I Got A Notion!

Bath Trim is Done!

kbonikowsky — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:15:28 +0000

Here’s some pictures as proof.

Brass Hinge

kbonikowsky — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:47:33 +0000

I love our step-up door to the attic-master bedroom. So many things in this old house are charming. The brass hinge that had been painted over is one. I posted earlier this year about cleaning this old hinge. You can read that post, here.

Here is what the hinge looked like when we bought the place. I didn’t even know it was something special until a friend pointed it out. And even then, didn’t discover it was brass until I started stripping the paint off.

And, in all its glory!

We installed the trim last weekend. I will be caulking and painted it over the next few days. So, this space isn’t quite done.

Chicken Fence

kbonikowsky — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:58:15 +0000

This is a catch-up post. This part of the barnyard was completed last fall. It pens the chickens to a sideyard beside the barn, so we don’t have to deal with them on our back steps. They had to get their wings clipped anyway. Fence is a little short.

Here is a shot of the house from the barnyard when we moved in back in May.

Here is the same shot with the chicken fence.

And this rosebush was in the perfect spot already to grow up and over tthe fence to add its charm to the old barn.

Stair Railing

kbonikowsky — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 23:50:07 +0000

The stairs up to the attic/master bedroom have been railed for months, but I realized I never posted pictures.

When we bought the place, the stairs up to the attic led to a hole in the floor, like this. No railings. Just a big drop.

Now they are railed in and safe!

The rails:

One day, we’ll get around to staining and painting it!

Finished Front

kbonikowsky — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 17:28:47 +0000

We had maybe 5 days of no rain in the last 4 weeks? So, we’ve only painted the front of the house. Looks good!

Spraying Paint

kbonikowsky — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:59:49 +0000

We lucked out with the last week of good weather here in Western Washington. The last week of our dry, sunny spell we finished spraying all the facia and trim. That was almost 4 weeks ago. Here are the pictures!

Barred

kbonikowsky — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:23:16 +0000

The bar top was installed this weekend. What used to be a wall is now a table. Do you remember the wall that separated the kitchen from the dining room? See pictures in this post. This is how we’ve been using it for the last few months…with the counter, but no extending bar.

Stephen had to drill up through the cabinets to catch the counter. Wood counters are so easy.

The wood pegs are just to hold it in place, so I didn’t have to.

I’ve been looking for the perfect re-used corbels to use under the bar, but for now it has small wood supports.

They woke up early just to eat breakfast in the new spot.

Siding complete!

kbonikowsky — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:36:39 +0000

The house is now snug in its patched skin of siding.

This is a chronology of the old “front” door that was really on the side of the front porch. We removed the door and installed a window.

Its ready for color!

New Bath Window

kbonikowsky — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:41:04 +0000

Man, my titles are creative, eh? Here’s the old bath window.

I decided I wanted a matching window in the bathroom. Two reasons. 1. Continuity. 2. I’m convinced the old garden window smelled. #2 was really the deciding factor. I’d hate for guests to use our facilities and think I don’t clean properly! And, well, I guess I didn’t. It was impossible to clean the old window putty and screen in the old one. Pride demanded the switch.

If you haven’t seen the house in person, let me explain the unique situation that occcurs out our bath window. A shed is built right below. The garage is built 8 feet away. So, our window looks out on a roof and metal wall.

Lovely, right? I think I’ll hang shutters inside.

The long term plan is to demolish the shed and walk-out, so there is a distinct alley between the house and garage. It will help the asthetic a little.

But, for now, it looks like this!

Siding, Yard and Paint Colors

kbonikowsky — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 17:46:53 +0000

Our goal is to finish the exterior of the house before the weather turns. After the window trim, there was siding to patch. We we were lucky to find the exact lap siding at a local cedar lumber yard, so we didn’t have to cut and paste from the old leftovers. Here is a before picture of one of the holes in the siding created from the old heating vents. You can see the old windows and trim as well… and the out-of-control lilac.

While Stephen works with the wood, I’ve been keeping busy with the yard. Here is a shot of the front of the house before the daisies took over. The wild daisies grow to 4 feet high! And their stalks are thick and hard to pull up. They had taken over the entire front bed.

We transplanted the evergreen at the corner of the house from elsewhere in the yard, as well as another peony. I left one daisy clump (I’m sure it will try to take over again next year.) and planted a few new bushes and ground covers.

In the picture below, the siding is replaced, and the lilac is emerging from its spring chop. I can’t wait to give it a new shape over the winter.

And drum roll… here is the paint color. It’s a medium gray, with white trim. The foundation is going the window color…a tan/taupe.

I did a test paint of the front of the porch. The shakes are painted a dark charcoal and the lap siding is the same gray as the vertical siding. White trim is all around the windows, soffit, fascia and porch railing. The porch floor, steps and sides will go the same as the windows and foundation- a tan/taupe.