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The Hipster House: Tiny Victorian Resurrected (Part 2)
It was an ugly, tiny house. The exterior was all wrong. The hovel was awkward and confined even for 900 sq feet. Everywhere was damp, musty, and dark. The kitchen was located just inside the front door and the bathroom was well, hideous. Unfortunately this tiny house’s issues went beyond the cosmetic. There was no standard stud spacing…or sizes…some of the walls weren’t even made of studs. It was terrible and we made it beautiful.
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Hipster House Reveal: Tiny Victorian Resurrected (Part 1)
Located in what is considered the “Williamsburg” of our fair city, the neighborhood is full of the young and hip living in old houses. That became the inspiration for the tiny abode; something that paid homage to it’s original life as a modest Victorian cottage but felt updated and hip. Check out the before and after of the exterior.
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Fresh Start for the Shoddy Cottage: Part 3
The Shoddy Cottage turns fresh and modern! We took on an ambitious 15 day renovation on a DIY disaster and here are the results.
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Two Week Renovation- The Shoddy Cottage (PART 2)
A number of years ago we bought this great little rental house near a major university. It turns out it wasn't so great and I now refer to it as the Shoddy Cottage. This year we decided to tackle a major upgrade and tackle an ambitious two week renovation- the available time between our old tenants and new tenants. See how this crazy project unfolded. Background This former summer home wasn’t all sunshine. Cosmetically it was looking a little sad, a little outdated, and little disjointed. We also knew there was galvanized plumbing somewhere that was impacting the water pressure and the house was riddled with a maze of pipes…
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The Shoddy Cottage (Part 1)
A number of years ago we bought this great little rental house near a major university. Well it turns out it wasn’t so great and I now refer to it as the Shoddy Cottage. This year we decided to tackle a major upgrade and renovation in the span 2 weeks- the gap between our old tenants and new tenants. See how this crazy project unfolded. The Scoop Built in the late 1920s as a summer cottage, the house is located on a dead-end street that overlooks the river. Ages ago the wealthy who lived downtown would vacation on the river and this often-forgotten dead-end street contained their summer “homes.” Owners…
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Demo Day(s): Part One
Demo day. At first, as always, the demo is exciting. You start with the easiest…ugly stuff disappears and light starts to pour in. Then you get the the hard, the really ugly, and the downright disgusting.
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5 Books That Will Change Your Life
Self-help, personal improvement, business, organization…these books fill the shelves of bookstores and libraries but what actually works? Want to change your life? The following 5 fabulous books should be staples on your bookshelves.
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We Got The WORST House
This house was sad, beyond a fixer upper. The layout was terrible, a colony of squirrels used it as a nut warehouse, and the roof was better for letting in light than keeping out the rain. So naturally I just knew it would be our ideal family home.
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Stunning Painted Floor
Check out this amazing painted floor! We took a risk and stenciled a bathroom floor. It was easy, cheap, and looks amazing! Do you have an unsightly floor and need an inexpensive fix? Want expensive tile but can’t justify the cost? Just love the look of this stenciled floor? Read on to find out how to achieve this beautiful painted floor.
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Winston Churchill Was Right
Architecture and all the associated bits have fascinated me since a young age. I remember using pads of graph paper to create house plans with functional nooks and crannies like phone booths under the stairs, window seats, and secret doors. My idea of a fun weekend was, and still is, a litany of open houses where I can study layout, proportion, design, and live in a fantasy land of indoor pools, tea parties, balls, and basement basketball courts.
