1939 "Minimal Traditional" Cottage

[GinaC]

Hello friends! I found this board by way of a very deep Google dive into a "bathroom clawfoot tub layout" search. Yeah... that was about six hours ago.

I've very much enjoyed reading many posts here and looking at the photos of your very lovely houses.

Anyway, I'm now under contract to buy my first house for myself, a sweet little cottage that I hope to make more Tudory and cottagey as I go along. She's pretty minimal on the outside, but has great bones and original moulding/floors/doors/builtins inside. I am thrilled and I hope to be closing next month on schedule!

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[Gothichome]

Gina, welcome to the District and congratulations on your first old home. I believe you will find it a bit of a challenge and satisfaction with it all. Look forward to the story and the pics.

[Manalto]

Hi Gina, and welcome. Your house has a lot of charm - and sunshine, it seems - and we look forward to seeing and hearing more as you dive in deeper. Original details are an old house's greatest asset. Congratulations on your new place.

[GinaC]

Thank you! I forgot to mention that she also has all her original windows, which are covered by storm windows since it's Vermont. It seems she has one rotted sash, and the inspector told me the windows need to be reglazed. He also said that I should probably think about getting new windows. That's a big NOPE! I do plan to invest in Indows, though.

The listing made the house look very small, but when I stepped in it seemed to open up, and I fell in love with the upstairs "garret" bedrooms and built in window seat, and saw all the original details (that were unpainted!)... whew! I knew I was home.

[Manalto]

I'm jealous that your woodwork is unpainted. Mine was a disturbing shade of lavender. (I suppose I should be grateful; the ugly color has provided a lot more incentive to pull out the heat gun than a less-offensive color would have.) That room that extends one story to the left in the photo looks promising.

Good for you for understanding that restoring your old windows is the way to go. (The replacement window industry has certainly done a good job of brainwashing the public.) I've only just begun doing mine but I already love the process and find it gratifying. Indows are similar to what some of our members have been making on their own, especially in places with cold winters.

[GinaC]

Lavender?! What would possess someone to paint trim that color?

Here's a photo of that room to the left. I think it must have been a porch at some point, but they closed it off and it will become my office/craft studio. I have no idea how old that wood siding is, but it's only a little dinged up in one small area where they must have hung something heavy.

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[Lily left the valley]

I have no idea how old that wood siding is, but it's only a little dinged up in one small area where they must have hung something heavy.

Knotty pine was fairly popular near the midcentury times. One home we almost bought had a midcentury addition, and they redid the kitchen at the same time with all knotty pine. (Drat. Thought I had a pic of the one corner with a built in still of that kitchen, but don't seem to have it, only a few shots where the knots aren't as evident.)

If you somehow haven't already fallen down the RetroRenovation hole, you can read up more about knotty pine there: https://retrorenovation.com/?s=knotty+pine

Also...welcome!

[GinaC]

I have no idea how old that wood siding is, but it's only a little dinged up in one small area where they must have hung something heavy.

Knotty pine was fairly popular near the midcentury times. One home we almost bought had a midcentury addition, and they redid the kitchen at the same time with all knotty pine. (Drat. Thought I had a pic of the one corner with a built in still of that kitchen, but don't seem to have it, only a few shots where the knots aren't as evident.)

If you somehow haven't already fallen down the RetroRenovation hole, you can read up more about knotty pine there: https://retrorenovation.com/?s=knotty+pine

Also...welcome!

Thanks for the link!

Yes, the current kitchen is all that same knotty pine, and I'm really trying to decide whether to keep those original? cabinets or not. At the very least I will paint them. (I know some of you are cringing.)

Honestly, I really hate knotty pine, and I know that in Vermont it is popular. I think I will keep it in the room pictured above, just because I think it just really fits there. I'm thinking that room is what is known as a Sleeping Porch? The house is only a few blocks from a lake, on a hill. No air conditioning, either.

[Lily left the valley]

I know this may sound crazy, but there are folks that will buy entire knotty pine rooms' worth of it. You'll see a few stories of such on RR. If you're not a fan, it might be worth considering. You could always get something else more to your tastes with the money you might make.

Oh...and if you don't know, down here in Gardner (which isn't horribly far from you), we have a fella with all sorts of vintage kitchen and bath stuff. (They did a story about him on RR--sometimes I forget the owner of that site lives not too far from me.)

[GinaC]

*drools* My God... that sink... It would be absolutely perfect for my kitchen. I will have to take a road trip once I move up north!