It started today…the MESS!! Oh, my goodness…Rebecca’s stuff is EVERYWHERE…under my bed, under my dressers, on top of anything flat, a huge wall mirror in my master bathroom, huge clear space bags filled with clothes are stacked in my sewing room, the loveseat that was in the sitting room has been moved in front of the fireplace because Rebecca’s bedroom furniture was moved into the sitting room… she moved her box spring and mattress up to the attic…right in the middle of all our stuff boxed up to go to Goodwill!! Sweet dreams Becca!!
You can see the color of her room before we started… she was 13 years old when we bought the house and Apple Green was the color she wanted. What I really wanted to do was take pictures of her room with all her stuff in it to show you how incredibly crowded it was….but I was forbidden from doing that… oh well, you’ll just have to see it when it’s all finished and B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!
Her room is a nice size at 12′ x 14′ and with it empty, it makes it really seem large!
(If you click on the pictures with your mouse, they will enlarge.)
We might as well address the “issues” with the room… after all, this is an 1892 year old house…it’s never been perfect and it never WILL be perfect… we knew that when we bought it 16 years ago.
The whole house was paneled when we bought it and as much as I’d like to have drywall put up, “It ain’t gonna happen!” That’s a quote from my hubby! The paneling is in pretty bad shape in Rebecca’s room… cracked and splitting and just basically dry. It needs a good moisturizer, I think! :o) That window is a north facing window and condensation from the cold wintery nights caused the water to run down the walls and wreak havoc with her paneling.
There are a few spots on her ceiling that have water leaks from up in the attic. A window at the end leaked and caused it. We did replace that window. In fact, we have replaced 19 windows in this house over the years… just me and my hubby! :o) We only have the 4 dining room windows to replace and then they will all be new! Tomorrow a man is supposed to come and talk to us about our roof…yay!
When we replaced the old windows with these new ones, we never finished off the inside edges of the windows… That’s what we were cutting a few days ago… inside trim for the inside sills and sides of these windows. The walls in our house are 6″ thick and so it makes our window sills quite deep.
Rebecca was removing the tract that her sliding closet doors went on…
My hubby cut away the bad section of paneling below the window and is hoping he has a piece in his garage to fill it. It’s 1/4″ thick paneling and hard to find with the grooves like what’s already there. Guess what my hubby found when he took the paneling off the wall? A great big mound of acorns… apparently some little mouse was stocking up for a rainy day! :o) Fortunately, that hole is being closed off by my hubby, so that little mouse won’t be getting them any time soon! :o)
My hubby likes to remove carpeting by cutting it into strips with a utility knife and rolling them up… he says it makes it easier to dispose of them and not so bulky to handle…
Rebecca and her dad would roll up the carpet into rolls and bring them to me… They started calling them burritos…and then they started calling me Jeanne Marie-to Burrito! I tied all my “burritos” with string and took them outside to the garden cart for my hubby to haul away…
After the carpeting was removed, we looked at all the work that still had to be done. Ever removed carpet tack and hundreds of staples from the pad? It’s NO fun… just ask Rebecca… poor thing, she found an old blanket and sat on it with a crowbar and a hammer and flathead screwdriver and scooted around on her knees and her bottom on that blanket, pulling and yanking and sighing and groaning… FOR HOURS! Until she finally had them all out…her dad helped her some with the tack strips, but she did ALL the pulling out of the staples… those tacks are incredibly sharp an painful if you happen to catch your finger on one! Don’t ask me how I know!
We had a beautiful day, and it almost got hot when the sun came around and started shining in the west window!
I was trying to figure out a way to prime the ceiling tiles in the room… a regular roller doesn’t work very well at getting in the grooves. I found a little wheel like paint roller that was kind of beveled on the edge and it worked the best, but as I stood back and looked at the small section I’d gotten done, I got to thinking, “there HAS to be a better way…”
After I finished with a bit of priming on the ceiling tiles, I decided to spackle the 657 holes (exaggeration) in Rebecca’s walls. There were quite a few… and even with little white splotches on the walls, I think they look better already! :o)
The last thing we worked on today was the trim for the inside of the windows… we didn’t get any put up, but we got it cut. It’s just like everything else in this fixer upper house… nothing is straight, and some times things are done that just don’t make any sense… like these windows… they are slanted from the front to the back…and a board can’t just be put on the edges.. the window sill would tip to the back, so we are having to put a strip of wood in the back section of the bottom sill, and on the front edge of the top sill to make them level… then when we put the trim board on, it will be a nice square window! At least that’s the plan! I think that’s what we’ll be starting on tomorrow… I’ll show you what I mean!
Well, the saga will continue tomorrow… hope to see you!
Blessings, Jeanne
My goodness, what a huge job you all have before you!! But, look at all you got done already!! I guess the prep work is the most tedious, isn’t it.
That really is a nice sized room (wish our bedrooms were that big!), and I can’t wait to see what you get done tomorrow, as well as what it looks like when it’s finished!!
My goodness Jeanne, what a day you all had! I am so sorry that I see my comment did not make it to the blog, but not for lack of trying! I wrote it all out, but on my iPad, and it is very touchy, if you know what I mean, and for some reason, it went away in the blink of an eye right before I could post it! I was in the middle of a mess, putting doll clothes away, running up and down the stairs washing, trying to make sense of all the Easter things, and I just could not bear to write all over again.
So Joy, your grandchildren are darling and so sweet, you little doll looks adorable in her new pj’s, that could also be a shorts set, and the Ginko tree is beautiful! I know, because our neighbors had one, and we could admire it from across the street.
What a mess you have, Jeanne, but it will all be worth it! Do you ever watch” Hometown” on HGTV? It’s one f those remodel shows, but set in Mississippi, and a young couple go about restoring older houses in Laurel, a town there. They come across all those issues you are having, and they turn the ugliest houses into the most darling places to live. Everything is rehabbed. I much prefer it to Fixer Upper, although I do like that too.
Oh boy, going up to 82 today! Can’t wait to see what’s next in your remodel! I guess you aren’t planning on a big Easter celebration dinner! Who is though? It’s going to be dinner for two here I guess!!
Oh my! Quite a project you’re taking on. Is the room insulated? Very curious.
The first thing I noticed was that the paneling you have just about matches what we have at our cabin. Or so I think. Mahogany, installed in 1960, and has been through two floods. I know you mentioned not wanting to do drywall, but drywall is actually pretty cheap and not that hard at all. We’ve installed tons of it around here. If you did that, seems like you could also insulate from within before putting it up. Funny, but when we tore off the paneling at other person’s parents place a couple of years ago, we discovered, not acorns, but a mummified dead rat. Removing that paneling was the best thing we ever did there as it made all of the difference in the huge beamed ceiling room. It was warped from moisture in a few places and painting would not have helped at all. The old paneling would still have been there. However, removing that paneling was a pain as it was glued on as well as nailed. 🙁
That said, what about the ceiling? How hard is it to remove those tiles and put up bead board? Just wondering? I’m sure the material is expensive though. Maybe it could be installed over the existing ceiling after the roof leak is gone?
I noticed what looks like a cedar lined closet? You never see that our here although my old room at home had a cedar floor. Pretty neat. I understand if you lightly sand it, the wonderful smell returns.
So glad to see that vintage carpet removed. We too have removed tons of staples. I think there is a tool you can slide under them to pop them off, but haven’t done that in a long time. Looks like your plywood underlay is in great shape so hopefully, the new flooring should go in pretty easily. And removing it in strips instead of the whole shebang is so professional. Good job!
Can’t wait to see the finished window trim as that alone will really add to the lovely completed look.
Sorry, as I get carried away when I see a remodeling project. It is going to be so wonderful when it is all done. Such a great family project.
What a great project for this weird time. Looking at all your pictures so reminds me of our farmhouse. It was built in 1895 ..had the 6 inch walls and original windows. It had blown in insulation, done sometime in the 40’s and it was wool. It did a good job but mice would somehow get in there too…we lived there from 1970 to 1990 while the kids were growing up. Such wonderful memories!
Your finished projects always look amazing so I’m sure this will too. Becca is one hard worker. Can’t wait to see the color it will be and the trimmed out windows, and the new floor.
Yes, Linda, Hometown is fun to watch. They are a sweet couple and do amazing things to the houses they remodel. Reminds me of Chip and Joanna when they first started their show.
To Dorothy in PA and the World
*waves* DEAR DOROTHY *waves*
I’m going to respond to you from yesterday here first even though you haven’t posted yet. I was afraid if I wrote on yesterday’s you might not see it. My little kitty was “helping” and I realize now that part of my post was deleted . No wonder it was confusing.
The magazine I was referring to is VICTORIA. Do you know it?
Here is a website I found that you might enjoy, although they are currently closed.
https://www.janeaustenmagazine.co.uk/issues.php They have an online magazine.
I could certainly find lots of things to buy there. I was born too late for many of the fashions I love- hats, gloves, parasols, wicker baskets for shopping trips etc. Maybe this virus will bring back gloves… one can hope.
I also love tea as I know you do. I subscribe to TEA TIME magazine (same publisher as Victoria) and noticed a tea at Sweet Remembrances Tea room coming up. Is that the tea room you go to? It looks lovely. We had one in town for a couple of years, but then the owner moved. 🙁
And, for your delight, there is a Jane Austin print magazine.
https://www.janeaustenmagazine.co.uk/
I didn’t look beyond the title, so I’m not sure what it’s like, but it does come from England.
Dear Laura, hello. Thank you for this information.
I have heard of Victoria magazine. I am not sure if I have seen any copies though.
Thanks for the links to the Jane Austen magazine websites. I will definitely be looking at them.
I see Tea Time magazine from time to time. It is so much fun to page through it. Yes, Sweet Remembrances is my favorite tearoom. It is closed right now. My friends and I had planned to take tea on Saturday, April 4 but, or course, that didn’t happen. We are hoping that our May tea date will be a go but I don’t think that things will be open in May either.
Have you read Searching for Pemberley by Mary Lydon Simonsen? I usually read it in the Spring but I haven’t picked it up this year.
Thanks again for the information, Dorothy IPAATW
Hi Dorothy,
No, I’m not familiar with that book. I just checked the library and I can borrow a copy in the future. The library was supposed to reopen yesterday, but now we’re looking at May 4th…maybe.
I hope your May tea date gets to happen. Our oldest restaurant which was originally a bakery only has been here since 1864 has a sign on there online site “Keep Calm and Carry out”. Cute pun on the original words.
Dear Laura, hello. Oh that is good news! I don’t anyone else who has read it. When you, we will have to discuss it. Jane Austen unites people!
Wow, Jeanne, what a huge job you have taken on. Yes, I have pulled up old carpet and tacks… no fun at all. The house I liked in as a teen had paneling, but in the family room only. I actually loved that because it was cozy and reminded me of a log cabin.
Is Rebecca choosing carpet again? or hardwood with throw rugs? I’m sure she will enjoy getting a new color on the walls as well.
Looking forward to day 2.
This is exciting to watch, Jeanne. All of you working on a project together is perfect for this time.
Do keep us updated. Seeing your pictures reminds me of the days my son and I renovated houses built in the post war era and it was so much fun.
Seeing the finished product was always such a reward. I know all of you will feel the same. And I admire the neat and precise work you, George and Rebecca have done so far. Thank you for sharing!!
Dear Jeanne, I am enjoying seeing the work you are doing. It’s like watching an episode of This Old House. The room will be lovely when it is finished. I have no doubt.
I forgot to mention that I loved seeing Ruben in the photo when your husband was working on the fountain. I could just imagine Ruben “supervising” the activities (laugh).
Hey, Jeanne! Long-time lurker here in north-central WV! I’ve admired your sewing projects, and now I am eager to see what you come up with in Rebecca’s room! Your pics remind me of my and hubby’s last project–it started with just a new set of linens for a soon-to-be guest room, and we ended up redoing everything EXCEPT the floor! My 1950s ranch has real plaster walls, so patching holes was challenging. Of course, we extended the reno to the hallway and the light fixtures in 2 other rooms as well. We considered it a success when we finished without either of us in tears, LOL! Good luck!
Wow I’m learning nifty construction tips from this!
Jeanne, are you gonna make little mini masks for your dolls?🤗