New old house - keep it "old" or make it more modern?
Laura C
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Laura C
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoRelated Discussions
Make New Friends, But Keep The Old....
Comments (4)It was my pleasure, Vaodiva! I enjoyed the lovely ride in the country (you live in a gorgeous area) and the chance to meet you, too. And topping it off by a ride over to Felix's house from yours made it perfect. And FEEEEELix, dahlink! If you think that *I* think YOU are old...well, what can I be thinking about MYSELF, I wonder?? Oh, yeah...now I remember. I think *I* am OOOOOOLLLLLLLD! I've said so myself, in this very forum, about a kajillion times, haven't I? Well, at any rate, you are off the hook, my YOUNG friend! I got the corner on old covered, bein' as how I'm older'n DIRT! Oh. One more thing. THERE IS TOO A SANTA CLAUS!!! If you don't believe it, come to my house some Christmas! *goes off singing* "....if you just believe...if you just BE-LIEEEEEEEEEEEVE!" Marcia (who believes with a captial "B"!)...See MoreMore Help..Make House Look Old. Paint Colors for Exterior. Photos
Comments (6)I thought of you yesterday as I was perusing a home remodeling catalog in Walgreens. I read your post the other night. There was a home with red brick similar to yours, and the colors they chose were stunning giving the home a historical look. They painted the windows (not the trim) the same red that matches your brick (your windows are currently white). You could also use this stain color on your cedar shake. The trim around the windows and on the rest of the house was a nice goldish color. The body of the house was a neutral beige/cream color (something that you'd find on a meditteranean home), they had the posts in their entry way also painted this cream color - "missouri" above mentioned sand or clay tones, I think this is the same idea. The red on the windows was a really nice contrast to the gold trim. I don't have the actual colors - they didn't list them - but you could play around with them a bit to find nice complimentary tones. The magazine was a bungalow and period home renovation magazine - new this month at Walgreens. They showed before and after pictures. What I would absolutely NOT do is paint the brick, especially considering you have the old style charm of the cedar shake - it would be a mix mox of old style and modern. I think this would take away from the character of your home, not to mention the fact that if you don't like it, it's not an easy fix. You also have to look at the resale value of your home. I would not personally purchase a home with painted brick, but that's just me, so I think you'd be limiting your potential buyers. Nice home by the way. When you are finished with all your renovations, it will look quite quaint. Good luck!...See MoreWhen buying an old house would you keep...
Comments (42)Gad I knew there was something about you I liked les lol. To be clear on the drapes....I certainly wouldn't keep drapes I didn't love or drapes in bad condition. Even the gorgeous chenille porteriers that came with this house were under debate for sime time. I told the PO that I planned on having them professionally cleaned by a conservator and then storing them as we have cats, a dog and had planned on having our five year old and a pack of toddlers around so I didn't want to see them damaged. We still have the herd but didn't add the toddlers and yet when I restored this rooms I removed them thinking I was going to reproduce them in modern fabric to protect the antiques. Turns out that's danged hard modern fabric to find (it's very very thick...like a carpet almost) and so they sat in their bid...I finished restoring the rooms and something was "off". I hung them again...that was what was missing...the buffers to the hall (which flank six foot entries to each room) so there they hang. They are a faded version of what they once were and are missing a tassel or two at the base but their heavy faded gold presence just seems to go with the house. So I guess they get to stay. I'd approach any textile left in a home the same way. Shredding silk or heavy florals would be difficult for me to keep but historically accurate, quality pieces? I'd keep those if I could. By the way...church windows can have significant value pal (as I'm sure you know) so if you do get the place be sure to research them for insurance purposes. Leah, a seller is under no obligation to sell until they sign a contract with a buyer. The agency contract does not require it. I do agree with Mr Ph up there quite often, and in a modern home still agree...let go of the thing! But when it comes to historical properties I feel quite differently. I would not require that the drapes be maintained because that's something easy to fix, but if I had an inkling they would go and they were antique textiles I'd be sure to get them to a museum verses seeing them in the trash. If I had any knowledge they were going to tear out an original fireplace or the ceiling medallions, etc...the historical value in our home...I'd send any offer packing. We have a responsability to this house that we assumed when we purchased it and as with the sellers before us, we take that seriously. So seriously that we agreed with the city when the put stringent regulations on what can ibe done to the place (which one day may haunt me lol) but at least the original owner won't because he sees how much we love the history in his home. Pal...cut and paste that fir a letter lol. That's exactly the kind of sentimental goober old home lovers like to see. Heh heh...See MoreNew house/cabin build in the woods- help us make it look old!
Comments (22)You can always look for a real log cabin that can be moved- $$$, but super authentic! I live in an 1840’s log cabin- authenticity is about building processes as much as materials. The craftsmen skilled in the old ways are few and far between these days, but they can be found especially if you live in an area with older homes. Our home has a dry stack stone foundation and two dry stack beehive chimneys, exposed log with lime mortar inside and board and batton siding, medium to wide plank hardwood flooring (we were able to save much of the original floor, so it’s not tongue and groove), and our main floor ceiling has the second floor joists exposed. We just replaced a ~50 year old standing seam metal roof, black, with another but discovered that the first roof has been added directly on top of cedar shake. Its worth it to us, but for what it’s worth, it’s not an easy home to maintain. The lime mortar is hella dusty and has to be cared for and repointed, our board and batton is painted and must be redone every 10 years or so. The floors are nearly impossible to deep clean (steamer is my method of attack) because they are uneven and have gaps. So historical accuracy may not be the best choice for a vacation cabin ;)...See MoreLaura C
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