More Dining Room “After” shots
We finally had our first dinner party in what I’m calling the new dining room. Many times Mark and I don’t agree on what we will use a room for, what color we’ll paint it, what furniture will go into...
View ArticleThat yard is hideous. Oh, wait, it’s ours.
Restoring an older home takes alot of time. Time most of us don’t really have unless we’re retired or independently wealthy (we are neither of those). It can be a slow process. So that’s my opening to...
View ArticleTonight at TASTE -C’mon down for movie night
I’ll be at the restaurant Taste Tuesday night, August 14th with a bunch of other TU bloggers and other fine people to watch the movie “Big Night” which is being shown outside. They’ve had these movie...
View ArticleLook out, we’re demolishing the dining room
After lounging on the porch for most of the summer we started to get that construction itch and decided to try and finish the downstairs. So we’re taking on the old dining room. Two of the four sides...
View ArticleOld fireplace facelift
We studied an old photo of the fireplace in the dining room. In that old photo the fireplace fit so well into the room but now it looked like a small hearth with an enormous brick surround. What...
View ArticleCongratulations, it’s a new doorway
So we’re making good progress on the dining room. The doors separating the two rooms are up and we’ve made sidelights for the new glass. The doors and the glass are all salvage. Already I like the way...
View ArticleDining Room Before and After shots
We can cross the dining room off the construction list. We’re basically done. Decorating is a different category entirely and we haven’t started that phase yet. But this room came out nice. I don’t...
View ArticleReady, Set, Let’s Paint
This is one of those posts that isn’t very interesting because it’s all about prep. Getting new wood and sheetrock ready to paint. If the prep is done correctly, the paint will last a long time. If...
View ArticlePicking a great historic color
Picking paint colors is hard work. There are thousands of colors and stores rountinely rotate some of the old favorite colors out of circulation. These are usually the colors we like. We don’t favor a...
View ArticleFinished Dining Room photos
We can cross the Dining Room off our list. We’re done (well, the floor isn’t done but we have many levels of done). It looks great. We worked really hard to get it ready for Thanksgiving and had quite...
View ArticleWhat did we do in 2012? Plenty!!
Thought I’d take a look back over 2012. It doesn’t seem like we did much, but we actually did. At the beginning of the year we finished the closet in the master bedroom. It’s working out great so far....
View ArticleRemoving soap scum from shower doors – 4 methods and a winner!!
I noticed my 2 year old glass shower doors were loaded with what I guess is soap scum. I tried windex and a bunch of other sprays I had around the house and nothing seemed to remove it. That’s when I...
View ArticleHome Show – You’re going, right? I’ll be there.
That’s right, I’ll be at the Great Northeast Home Show at the Times Union Center this Friday around 7pm showing off some of my painting secrets (how to cover wood with knots in it) and trim tips (when...
View ArticleShingling the 3rd floor (and have you been to Lucas Confectionery yet?)
When our favorite carpenter called last week and asked if we had any work we, of course, said yes. Even though the weather is chilly and money is tight those 3rd floor dormers really needed to be...
View ArticleBefore and After – 3rd floor shingling
One of the most hated jobs on the house is done!!! There is a 3rd floor in our house and it has a couple of dormers to poke out from the roof. These are about 30 feet high off the ground and it just...
View ArticleEven more restoration before and after shots (aka desperately trying to...
I know, I know. What the heck have we been doing to the house lately? Mostly painting, organizing and trying to pretend the house is done. The house is at that point where we just blindly see past the...
View ArticleFront Stoop Needs a Makeover
The front entrance really needs a makeover. Right now it has a temporary landing that’s about 5 years old and it’s starting to look bad. I think the front stoop of any house is important. It needs to...
View ArticleBookcase Before and After
Since my niece announced that she wants to have her rehearsal dinner at our house next SUMMER, we are in high gear getting it ready. It’s the perfect motivation to finish some projects. This week we...
View ArticleFront door overhang – makeover
We rebuilt the overhang over the front doors (called the Porte Cochere) a number of years ago. We just never got around to painting it. It started looking grungy so I decided to finally give it the...
View ArticlePrep for the new front walk
Now and then when I run into old friends they say “do you still have that blog?” Yes, I do. The house is still not done. We’ve been busy parenting, among other things. Who knew 7th grade would have me...
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