Life has been busy ...

We've been distracted by other things in life recently, vacations, company, the usual. So I'm posting a wonderful picture DH took from our front deck. This is dawn in October.

We haven't been totally lazy on the home front. We got the gutters repaired and the back of the roof replaced. The front half had been replaced recently, but the back half might have made it through the rainy season. At least this winter the downspouts will send water out where it belongs, I don't have to worry about the roof leaking, and the gutters will do their jobs.

We even got some of the trim primered before the rains, and most importantly, a color picked. We're going with a light turquoise/teal color. Next summer, of course.

A little background on the house

Our lovely mid-century home is a 5-bedroom, red brick-on-frame basement rambler. The bricks, I've been told are "roman bricks" that they don't make anymore. They were made in a circle with the bricks connected together and broken apart from each other when used. This produced a rough, slightly irregular face to the bricks.

Some of the wonderful mid-century features include all-original lighting, working 6-chime doorbell, two original beige folding doors that are in good shape, stone faced fireplaces (2), stone faced planters (2), 3 built-in linen/storage cabinets, 1 built-in closet, and tile floors in 2 of the baths, the kitchen and dining area. 2 pink baths - the main bath in beautiful shape with a pink tub and "salt and pepper" white tile surround and counter. It also has a built-in fish tank, and an intercom system (that worked briefly, but needs repair). The kitchen appliances are original and include a built-in double oven (both working), a stove top (one burner doesn't work), a non-working original top-loading dishwasher (since replaced with a working model), and a working refrigerator. All brown, the stove, ovens and dishwasher are all an interesting light brown.

This same salt and pepper tile was used for the window sills in the baths, bedroom and kitchen. The living room and dining area had a peachy-goldy color tile. Unfortunately, the tile window sills didn't survive the new windows.

We chose to wood wrap the bedroom windows (a cost/time decision) and replace the living room/dining area tile with Daltile "luminary gold", since it was similar in color to the original. We salvaged tile from rest the windows in the house for the master bath window in order to match the existing tile work.

We are working hard to keep renovations true to the nature of a 1961 house.

Here's a link to the Picasa photos of the house details.

On the oddities of old houses

Jim decided to start pulling up the carpet in the stairwell to the garage. The stairwell was starting to smell really bad. What was up with it? Turns out it was more old house weirdness.

Jim started taking up the carpet and the little platform at the bottom of the stairs. It was all wet underneath, and the carpet was wet. It has been fairly dry lately, so where the water is coming from is a wonderment. The weirdness doesn't stop there. It seems there is a small pipe going into a little hole under the wood step, right at the door into the garage. You can see it in the picture. 

Is that the source of the water? Or something else? We know the pipe isn't attached to the water input system, that's all been redone. We already know there's oddities with this house. Is this just one more that doesn't matter, or is it a small job that isn't.

Turns out the widow of the builder knew nothing about the hole in the floor. So it looks like a construction faux pas. The leak comes from the basement wall. So repair and sealing is in order. Nothing unexpected.

In the Beginning ...

We didn't know we wanted a mid century house. We thought we were going to put house hunting on hold. Stopping at an open house on a lovely fall day was our downfall, or our salvation.

The house had a great garage, or we wouldn't have stopped in the first place. But it also was a time-capsule of 1961 with a relaxing homey atmosphere and a good view. It had great access to everywhere we wanted to go. It needed some work.

This blog is a diary of our adventures buying, renovating and living in a 1961 time capsule home.

Join me on our journey!