The Historic District

Just catching up.... This thread is awesome... Even if it isn't about old house love. I was never very good at paying attention in English class when I was young, but I started the habit of keeping a dictionary around and whenever I encountered a word I didn't know, I would look it up (this is obvio...

I like it.... Our 1852 house probably didn't have plumbing until the 1890s, and even then, it was limited to the rear portion of the house. The main house have never had any plumbing above the first floor, but will next year when I convert an odd "L" shaped bedroom into a master bath. I'm ...

I am glad to see more documentation making the case for why old windows were actually pretty damned good. The ingenuity of humankind in the absence of knowledge has always amazed me. A window from 1875 may look like just a window, but on many levels, the technology had been perfected. There was a lo...

Manalto wrote:. The olive color has gotten mixed reviews from neighbors and passers-by. Your thoughts are welcome!

I like the olive very much. I think once you get it on the windows it will have more balance and folks will be less concerned.

I like the term "loggia", it sounds regal without being arrogant. I mean no disrespect to the person who put the spindles and turned posts in, but Greek Revival porches are classy looking and I think a better fit for your home. I think beadboard would make a great ceiling. Railings weren't...

This was a very nicely prepared and presented explanation. It's the type of thing one sees as a Powerpoint presentation at a conference. A short, animated film showing the repair process and you'd be ready to go on a speaking tour. Thank you My friends tell me I tend to be a bit "AR" (ana...

Just because it isn't stocked locally doesn't mean you can't get it. I had 600 linear ft of 5 1/2 x 7/8 poplar t&g beadboard custom milled in PA for wainscoting in my 1910 kitchen renovation in NY. There was nothing off the shelf that cane close, and because of the quantity, custom milling got m...

Did you ever go back to your first structural engineer and ask for your money back? I would be so upset that not one but two people told me it was just surface-level stuff without verifying. The things you found .. were scary. Great job in undertaking the work. The original structural engineer neve...

I haven't had the opportunity to spend time researching at the library or historical society (we still live 100 miles away), but I do have this view of the house when it was only 110 years old (1962).

This turned out very nice! It always feels good to be able to add another room to the completed list.