Before and After

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It's almost a year since we bought our little 1925 cottage, so it seemed like a few before-and-after photos might be in order.

Here's the dining room, before we bought the house. What made us love this house so much was how little it had been "updated." Nobody had perpetrated the 1970s on this classic Craftsman Cottage. In fact, the last major updates all seem to have been from the 1950s. Unlike some of the re-muddled houses we looked at, there was very little to un-do.




Here we are, a year later.

We've had the floors (lightly) re-finished. Robb ripped out the ugly green carpet in the hallways.

I've re-surfaced the ceilings and re-painted all the front rooms. We matched the original paint colors of the front rooms, which has made more than one friend have a "Oh My Goodness! This is the same color as my Grandmother's house" experience.

We bought a somewhat antique (probably 1950s repro-Colonial) dining room set on Craigslist. You should have seen the two of us -- one paralyzed, and one not particularly strong, carrying this table up our stairs the night we bought it. This was a very slow and cautious maneuver.

We bought some handmade Iranian (Persian) rugs. These rugs are not made in urban workshops (which is probably a polite way of saying "sweat-shop"). They are made at home in rural villages.

We've still got a lot of work to do on our little house, but it's nice to reflect on how well things are proceeding.

Comments

Bungalow Boxer (aka Music Woman) said…
I love your little bungalow! It has so much character! I can't wait to see more pics!
Stefaneener said…
While I'm happy in my Vic, the more I see the more the Craftsman cottages grow on me. Very lovely indeed. Seems as though it fits you both well.
Gina (of Ginohn) said…
So gorgeous.
Mark and Sue said…
Lisa & Robb,

Our first home was a bungalow and we loved it. You've done a great job with this room - it really brings us back.

Well done!
mkonieczki said…
I love the built-in shelving around your room! I think it's charming and welcoming the way you've decorated it!
John and Diane said…
It looks fantastic!
-D
CrescentJoy said…
Oh god, I'm so jealous. You're dining room is stunningly beautiful. Mine is just about the worst place in the house excepting the kitchen where we have no proper floor. I can't wait to get started on our walls but can't imagine them turning out so perfectly smooth. BTW! We must be neighbors! Although I don't remember seeing your house yet as I've driven by. Maybe you're on one of the side streets I don't go down.
Anonymous said…
Wait... do you mean to say you don't LOVE finding badly nailed fake wood paneling all over each room? That seems to be the standard in most old house makeovers I have seen. The place looks very warm and inviting and comfortable. Nice to think the origonal owners could come back to visit and feel at home in it. Do you have ghosts? If I had any I would have put them to work! What did you ever do with the fancy painted Hungarian furniture?

Annalisa
Christine said…
And they didn't even paint over the wood trim and cabinetry! Hooray! Not to mention the original light fixture. Wow, good job you guys! It's nice to step back sometimes and realize that among the million other things still left to do, progress abounds.
Meredith said…
It's so lovely and clean-looking. Classy. I'm sure your love for each other is what makes it truly a home, though. :)
We so love the Craftsman style, and hope to incorporate some Craftsman elements into this house someday. I hope you know just how lucky you were to find this house with the original woodwork intact, and NOT painted over! So many of these houses had their woodwork either removed, or buried under umpteen layers of paint. That alone has saved you hundreds of thousands of hours in restoration work. I love it!
Lisa said…
Thanks y'all!

Stefani -- this tiny house is just our speed. A Victorian would be too much responsibility.

CrescentJoy -- I'm going to have to wander around the corner and say hello.

Christine and Claire -- we sure do know how lucky we are to have found this place. We looked at so many sweet old homes that had been *ruined* by their owners. The purple sparkly paint on the craftsman fireplaces come to mind as a good example.

And Meredith -- you're right. The house is a house. Home is made by love, not furniture and paint.
knitica said…
It's beautiful!
Unknown said…
Ok, that's just obnoxious. First the bees, the effortlessly clever blog, the career as an artist, AND your house is my dream . . . it's all just too much.

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