Farmhouse Renovation Update: Drywall and Priming!

My new studio/home office

Renovation on the interior of the farmhouse took a GIANT step forward last week with the installation of drywall, the taping and the beginning of priming.  I can't begin to explain how different the house feels now that it has walls  .....and ceilings (or how strange it is to spend 10 minutes looking for the broom that I left in the back of a closet because I can no longer look across the entire house and say, "oh yeah, there it is" ).

The hall bathroom

As the drywall was going in, I also took the time to install soundproofing (rock wool insulation) in all of the interior walls of the laundry room, the bathrooms and the furnace room which makes it much more quiet in the house.

Arched masonry wall with reclaimed scaffolding plank shelves

In a related note, it also makes it so that I spend a fair amount of time saying "where are you?" and "hello?" when I can tell that there's someone in the house but can't really hear where they are or see them (see "we have walls" above). Part of this may also be attributed to age but we're not discussing that so let's just stick with "the soundproofing is really great"  and move on.

Kitchen

Also last week, I finally ordered a fireplace insert which should be here this week.  I also gave up and ordered new garage doors after spending four days with chemical stripper and power tools and getting about 1/4 of the first door done. At that rate, it would be winter here in the Midwest before I finished.  I also had someone out to look at the springs and tracks and was told that they were not in good shape and would likely need to be replaced soon and that soon would probably mean sometime just after we finished installing the new siding and the drywall in the garage. He also mentioned the words "serious injury" so I decided that it was probably a good idea to replace them.

Guest Bedroom

Master Bedroom (with the old corner cabinet from the kitchen that still doesn't have a home)

On the exterior, we had a couple of nice cool days this weekend so I also got more of the lime stucco applied to the brick. I haven't forgotten about the tutorial. I just ran out of stucco (and daylight)...stay tuned.

Master Bathroom Extra Deep Built in Medicine Cabinets

Master Walk in Closet

Front door slabs and frame

 Lastly, the front door frame was installed this week which will allow the sill to be put into place. You're probably looking at this photo and thinking "Wow, I wouldn't have chosen that front door." Don't worry, I wouldn't have either. I had the door frame shipped with temporary slabs instead of the beautiful glass and alder doors because I don't want anything to happen to them during the remainder of the construction...a lesson that I learned from our last project when a trim carpenter ran into the door with a big piece of wood and took a gash out of it that was repaired but never looked the same.

We're still working on final grading, gutters and the last of the trim detail (shutters, a barn door, beams and posts on the porches) but that should happen soon....in the mean time, I've started doing a little planting and the gravel for the walkways is being put in.

Television opening in the hearth room

On the interior, this week, the primer will be completed, the fireplace is being installed and  the wood for the flooring will be brought into the house to become acclimated so that it doesn't expand and shrink after it's installed. I'm ordering the interior doors and the trim so that it will be here in a couple of weeks when we're ready for it.

Thanks so much for being a part of this journey!

Farmhouse Renovation Update and Being Authentic

This month marks the second half of 2016. Since there are only six months left in this year, I decided to take a look back at my goals for 2016 and to take another look at my word for the year, "authentic". July also marks the third anniversary of our purchase of  the red brick ranch that is slowly becoming our bespoke farmhouse.  In honor of those things, I thought that I'd share a little "before/during" comparison of some of the initial shots that I took on the day that we officially took possession of the farmhouse and fill you in on what's been going on at our renovation.

Farmhouse Renovation Progress Photos

I can't believe that it has been such a long time since I've posted here....Yikes! To be honest, I wasn't sure that there was anything to show you but I've had more than a few of you send me messages asking how things are progressing over at the farmhouse so I thought I'd share a few photos. The renovation at the farmhouse is moving forward slowly....
                                                                                                                                       but surely.

Rather than rushing through this process, I've decided to allow both myself  and the artisans who are helping me with the renovation to take the time that they need to create the details that will make our home special. 

Craftsman Style Residential Remodel

A few months ago on Facebook, I shared a photo of the green stucco two story home below at the early stages of a renovation and addition. At the time, It didn't look like much and I had just been asked to consult on the project.  Today, I'm sharing the "after" photos of the inside of this craftsman style residential remodel. I got involved in this project in the middle of the reconfiguration when the owner was beginning to make selections for the exterior..

 I really wish that I had some "before" photos but you'll just have to trust me when I say, "you wouldn't recognize the place". 

Choosing Plumbing Fixtures for the Farmhouse: Porcelain and Unlacquered Brass Faucets

source: MY SOULFUL HOME on Instagram

As I start to share the final selections for the farmhouse, I wanted to take a moment to say,

Thank you!

I truly appreciate all of you hanging in there with me for the last two and a half years while I navigated the difficult parts of getting a project of this size and scope off of the drawing board and into reality.  I know that it hasn't been particularly fun or pretty to look at photos of excavation and framing but now that we're only a few months away from completion, I think that I can safely say that we're finally getting to the good part!

And a special thanks to my sweet friend Kelly from My Soulful Home, who posted the photo above just as I was struggling to finish choosing the plumbing for our master bathroom for finding the perfect faucet...the one with amazing proportion (and enough handle choices to make me happy). It's the one that finally felt right. She's renovating a 100+ year old home. If you don't follow her, you should. We're kindred spirits.

Farmhouse Construction Update: Framing is Nearly Complete

Hello from my still frozen, single digit temperature, midwestern farmhouse renovation! It has been a couple of weeks since my last update and to tell you the truth, since I'm at the site a couple of times each day, I don't always realize that progress is being made but after looking through these photos, there is a definite difference in how the house looks today.

 The first and second photos are of the larger of the two additions on the east side of the house. The first is looking at it from the south and the second is the view from the north. You can see the exposed rafter tails waiting for the bead board that will be visible from below. Once the bead board is installed, the rest of the plywood sheeting will go on, the roof will be felted and the metal roof will be installed.In the second photo, you can also see the covered porch that is along the north side of my new studio and the start of the new stone covered front entry.  Below is how it looked ten days ago.

I moved the front door "out" three feet to take care of some transition issues and to allow us to have a space that would act as an entry foyer. When I did that, the existing porch got really small so I decided to enlarge the covered entry and took the opportunity to add a little more limestone to the front of the house so that the materials would feel more cohesive.

Here's a closer look. It will have an arched opening and stone all around that is yet to come but I love the way the new roof line makes the front of the house look less "flat".  One more fun "before and after...below is the original breezeway that connected the house to the garage.  We used it as our mudroom when we moved into the farmhouse two and a half years ago but it will become our new master bedroom closet when this phase of the renovation is complete.

When we opened up the structure to frame the new floor, we discovered that the "walls" had no studs in them. Nope. Not one. The windows were screwed into the roof header and the rest of the wall consisted of a layer of vinyl siding, a layer of solid insulation and a layer of plywood being held in place by quarter round.  No wonder there were always spiders and other bugs making their way inside!

Here's the new structure. It has real walls, three windows (openings behind the blue house wrap) and it too will have a metal roof.  There is still more framing to be done on this side of the house including exposed rafters and a custom dovecote on the garage so stay tuned for that in a future post.

This is a view that I haven't previously shared. It's one taken from the rear yard standing in front of my sweet little potting shed.  In this photo (from left to right) you can see the existing garage, the new rear addition , the existing brick house and the new addition in the front yard.

Tucked in behind the new addition is a cute little covered porch that is just off of the kitchen. There's just enough room for a table and chairs or a love seat, a place for a grill, and a porch swing like I used to have when I was growing up.  I can't wait!

On the inside of the farmhouse, the framing is nearly complete. Above is the hearth room ceiling as well as my new walk in pantry and powder room. Below is the new kitchen space. I guess that I need to be more serious about cabinets soon.

The window opening still needs to be moved over but I don't imagine that will happen for another week or two when the windows come in.This is the view standing in the kitchen looking at the hearth room.

There will be a fireplace in the wall to the left where the window used to be. It's not started yet but they did remove the window and cover the opening today.

And finally, the space that I'm most excited about, my new studio! There is plywood partially blocking one of the east windows and those huge sheets of plywood on the left are covering a 14 foot wall of windows that will face north.  I've got big plans for these cathedral ceilings! There are only two of them but I intend to make them count (think reclaimed beams)!

So, what comes next? Well, the framers will finish the few odds and ends of interior framing in the next few days (things like the clothes bays in the closet, a built in niche for our television in the hearth room and the raised ceiling in the foyer. The roof will be sheeted, felted, and then, the plumbing rough in will start.

During the rough in, the plumber will run new waste lines to the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms which will connect to the main sewer line and will replace the old iron lines that we removed.  He will also run new water lines to all of the sinks, toilets and tubs as well as the washing machine, dishwasher and humidifiers on the furnaces. New water service will be connected in the spring when the ground thaws. The plumber will also install mixing valves in the walls for things like showers and tubs which is why I'm choosing plumbing now even though I'm a couple of months away from needing toilets, sinks or tubs. I'll share final faucet and fixture choices next week.

Around the same time, the new roofs (a combination of metal and shingle) will be installed and the windows should be here too! Also, I've ordered samples of four different shades of "white" for the siding and should have them at the beginning of next week so that I can make a decision and we can order the siding.

Still to go: Figuring out the size for the windows that are behind the tub in our bathroom (see large beam and missing wall in the middle of the photo above because I can't decide) choosing interior doors, a new front door, the stone for around the front door and the porches and the KITCHEN (as well as heating air conditioning, electrical and what they call "low voltage" (things like wireless, security, and phone)).  As you may have guessed, I've still got a lot to do and I had better get going!

Thanks for reading.

Farmhouse Renovation Update: Interior Demolition and New Framing *Ugly Photos

 This week, as temperatures dropped below zero for several days here in the Chicago 'burbs, we got into the "guts" of the demolition at the farmhouse: the bathrooms and the kitchen were removed.  I never talked much about the bathrooms other than to share the cabinet and lighting makeover that I did in the front bathroom when we moved in.

Farmhouse Renovation Update: Framing and More Demolition

 It has been a couple of weeks so I thought that I'd share a few progress photos from around the farmhouse.  Fortunately, the weather stayed unseasonably warm until about 72 hours ago so the framers were able to get the floor deck on the additions and the walls framed and sheeted before it turned bitter cold this week.  The photo above and the two photos below were taken over three days looking out of what used to be my bedroom window facing east toward the front of the house. 

Farmhouse Renovation Update: I Like Big Trucks (and I cannot lie)

I've had a couple of you ask whether or not I'd be sharing holiday decorating this year. Honestly, the jury is still out on that  and here's why: over the course of the last two weeks, we've officially entered the "it's gonna' get worse before it gets better" phase of the renovation, at least as it relates to the exterior. 

Fortunately, Piper has adjusted to the fact that the only way to enter or leave the house is through the garage and I actually think that she's enjoying watching the daily parade of guys with heavy equipment.  I have to admit, I am too.

We started small. The first machine was the bobcat with the giant saw on the front of it that dug the four foot deep trench from the lot line to the back door. This trench is where the new underground electric service, cable and phone lines will run and pretty much ended my gardening and landscaping  season for the year. I though that I was prepared for the mud.
                                                                                                                                              
                                                                             I wasn't.

From there, we moved on to the big stuff. Excavation equipment dug the foundations for the new additions. First, a smaller addition in the rear of the house which runs from the  left side of the blue tarp in the photo above to the back door (this addition will contain the new hall/mudroom and master bathroom.

Next, the second, larger, addition which extends from the front of the south end house into the front yard. This addition will contain two bedrooms, a full bathroom, and my new studio space in addition to a small covered patio.

Since the south end of our home is currently on a crawl space, the addition is also on a crawl space This saves us money on excavation and concrete and we don't have to worry about excavating below the existing footings where the current structure is resting.

Then, the fun part started. Huge trucks filled with gravel arrived along with a conveyor to pump the gravel from the street into the foundation. Small children walking home from the grade school across the street began to loiter and a mom with a toddler in a stroller and a large cup of coffee showed up a couple of days in a row. I considered getting out the folding chairs and making popcorn but between the rain and the snow, I decided against it.

I also decided that attempting to change the decorations in the window box was probably a lost cause because it would take a pair of boots and a ladder to get to it. At least I can get to the pumpkin that is still on the front porch to throw it away and when it snows, I no longer have to worry about shoveling the front sidewalk...because there isn't one.

It has been incredible to watch as these huge pieces of equipment gently excavate just on the other side of the wall where I sit without even a ripple in my morning cup of coffee. As you probably have guessed, I've become friends with the excavation and concrete crews and they have generously shared stories of their families and how they got into the "business" while we stand at the back of someone's pick up truck sharing lunch or coffee. 

The majority of them have emigrated from Ireland and I've enjoyed the moments of hearty laughter and fabulous brogues that I've listened to on the other side of the very thin walls where the brick has been removed and all that separates me from them is a layer of drywall and some insulation for the last two weeks. 

Yesterday, the concrete pump  and parade of concrete trucks showed up for the second time as the foundation walls were poured.  Mercifully, the weather has been holding mainly in the 40's and 50's here in Illinois and with the exception of a few days of rain and a little wet snow, we've been blessed to be able to get this part of the construction finished before the real cold sets in. 

Today, the land surveyors will be here to perform a "spot survey" to ensure that the foundation is at the correct height before we build on it.  The concrete crew will also come to strip the forms off of the walls and spray the concrete with a sealant to help with the dampness in the crawlspace. Next Monday, the foundation floors will be poured. After that, they'll back fill (put the dirt back against the outside) the foundations and the heavy equipment will be gone. 

Who knows....once that happens, maybe I'll change the window box....or put a wreath on the front door.
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Farmhouse Renovation Floor Plans and Progress

After what feels like an eternity (just under two and a half years) and a number of  "bumps in the road"  I'm excited to finally share the revised plans for Phase 2 of the remodeling and renovation here at the farmhouse and to be able to tell you that we have been issued a building permit!

Farmhouse Renovation and A Story About Towels

Have you ever had one of those days?

                                                                  One where you were just done?

How to Choose Hard Surface Flooring

On the cart: Wood grain ceramic, natural stone and marble

Today, I'm going to talk about flooring choices for the farmhouse, specifically, hard surface flooring. Just what is hard surface flooring? Well, I'm not certain of the technical terms but for me, it refers to any type of flooring that's not carpet.

Wood look porcelain tile

During Phase 2 of the renovation at the farmhouse, all of the flooring will be replaced. Yes, all of the flooring.  There are a couple of factors contributing to this decision.  First, and admittedly the biggest factor is that my sons and I suffer with seasonal allergies. Second, the  floor plan is changing so much that patching and replacing large sections of the existing flooring would be more expensive than simply installing new floors.
 

Wood Look Porcelain. Photos from Floor and Decor

The requirements for my flooring and floor store "wish list" are as follows:

• Hold up to the traffic of our daily life (as well as that of  a certain 65 pound yellow Labrador retriever) without a lot of maintenance.
• First quality materials (no "seconds")
• Last for the lifetime of my home.
• Low Price
• Single source for everything that I need with a staff that can educate me about products that I may not know about
• Eco friendly and able to be installed and maintained with low VOC products.

Flooring materials that I plan to use are these:

• 4 inch Cabin Grade White Oak Hardwood with dark stain (first floor common areas)
• Terracotta Hexagonal tile or natural color slate (Hallways, pantry and laundry)
• Marble Tile in Carrara, Vermont Imperial or other white/gray color (Master Bath)
• Ceramic, Glass, Travertine or Wood Look Porcelain in Gray White and/or Ivory (Powder room and hall bath)
• Bamboo??? Wood-look in a dark color (potential for 2nd floor bedrooms and hall)

While I have chosen flooring for homes several times in the past, it has been ten years since I last made this type of decision and new options have been introduced that I wanted to know more about; specifically, bamboo flooring which is a lower cost alternative to hardwood that I can use on the second floor. It is also much more durable than hardwood and I like the fact that it's a sustainable product.

Ceramic and marble bathroom ideas from traditional to contemporary

Big box stores don't  have the selection that I'm  looking for and I don't have days to spend driving to dozens of places to look at different options. So, I asked my neighbors and a couple of general contractors where to look for flooring and the same name kept coming up: Floor & Decor. 

My favorite: Carrara marble!

Just before Labor Day, I went to the Floor & Decor store in Lombard, IL. Fortunately, there are three locations near me and another store set to open in Skokie, IL on September 12th!  (There are also  Floor & Decor locations in ten states outside of Illinois) and wow! am I glad that I did! They've got over one million feet of material in stock....yes, over a million! 

Terracotta 4x4 tiles

As soon as I walked in the door, someone asked if there was a particular project that I needed help with. I explained that I needed information about different types of flooring and I was directed to a great guy named Chris K. who sat down with me to discuss my project as well as to provide an overview the products and services that Floor & Decor offers including DIY installation classes every Saturday, one hour free design service, and a Pro Desk to handle installation questions from DIY'ers as well as professional installers.

I spent a couple of hours looking at the products that you see in the photos. Chris K answered all of my questions about bamboo flooring and why it's a great, economical, Eco-friendly choice. I learned about sound-deadening underlayment and saw the latest trends including wood look vinyl, random width plank floors, and  Carrara marble. I also checked out tile setting products and tools as well as the floor care products that they carry.

I took photos, and notes. Chris K. gave me his business card and told me to call if I thought of other questions. He also offered to schedule a time for me to sit down with one of their designers before I make final selections. I'm excited about this service because although I know what products I want, I'm not always the best at designing the tile layout. I did, however, already get some great ideas from their in-store displays.

As I finished looking around, I realized that I hadn't seen 4-inch white oak in the store. I need to use this material in the kitchen, master bedroom and hearth room since they are connected to each other as well as to the dining room which we just renovated.  When I asked Chris about it, I was pleased to learn that they can special order some products so, if you don't see something that you're looking for, just ask!

Bamboo flooring; Photo courtesy of Floor & Decor

On September 12th, I'll be paying a visit to the brand new Floor & Decor that's opening in Skokie, IL to check out their selection during their GRAND OPENING! I already know that their staff will be great and that their prices can't be beat (you probably noticed that from the photos too, didn't you?)!

Ceramic tile bathroom  Photo courtesy of Floor and Decor

P.S. Stop by next week for details on the Skokie Grand Opening and to see what I'm considering for my kitchen back splash and bathrooms.  Some of the gorgeous tile in the photo above just may be included!

Disclosure: I was compensated for writing this post. However, my account of how I discovered Floor and Decor as well as my experience and opinion of them  is my own.  I only write about products and services that I use personally in my own home and it is my policy and promise to you, the reader, that all reviews are genuine, 100% honest, and reflect my experience with the product or service being reviewed.









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