We went out for an ice cream cone and came home with a house. Yes, true story. We had driven past a house (that I had fallen in love with) for about the hundredth time. It was near a house that we were just finishing up flipping. And I needed to own it… Craig thought I was nuts- he asked me why and my answer was easy “because She is beautiful” Well, by the time we returned home we had bought the house. Restoring this little crown jewel proved to be a true labor of love. 6 months & 60,000 later we were done. She was as beautiful as I knew she could be.
This flip was #2 of 8 that was completed in a 6 year period. She looks pretty good for being just over 100 years old. This house I hope to always have… I’m thinking someday it would make a great baby boutique.
So this is my baby. A lot of people saw it as a place to condemn. This house is just over 100 years old (estimated 1896) It was the “bankers” house which meant it was extra nice.
I knew she would be beautiful!
Not very pretty from the back.
New windows, sliding glass door, soffit & Fascia to name a few changes.
Back in the day most all the rooms were closed off.
New entry door, gorgeous distressed black wood floors with arched doorways as well as a much needed closet to the right.
Back in the day the rooms were closed off.
New entry door, distressed black wood floors, arched the doorways and added a much needed closet to the right.
This is the living room, the window was completely missing. The 6 kids that lived there were allowed to paint… that is a very touchy subject… more on that later
The wall to the left was an open arch, it was filled in to create a spare bedroom/office.This house had 3 bedrooms up and no bathroom and a full bathroom on the main level with no bedroom.
Seriously?! Well, needless to say this is where I started. I introduced the sledge hammer and hatchet to Chelsie. She absolutely loved to demo!
Way better!! My favorite room!
It felt like forever to see the sliding glass door go in!
Finally! This door was so needed!
This room really bothered me. It was the windows, they were so bad that the light was filtered and made it hard to be in there. I’ve done a lot of crazy things but the two of us carrying the large picture window across a noise with a 9 ft. open below- that was the worst!
SUCH a difference! The wood floors, a Swarovski crystal chandelier, new closet & gorgeous plastered walls!
This room also didn’t have any lighting in it- almost every room was rewired for lights.This would have been the Parlor, most likely with a piano and candle lit.
Three gaping holes in the ceiling is where Craig started. This is one of the kids rooms we kept.
We had extra flooring so this is where I had to have it! No more holes!
Wow! where to start! Ty had fun pushing the air conditioner out like Happy Gilmore, Dad wasn’t too happy. BUT- it bounced the right way- whew! The 6 kids of the house drew naughties on all of the fans in the mural… every room in the entire house was lath and plaster with 5 or 6 layers of wallpaper.
Not missing the mural!
This would be the third original bedroom that would become a beautiful new shared bathroom and a walk in closet.
It turned out so nice! Craig & I try to keep the essence of the year of the house but with todays needs. Ty learned to cut granite in this room- not one mis-cut!
You really can’t tell but the banister is way not up to code… and it was ugly. I love the library windows! Not the webs…
Up to code and up to date!
I didn’t get a picture of the main bathroom before we gutted it. The floor was no longer safe, it was completely rebuilt. This was the worst I’ve ever seen for a bathroom. There are almost always secrets in the walls in these types of houses. I found 23 butter knives inside the wall below that outlet box. I was convinced that something valuable had fallen behind but nothing was ever found.
Much better! butter knife free!
I hated this basement- it was spooky and icky.
This was a huge improvement! New furnace, air & central vacuum!