Wow, big demo day

The morning started out cooler then usual, bright and sunny, a "2 cats in the yard, life used to be so hard" sort of day.  Then the pounding began. The kitchen cabinets and laundry room wall came tumbling down. Gene and I scrambled to pack up the cupboard contents as Kade pounded out the beams. I guess we didn't expect it all to happen so fast. They will be putting in a support beam and have the whole thing opened up before we get back from our trip.

No turning back now. We are still tweaking the plans, I'm searching for space to put a walk-in closet. Dreamer.

The piano was sold today and will be moved tomorrow. We are hoping to save it from the increasing dust.

Once the piano is out, we can start finishing the front bedroom in time for house guests on July 31. The piano is being moved a few blocks to a dear friend's house who will love it, play it and care for it in a way I never could. We will still have the small piano, seems that I always have a piano, some day I should try playing one.

Charlotte was moved to Oma's house today to save her from the dust and ensure she gets the socialization she needs:)

 Before the kitchen cabinets got removed.
The blue wall is after they were removed.

 Piles of debris in the living room before the kitchen wall was removed, below is after much of the debris and kitchen wall were removed.

Note there is a tiny space between laundry room ceiling and roof, no insulation, explains why it is always to hot. The exterior wall was a piece of dark brown paneling that gave no protection from the weather either. This little area was probably added as a washroom/porch in the early 1900's and never intended to be part of the house. I am not sad about removing and rebuilding this.

Can you see the lovely, airy kitchen in this space?  Perhaps not, but I see nothing but beauty in the destruction.

Do you like the new location of my washer/dryer? Blocking the back door is very convenient. Not to worry, at this stage, nothing is permanent.

It will be fun to host the Family Reunion After Party, I think the theme should be "Hard Hat Party". We just hope we have a working bathroom and a cool August evening so we can keep everyone outside.

Gene and I have taken a little trip to get away from the dust and noise. Things will progress while we are gone and, hopefully, the house will be a bit more livable when we return. I ordered "Tidying Up" a book written by a Japanese organizational consultant. Several friends have recommended it and if this isn't the time to get organized, I don't know when it will be.  Time to clear out the clutter.

The walls are coming down!

We met with our architect and contractor yesterday. It was great to see the ideas fly and the potential reveal itself, as "G" and I listened and watched. In the end, a decision to begin demolition was made and I am thrilled.

Early this morning the crew moved in and out went the walls. I think the before and after photos speak for themselves.  Stage 1 includes removing the center divider, removing the kitchen wall, bringing the ceiling and windows back to their original height and installing recessed lighting and fans in the living room and front porch.

 Night before, looking into dining room.

 Night before, looking into kitchen

 Looking toward the kitchen from the front door. Our line of sight will be all the way to the back yard when we are finished.

Living room opened to dining room. We have gained 18 inches of ceiling height and  removed more than 6 feet of divider. The room feels so much bigger.

The two windows will be removed and new windows will be installed into these original casings. The pair of matching, double hung windows are now visible from the front door, cool!



We are still living in the house.
 

How much history are we willing to destroy?

The balance of restoration vs reconstruction continues. We feel very committed to finding the original house, but at the same time, the fluidity of the modern home sure makes small spaces seem bigger and social spaces more inviting. The Victorian challenge was short boards (inability to mill long boards) thus, small rooms maxing out at about 10 feet wide. Lots of doors to prevent the heat from dissipating into drafty areas that didn't have heating. Little back hallways and microscopic bathrooms intended for bathing, and the kitchen was a completely non-family space occupied by the cook, so small windows,  dark corners and closed doors were the norm.

It wasn't until the 1930's that the American kitchen became the heart of the home. The servant-less household shifted the way spaces were used and everyone gathered in the kitchen. Hence, kitchens became sunny, social spaces where kids did homework and everyone participated in the preparation of food (well, everyone who was female).

So our house had a tiny kitchen with a tiny window. Doors at every opening blocked the view of the kitchen from all sides, and probably kept it very hot in the summer. Over the years, it has been enlarged at least once, maybe twice. The pantry was removed, stove and chimney eliminated and the window made even smaller (don't understand that at all). Doors have been removed and the ceiling dropped.

The big question is, do we remove the walls, open the kitchen up and make it visible from the front door (completely and totally not Victorian)? Or do we make an effort to maintain the original design, bring back the pantry, put back the walls and  shrink it down to it's original size?

We are thinking the walls are coming down. A larger, sunny, open space with an island to gather around sounds more useable and ultimately sell able. Large windows facing the back yard is also a violation of the period, but keeping an eye on the grand kids playing is our new priority.

Getting advice and ideas from everyone has been great, we appreciate everyone's contributions.