Tomorrow is D(emolition)-Day

Things at the house are almost finished (from my standpoint). Much has been sorted, donated, discarded, and stored, clearing the way for big changes. Here's the plan:

• The kitchen will be completely gutted, refitted with custom mahogany cabinets that go to the ceiling, and with a rolling library ladder that allows me to get into them. The peninsula will go, and be replaced with a bar-stool height eating counter, backed by the range, so I won't have my back to my friends when I'm cooking. The formica-clad, particle board cabinets will go to the special circle of hell reserved for such items. All new appliances of course.
  

• The wall of what used to be the dining area will be covered with cabinets including a bar area with wine storage and a wine refrigerator (where the shelves are now). The left hand corner will be made into a desk area where I'll keep my computer. Up above, fit into the cabinetry, will be space for small stereo speakers.

• There will also be a powder room added to this space approximately where I was standing to take the picture below.

• Because of the powder room which is accessed from the stair landing, this will be the only entrance, flanked by the pocket doors (which are open and not visible in this picture).

• Downstairs the lavatory in the master bedroom (not pictured) will be taken out and replaced by a closet. And the bathroom space shown in an earlier picture (with piles of plumbing) will be expanded and made into two full baths.


• This view is looking up from the bedroom level to the living/kitchen level. The hallway will be redone with hardwood, and the wooden stairs will be refinished.
  
  
  


• In the front (guest) bedroom the tile floor will be replaced by hardwood...
  
  


• ...and a proper hearth will be added to the fireplace.

• The space now occupied by the closet will be incorporated into the bathroom and a new closet will be created to the left of it in the space now occupied by the shower.
  
  
  

In a future posting I'll tell you about the team resonsible for all the planning and execution. For now, I'll pack the bikes and the last few miscellaneous items into the car and drive into the sunset...

The Departure of the Plumbing

Yesterday morning, early, the plumber arrived to cap all the existing plumbing. Poor Mr. Bo had to be confined to the front bedroom--right next to all the thumping and banging--while I went off to work.



And they weren't kidding. All the plumbing is now stacked in the big bathroom, leaving a scary looking hole where the tub used to be.


With no running water(except the backyard hose) it was clearly time to get out of town. Two carloads later (with more to go...I am not travelling light) we were ensconced in Trish's apartment. Mr. Bo took it better than I did and promptly explored every nook and cranny while I took two Advil and went to bed!

Arrival of the Chandelier

I should say a bit about the chandelier. It was purchased by my great-grandfather William Tobias Litson in the late 1800's when it would have been illuminated with gas flame. It hung in a grand house he built in Mt. Vernon, New York, when he worked as a bookmaker at the Saratoga Race Track. (This was perfectly legal at the time, though in 1911 the state of New York banned gambling altogether, and a couple of years later, re-legalized it under state control.) This line of work must have provided an extremely comfortable living, and William Litson was mentioned in a New York Times story from October 24, 1900 as an acquaintance of Cornelius Alford, a bank swindler--more or less the Bernie Madoff of his day.

The chandelier probably hung in a hallway, given its narrow profile. For as long as I remember, it lay in the attic of our various houses. Mom used to beg someone to adopt it, but disassembled it didn't look like much. Last fall when I knew I was going to do a renovation I pulled it out of the attic and unwrapped and inventoried all the crystals. The parts appeared to be complete, with only a couple of crystals broken or damaged. The newspaper it was wrapped in was from 1947, but we don't really now how long it has been since it was last in use. I brought it back to Boston and had it restored and it has hung in a U-Haul garment box since December 2008.

Last week the electrician came to wire the fireplace sconces and the center ceiling medallion for the chandelier. My plan was to keep the chandelier in its box until the whole job was done to avoid dust and damage, but to my surprise it was installed when I got home from work. I scurried to CVS for some bulbs and turned it on. It is not large, but boy, is it sparkly.

Here are some pictures of the components before restoration:

And after!

It is now encased in bubble wrap and plastic garbage bags, and I've had a serious conversation with the contractor about making sure no one smashes it with a stray 2x4. He assures me no lumber will come into the house on that level. My fingers are crossed.

The Calm Before the Storm

For 18 years, I have wanted to make some major improvements to my apartment, an 1850's structure last renovated in the 1970's. Last year I worked out the financing, engaged architects, and started the design process. This year, we finished the planning and engaged a contractor. In less than a week, Mr. Bo (17 years old) and I will become nomads, living with friends while the transformation is underway. I'll use this blog to document the process and to share the excitement and frustration of the largest single project I've ever done on my own behalf. Thanks for joining me!