Victorian House Renovation in Bloomingdale, DC
As we play the waiting game – currently on order: front door, front door paint, hallway lights, paint for kitchen and bathroom – I decided that there was no better time to address an issue that I had planned to leave for later. Bedroom doors. Those three (not counting the closets) doors are the last hollow core, very ugly doors we have left to replace.
We purchased salvaged, solid wood replacements oh about three years ago.… Read the rest
I really had hoped that the door agonies which plagued me when we were searching for that perfect pair of french doors (and all the bells and whistles that come with those) were behind me. I had spent weeks researching and envisioning, only to face the reality that those perfect little details come with a serious price tag attached (goodbye cremone bolts, sadly i never knew you!) I am perfectly happy with the doors that we ended up with, and I am sure that will be the case with our front door as well.… Read the rest
I love original decorative trim work and molding pieces – intricate moldings for windows and doors, tall baseboards with added bonus of toe kicks – the grand old stuff that just isn’t put into houses anymore, at least your typical contractor-grade flips. The VIB came with a good deal of its original decorative woodwork intact. One of my favorite elements in our home are the staircase panels. And then there are the door and window casing moldings from 1897.… Read the rest
We are inching along here. I had made a list of everything that needs to be caulked in the kitchen – its actually quite lengthy. I guess I would rather do that than have contractors do less or more. The other big items are baseboards and the last molding pieces to frame the door to the basement. Those should look much better with a coat or two of paint.
But the biggest item over the last week has been plaster.… Read the rest
Ah, if only stripping away part I was the one and only part. But no, in addition to the bathtub, there are also countless (or 21) tin ceiling panels and salvaged real wood doors – the ones we currently have are hollow core uglies.
This pretty much sums up how I feel about this stripping project:
But at least we are nearing the end of suffering. Here’s what we have got so far:
Just a few more to go.… Read the rest
we are done! phase I is complete. phase I 1/2 this weekend. phase II starts Monday.
The exterior trim is up. I just have to paint it, next time I have a free minute. ahem.
Now, a little bit about the door, which has become the central driving point of this whole project. I really, really wanted the doors to look stately and distinguished. with cremone bolts and all. we briefly considered salvaged doors,but the thin wood and thin glass were a concern not only for insulation reasons, but also safety.… Read the rest
It’s in! Workers were here yesterday to finish up. Here it is:
It looks good – just not quite done. Cause it’s not. I have no idea what that board piece is, its actually gone now, i assume it was holding in bricks during instalation?
Anyway, we had a walk through today, and Sergey was not having any of it. The door didn’t seem securely in place, plus some of the bricks were still missing even though the masons have packed up the job site.… Read the rest
Just one photo for you today. The guys didn’t take pictures and I wasn’t there. I don’t think it was a very long day for them, as really they just had finishing touches and some clean up to do (extra bricks, mortar, etc). Its a beauty (don’t mind the crooked bar at the top its not attached). The opening is finished, and we have a ledge.
You can definitely tell that the brick around the door opening is not an original but I am hoping the it will fade and blend in.… Read the rest
Ah yes, still boarded up (for the weekend, by the way). But making much progress :)
I was working from home (water main break at dupont circle, i presume many, many office are in for the long weekend, which is pretty sweet! of course is tough on public services, but they are doing what they can to make sure we can go back on monday). My way of saying I got lots of pics!… Read the rest
Still under construction. still boarded up.a bit sturdier now, since it will be a few more days until the door goes in, because apparently the brick mortar needs time to dry. so it looks like we are behind schedule a few days. oh well.
but we are making progress:
the house ‘eyebrows’ are still there, you see VIB is winking at you/us. But only for another day or so, these are on their way out…
