Kit will tell you that I am relentlessly dogged in my determination to get minute details right whether it be for our house, my job, or graphic design. If I set my mind to something, or become interested in a particular type of building material, I will completely dive down the rabbit hole learning everything I can and digging up any old documentation possible. This has manifested itself in many ways when it comes to our perfect little money pit.
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Kitchen Progress Episode 1
One of the key selling points of our house…for me atleast…was that it still had its original kitchen. During the ensuing years since our purchase, I have only come across 4-5 other houses (1-2 a year) that still have their original culinary cabinetry intact through my obsessive observation of the Rochester real estate market. It had a leaking utilitarian faucet, was slathered in green paint, its hardware had been replaced in the 1950s, and there were only about three feet of useable counter…but it was original!!! Continue reading
Rehabbing the Radiators
It’s been bitterly cold this week with lots of snow after near spring like conditions began to force some early bulbs to flower last week…thanks upstate New York. What better time to talk about the incremental saga of tuning, upgrading, and rehabbing our steam heating system.
Our house was originally outfitted with a cutting edge American Radiator Company steam heating system comprising of an Ideal Redflash Boiler and Corto radiators. I have a strong affection for Corto radiators, Continue reading
Surprise! Bathroom Rehab
We kept busy over the warm months this year, primarily focusing on the garage…which still has a way to go…maybe next year! One not so busy weekend, Kit suggested that we tackle finishing the bathroom as it was literally in pieces. We had rebuilt the shower valves, re-grouted the tile, and added a bathroom fan last year, but the wall fabric that had originally been installed in 1928 to prevent moisture seeping into the walls was literally peeling off the walls. The original pedestal sink had a odd 1980s Delta mixer faucet and hand sprayer. The medicine cabinet had relieved itself of the mirror shattering pieces all over the floor as mentioned in the last post and the original bare-bulb light fixture had shorted out and could not be disassembled to allow replacement of its internal socket. Continue reading
I Was Never Very Good at Juggling
A number of small projects were begun over the past several months. Some were intentional, and others were forced upon us by fate. I told myself that we would be much further along with these projects by now…much like I was supposed to have already begun taking my architectural licensing exams. Here’s a list of the loose ends yet to be tied: Continue reading
My Perfect Little Money Pit 