Renovating the Heart of the Home

Floor to ceiling Pantry

Garden Motif Kitchen Tiles

My Island dining table
( right :wall removed between kitchen and dining rooms )

Craftsman style Island light

My "wabi-sabi" copper sink with a big dent

Craftsman Style Cherry Cabinets

My kitchen island is two maple cabinets attached together
and topped with a slab of granite

I'm not showing the before photos of my kitchen because its not something I want to remember. Kitchens are the biggest drawback in old houses because they aren't usually up to date as was the case in mine. For many years I endured the cheap pine cabinets, vinyl tile floor, dropped ceiling, old appliances, no dishwasher, and little space for a table until the time was ripe for a complete overhaul.

We removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room, the dropped ceiling and tile from the floor. Underneath the tile we found the original strip maple floor in good condition and had it refinished. To gain more space we covered over a window that was never used and installed cabinets and countertops. A continuous line of cabinets and a floor-to-ceiling pantry was installed and every inch of wall space put to use.

The copper sink arrived with a big dent in it but I couldn't delay it's installation so I just accepted it , dings and all. This new philosophy, dubbed " wabi-sabi ", is the exact opposite of feng shui. It's the "if it ain't broke don't fix it " life isn't perfect kinda attitude that I like .

It took me 3 months to design my new kitchen. I think it fits in with the craftsman style of my old house and at the same time it has all the bells and whistles.

The only thing that's not new is the cream-color fridge that doesn't fit in to my color scheme but it was too new to discard. I don't like stainless steel and so I'm holding out for a copper one that's suppose to be on the market soon.

Renovating the Not So Big Bathroom

Behind door no.2 .....

The smallest pedestal sink available on the market

Notice the corners of the bath beneath the window
( that's the width ! )

The length of the bath and the tiled border make it appear roomier

My old house didn't have a first floor bath when it was built in 1904. As a matter of fact just having an indoor bath was a luxury in those days and it was usually located in the family quarters on the second floor.

A former owner closed off the maid's staircase to the second floor and carved out a space for the world's tinest bathroom. Very clever and a good use of wasted space ! It's only 3 feet wide and located right next to the door that goes to the lower level so I had to place signage on it because guests kept opening door number 1.

During our whole house remodelling, we discovered a fake wall and proceeded to remove it , not knowing what we might find. Much to our surprise we found a beautiful old original oak window which I painted to mimic stained glass. The two feet we gained gave us a storage area on the right and more floor space which makes the bath appear larger.

Getting a sink small enough was a challenge but I found what has got to be the smallest one on the market - a mere 14 inches in diameter. Adding a terra cotta tile with a border made the small bath appear even larger.

Restoration Continues at Sweet Home Chicago

I do windows !

Stained Glass Staircase Window

The little alcove in the photo above has a built-in oak bench where I'm told by old timers in the neighborhood young men had to cool their heels while waiting for their girlfriend to make an entrance from the staircase above . The windows above it are not stained glass but hand painted by me because I dislike drapes or shades.

The original stained glass window on the staircase ( 2nd photo ) was in poor condition with many of its pieces pulled away from the leading. I removed the window and took it to a local craftsman who soldered all the pieces together. This is the only full length stained glass window in the house and it is truly lovely, especially when the sun from the East shines through the glass and the jewel like glass sparkles.

In researching the history of our American Foursquare we learned that it was built by a banker in 1904 at the cost of $5,000. For that amount, which was a lot in those days, the finest materials were used - oak throughout and plaster walls and ceilings.

When we purchased the house the former owners had done a 1950' s "remuddling " on it -dropped ceilings, linoleum tile on top the oak floors, flocked wallpaper, and cheap dark wood panelling covering the original plaster walls. Little by little over the years we have worked to remove all the signs of past indignities to restore the grand old lady to its former glory.

Restoration at Sweet Home Chicago

Hand crafted Oak Staircase
( Click on to enlarge )

Original Stained Glass Window ( right )

This staircase is the crown jewel of my American Foursquare and so it was a labor of love that I undertook to clean a century of dirt and grime from it. I didn't count the spindles as I think it would be overwhelming if I knew how many I had before me.

The color of the staircase was a dull dark brown and I used an orange based paint remover that very gently lifted the grime and revealed the warm oak color.

The spindles were the most painstaking because of all the intricate details and I had to use a toothbrush to get in all the crevices. I did go back and count how many spindles after I finished. Sixty-three. Arg--g-g-g-! It took me a month to finish. I can imagine how Michaelangelo felt after painting the Sistene chapel on his backside.

The Master Craftsman who created this work of art built it to last. After a century only one spindle was slightly lose. No fault of his I'm sure. No doubt it was my children who used to grab on to it for support when they were young.

Besides enjoying the newly restored finish that took countless hours of my time I revel in the amount of money I saved by doing it myself.

THE FIRST GREEN OF SPRING

TRIFOLIUM REPENS
or White Clover



There's a dear little plant that grows in our isle,

'Twas Saint Patrick himself, sure, that set it;
And the sun of his labor with pleasure did smile,
And with dew from his eye often wet it.
It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland
And they call it the dear little Shamrock of Ireland.

Legend has it that the Shamrock was used by St. Patrick in the fifth century to show the meaning of the Trinity. It is found on medieval tombs and old copper coins know as St. Patrick's money. It was also thought to have magical powers as the leaves stand upright to warn of an approaching storm.

While the Shamrock is not an official emblem of Ireland it is a popular national brand, the most prominent user being Aer Lingus whose tail is decorated with this heart-shaped trefoil.

For good luck the bouquet of an Irish bride and the boutonniere of the groom include the Shamrock. It is also the symbol of quality for Irish B & B's that have earned the coveted emblem.

And of course today, being St. Patrick's Day, a shamrock that is worn in the hat or lapel is removed and put into the last drink of the evening. After the toast the shamrock is thrown over the left shoulder. Slainte !