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Mom's crowning comment this Thanksgiving, in keeping with the tradition of totally inappropriate and hilarious Pat moments: "Did you ever make a sex tape Kate?"
The exterior of Kenmore has, from the beginning, nagged at me. Something is not right. When I first walked in, it was the general warmth of the front room and specific detail of the sunroom floor tile that made me say "Finally, a real house!". But the exterior, especially the front, has never had that same effect. It's dour, dark and almost blank. For a structure with tons of character (ie: original, poorly maintained features and fixtures), the face is a disappointment. Every time I turn in the drive, I frown back at it.
The brilliance of having a twin house next door (our neighbor Augie's house and ours were built by the same man, at the same time in 1927---one for him, one for his parents) is that I have a very handy measuring stick right next door. Augie's bungalow is lovely, deeply detailed and all the original features have always been meticulously maintained.
It also, in spite of having the downward turned gambrel roof line, is smiling.
After studying the structural elements, reading a few chapters of Renovation Volume 4 and finding the Window Police online (www.oldhouseguy.com), I think I have it figured out!
Its not just the depressing color scheme or lack of landscaping, it's the hideous aluminum storm windows and aluminum facing that are bringing Kenmore down. The storm windows stick out, literally, from the face of the brick, rather than stepping in or sitting flush with the window frame.
At some point, in the name of progress, cheap aluminum storm windows were added to the house. They are the triple track, finger-cutting kind that never function properly. To make matters worse, aluminum trim was used to cover every piece of wood molding, framing and trim around all the exterior windows and roof overhang. The result is flat, featureless and frightening (whats under there? how much water damage is the "maintainence free" aluminum hiding?).
The interior windows were also allowed to fall into disrepair. Few of them have their cords and weights working, most upstairs are painted shut, and all the wood frames are so dirty and crackled they need to be stripped and refinished.
It all adds up to the knee-jerk reaction of wanting to replace the windows. Until I studied Augie's house and read more of Mr Historic Windows's rants. New replacement windows would have been a ruin, thank goodness we can't afford them! An affordable alternative I'm excited to try is Indow Windows (www.indowwindows.com). Interior storm windows, they are simple to install and keep historic windows intact. From Portland no less. I'm already stripping the interior wood frames one by one, and Rocky is going to give us a tutorial in rope and weight repair.
So, come spring, we will be removing the ugly storm windows and trim. A huge project will likely be revealed, but I'm hoping a happy face is too.
I may have to replace the window hardware afterall, they seem too far gone. But the cabinet hardware is SOLID brass and shined up beautifully!
Thank goodness something shined up today; the list of tasks in this house is overwhelming. I'm struggling to be satisfied with little baby steps like this. Speaking of baby steps, Viv's now using these handles to pull herself up!
The response at the hardware store when Paul asked for a method to remove the tarnish on our 90 year old window hardware was "Buy new ones dude". Yes, the vested man said "dude". I think it was a fluke as usually that store is my go-to for very helpful advice (plug ACE).
Replacement is possible, there are two companies that make quality hardware in the period style. But at minimum $30 per window x 36 windows, I'd rather find another way. Not to mention, these are nice solid castings that have survived and functioned well for 90 years---I don't want to be the one to trash them for cheap imitations!
The top one here is the current dark, tarnished condition. The one below is the one that I think I over-cleaned with the vinegar+baking soda + lemon juice method. I think that actually removed part of the brass layer. The metal is brass plated steel---anyone have a tip?
I think Viv is getting revenge for all the infant-care poking and prodding she has had to endure.
(For the record, this shot was snapped seconds before I swiped her insistent little hand away for the umpteenth time).
She's a persistent little bugger. She also insists that our freckles can be pinched off our skin---Papa suffers that one the most.
I couldn't take looking at the dingy pink sunroom ceiling a minute longer. It was, like most of the walls in Kenmore, a color I once heard described as "dirty girdle". I had half heartedly started painting it when we first moved in, but gave up during our busy summer schedule. Getting it done took seven months and two days, but here it is completed at last!
I'm particularly proud of the crack repairs, the results are incredible (thank you Krack Kote). Previously, I didn't have the patience to prime when I painted, but this time its for keeps. So, I did all the tedious prep work---patching, spackling, sanding, washing and priming. It does make a difference.
The $5 light fixture we bought on craigslist so many months ago is finally up too. Goodbye hideous brass thing, hello $50 in fancy lightbulbs!
It's hard to see in this photo, but the ceiling color is Benjamin Moore's "Constellation". It's a very pale, ethereal blue that shifts with the light. Mom, you may have second guessed me, ("Why aren't you painting the ceilings white?") but wait til you see it--gorgeous!
I drive the FIAT (when I can), Paulie has his speedy GTI and to accommodate the car seat we have of course the SAAB wagon. Not to be left out, Viv tools around the loving room in her Cozy Coupe.
We want to reduce our car count to two from the current three. It's not just too costly, its confusing. I can't keep track of what stuff is in which car which makes for confusing morning commutes.
And when the snow flies, our patience for the twenty-point turn in the crowded drive will runout.
Meanwhile, Rocky has been working away restoring Paulie's childhood pedal car. It's nearly done and will be center stage this Christmas.
So, here we are -- one family, five cars!
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