I know I've made some references to working on this fabulous place we are renting so I thought I'd share some photos of things in progress. These photos are from specific times and more work may have been done since I took these. Our landlord was clear that this place hadn't been worked on in a very long time. Having learned to do all sorts of house things starting as a kid, I assured her I loved the adventure of it all.
The wall paper in the kitchen on one wall has three layers of something. The first wallpaper is probably from the 80's based on the design. Blue little flowers and tiny hearts. So not me! Plue it was peeling and just looking a bit dingy.
The second layers seems to be from the the late 60's I'm thinking.
The largest wall has this stuff
under the two wall papers that I have no idea how to remove. At this point I a
m working on just getting easiest to remove, er, papers removed. This layer is kind of an aqua blue painted coat on cardboard (or something like it) pasted to the plaster. Crazy stuff. I have borrowed a steamer from a friend to see if I can release it that way. As one can see from the photo on the left there will need to be some repair of the plaster or perhaps replacing a section of this wall with sheetrock. The second wall of the kitchen only one layer that is pretty easy to removed except for the fact that they placed the new cabinets directly over it so it takes a little patience with the edges.
The paint trim is certainly a different colour under the wallpaper where it's been protected from aging and dirt. My goal is to strip the majoring of the trim, sand it and repaint it (and the walls) this spring. I have the basic colour scheme already planned. So exciting!
The stairway has wallpaper that based on the removal of one panel is easy to lift up - woo hoo! Well sort of, the other wall has the paper placed directly on untreated sheetrock. There is also some wood paneling that will need to be taken down.
TGF wanted me to wait until the deep winter was over before removing the carpeting on the stairs. I wanted it done immediately as it's ugly carpeting and the edges kind of roll under my bare feet (she always wears shoes, I try to as
little as possible) meaning I start to slip about 3 times out of 10 when heading downstairs. While they need work it was such a joy to see nice wood on the step. The risers will need to be stripped or painted. Something!
Other projects abound, especially now that the weather is good. Stripping the wallpaper in the laundry/pantry/mudroom. Repairing the windows in the downstairs rooms - a squirrel or other critter got in the house while it was empty through the dryer vent and couldn't figure out how to get back out, so the poor thing chewed the hell out of a bunch of window frames. Wood putty will be my new best friend. Since I have been able to take down the plastic from the windows the time is near to begin this project too.
With the sunny days I am itching to do something with the little green space directly in front of the house. It's rather barren right now. Oh and then there is the idea of replacing the edging of the front side yard. There are just so many things I could do here! Painting the living room is way up there as well. And stripping the paint off the mantle place. And, and, and.. Well you get the idea. I find all this exciting work and I just love my house so it all works!
A few weeks ago we went furniture shopping with Jer and Cody because we frankly have no living room furniture. Our seating consists of two heirloom rocking chairs, one with a foot stool (TGF's grammy and mamaw {sp?} [great-grandmother] family pieces) and this really funky 50's chair thing that is in desperate need of new springs and fabric that doesn't scratch your skin.
Between cost, too deep seats since I'm so short, not cushy enough for TGF's taste, it was not a promising event. In addition she has a huge fondness for Lazyb*y sofas. You know the kind, where the two seats on the end recline? For my taste they are too stuffed looking, the profiles look like airplane seats - offends my aesthetic taste.
About a week later we went just the two of us and found only one thing that we agreed on at all but it was pricey and I wondered if it would fit well in the space. It was one of those L-shaped pieces with a chaise extension which meant TGF's need to prop her feet up would be met.
A week we tried again, this time going to a different showroom of a local chain. After wondering around a lot, I kept trying to like this one lazyboy-type couches. I tried so hard. Finally I explained that to me such couches were on the same level as appliqué sweatshirts (told you there was nothing to worry about jbeeky) and minivans. These things are NOT me. No way, no how. She laughed but understood.
We took another spin around and found a couch we both liked. We stared at the couch, sat in the couch, stared at each other. The matching chair was not comfortable for TGF. (The photo is the same couch, different colour)
She suggested we look at reclining chairs, clearly hoping to win on that score. Scanning the three or four rows of reclining chairs I found one that had similar lines to the chair (very classic, late 40's-early 50's kind of look). She liked it, said it hit just the right spot in her back. Wow. This image is not the exact chair, but close.
Next step was to check on colours. No go on the any changes, a bit of a disappointment because they were not our first choice, very light yellow-beige sort of colour but really not bad. Well except for the fact that our dog has long black hair and three of our four cats are gray. Luckily the two colours match quite well, they are practically identical. Also with pillow and throws colour can easily be added I figure. The final step was financing. There was the clang of boom in the distance. No go, hadn't lived here long enough, hadn't been at job long enough. Bummer. But the delight that we found furniture we agreed on could not erase the glow we both had. I suggested that this was so miraculous that perhaps we should buy a lottery ticket.
Fast forward another week and TGF got a co-applicant so tomorrow the couch arrives! The chair is back ordered but who cares. No more fighting over the one relatively comfortable seat in the house! I get to rearrange furniture tomorrow, one of my favorite things to do. No, seriously it is. My mother has said since I was a teenager that I should never live with a blind person because of my predilection for changing room layouts on a whim and without warning.
I have great hopes of this increasing my motivation to whip through this place getting it in shape.
The photos of the house that TGF has been obsessing about finally came via email. I found it awhile ago, I think via realtor.com - a frequent haunt of mine these days. Now I am not foolish, by the price and neighborhood I knew it would need a lot of work. However it smelled of potential. I did start to think about things a bit more and how large a project it might be. TGF and I had a serious talk recently about the impact of taking on a such beast for our first project together. If it was a gut job there was no way we could live there and do the work, so that would mean covering the loans on the house and rent - still would be way less than our current rent but seriously, you know?
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand or thirty thousand words.
Offers a whole definition of indoor/outdoor plumbing, no? Yes that is outside plant life festooning the inside walls of the bathroom. Our Ohio connection friend Jer called after seeing the place which left her a bit speechless. Upon just stepping through the front door her realtor pal said "offer half the asking price". From that call it was clear that we would need to get a dumpster to rid the place of trash - and which from the few photos we have there's a lot of garage. A lot. It needs a new roof. Patches of the stucco are falling off the back of the house - lathe is showing. Not good.
I am sure there are some awesome details in this place but seriously we are talking a gut job here. I'm sure. It could be a fabulous home. But as our first renovation/flip property? I'm thinking no bloody way. I want our first couple of projects to be successful. Successful means we haven't killed each other, we make a little cash, and we are happy with what we produced.
So back to the drawing board as it were.
Wow! It's been forever since I blogged. Sorry about that folks. Wish I had something terribly witty for my return to the blogsphere. So about my absence.
First there was the flurry of activity getting the house in order for Sunny's visitation. Much dusting, clearing of out the garage, a run to the dump following said clearing out of garage. No Sunny wasn't going to be staying in the garage, in point of fact she barely went downstairs but her visit was great motivation to get things done like the hell hole that was our garage.
In addition I spent at least 12 hours gardening. By gardening I mean clipping dead things and pulling weeds, a tiny bit of laying the meager amount of mulch I could afford to purchase. I also swept, rearranged the "patio furniture", and hosed down the cement in the back yard area. Did we sip tea back there during the visit? No. I don't believe she ever even went out the back door. Again, it was a good push. After pondering it for months I hosed down the walls and ceiling of the front porch, and actually scrubbed the porch and steps.
There was also the furious attempt to finish her socks, which I did but just after she arrived. She gleefully received them and I hope she wears them often. They came out quite lovely (details and photos will be in a separate post - okay GWF?).
Being the good daughter that I am, I checked her into her hotel room before heading down to San Jose to pick her up. This included stocking the room with the groceries she requested, nice silverware, paper plates, and a small bouquet of irises.
It was a total whirlwind of eating out (what a treat I tell you!), shopping, showing her various local sites. There was also a party (more details in a separate post as well) to introduce her to (our) society, as it were.
Some of the places we ate at, and thus recommend:
Meal Ticket (Wednesday breakfast)TGF thinks this place is so so and expensive. I really like it and the coffee makes mine taste weak. 10 points just for that. Sunny like it a lot.
Gilman Grill (Thursday breakfast) TGF loves this place, thinks the food is good, price is right. I like just fine but the coffee lacks. Sunny seemed to like the food just fine.
Doyle Street Cafe (Monday breakfast) We both adore this place, though I honestly cannot remember the last time we were there. Lunch here is quite tasty as well. Sunny loved this place. Though it's been a long time the head guy recognized me, which is a touch bonus.
Filippos (Friday lunch) Sunny and I lunched here at their College Avenue location. She loved the decor and since two of the colours were similar to our bedroom colours I enjoyed it as well. She was delighted to see that their menu specified a gluten-free pasta substitute. Made the decision quite easy. Sunny was very happy with her spaghetti alla bolognese, though technically it was penne. I enjoyed capellini vernazza (with shrimp, asparagus & tomatoes with a garlic wine sauce).
Cafe Colucci (Thursday dinner) My favorite Ethiopian restaurant. During Sunny's last visit to the area (April 2004) I took her here and it was on her list of places she wanted to go to this time. I got the Veggie Combo, Sunny ordered her favorite - begue tibs, and TGF was very brave, ordering a chicken dish which she found too spicy but she liked a couple of the veggie dishes on the platter. As Sunny said, TGF went beyond the call of duty. If you are a newer reader TGF is not the most adventurous of eaters and I very much doubt I would have gotten her to this place had it not be for Sunny. She actually ate enough that she did not come home and gobble some Jif on Wonder.
T-RexBBQ (Monday dinner) We had been here once before and greatly enjoyed it and thought Sunny would as well. Their macaroni and cheese is an absolutely unctuous, decadent side that is a meal in itself. Sunny declared their burger perfect.
Pyramid Brewery & Alehouse (Saturday lunch) We attempted to go to Jimmy Beans, a place we like a lot but it was terribly crowded. TGF suggested this place to the great enjoyment of Sunny. A comfortable but noisy place. Basic pub fare with some California flair here and there. Sunny greatly enjoyed soda sampler, made her day.
Gregoire's Takeout (Friday dinner) We adore this place but haven't gotten food from there in forever. Absolutely some of the best stuff. Really. Everyone should go there. Nuff said.
I am probably forgetting one more place (like Wednesday night?!) but there you go, a quick guide to some good to excellent food options here in Berkeley. TGF definitely scored bonus points with a number of her food suggestions, adding to the success of this visit.
I am grateful that there was a pleasant enough hotel across the street from us so that all of us were able to get space and that she had enough room to spread her nest. I am happy that she was comfortable coming over when she wanted and seemed relaxed in our home. The animals and Sunny had a huge love feast which was lovely to see, she made up songs and rhymes for several of our beasts - quite fun.
Overall it was a successful visit even while stressful. It was good to see her, for her to get a glimpse of our life here (she has visited once before but my life here was very different at the time), and to chat at will.
under the two wall papers that I have no idea how to remove. At this point I a
m working on just getting easiest to remove, er, papers removed. This layer is kind of an aqua blue painted coat on cardboard (or something like it) pasted to the plaster. Crazy stuff. I have borrowed a steamer from a friend to see if I can release it that way. As one can see from the photo on the left there will need to be some repair of the plaster or perhaps replacing a section of this wall with sheetrock. The second wall of the kitchen only one layer that is pretty easy to removed except for the fact that they placed the new cabinets directly over it so it takes a little patience with the edges.
The paint trim is certainly a different colour under the wallpaper where it's been protected from aging and dirt. My goal is to strip the majoring of the trim, sand it and repaint it (and the walls) this spring. I have the basic colour scheme already planned. So exciting!
little as possible) meaning I start to slip about 3 times out of 10 when heading downstairs. While they need work it was such a joy to see nice wood on the step. The risers will need to be stripped or painted. Something!
