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The big reveal
Things are still insanely busy (my excuse for not posting in the last couple weeks). We've had many, many late nights recently, poring over decorative lighting and plumbing fixtures (electrician Allen Gallant and TOH plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey need our choices asap!) So I'm pretty bleary-eyed as I write this. But here it goes ...
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Kitchen island envy
Allison and I have visited plenty of friends who couldn't wait to show off their their newly remodeled kitchens. You know what I'm talking about: Those sleek, clean, ridiculously functional kitchens with acres of granite countertops, and shiny, stainless-steel appliances. But despite the novelty of modern-day luxuries, such as refrigerated drawers, and built-in espresso machines, the kitchens the two of us love best all have one thing in common: an island that serves as a central gathering spot.
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A Week in the Life
So what's it like to be the homeowner on a This Old House project? It's a unique experience, for sure, and BUSY (a major renovation is always busy, but in our case we also have (1) a compressed timeframe and (2) the small matter of documenting the whole thing for TV and a magazine!) I thought I'd share 'A week in the Life of a This Old House Homeowner' to give you all a feel for what it's like. Every week is different, of course, but read on to see what happened during the week of July 19, 2010. (And if readers enjoy this'week in the life' snapshot, let me know and I'll do it again some other week!)
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Taking shape!
The job site has been hopping! Last week, the new entryway really came together, as Tom and crew added the plywood sheathing and gabled roof. It looks fantastic! I'm excited to see the formerly "blank and featureless" front of the house start to come alive, since that was one of the main goals of our renovation. And already, the awkwardly protruding garage appears less so, since the entryway comes out and meets it halfway.
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Window seats, love 'em or lose 'em?
Who doesn’t love a window seat? The thought of one conjures up many visions, relaxing, reading a book, or just gazing out into the world with a big steaming cup of coffee. With that in mind, we found two potential spots on the main floor of our house to put window seats.
The first was in the kitchen along a wall near the door to the deck. The idea here was to provide a comfortable spot to sit in while hanging out and being part of the action. Then we started thinking about it. Would you sit there a little bit off to the side, slightly lower than the chef? Or, would you prefer to sit at the island and have a better view of whats going on? Could we use the extra counter space?
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Good morning from Auburndale!
I have to pinch myself these days, I really do. For the past few weeks since we moved out of our old house, my routine has been to drop the kids off at the school bus stop in our old neighborhood and head down the street to say good morning to Tom Silva and his crew working away on our house. It's a pretty amazing way to start the day, seeing dedicated professionals building something for you. I always leave happy.
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Lights, please!
Given the big project that Raveen and I taking on with This Old House, you might wonder if we are experienced renovators. The answer is a resounding NO! Sure, we've done a few small projects here and there (minor bathroom remodels, painting, planting, etc.), but nothing anywhere near the magnitude of our current project. So we have LOTS to learn.
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Out with the old (most of it, anyway)
Well, here's what's left of our former kitchen and dining room area. As you can see, Tommy's guys did some major demo work over the last couple days (a significantly more involved process than in the past, due to all those new EPA lead laws). It's neat to see the space now that the wall between the kitchen and dining rooms has been taken down, since it gives us a better idea of what our new—much roomier—kitchen will look like.
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Not for the faint of heart
I pulled up to the house this morning to find this gigantic crane parked on the front lawn, its massive arm perched over our roof. Now, I am certain that to those in the construction / heavy equipment industry, the crane is no big deal and safe as can be, but for me it was a little scary to see our house looking so vulnerable and fragile under that thing!
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Let the fun begin
Boy, are things happening fast! Every time I stop by the house (or sneak a peak via the webcams), it seems like something major has happened. Last week, it was the sun porch coming down and the old overgrown yews being removed from the front of the house. This week, it's been major excavation both out back and in front, making way for our new sunroom and entry hall.
I have to say, I am really glad to finally see some of the fun stuff happening. Last month, we were consumed with what I would call the drudgery of the project…
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What just happened?!?
As I sit and write this post, it still hasn't sunk in that our renovation will be featured on the next This Old House TV project. The events of the past six months—from first seeing our new house back in November, to being selected for the show, to the work that's getting underway this week—all happened at a whirlwind pace. And, yes, our heads are still spinning! But, as the saying goes, it’s all good, and we couldn’t be more thrilled, or more honored, to have been chosen.
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Finishing touches
It's been a while since my last post, but we're still here! The last weeks of the renovation were a whirlwind, from the extraordinary push to complete the work in time for the wrap party, to the subsequent photo shoots...
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A Tom Silva original
Remember the three-season porch with jalousie glass we demolished to make way for the new, two-story addition? Well, it actually sat a little bit below the level of the rest of the house and below the grade of the rest of the property. We wanted the new addition to sit on the same level as the rest of the house. The problem came in trying to marry the second-floor addition and stairway with the old hallway to maintain enough ceiling height on the first floor.
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Master craftsmen at work on the library
From the beginning, the library landing has been the heart of our renovation. Paul Rovinelli spent countless hours with us designing it. He knows Bill and I are book lovers—to put it mildly—and wanted a special space to enjoy our collection with our children. The library isn't large, but it will be a congenial space, full of light, and the warmth of books.
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With a seasoning of plaster dust
In case anyone was wondering, we still don't have a working kitchen. Sure, we're making do with the old range down in the basement and various small appliances set up here and there around the house—but it's getting old! Yesterday director (and amazing cook!) David Vos took pity on us and brought over one of his signature roast chickens, and a container of his special red beans. counters, countertops, caesarstone, backsplash, crown point, this old house, kitchen remodel, working kitchen, kitchen, cabinets, cabinetry What a treat that was! We must have been on the same wavelength, because I chose the same day to bake a few trays of cinnamon rolls for the workers and crew assembled at our house.
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