Entry Video for "Rennovation Realities"

We applied to be on a TV show on the DIYNetwork titled, "Rennovation Realities." They contacted us, interested to see more of our project. This is the video we shot for the second round of entries. Enjoy.

Trimming the Trees

Work continues at Big Orange. Yesterday we had the three trees on the west side of the house trimmed back. Large limbs hung over the house posing serious threat during any major storm, as well as serving as bridges for squirrels to enter and exit the third floor eaves (which remain open until further renovation). Thanks to Mike Papai and his company who provided excellent service.

First Floor Half Bath Progress

The downstairs half bath has also been tiled by our now resident tiling expert, Ben. This floor is a replica of original octagonal, white tile in the master bath. The grout (which Marlo is slated to accomplish soon) will be warm, french gray. The threshhold, a gray veined white marble.

The antique sink was given to us by friends, stamped with the date October 1937. The quaint faucet and handles are original to the sink. A faucet for hot and a faucet for cold point toward each other making one stream of water.

Second Floor Hall Bath Progress

Ben worked feverishly this past weekend installing porcelain tile in the upstairs hall bathroom. This was no ordinary tiling job. We decided to remove the radiator heating unit from the bathroom and put in a radiant heating element in the floor underneath the tile. Tiling over the radiant heat coils and mesh proved to be quite a skilled job.

Spending all day Saturday and Sunday, Ben worked by himself and produced a beautifully tiled floor that will be gloriously warm to the feet when we step out of the tub and on cold winter mornings.

Here is a photo of the tiled floor (yet to be grouted). The tile is a white procelain with gray veining. The grout will be a warm, french gray. The threshhold will be gray veined white marble.

Winter Work

We've been working on Orange House since December. As those living in the midwest know, it has been one heck of a winter. Snow storm after snow storm. Ice storm after ice storm. Below zero temps, days on end below freezing. These are the conditions in which we've been lovingly restoring our home without heat and without water (notice the needle on the thermostat it doesn't go low enough!). Small space heaters have provided momentary relief. It has not been easy. Here's a self portrait of what Marlo has looked like this winter.



Though the days have left us ready for a warm, comfy bed, the work is progressing. Here are a few additional photos of beautiful features of the home: a 9 foot, solid wood, quarter sawn oak pocket door (don't get your fingers slammed in this one!), an original light fixture in the side entrance hall (originally gas), the side entrance, glass top hall door that leads to the former cook's kitchen and back stairwell (originally sectioning off the working or maid's quarter from the family area), and the back staircase.

Okay, so I just had to upload a clip of the movie that EVERYONE seems to be referencing ... "The Money Pit" (1986) with Tom Hanks. My personal favorite part is when he gets stuck in the hole in the floor... You can see the original trailer on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmDX0tgONFs

Starting to Eat the Elephant ... and a Raccoon

Quick post this morning, just to get a few updates out there...

We spent several hours at Big Orange over the weekend (that's the nickname that seems to be sticking) but not as much time as we would have liked. Why? Because the pipes froze and burst at our "other" house (i.e. the one we actually live in) on Sunday morning. I (Ben) left the garage door open overnight allowing this to happen, thank you very much. Spent most of Sunday in the crawl space and looking over the plumber's shoulder while we got things fixed.

Found evidence of a critter who really wanted out of Big Orange (photo below) - if you can't see it very well, it's a raccoon handprint by the window of a 2nd floor bedroom; actually, the wall was covered with his prints. There's a gap between the window and the storm so hopefully he made his way out okay.



Also, found a scrap of cool old wallpaper behind one of the radiators. It would be interesting to see how far back this pattern dates to!