line up for mounting so Paul had to get creative and create an extension to the studs so we could properly mount the sconces.

Once the holes were adjusted, Paul shimmied into the attic to run 12-2 romex to the new switch, electrical outlet and both sconces. After about 2 hours, all the old knob and tube wiring had been disconnected and the new wire run.

Of course before we could actually install the sconces, we had to hang sheet rock...but here's a little sneak peak at the finished project! :)

Cheers,

Laura 

Bustin' Ash

One of the most popular selling features of any home is a fireplace--especially in an older home. So you can imagine our elation when our dream, fixer-upper came stocked with one.

However, judging by the sturdy piece of sheet metal covering the opening of the firebox, we knew there would be a battle ahead to bring it up to snuff. 

It took us a while to work up the courage to cut her open, and when we finally decided to bite the bullet we got a little more than we bargained for.  A whole lot of bird poop (at least it was an endangered bird's poop) and a chimney fire.

Knowing we were out of our league, we conceded and called in the best--Ash Busters to the rescue. 

Here's a list of what they found and what they fixed:

• Broken and missing flue tiles
  
• Install of a heatshield liner and flue sealant
  
• Ceramic smoke chamber seal
  
• Energy efficient damper system
  
• Crumbling back firebox wall 
  
• Rebuild of firebox masonry
  
• Repoint and Tuckpoint entire chimney from the roofline up
  

The Ash Bustin' team arrived around 9 a.m. and worked solidly until 7:30 p.m.--what can i say, Paul's a tyrant? Clearly not a project for the avid DIY'er or even a more experienced duo.  

When all was said and done, we got what we paid for and a little more--quality craftsmanship and the guarantee that if our house burns down, its not our fault! (although I must admit i was a little disappointed that they looked and dressed nothing like Bert and his cohorts from Mary Poppins--boo). 

None the less, one step closer to a finished, stylish family room that will be warm and cozy for autumns to come.

Stay tuned...

LB

Bungalow Paneling: Out With the Old, In With the New

Alright, its official, Paul and I decided to add some craftsman detail back to our family room with the addition of wainscoting.

Of course, after deciding this, we realized we had no idea how to capture the intricacies of quality a

nd legit wainscoting.  We 

started by surfing the Internet for styles we liked (see example to the left).  From there it was a toss up between bead-board or shadowbox--clearly, one of which would have been a much simpler install.

After testing a package of tounge-in groove bead board panels, we knew it was a no go. Measuring only 32 inches high, and 40 inches high with the addition of an 8 inch baseboard--they were simply too short.  Plus at about 2 inches wide per strip, you got a whole lot of busy going on in a room thats over 20 feet long.

So that left us with shadowbox wainscoting.  We started by taking a look at wood options.  For us, we knew we wanted to paint everything out white, so the grain didn't matter, too much. 

However, that being said, we wanted a quality piece of lumber that would paint out smoothly and lend itself to a more original feel for the bungalow.

We decided on birch and grabbed a couple of sample pieces before heading back to 1148 to map out a plan.  Using a chalk line, measuring tape and the sample pieces we were able to come up with a pretty good solution.

Time for prep, shopping and install!

PREP:

• Remove all baseboards, electrical boxes, etc. and give the area a good cleaning.  
  
• When you remove the baseboards, make sure to label the backs as to what went where, so that re-install is simple and smooth.
  
• Now is also a good time to prep the baseboards for paint by sanding and removing years of built up paint and stain and imperfections...(on an old house, be sure to test for lead paint before sanding)
  
• You'll want to look for old nails, screws or other items on the wall that would cause the plywood to - adhere incorrectly.
  
• Make sure you take solid measurments because quality wood isn't cheap and its not fun to overspend--as the old adage goes, measure twice, cut once.
  

SHOPPING LIST:

• 7 sheets birch plywood
  
• Chalk line (if you didn't already mark out your plans on the wall)
• 2 containers liquid nails
  
• 1 caulk gun
  
• 2 inch drywall screws
  
• Table Saw (if you don't already have one, you can always rent one!)
  
• Drill + the right kind of bit

Stay tuned next time for Install!!!

Cheers, 

LB

Hunting for Sconces

When we began the demo journey of our family room, we did not expect to find original scone boxes hidden beneath the bungalow paneling. 

We immediately knew that we should salvage this hidden treasure and update the room by re-working the knob and tube wiring and adding sconces back to the mix. 

That being said, we've stumbled upon numerous sconce options so as we continue to work on restoring the room we thought we'd ask for your input.  (All of the sconce choices will be oil rubbed bronze to match the other fixtures, so ignore the brushed nickel finish on the second choice. )

Simply use the quiz on the blog to cast your vote for one of the choices below.

Cheers,

LB

Bungalow Paneling: Demo

After almost two years, I had finally picked out a paint color, crown molding and was ready to tackle the biggest room in the house--the family room.

As I was meticulously prepping to paint, you can imagine my delight when I discovered three rather large bulges in the walls.  Soft to touch but not damp, I was puzzled at what on earth could be causing the walls to swell like a belly.

Paul decided we should go for an exploratory mission 

and what we found (half a demoed wall later) was the joy of Bungalow Paneling.

What might you ask is Bungalow Paneling?  Oh but a lovely product from somewhere in the 70s where Georgia Pacific decided it was a brilliant idea to make a particle board wall panel covered in a wood veneer sticker.

Unfortunately for us, this gem of a home improvement project had been installed incorrectly with finishing nails in lieu of adhesive and over time, had given way.  To crown off this achievement, sometime in the 80s-90s the next home owner decided to skim coat a thin layer of plaster over the paneling for a more modern look.

All in all, demoing out the paneling wasn't that bad.  A crow bar, hammer, gloves, mask and eye protection were the only tools necessary.  Paul and I took turns ripping and hauling the history of the house out as we worked to restore it to its original glory.

When the paneling was all removed, we were delighted to see almost 80 year old plaster in decent condition.  We knew there were several cracks and imperfections but the biggest task left was to meticulously scrape the popcorn ceiling over spray off the walls to really get a good look at what 1148 had been hiding for decades.

Paul and I teamed up and tackled the popcorn together, spraying and sc

raping and spraying and scraping some more.  A few hours later we had somewhat smooth and somewhat clean walls.

Clean enough to form a plan.  What plan, you may ask?  Stay tuned!

Cheers,

LB

Curb Appeal: Tattered Rail

So my mom recently e-mailed me an article from Southern Living.  The featured house reminded her of 1148 and she thought we could get some good ideas for our upcoming curb-appeal projects. 

Well she was right. If you look at the before and after photos from SL you'll notice the before image much like our digs has an awkward, non-craftsman style railing on the front porch. Well I

 decided to do something about it....

Tools Required:

Hammer

Drill

non-flip flop oriented shoes

protective eye-ware*

Woodchuck Amber (for liquid courage)

So our railings had aged out, to say the least.  They were hastily crafted and not very well secured but took negotiating with the hammer, drill and a little husband muscle power.

I started with the obvious--unscrewing the brackets.  Once that was completed and still not much budge, I got to it with the hammer.  In about 5 minutes I was totally stress free 

and rail free as well.

A quick, easy and low intensity project that made a major impact on curb appeal.  

Cheers,

Laura

1148 Kirkland

For those of you who don't know, about two years ago Paul and I set out on an adventure to buy our first house.  New to the Nashville area, we fell in love with the eclectic, diverse and often called "up and coming" east side of town...aka...affordable!

Our fabulous realtor Marsha, who has a certain affinity for finding the most amazing detail on a house and pointing it out as you quickly drive by, persuaded us to take a look a little bungalow, I had absolutely no desire to see.  Why?  Because the MLS listing showed ZERO curb appeal and since years of watching HGTV with my mom had brainwashed me into curb appeal mode, I was convinced this was not the house for us.

Alas, we came, we saw, we fell in love.  Original hardwood floors, molding and a funky old fireplace, the house was a charmer.

Of course there was the eviction notice on the front door and the horrible, horrible, horrible gray carpet throughout a large portion of the house but it wasn't enough to keep us from seeing the potential.

Now with nearly 700 days under our bungalow owning belt, we've decided to start tackling some really big projects.  Don't get me wrong, we've painted, added shoe molding, blinds and other pretty cosmetic things, but the bathroom is the only project to date that we've really sunk our teeth into...or my finger through the wall...however you want to look at it.

So this blog will be a journey of what I'm sure will be pure bliss (blood, limits, insane expenses, sighs (heavy) and oh yeah maybe some style).  

Best,

LB