Getting to the Hearth of the Matter

We progressed quite a bit since returning from our inspiring D.C. trip.

I tackled the 3rd wall which was a mishmash of leaky aluminum windows, different moldings and that rough wall paint style that I hated.

Pic above was taken not too long after we moved in.

By now, restoring the moldings has become a pretty automatic process involving safely removing the old paint, sanding, repairing and finally staining to match the dark wood throughout the house.  I was able to pull out some of the wainscot to I could add insulation to the exterior facing wall.

The two windows posed a little bit of a challenge.  Brand new, custom ordered dual pane windows would have cost hundreds of dollars.  So I took a drive and hit the usual salvage places and would you believe I found one, never-used double hung vinyl window that was EXACTLY the size I needed?  It was in great shape and still had the labels on it and I bought it for $65! I installed it in just a few hours and felt that luck was with me.  After a few more days of searching, I knuckled under and purchased a brand new small window from HD for $125 but it took over 2 weeks to be delivered! And would you believe it WASN'T EXACTLY the size I asked? Let me see, is it better to check the salvage yards for an exact window you could install that day, for a fraction of the cost, or go retail and pay more and wait longer for something not exactly right?   I've always been a big advocate of using salvage materials but this experience pushes me into the salvage camp even more.

So with the new windows in, I carefully pulled molding from another part of the house to build matching trim around the windows.   Andrea sponge paints to match the other walls and I once again add the Tung Oil as a sheen.

We've really grown to enjoy the look and ease of wood shutters so I added some to the lower part of the big window to provide privacy yet allow light in.

I had been thinking a lot about fireplaces.  For generations, a fireplace was where families huddled together to stay warm and even cook.  Fireplace mantels became a major focal point of design since people wanted something else to look at besides the calm, flickering fire.  Although modern forced-air allows heat to efficiently enter any room, it did take away the need for people to come together in one room.  After giving it some thought, we felt it would be cheaper and just as efficient to put a new gas fireplace in the middle of the old house.  We spend most of our time here anyway and I like the idea of a central heated area to eat meals, entertain etc..  Also, the flames on these new gas heaters look astonishingly like the real thing and is much safer and cleaner than wood burning.

So we began to update our bland wall heater, which came with the house, to a more efficient new direct-vent gas fireplace.  I found a good company on Ebay after reading the horrible Yelp reviews on all the Bay Area fireplace companies.   The company I used is called 'Embers Fireplaces' located in Central California and their products were affordable and great as was the customer service.  I highly recommend them.

After a bit of research on fireplaces, I settled on first installing a small brick hearth made of antique bricks found in our yard and other places.  I harvested a 'Carnegie' brick from the patio outside and matched it with bricks that had a wide range of colors.

Following framing and installation of the firebox and vent, I did more research on fireplace mantels and found that most of the pictures showed mantels that were usually all one color-white.  The Victorian style mantels were audacious and extremely expensive and I wasn't sure if it would work in the small main room.  So after some thought, decided to build a custom wrap-around mantel using salvage pieces and some brand new Poplar wood boards.  I learned that ordering specialty Victorian tiles would take several days and I was eager to finish so I found about 30 stone tiles, with a lot of character, at salvage for $6.

When I put it all together, we liked the two-tone look of the dark wood against the greenish-poplar and decided to work with it.  The corbels and legs came from a custom kitchen cabinet and the artwork from my sister. I guess I had to build a fireplace to fit the art! 

I spent an extra $125 for the faux brick look inside the firebox and it was well worth it.  It looks great and much better than leaving it all black.  Like a rockstar, Andrea is called in to bring music to the wall with her sponge technique.

I put in the shelving and coated the stone and brick with a water-based gloss substance, that is used on tile, to give it that "wet look" and viola!, a new efficient gas fireplace with custom mantel.

Then

And Now

And I final triptych pic the captures the mental-visual process.

Tool Library

FYI - Just saw this link Peggy shared - the Oakland Temescal Tool Library was mentioned in this Washington Post article:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/sets-drums-and-rotary-tools-libraries-across-us-lending-way-more-than-books/2013/07/18/40db7714-efc5-11e2-8c36-0e868255a989_story.html

Ghost Town Farm visit

We met Novella Carpenter and her daughter Francis at her Ghost Town Farm tour on Saturday. I bought a jar of honey produced from her bee hive. It was cool to meet her especially since we live in the same hood.

Our garden is currently producing lots of zucchini, lemon & green cucumbers, cherry plums, and blackberries. More pictures and notes to follow soon.

Resuming Restoration

We've started the process of restoring the 3rd wall and floor in what we call the "living room".  In the past it served as the main eating room with fireplace or some kind of heating source.

Our task is to remove the carpet and remove all the paint and gunk on the original hardwood floors as well as remove the paint off the original wainscot and window trim.  We are replacing the windows with double hung dual panes and will gently pry off the wainscot so we could add insulation behind it.

Of course there will be general repairs along the way.  The plaster wall is in good shape and just needs a skim good to smooth it out.  Then Andrea applies her sponge painting technique which will make the wall look like a custom wallpaper feature that blends with the other walls.

Our budget is about $1000 to complete all this and hope to use recycled items in good shape when needed. We will do all the restoring but will most likely hire a professional floor sander to come in and do all the rooms at once

So far, we spent about $100 on paint scraping materials and found an used double hung window for $65 that will fit just right in the large window section.  I did order a brand new small double pane window from Home Despot but that will take TWO WEEKS to be delivered.  Why buy new when I can find a good salvage one at a fraction of the price and within a day or two??

We had paint leftover from the previous work and found a few old floor pieces to replace the plywood section near one of the walls.

Progress....

Even DIYers need a vacation

After working on the house for 5 straight months since the beginning of the year, we were able to take a little vacation from DIY work which is a very positive thing to do.  First, the house was clean from top to bottom for the first time since we've moved in and thus we felt like we were actually enjoying the house without bumping into some construction debris/work.  Then we spent time talking about planning the next phases of the house refurbishment which include a couple of major improvements.

Then we took a trip to Washington D.C. where there was so much to do and see.  I was just as much focused on the architecture, gardens and art there and took pics of things we saw that may help spur new ideas for our old home and growing garden:

US Botanical Garden

US Botanical Garden

Home and Design Museum or "Honey, I shrunk George??"

Victorian garden and fountain next to Smithsonian Castle

Us Botanical Garden Conservatory

US Botanical Garden

US Botanical Garden

Tin Ceiling at DC  Restaurant

Hedge trees next to Korean War Memorial

Flower Garden at Mt. Vernon

George Washington's Pad

Indoor Garden National Art Gallery

Furniture Art at Renwick Gallery

One of my favorite pieces at the Renwick Gallery

Window treatment at Renwick

Wood Floor Renwick Gallery

Stain glass at Renwick

A garden spot along the Great Mall

Alexander Calder artwork

Calder at the National Gallery

Amazing table at Renwick

Beautiful Stain Glass at National Portraiture Museum

Ceiling at Library of Congress

Lights. Camera. Inspiration!

There is something about this time of the year that sparks us towards inspiration and whimsy.  I know I've felt an incredible urge to be extra creative as does my wife.  As Spring flowers bloom so does our imaginings and I don't think that is by accident.  There is a connection there that is unseen yet so powerful it changes the very way our mind operates.

Today I thought about how making films is not too different from creating a garden.  For me, filmmaking had always been about creating something that looks good to your eyes, sounds good to your ears and tells you a story or just challenges your mind to grapple with interesting ideas.  I realized that our Victorian garden has those elements too plus the added elements of smell and taste.  A garden is somewhat like a film that changes every single nanosecond and is never the same at any one point.  And now that Andrea has infused the garden with creative, poetic quotes, it seems to be evolving into a living "cinepoem".

So I was inspired to take a few pictures to share with you to help you get inspired and perhaps think a little bit about some old and new things.  Perhaps you'll come visit and watch the "film" in action?

A Comedic Cinepoem (very slow motion)

A documentary cinepoem showing all the things going on, in our minds, this Spring.

Perhaps a political film made on a shoestring budget? Or Democracy Is Half of What it Used to Be?

Dude? Where Are My Car Keys?

In an Antique State-of-Mind

Antique!  What makes an antique exactly?   According to the web, it's anything that is 100 years old or more.

I always marvel at the items my sister gives to us.  They are almost always gorgeous and have a level of detail that I find mesmerizing.  I usually don't get that same feeling when I'm forced to go shopping at Ikea or some other contemporary store.  But stepping into an antique is a journey back in time where craftsmanship and art were valued differently than today.

So let's play a quick game.  Can you spot the antiques in this picture?

Clock on the left?  Nope. Looks antique-ish but it's a Cost Plus item we found for $6 at a thrift Store.  What about the beautiful painting?  Nope. Not an antique but it is hand painted and a wonderful gift from my sister and her husband. The Rug?  Nope. Handwoven but it isn't that old.  If you said the walls, wainscot and floor, you would have guessed right.  They are 115 years old as is the entire front half of the house.  Most likely the house was built around May to take advantage of the warm dry weather.  And it was constructed without the benefit of power tools.  Imagine that!

This beautiful vase (another gift from my sister) is an antique created around 1890 in Europe.  The pink roses from the yard work perfectly together with it.  You don't often see fresh flowers in vases inside people's homes too often.  But in the old days, it was a very common thing to do. Nature's art merged with human art.

We also recently attended a very big antique show.  It's pretty easy to see what generation of people you might see at a show like this. To make a long story short, I think we were some of the youngest people there and it made me question how much the younger generations find value in old, beautifully hand crafted things.

I recently salvaged an antique Victorian entry door that some young man was giving away on craigslist.  The picture showed a big door with mounds of paint on it but you could still see that it had all the original knobs, mailbox and door pull cover.   I didn't know the condition but emailed him anyway and out of 50 emails, he responded to mine.

I went over to take a look at it and my tongue nearly fell out.  I could tell that this was a very well crafted Victorian door that was worth something. 

So I took it home and started cleaning the paint off.

Exterior side had about 6 layers of paint but the entire door was in great shape. Nothing broken.

During that time I wondered if I should try and sell it or just keep it. What is the value I'm looking for here?  Is the value in the money I might get for it so I could do more things to fix up the house?  Or is the value in the beauty my hard work will bring out of the door once cleaned and refinished?  Maybe the value is just in looking and pondering the exquisite craftsmanship somebody had put into it 100 years ago??

Scraped off about 3 layers of white paint on the interior side

So I took it home and started cleaning the paint off.

Restained and a coat of poly.

Same on the interior, Put back the oval, beveled window and reglazed.