The White Castle

Kitchen!

2011-10-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

Nearing a more finished look

2010-11-24T04:55:00.000-08:00

Built In #1

2010-08-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

New Fence

2010-05-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

We are installing a cedar fence around the rear of the property. The carpenters asked if they could just leave the existing chain link behind it. Umm... No?
- Amy

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Galvanized Metal Fun

2009-12-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

Putting galvanized metal on our countertops!
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We have a stove!

2009-12-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

A Jenn Air dual fuel 30" stainless range has finally made its way to our kitchen.
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A Stove!

2009-10-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

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Temporary Kitchen

2009-09-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

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Big Ol' Tub

2009-09-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

The cousins- AKA the plumbing company- got the master bath tub in today.
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Picket Fence

2009-09-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

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Tankless Hot Water

2009-09-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

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Bath Tub from HELL

2009-08-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

I don't think the plumbers will ever forgive me for buying a cast iron claw foot bathtub for the upstairs bathroom. It took 4 strong guys to get it up there.
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Stair Railing is Up!

2009-08-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

Mid-day update...6 p.m. update!

Still working...

2009-08-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

Master vanity- custom built with granite tops. Upstairs hall bath vanity- custom built with carrera marble top.

Stair railing? Temporary stair railing...

Wood Floors are Finished...

2009-07-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

...and they look awesome!

Provincial

2009-07-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Wood floors are being finished this week...

A Little Fire...

2009-07-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

We had a little fire at the white house... The dumpster spontaneously combusted on July 10. The flames were apparently as high as the second story roof, and thankfully the floor guy saw what was happening. He yelled downstairs for the plumbing crew, and my cousin plumber who is also a volunteer fireman was able to keep the house from catching on fire with a little garden hose while he waited for the Dallas Fire Department to arrive. Can I just tell you how mad I'd be if this thing burned down NOW?

I Want That

2009-07-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

Fold down screen can be tv or computer monitor. Must have.
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I Can Build That, Right?

2009-07-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

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Hardwood Finishing Begins

2009-07-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

BP Wood Flooring began sanding the upstairs today.
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A Faucet!

2009-07-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

We're making all kinds of progress over here!
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A Sink!

2009-07-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

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Ummmm

2009-07-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful vanity... Except it was intended for the upstairs guest bath!
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Master Vanity

2009-07-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

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Another Day of Good Progress

2009-07-05T15:50:00.001-07:00

Nope, your computer color is not wrong. We did indeed use a silvery blue in the entry and stairwell...

Dining room (below) and sitting room (above) are a parchment/neutral.

The stairs will be sanded when the floor guru comes this Wednesday.

Downstairs bath has awesome vintage 1" hexagon tile.

Juanita and Lisa began hanging fans and lights.

Living room above, kitchen below-

Kitchen looking into sitting room-

Stairwell...

Playroom

Laundry room

Kid's room

Kid's room- neutral paint, as gender unknown. Ceiling not painted yet... want to do something blue or brown... Master bedroom was hosed down in the same silvery blue.

Master bed, cont.

Master bath- door to left is the loo- door to right is closet. Master shower- 3' x 8'. It will forever drive me crazy that the black diamond tile is not centered underneath the window.

Vanities go here-

Today wasn't all roses- painter got a little carried away and painted this outlet and outlet cover...

And also forgot to make sure the floor was well covered, resulting in paint on some of the tiles. Hope it comes out- Not a big deal on ceramic or porcelain tiles, but travertine is a porous stone.

Standing in playroom- AC's door on left, then baby Barack's room, linen closet, and door into hall bathroom. Laundry room entry is across from linen closet.

Dry Wall + Paint = Good Week!

2009-07-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I started painting, and apparently I wasn't doing it the way the dry wall guy or the tile guy liked. Within 30 minutes of starting, a painter friend of the tile guy showed up. I gladly paid him for his help.

He painted the entire downstairs in 4 hours.

Above and below are kitchen walls/ceiling.

Front sitting room above and below is sitting room looking at front door and into dining room.

The dry wall guru's wife helps him. She was horrified that I was painting while pregnant.

Painting the living room & the room with no name...

Upstairs bedroom-

Same bedroom...

Laundry room

Upstairs hall bathroom

They scraped TONS of old paint from the walls and retextured. Amazing.

Another shot of upstairs hall bathroom.

Standing in bathroom looking at the loft- kids bedrooms and linen closet to right.

The loft/playroom...

We have no stair railing right now...

Another view of the loft... Doorway leads to master bedroom.

Master bedroom- Doorway to right leads to a 2 story fall onto a pile of nails. Doorway to left leads to master bath.

Master bedroom continued...

Master bath getting texture... No rest for the weary. Working on the 4th of July!

This will be Aubrey Cate's room- it is currently light fixture/plumbing fixture/door storage.

New texture-

Dining room-

The room with no name- doors lead to backyard.

Living room-

Butlers pantry-

Downstairs guest room-

Downstairs bathroom-

Dining room as Santiago was beginning to paint-

Front sitting room, awaiting its turn... doorway to right leads into kitchen.

You Stink

2009-07-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

Port-o-potties in July... Yuck. That alone is motivation to hurry this crap up. (pun intended)

Wish List

2009-07-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

I'm over the hard stuff. Bring on the decorating. Oh wait- we are out of money!
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Raise Your Hand...

2009-07-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

...if you think we should have put these chairs in storage.
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Upstairs Guest Bath

2009-07-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

No more mustard gold!
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Old Texture vs. New Texture

2009-06-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

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Master Bath Flooring & Walls

2009-06-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

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So Proud

2009-06-30T10:40:00.001-07:00

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Inspection Defection

2009-06-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

We finally got our green tag for our framing last week! The inspector was a jack ass, at best. He kept red tagging us- not because he wasn't satisfied with the work, but because he "could hear hammering inside, so we must not be ready for inspection," etc. Grrr.
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More Tile!

2009-06-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

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One Bathroom is Tiled!

2009-06-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Upstairs guest bath got tile today!
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The Entertainment

2009-06-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

Dry wall guys use stilts instead of ladders.
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Unwelcome Visitor

2009-06-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

"Pigeons are just rats with wings."
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Master Bedroom Dry Wall

2009-06-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

They cut arches.
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Tile Flooring!

2009-06-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

The tile guy started the flooring in AC's bathroom today.
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I Love Dry Wall

2009-06-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

This is a GOOD sign- sheet rock dust everywhere! It must mean there is work going on!Doorway leading from sitting room into kitchen on Sunday....Doorway on Tuesday...Standing in living room looking at room with no name on Sunday:Same shot on Tuesday.Living room ceiling- flies? chicken pox? Nope. 3,000,000 screws to make sure the old sheetrock doesn't sag.Doorway on left goes into butler pantry and kitchen. Hallway on right leads to downstairs bath and guest room.The room with no name. Doors lead to backyard.

Wood flooring stacked to right is what's left to be installed in the downstairs guest room and hallway.

Standing inside guest room looking back at the room with no name...

Guest bedroom on Sunday-Same wall on Tuesday. Dry wall rocks.Guest room on Sunday...
Guest room on Tuesday! Closet door on left, door into bathroom (with green wet rock visible), and door on right goes to hallway.

Plan to install built in bookcase to left of window, desk underneath window, and (obviously) have closet on right. Window looks into backyard.
Guest room has 2 other windows, too. Almost failed inspection because they are more than 40" off floor, but for some reason, he let it go. Maybe since they're old and that's where they originally were?

Downstairs bathroom on Sunday.... Bathroom on Tuesday. Loving the stained glass. SO glad we didn't build a bathroom without a window. Since it is a first floor bathroom, we elevated the window and chose one with opaque glass. We only put 1 full bath in downstairs, rather than trying to cram in a full bath and a half bath. We don't have overnight guests THAT often, so we figured everyone can share.

Fancy water panel above. Doorway to left leads into guest bedroom.

Carpenter broke the tub drain while installing sub floor.

Kitchen wall on Sunday...Same wall on Tuesday!Kitchen ceiling on Sunday...Same ceiling on Tuesday!Kitchen wall with cheat sheet notes all over... notes are gone! Doorway leads to butler pantry and into living room.

Doorway on left is to butler pantry- right is to sitting room. Wall will have fridge on left, cabinet space in middle, and double wall oven on right.

Now about the upstairs....

Dry Wall!

2009-06-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

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Maybe?

2009-06-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

HVAC swears they'll be on and done today.
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Putting the Squeeze on Me

2009-06-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

For the price of a Hyundai, we will no longer have this nasty crow's feet texture. We will have light orange peel, modern walls and ceilings.

I think if I ask one more contractor if they take payments, I might have officially indebted myself for more than I will make this year

The good news is they start Friday and will finish in a week. Phew.
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Master Bath Round 2!

2009-06-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

Replacement master tub got here today.
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Air Conditioning? Maybe.

2009-06-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

Today was "install day" for the atual HVAC, but there are a few delays. The electrician hasn't run the wires to the unit. Why she hasn't is up for debate, but regardless, there is no power at the HVAC location. The HVAC guys also left quite a bit of work until the last minute- their inspection being the most important part. Until they pass that, we can't close up the floor in the guest room. They also still have to insulate all of the duct work underneath the house.

Hopefully we will have A/C by Wednesday night.
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Master Shower

2009-06-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

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Master Tub

2009-06-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

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Tub base

2009-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

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Bath Tubs

2009-06-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

Master bath tub arrived today with a crack in the bottom. A new one will be shipped from Baths of Distinction in Florida tomorrow. The damage is irreparable, so we are welcome to use it as a planter. Hmmm.

The two antique tubs will be delivered tomorrow. The refinisher sent these photos tonight.

Downstairs guest bathroom tub before:Downstairs guest bathroom tub after:

One of those white tubs laying there is the upstairs guest bath tub, though I'm not sure which. It was forest green with nasty insides when we sent it to New Again Resurfacing.

The tubs will be delivered to the house tomorrow. Plumbing inspection is also scheduled for tomorrow.

Master Shower Plumbing

2009-06-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Continued...
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Master Shower Valves

2009-06-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Plumbers are installing the master shower valves today.
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Plumbing, Plumbing, and More Plumbing

2009-06-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Work is kinda... well.... sluggish right now. We're waiting on the plumbing remodel to pass its rough in inspection. They couldn't rough in without knowing what we were going to be putting in the bathrooms... So here they are-

Upstairs hall bath is getting an antique clawfoot tub, which is being refinished and polished "like a brand new mercedes," per the craftsman. It will have this antique-style shower surround...

This is the faucet on the upstairs tub.

This is the master bath soaking tub.

This hasn't been ordered, but it is a kitchen faucet that was just beautiful in a local store in our design district. Hopefully we can swing it...

Kitchen Ideas

2009-05-19T14:02:00.001-07:00

HVAC

2009-05-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

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2009-04-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

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Wood Flooring continued

2009-04-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

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Indoor bowling alley?

2009-04-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Wood floor installation has continued downstairs.

Chocolate brown!

2009-04-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

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2009-04-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

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Dallas Design District tour

2009-04-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Not a good day in remodeling world- HVAC company cut through an active gas line. Instead of standing around waiting to blow up, I visited the Dallas Design district. Coveting is a sin, right?
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Super Modern Plumbing

2009-04-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

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New flooring!

2009-04-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, I thought I'd showcase our non-environmentally friendly red oak flooring that will soon be coated with multiple layers of toxic stain and polyeurathane (I spelled that correctly on the first try.)

But it sure it beautiful...

Upstairs Hall Bath

2009-04-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Sink plumbing

Bathtub to the left, toilet to the right

Wood Floor Install Began Today

2009-04-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

HVAC Install Began Today

2009-04-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

Paint!

2009-04-11T09:02:00.001-07:00

Well, primer...

It's Been 3 Weeks!

2009-04-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

End of the 3rd Week

2009-03-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Moving the fridge out.... now why didn't we do that while they still had the outside stairs on the house?

New siding installation has begun!

Stained glass window in the downstairs bathroom.

Found in an antique store on Industrial Ave. Supposedly from the late 1800's. It's stained and stenciled.Smoke alarms are wired in... waiting to put these up.Master bedroom getting double doors that will go out to a balcony one day... not too sure when...!

We have plumbing! Well, we have drains. We get supply lines and gas next week.Doors! What a novel idea! 6' french doors that will hopefully go onto a screened in porch one day.

Update

2009-03-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

The four electric meters are off! So is the drywall on the ceiling in the will-be kitchen.

Wednesday #2

2009-03-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

Work has moved upstairs...

Slow

2009-03-10T08:59:00.001-07:00

I'm tired of taking pictures of the same framed section. Hopefully they'll get more pretty stuff done today (Tuesday). They've been focusing on boring things like actually making sure the floor joists would pass inspection.

There's going to be lots of wood flooring to patch.

Eric ripped the sheetrock down in the future kitchen to allow the plumber to work on the bathroom and laundry rooms overhead.... however he seems to have missed the part about taking the shiplap down?

More pictures of the same framed up bathroom.

Bathtubs as saw horses?

Trash, trash, and more trash.

End of 6 day work week...

2009-03-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday Afternoon Update

2009-03-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

Window weights- what makes old windows stay up when you open them. They hang inside the wall by small white ropes.

Temporary supports hold the second story up while they take off the exterior walls. Framing began for the downstairs bath (to the right).

Since I'm not too useful to these guys, I got to practice my manual setting photography. (above was on automatic- these last ones were taken on manual. See how much better they are?!)

Lunch Time Update

2009-03-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

Full dumpster!

Day.... Oh, I've lost count.

2009-03-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

Recently replaced PVC sewer line!

Trash

Temporary supports are up so they can replace headers.

New joists to replace rotten ones...

End of Day 4

2009-03-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Dumpster progress check! OOOOooooooollllllllllldddddddddddddddd wiring.
Ceilings in back portion

Plumbers cut out lots of drains today

Still loving the butler's pantry cut-through!
Santos ripping more shiplap.

Santos is standing in what will be the hallway to the hall bath and the downstairs guest room. The doorway to his right will get closed up.

In guest room looking toward downstairs bath

Downstairs guest room- doorways will get closed up. Kitchen will be on other side of the wall.

Downstairs guest room...

More downstairs guest room....

Upstairs

This will be a laundry room

Upstairs hall bath will be to the left- laundry room to the right.

Laundry room area

Upstairs baths opened to each other- gotta get even "more gutted" than this.

Bird's eggs are still there, but I know for a fact that the workers knocked the eggs out of the nest, and then put the eggs back to keep me happy. Poor little birdies... RIP.AND! They actually got to build something today! Extra supports for the stairs... so far all we've done is tear out, so new wood is a welcome sight!

Demo, Day 4

2009-03-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

This is my gauge. I can tell how much progress I'm going to see when I go inside every (frequent) visit by the speed with which this mound of trash grows.

Standing in the future dining room, looking to the back of the house....

Standing in living room looking toward front door...

Standing in living room looking south- the hallway to the right will go to downstairs bath and the downstairs guest room. The opening to the left will be a butler's pantry-esque thing that will connect the living area to the kitchen.

Inside the butler's pantry thingy...

Removed the two upstairs heat/air wall units. Aubrey Cate is not allowed upstairs at TWC until something is done about those holes.

Standing in the playroom, looking toward kid bedroom doors. The closed door on the left will get changed to a historically accurate one that will open to a tiny closet. The wall to the right where the trim is already down will be opened up to be one big open landing/area.

Demo on the 2 upstairs bathrooms.

Demo Continued

2009-03-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

This was yesterday:

This is today:Yesterday:

Today:

Day 1 of Demo

2009-03-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

Debris piled up as high as the window-

This was underneath the sheetrock... anyone know them?

The chimney... what to do?

The First Hour

2009-03-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

I left to make copies, and an hour later, I came back to this!

Walls are made of shiplap- the same construction as our house in Little Rock (built in 1886), and the house we live in now (built in 1925) and the house we renovated last year.

Recycling the doors.... I think the guys are afraid to throw anything away, since I'm making such a case for reusing as much as possible!

Ripping down the frame in the will-be downstairs guest room.

Walk Through Before Demo Begins

2009-03-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

The old, knarly tree isn't dead afterall.

4 electric meters will become 1- All of this will get cleaned up.We're enclosing this "U" shape cut out of the back.Part of enclosing that U includes moving the gas line and coming back with all new gas.
View from the back- stairs all coming down, double doors going in downstairs to go from the living space to a screened in porch one day. Upstairs windows will be matched and inside will be the master bedroom.

The downstairs door will be replaced with a window the same size as the one to the right of it. Inside there will be the downstairs guest room. Upstairs windows will be matched to be the same size, and that will be the master bathroom. Obviously we intend to do away with the rug covering the opening in the siding where the pipes burst.

They'll build a "cricket" between those two roofs to buy us a few years before we have to reframe and replace the roof.

We're going to open up the front entry way and make 2 9' cased openings. To the left will be a sitting room, and to the right will be the dining room.This awesome antique fireplace is in the sitting room- it will be saved.The next group of photos are of what will be the kitchen. The doorway where you see the guys standing and the blue walls (a bad bathroom) will be closed up, and the guest bedroom will be on the other side of them. You'll enter from another hallway.
Through the closet door on the right, we'll make a butler's pantry. It will connect to the living room.

East wall of the kitchen, looking toward the front porch and into the sitting room. Bay windows to the right.
Door accesses the wrap around porch. We'll replace it with a screen door and a door that lets light in.

This will be a downstairs guest room.
Since it was a 4-plex, we have 4 water heaters, 4 kitchens, etc.Awesome old hardware on some cabinets that we will salvage and use somewhere- possibly in baths or in laundry room.

Do you know how much this would cost at Restoration Hardware now?

If you'd gone right at the front door, you'd be standing in the will-be dining room looking into the living room.Big windows overlooking the large lot...

still the dining room, looking into the living room. The front porch is behind you.

Living room looking into the dining room. Bay windows to the left.Opening up the walls between the living room and the "hearth room" or study? Don't know what to call it.

This wall will open up and be a lofty playroom/tv room area. The master bedroom will enter through there, as well.Standing inside the playroom- that wall ahead will become a solid wall, and the master bedroom will be in there.
Can you believe both of these will be a bathroom soon?

2009-01-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

2009-01-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

2009-01-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

Brick steps. Porch boards need to be replaced, but frame is good. Huge lotCeiling of front porch is the old wainscoting style. Needs additional screws and caulking.Each side has a bay window- the left, or south, side has a door leading to the front porchWindow units. The eaves are are in good shape, it appears.

Heaters and window units.