Thread Number: 82932  /  Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Sarah's Country House Update
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Post# 1071594   5/9/2020 at 15:05 (1,418 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        

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Hi Everyone,

It's been slow going in the country--at least it seems slow--because all of the work since last October has been demolition and structural repair.

We demolished the kitchen, and there was a lot of structural termite damage. My grandfather went through many years of alcoholism, depression and recovery during which the house became infested with termites that did a mind blowing amount of damage.

We have opened up the kitchen into the breakfast room, insulated with rock wool and framed the new door openings. Some of you may remember my kitchen floor plan and drawings, but I will post them again here for those who haven't been following. I can't remember what I've posted in the past and what I haven't.

We decided to remove a poorly done addition and salvage it for house parts. The first thing we harvested was the pine floor. I'm going to reuse it in the kitchen.

I have all but one of the steel Geneva cabinets I need for the kitchen (an 18" base with scroll handle in case any of you have one hanging around) and all of the appliances except the dishwasher--

I have a 1958 GE wall fridge, a GE Americana fridge, a 30" stainless Thermador cooktop, a 6' stainless Elkay sink, a turquoise Frigidaire Custom Imperial double wall oven and a GE under counter washer dryer combo (Thanks John L). (Thanks Turbokinetic for all of the refrigerator help.

I'm anxious to get the kitchen installed but not so anxious to paint the cabinets.

So, without further ado, here's the photo update.
The first two pictures show the addition as is and photoshopped out. I think it's going to look much better with it gone.
The next four are kitchen floor plan drawings
The seventh is a picture from the porch in the rain
The eighth is the combo--can't decide whether to paint it turquoise or white. The wall fridge and Frigidaire ovens are turquoise. I'm still trying to decide whether to paint the cabinets and remaining appliances turquoise or white.
The ninth is the Americana, my temporary kitchen in one of the rooms scheduled for demolition.
The tenth is the kitchen opened up.
The eleventh is my outdoor kitchen sink. I'm looking forward to having it and the Americana in a completed kitchen.

Did I mention that I am very tired and looking forward to some finished space on the ground floor? I'm tired.

Cheers,
Sarah

Sarah


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Post# 1071664 , Reply# 1   5/9/2020 at 18:37 (1,418 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

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A Labor of Love for sure. Like your drawings and colors.

Get some rest.


Post# 1071667 , Reply# 2   5/9/2020 at 18:40 (1,418 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

ultramatic's profile picture

 

 

 

Thant's going to look fantastic. Can't wait to see the end product.


Post# 1071751 , Reply# 3   5/10/2020 at 08:50 (1,418 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield, East Midlands, UK)        
Colors

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Hi Sarah

Its sounds like you are making good progress, slow of course but then I know from experience, these things always are.

I think whether or not you paint the cabinets turquoise or not has to be down to your personal preference but I came across this youtube video, the first part of which might be of interest. The appliance are mint green of course but it may give some idea what your kitchen could look like as they have chosen red tops in a similar colour to that you you are considering with white cabinets.





I hope it helps and best wishes on the project

Al


Post# 1071790 , Reply# 4   5/10/2020 at 14:12 (1,417 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Cool

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Thanks Al,

The quartz countertops in the first video look great and much more retro with the squared edges. I like the mint green too.

I'm thinking about painting all cabinet surfaces white except the door panels. I'm still not sure if I'll go white or turquoise there. It seems like the turquoise might be too much, but the tone on tone look is beautiful.

Every bit of input helps me evolve my plan. I'm getting there.

Best,
Sarah



Post# 1071886 , Reply# 5   5/10/2020 at 21:32 (1,417 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

The nice thing about paint is when you tire of it paint it over.

 

i have golden oak, no a thing wrong with them except they are golden oak.  Go back and forth about painting them, but I'd want a furniture finish so they would need a filler of some sort to hide the grain. Indecision so nothing happens...


Post# 1073328 , Reply# 6   5/19/2020 at 13:36 (1,408 days old) by mixrman (Aliceville, Alabama)        

Sarah- The dishwasher is still in the shed... trying to find someone to work for me one day so I can bring it to Tuscaloosa. The house looks wonderful with the addition removed! Love the tile porch floor and brick walk.

I am planning a complete re-do of our kitchen this autumn. Will keep appliances, countertops and cabinets- but new wall and cabinet colors and new arrangement. Our old 1920s heart pine floors have rotted and cannot be saved (no sub-floor, no vapor barrier under the room- too close to ground too...). Will use #2 pine with slight bevel on edge. Will install vapor barrier when floor is out, sub-floor, and felt underlayment. We went to Memphis last weekend and got a load of 9 Youngstown cabinets that included some hard to find items and original countertop.


Post# 1108584 , Reply# 7   2/18/2021 at 16:15 (1,133 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Kitchen update

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Hi everyone,

Here's the latest update. Going slowly but still going.

Al, thanks again for the video. It's been great for visualizing how the colors will work.

I'm using reclaimed pine flooring both because it was already part of the house and because, unlike the linoleum I wanted, it is virtually indestructible.

The countertops will be Wilsonart red cracked ice laminate with metal trim. My first choice was solid surface, but cost, cost, cost...

I'm going to do all white cabinets with the turquoise wall oven and wall fridge. I will have lots of turquoise accents. I found some very cool true vintage white, red and turquoise barkcloth fabric for curtains and cushions on a window seat we are building.

My cabinet layouts have shifted slightly since I posted the last plans. I am getting three more GE cabinettes. My carpenter and I pulled all of the cabinets into the kitchen and placed them. We found several places where the planned layout would not work. Fortunately, having twice as many cabinets as I needed turned out to be a blessing in this area. I'm still looking for that elusive mixer cabinet and have two more "wants" on my list--a 180 degree open shelf for the end of my peninsula and a 12" upper or lower to go next to the door. Jerry can build the open shelf unit, and I can put a spacer in place of the 12" if needed.

The mixer cabinet is 21." If I find it after the kitchen is completed, I have a 24" and a 15" that I will swap for the mixer cabinet and an 18" that I will keep in reserve.

I'm thinking about using mirrors for the backsplashes. I never, ever would have thought of it except that we have them in our current house. It makes the kitchen seem brighter and larger. It also makes it possible to both work at the counter and chat with the people behind me in the rest of the kitchen.

The kitchen will have ample lighting options--two matched vintage milk glass ceiling globes with a painted kitchen utensil motif. There will be a bare Edison bulb pendant with cloth wire and antique porcelain paddle switched socket with matching porcelain ceiling rosette above the window seat plus four GE cabinettes with lights, the lighted Americana refrigerator backsplash and possibly a light over the sink. We will be able to go from bright to night light intensity with ease.

Storage space is premium in the whole house, so we are going to put a broom cabinet between the joists in the hall adjacent to the kitchen. We are also redoing the plumbing with PEX and will have a manifold in a second hall cabinet so that we can turn off the water by zone if needed.

We are converting a vanity space in the downstairs bathroom to house the water heater and a full sized stacked top loading washer and dryer. I'm hoping to also have enough space for a small counter cabinet.

The sitting room adjacent to the kitchen will have a door opening into the back yard. We are salving the door from the demolition. A chair rail will be made from paneling salvaged from the demolished bathroom. For lighting, there will be the chandelier from my grandparent's bedroom and matching pendant lights I found on eBay. The sitting room has a small closet with a 36" door. We have enlarged the doorway to accommodate a pair of French closet doors I salvaged from a house here in Tuscaloosa following the 2011 tornado.

My best brainstorm to date has been the realization that we can demolish the middle of the old addition and keep the back third as a workshop. As I thought, the back part was a third addition to the main house. When we opened the floor, we found that the part we plan to keep as a workshop has its own foundation separate from the bedroom addition.

I've decided to go with electric "window" combination heating and air units but create openings in the side of the house so that I don't lose window space. My general old house experience is that simplest is often best. I will miss the vintage Fedders a/c that was stolen by burglars some years ago.

We haven't started any exterior demolition on the old addition, but we have harvested the pine flooring and cedar paneling in the bathroom and closet to use as chair rail in the sitting room.

Spur the wonder dog developed an abdominal tumor in May. We kept him comfortable until he stopped eating in early June. We had the vet put him down, then buried him in the country. We sent him off with stories and libations. It's the first time we have not shown the body of a dead pet to the surviving ones, and it took Chip the cat a long time to stop looking for Spur.

I was at the house alone when hurricane Zeta hit October 28. It is a hundred and thirty-seven miles from the coast, and I didn't expect it to be a big deeal. It wreaked havoc on the trees--including the last oak my grandmother planted when they built the house in 1938--but the house was steadfast, unshakeable and undamaged.

Well, this is a huge update. Thank you, as always, for your interest and encouragement. I've missed you guys. I've spent most of my internet time searching for the last few cabinets and am driving myself a bit nuts.

Sarah

Now for the pictures
1-3 marked up pictures of the kitchen with cabinets placed.
4 Dreadfully spoiled Chip-the-cat in baby sling
5-7 Storm damage
8 Cozy night stranded after storm
9-11 My grandfather's camellias
12 Spur as a younger man
13 Spur the last week


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Post# 1108596 , Reply# 8   2/18/2021 at 17:53 (1,133 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL)        
Sarah,

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GREAT update, and I love the last photo.

 

lawrence


Post# 1108598 , Reply# 9   2/18/2021 at 18:03 (1,133 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

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Nice work.

 

gone are the mismatched ceramic tile counter tops.


Post# 1108607 , Reply# 10   2/18/2021 at 18:45 (1,133 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Glad to see things progressing! Been wondering how you are doing - now I guess we know. Update as time permits, I'm sure we all want to see the progress.

Post# 1108625 , Reply# 11   2/18/2021 at 21:01 (1,133 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Thank you!

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Thanks, as ever, for your support, encouragement and interest. I love it and appreciate y'all.

Do you have any ideas for changes/improvements in the plan?

Best,
Sarah


Post# 1108629 , Reply# 12   2/18/2021 at 21:12 (1,133 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        

Sarah, your kitchen looks to be coming together nicely.

Sorry to hear about your dogs illness, and subsequent passing. Also a shame about your oak tree. I had an oak in my back yard that just fell over one night. It had rotted internally.


Post# 1110157 , Reply# 13   3/3/2021 at 23:47 (1,120 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Specialty cabinets. Holy Smokes! All my dreams come true

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A seller in Kingsport, TN listed a kitchen full of gorgeous Geneva cabinets on FB Marketplace, and I found the listing 22 minutes after she posted. She sold me the mixer cabinet, the open round shelves for the end of the peninsula, the glass shelves that go on either side of a window, and...a must-have that I didn't know existed: a pull out trash bin! Trash was one of the issues I hadn't resolved yet. I figured I'd retrofit a pull out kit, but this is amazing! It's a full 18" wide and 24" deep. The bin section is close to 36" high, and the whole thing rolls out from under the counter. I also got two beautiful in wall exhaust fans.

[Begin whining and agonize over pricing. You're probably better off skipping this] I paid a whole lot more than I did for any of my other cabinets (many of which I feel like I either paid too much for or shouldn't have bought). I started worrying that I was going to be frustrated with myself for paying too much. Ultimately I decided these are premium cabinets in great condition at a price that is competitive with Ikea or basic Home Depot cabinets. I went out to dinner with a friend last night, and paying the check was the clincher--it was half the cost of the trash cabinet, more than half the cost of the glass shelves, one-third the cost of the peninsula curve...and that was for something I had consumed in two hours with a friend. The cabinets are definitely a worthwhile investment. [End whining]

I'm also getting acres of Youngstown chrome counter trim from a woman in North Carolina. I'm bringing her a Youngstown hutch from here, and she's meeting me in Tennessee with the trim. The pictures of the trim are just a few pieces. She has two 12' sections, and I'm pretty sure what she has will do my whole kitchen. I'll have Geneva cabinets, formica countertops with Youngstown trim, oh, and did I mention the GE cabinettes?

The pictures:
#1 is the mixer cabinet. It's to the right of the dishwasher with the doors on top and the drawer on bottom.
#2 is part of the peninsula round in the right foreground.
#3-5 are the trash bin
and #6-9 are trim

Wow! I am very excited!
Sarah


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Post# 1110159 , Reply# 14   3/3/2021 at 23:53 (1,120 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
And another thing...

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Since I checked in last, I've found three more GE cabinettes in St. Louis. That means I will have a turquoise cabinette under the the wall fridge, two white cabinettes that meet in the corner of the sink and cooktop walls, and another white cabinette
on the wall perpendicular to the wall fridge. I'm going to have massive storage!

Sarah


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Post# 1110169 , Reply# 15   3/4/2021 at 06:26 (1,120 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)        
Close to the finish line?

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Hi Sarah, love all those cabinets you picked up.  You must be getting pretty close to having this kitchen finished.  I can't wait to see it.  We have a pull out trash bin and I love it.  I open it, work above it and slide stuff right from the counter into the can.  It's very convenient.  I'd love to have a mixer cabinet like that.  My mixer is a beast and sits on the counter because it's a pain to move when I want to use it.  I'd love a set up like that.  


Post# 1110586 , Reply# 16   3/8/2021 at 10:31 (1,115 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Wow!

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Keith, you have quite the memory. I remember when the black & white vitreous tile was on the counters adjacent to the sink. The all of the ground was gone from the tile on the left side of the sink, and the cracks were filled with kind of a black goo--sort of like toe jam. My grandmother would scrub and scrub and the tiles themselves started coming up. When I got older and began learning about old houses, I couldn't understand why the tile came up like it did, the vitreous mosaic tile just didn't do that in most situations. When I tore up the counter that still had it, I realized that it had been installed paper side down...

Post# 1110588 , Reply# 17   3/8/2021 at 10:42 (1,115 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
And there's more!

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I came down Friday night and started dragging the cabinets around the kitchen again, and I am starting to see it. I thought I was done after the specialty cabinets in Tennessee, then, I had a new idea and wanted two more. Does it ever end?

Good news is that I've already found one of them!

Sarah


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Post# 1110596 , Reply# 18   3/8/2021 at 11:51 (1,115 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL)        
Sarah,

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It's looking good - plumb walls, square corners, solid flooring - excellent progress!  Three questions - 

 

Drywall to cover the remainder of the construction?

 

Color of the finished product (cabinets)?

 

What would your grandmother say???

 

lawrence


Post# 1110852 , Reply# 19   3/10/2021 at 14:27 (1,113 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Yes

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There will be drywall :-)
The floor will be pine reclaimed from my grandparents' bedroom
All of the cabinets and most of the appliances will be white.
The ovens, wall fridge and matching cabinette will be turquoise.
Counters will be red--probably cracked ice laminate although I would truly love solid surface in red
Counters will have chrome Youngstown trim front and back. The cooktop is a 30" 5 burner stainless Thermador with matching stainless hood
The sink is a 6' double bowl, double drainboard Elkay Lustertone.
I think my grandmother would like it. She loved Shaker furniture because it was simple and well crafted. I think the cabinets fit the bill. The wall fridge, combo and cabinettes might be too much, but she never, ever had a good kitchen. Lots of cutting corners and half assed remodels because my grandaddy was like that.

A friend is working on drawings, and I can't wait to see them and share them.
Sarah


Post# 1110864 , Reply# 20   3/10/2021 at 16:40 (1,113 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

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Sarah, your taste and wants are so specific.  I love it.  I admire your persistence.  You're like the female version of Robert.

Soon you'll be working on a basement or garage full of top condition washers from the 50s and 60s and you'll have it.

 

I know nothing any of us could recommend would sway you from your path, but I'm going to try anyway.

 

I'm not seeing a vapor barrier behind the drywall on the exterior walls to protect the insulation.  If it's not too late....  though you are in a milder climate, it may not be as big a thing there compared to a cold climate.

 

For fun and authenticity, Just my opinion, I wouldn't forget some small details. It's the little things that mean a lot they say.

Help nail the originality by using small details that really makes a project look the part:

 

1. include at least 2 two prong outlets or "click" styled switches and original plates in a prominent place.  I did a remodel of a 1960s house 20 years ago and though I updated the electrical with appropriate GFIs, I did install 2 two prong outlets down stream of the GFIs, cleaned of any paint and with an original outlet cover.  

 

2. An old style wall mounted pencil sharpener in a visible but out of the way place.  The kind we had in elementary school.  lol

 

3. A wall or desk appropriately colored rotary phone.  No it doesn't have to work but it should look like it could. 

 

Your progress is looking great.  You really seem to be enjoying the work of putting this together.  That's so important.


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Post# 1110867 , Reply# 21   3/10/2021 at 17:27 (1,113 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

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I have the kitchen corded phone, but a Trim Line in orange and the original Boston crank pencil sharpener, but all my outlets are grounded GFI.

Post# 1111028 , Reply# 22   3/12/2021 at 00:59 (1,112 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)        

I thought putting in 2 pin outlets was now against current electric codes.And are these still available??

Post# 1111031 , Reply# 23   3/12/2021 at 01:30 (1,112 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

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There are no doubt lots of things that people have in their homes that may not be up to code. That doesn't stop people from install things, or waiting until after the inspector comes through AND THEN changing them.

This is an old appliance forum. We talk about things that readily contain things like: lack of proper ground, defective designs, asbestos, lead paint, inferior quality that could easily kill someone.

These outlets are antiques, like furniture. Think of them as part of the decor because that's essentially how I've addressed it.

For that matter one could install these outlets as fakes. Like the rotary dial phone.

There are people with old light fixtures that get re-used. Frequently the problem with old electric stuff is not the devices, it's the actual wire. I certainly wouldn't advise re-using that. Knob and tub and asbestos sheathed wire from the 1930s need not be redone, though there are fakes for it.

Fabric lamp cord for authenticity.



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Post# 1111062 , Reply# 24   3/12/2021 at 10:41 (1,111 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
I'm on it!

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Techniques for sealing northern houses up tight kill southern houses because we have so much humidity. Down here, breathing is as important as sealing. We are using rockwool insulation which is hydrophobic. We are putting vapor barrier underneath, grading the land away from the house and increasing ventilation under the house including installing fans if needed. Southern houses must breathe, and vapor barriers can trap moisture and condensation within the walls.

Rotary phone. Check. We have a black one that still works because I insist on keeping the POTS landline. I'm keeping an eye out for a color that will go well with the kitchen--possibly red or turquoise. I have a phone nook pulled from a mid century home that will be wired for phone and electrical outlets for device charging. The nice thing about a POTS line is that it works when the power is off. The last picture is from the night after hurricane Zeta. No power, out of cell charge, but that black phone worked just fine. It doesn't work for entering numbers into an automated phone system, and you can't tap a number on the receiver buttons and get through. I just tried that to make see if I could.

Most of the exposed outlets will be traditional looking 3 prong grounded outlets. All of the kitchen outlets will be slaves of GFI outlets or circuits. I think traditional 3 prong grounded outlets look just as appropriate as the two pronged ones. I will be using salvaged or NOS covers on the outlets and switches. I'm not sure what you mean by "click" switches.

We currently have a pencil sharpener in our kitchen and will most likely have one in the new kitchen.

There will be two matching globe ceiling fixtures, one cloth corded bare bulb edison pendant over the window seat and a fair amount of accessory lighting from the four cabinettes and the Americana refrigerator. The pendant will use new cloth cord with a salvaged porcelain rosette and keyed socket.

Thanks for the ideas and comments! Keep them coming.
Sarah







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Post# 1111361 , Reply# 25   3/14/2021 at 13:56 (1,109 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)        

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Was at Habitat and they had receptacle plates

One is literally new and in plastic. The others I soaked, scrubbed and let dry.

There is one more single switch plate that was really dirty and painted over. Half the paints come off so I've put it in a plastic bag with vinegar, baking soda, and a bit of bleach to let it soak for several days and take off another layer and eventually everything.


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Post# 1111363 , Reply# 26   3/14/2021 at 14:00 (1,109 days old) by fan-of-fans (Florida)        

I saw Leviton two prong outlets for sale at Home Depot yesterday. The ones I saw were white. I didn't look to see if they have them in ivory, almond or any other colors though.

Post# 1111364 , Reply# 27   3/14/2021 at 14:03 (1,109 days old) by fan-of-fans (Florida)        

I like the pencil sharpener and the old light fixtures! The house I live in has one of those sharpeners mounted on the side of the shelves in the linen closet. I also have an antique brass pendant with the reproduction cloth wire. I need to get a ceiling plate for it but I'd love to install it someday.

Post# 1111476 , Reply# 28   3/15/2021 at 10:16 (1,108 days old) by JustJunque (Western MA)        

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Hi Sarah,

Thanks for posting the updates! Seems like you're making great progress!
So sorry to hear about Spur. We had a similar experience recently with our cat.
I'm with you on the landline phones. We have several touch-tone and rotary phones scattered throughout the house. The rotary phones are plugged into Dial Gizmos, to convert the pulse dialing to tone, because our service doesn't support pulse.
Keep the updates coming! It will be great to see everything come together!

Barry


Post# 1111858 , Reply# 29   3/17/2021 at 19:54 (1,106 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
New specialty cabinets

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I drove up to Tennessee to pick up the mixer cabinet, peninsula open shelves, glass curves that flank the window over the sink and a roll out trash can. I also got Youngstown counter trim. I thought I was getting enough for the whole kitchen, but there was a miscommunication, so I still need 8' of backsplash and 6'6" of edge trim.

With the white cabinets, red counters and two turquoise appliances, there won't be much yellow, but I think I'm going to keep the yellow laminate on the curved shelves.

I have two of the fans. I'll probably use one in the bathroom. I'm not sure about the other.

Sarah


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Post# 1112266 , Reply# 30   3/21/2021 at 20:06 (1,102 days old) by JustJunque (Western MA)        

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I really like that yellow laminate too!

Barry


Post# 1112455 , Reply# 31   3/23/2021 at 07:44 (1,101 days old) by Blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)        
Gas lighting fixtures

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This might be unique to northern U.S., but my house used natural gas fixtures for lighting (prior to the introduction of electricity). The house was built around 1890. I have left the old gas piping in the ceilings and walls, along with the gas light fixture that was used above the kitchen sink. The gas fixtures that were in the ceiling are long gone. Of course, the piping is no longer connected with gas; just remains as history of a bygone era.

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Post# 1112503 , Reply# 32   3/23/2021 at 17:27 (1,100 days old) by JustJunque (Western MA)        

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Hi Fred,
Seeing that fixture, I bet the modern-ish electric fixtures in my upstairs bathroom are inspired by gas lights.
I always wondered, because the design looks like a little knob that would open and close a valve.
Granted, on my fixtures, it's mounted on top, and it's purely decorative. Nothing actually turns.

Barry


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Post# 1112564 , Reply# 33   3/24/2021 at 01:53 (1,100 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Acetylene

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Bruce's great-grandparent's home has been continuously occupied by the family since the turn of the 20th century. At one time, it had acetylene lights, and there is still an out building--now used for storage--called the light house because that's where the acetylene was kept.
Sarah


Post# 1112833 , Reply# 34   3/26/2021 at 23:12 (1,097 days old) by warmsecondrinse (Fort Lee, NJ)        

Gas lights:

I've seen a few houses in which the gas pipes were disconnected, the fixtures removed and electric wiring and fixtures installed. So you had a lamp that looked exactly like a gas light, but the valve was actually now a switch. I'd imagine that was pretty labor intensive and therefore expensive. At a guess I'd say it was people who had money to burn and were really resistant to giving up their gas lights.

IIRC the 1902 Sears catalogue reprint has all sorts of lamps that run on all different fuels. I remember gasoline and naphtha, but there were a few others in addition to the usual kerosene.

the 1960's development I grew up in had outside gas lamps on a post near the driveway. I recall outdoor gas lamps in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. Maybe 5 years ago I saw a house somewhere in the mid 90's between Lex and Madison (in Manhattan) that had an outdoor lamp on the corner. Weirdly, it appeared to have no mantle, just a jet with a naked flame.



Post# 1113746 , Reply# 35   4/4/2021 at 22:15 (1,088 days old) by cornutt (Huntsville, AL USA)        
Two prong receptacles

It's still okay to install them as long as they are protected by a GFCI receptacle or circuit breaker. In theory, you are supposed to put a sticker on them that says "GFCI protected", but no one ever does.

Post# 1113750 , Reply# 36   4/4/2021 at 23:17 (1,088 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        

If you are trying to make it authentic to the mid - late 50's, there's no reason to not use grounded receptacles. The church I belong to has an addition constructed in 1959, and has always had grounded receptacles. They have been available since the early 50's.

Many appliances have 3 prong plugs, especially mixers, blenders, and especially microwave ovens. Why install something that may prove inconvenient, and wasn't considered ultra- modern even in 1959? Also, to the best of my knowledge, no 2 prong receptacle is available in the tamper-resistant type, which recent codes require. They also are the less durable residential grade, but cost nearly as much as commercial grade grounded models.

The above comment by Cornutt is true for replacements, but not for new construction. Since you have the walls open, it is considered new construction. Regardless of what kind of receptacles you use, there must be a ground in the box to meet code.


Post# 1113854 , Reply# 37   4/6/2021 at 00:33 (1,087 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
3 prong grounded vs GFI

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All of my outlets will be three prong grounded except vintage accessory plugs on lights or appliances. Kitchen and bath will either be GFI or slaves to GFI.

Sarah


Post# 1164643 , Reply# 38   11/23/2022 at 11:17 (490 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)        
Another update. It's been a while

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Hi Everyone,

Here's a long belated, kind of brief update. My mother began funding some of the renovations last spring, and the speed of progress has rapidly increased.

The kitchen is has sheetrock and a coat of primer. The reclaimed floor from my grandparent's bedroom has been installed. Cabinets are being cycled through the powder coating shop.

The addition we planned to remove has been removed, but it doesn't look quite like the photoshopped picture earlier in this thread. The bedroom was added first then the bath/laundry & storage was added later on a separate foundation. I decided to tear out the bedroom and keep the bath/laundry & storage portion as the workshop. Not quite the view I wanted, but it definitely beats tearing down a large building and building a new one in a different location.

Monday, I went through the whole house with a new electrician. He was very apologetic about the time he is going to need to trace and double check the wiring that has been done by other electricians. I told him I was prepared for that and very happy to have him double check everything.

All of the rotten siding has been replaced with siding harvested from the future workshop.

About reclaimed house parts--we used flooring from the tear down in the kitchen. We also reused joists & beams to repair foundation issues in the kitchen and breakfast area. We have a house in the back pasture that was built for the help in the 60's that we will salvage windows and siding from.

My turquoise wall fridge is humming away in our basement here in Tuscaloosa.

So, here are some pictures! As ever, thank you all for your support and enthusiasm.

Sarah


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 8         View Full Size
Post# 1164647 , Reply# 39   11/23/2022 at 12:07 (490 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL)        
Sarah,

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It's looking good!  The house is much larger than I had thought.  It's going to look great with a fresh coat of paint and landscaping!

 

lawrence


Post# 1164654 , Reply# 40   11/23/2022 at 13:43 (490 days old) by turbokinetic (Northport, Alabama USA)        

Nice to see the pictures, and hear that things are moving forward!

Happy that the wall fridge is working well. I bet it will have to do overflow duty for Thanksgiving this week!

Sincerely,

David

 


Post# 1164669 , Reply# 41   11/23/2022 at 17:07 (490 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture

Thanks for the update, Sarah!  It's looking good!!

 


Post# 1164690 , Reply# 42   11/23/2022 at 20:11 (490 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Great progress looking good

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Can’t wait to get down there and visit someday when you’re ready to have company.

Always fun to see nicely re-purposed vintage appliances Hooked up and ready to use.

John



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