1426 Ives Pl SE

pipe shelves, part 1

2012-02-23T15:00:00.003-05:00

LSD posted a photo that had amazingly simple, elegant, and industrial (all in one) shelves.

I thought, "I could do that." Before the planning stages got started, Gloria sent me a link to a similar project.

Now I KNEW I could do that. I got started on Monday. Here's the progress.

the "before" photo

black steel pipe

degreased and painted

more so

the fittings

the shelves, cut

the shelves, stained

There is still a ways to go. As I go, I think of different options, which sends me back to the hardware store. Thus far for this project I have been to Frager's 4 times, 3 trips to 2 different Lowe's, and 2 trips to 2 different Home Depots. There will be probably at least 2 more trips to a TBD store before this is done.

barstools, final round

2012-02-23T12:01:00.004-05:00

After ordering the school stools, I found this great company called Industry West. The have some great modern interpretations of old industrial stools and chairs. So, I canceled my original order and got the Samson in gunmetal.

samson stool

gunmetal

barstools, round 2

2012-02-23T09:23:00.002-05:00

Carrie and Gloria independently ushered me towards shop/lab stools for the bar. They are much more affordable (at least 1/3 the cost) than most other barstools.

They come in sets of three which gives me one extra to play around with, trying various patina strategies to get them to look a bit used. I may even try out making round wooden seats for them, just to add a little more ruggedness.

mine are without the adjustable leg

barstools

2012-02-21T16:20:00.003-05:00

LSD suggested these for the bar. Ordering them today.

gohomeltd.com

UPDATE: These only come in 26", which is too short for bar height. Back to the drawing board.

clap clap, clapclapclap, clapclapclapclap, roof deck

2012-02-21T09:28:00.002-05:00

SE view

North view. Pennsylvania Ave SE

All of the shades, all of the shades

2012-02-17T13:39:00.003-05:00

more roof deck and shades

2012-02-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

roof deck started

2012-02-15T09:20:00.002-05:00

headboard lowered

2012-02-14T12:47:00.000-05:00

i think it looks much better

finished built-ins & housewarming gift

2012-02-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

the trim is on and the whole thing is lacquered

trim detail

mitered corners

mom and dad send me this map of Green Lake, WI. it's now hanging in the powder room.

bed

2012-02-08T14:32:00.000-05:00

came in last night. the upholstered parts are made in the USA. i thought i was going to be able to adjust the headboard down to match the height of the first shelf, but the supports are metal. maybe replacing them with wood and cutting it down would work...

coat closet built-ins

2012-02-06T09:04:00.001-05:00

right support

left support

roughed in

they hold! now to rout and install trim

gallery wall

2012-01-30T23:25:00.003-05:00

There will be a couple other additions, but this is the start.

transom

2012-01-30T09:28:00.000-05:00

coffee table top

2012-01-27T10:08:00.002-05:00

the two tones is accidental, but i'm very happy with the way it turned out.

the base should be delivered today along with the roman shades for the first floor (that mom made)

coffee table poured

2012-01-25T14:53:00.000-05:00

the lucite base should be delivered on friday

big weekend

2012-01-23T11:26:00.001-05:00

hood and backsplash are installed. stove and oven work! not bad for a 16 year old range that spent the better part of a year under a tarp on a patio

sink and faucet installed. now to measure for the countertop

adjustable shelving in the pantry

got this mirror for a very seasonable price at governors antiques in mechanicsville, va

looks great on the dining room wall

powder room is complete(ish). does anyone have an extra hanging wire soap dish lying around?

got a french cleat to hang the front door thingy.

is there a name for something like this?

UPDATE: gloria tells me it's called a landing strip

fabrication

2012-01-23T11:18:00.000-05:00

Doug the Welder sent me some photos of the process he used to make the oval.

laser cut plywood template

this is what folks in the biz call hot rolled steel (being cut to length)

this reminds me of this ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxbsgWOjX5o )

give him the clamps!

final clamping

the weld before bluing

finished product

and another, showing the "erratic" bracing

home sweet home

design: revisited

2012-01-20T15:07:00.001-05:00

these are the original cut sheets given to me by Lauren back in March. how'd we do?

oval

2012-01-19T14:52:00.002-05:00

carrie and i are heading down to richmond this weekend to pick up this beaut.

it'll be used as a form and edging for a concrete coffee table.

lucite base to come hopefully by the end of next week.

industrial

the weld. should i keep it like this or brush the entire frame? i'm leaning towards raw.

new front light

2012-01-17T08:56:00.001-05:00

my first foray into electrical work

and it works!

orleans

for reference: the temporary light

some carpentry

2012-01-17T08:53:00.001-05:00

hardwood ash, ready to be ripped down

drilling pocket holes

i have a vice, and it's carpentry

ready to be tweaked: disassembled, planed, reassembled, sanded, oiled

it's all ready to be hung on the wall by the front door, but i don't have photos of the finished product.

found the leak and got another offer

2012-01-12T11:11:00.000-05:00

Looks like I don't need to put a new ~~room~~ roof on after all.

someone drilled a hole in my roof

i'm guessing it was the same person who did the shoddy jobs on sealing the vents

that would be the HVAC guy, James

so, just some patching, flashing, and replacing the vents should take care of the issue

also, i got another offer on the house. this one from golf legend greg norman. i guess he wants to move to DC.

oh, and unbeknownst to me, i have a family here in dc.

Getting a New Roof

2012-01-10T09:43:00.000-05:00

Since my old contractor put a shoddy roof on my house that still doesn't keep out the rain, I'm having a new roof membrane laid down on top of the current one. I just gave the ok a few minutes ago. Fingers crossed that it fixes the problem.

finished stools

2012-01-09T09:23:00.002-05:00

strips ready to be webbed

1 of 2

fin. feel free to commission one.

upper deck, shower door, coffee table

2012-01-04T23:08:00.000-05:00

2nd floor deck

the view

shower door in reflection

concrete mold for living room coffee table (with level)

and 100 lbs of concrete

deck and vent

2012-01-03T22:50:00.004-05:00

just arrived today from IA

sorry for the blur

stools, part 1

2012-01-03T12:46:00.001-05:00

these are going in the guest bedroom as coffee tables/extra seating. they will each have a dark gray woven vinyl top.

furniture

2012-01-03T12:44:00.001-05:00

turns out the sette is made in america, too

cluttered dining room

my first offer on the house

2011-12-30T09:38:00.001-05:00

this arrived in the mail

from a local source

do you have $500K in cash, Alison?

finished floors

2011-12-30T09:36:00.005-05:00

dining room

more shellac

2011-12-22T09:59:00.002-05:00

shellac, old switch, more shelves

2011-12-21T13:52:00.002-05:00

waiting for the poly

before/after

an old switch that Grampa had Amy send me. it's from Dering Lodge (my grandparents' previous summer home that would have turned 100 this year)

it doesn't work, but I'd like to install it as a conversation piece. any suggestions?

more shelves for the pantry

my first real foray into carpentry

2011-12-20T09:08:00.001-05:00

I needed a shelf to hold the audio receiver for the speaker system. Unfortunately, I placed the hub in the most awkwardly shaped area of the house (back by the doors in the kitchen). My friend Scott let me borrow his miter saw and behemoth of a circular saw so I could make a shelf out of the leftover flooring. I started around 8 last night and finished a couple hours later. I'd say it turned out really well, even without considering it was my first time wielding those types of saws. Now onto making shelves for the pantry.

the workshop

the "finished" product. still needs to be varnished.

shelves, speakers, art

2011-12-19T10:40:00.001-05:00

went with 4

speakers are in

Proud Vent by E.L. Hamilton

whiskey, cabs, and wood

2011-12-16T15:39:00.000-05:00

finally breaking open my housewarming gift from LD a year later

they're white!

the extra wood arrived

it's heavy

master bedroom shelves

2011-12-14T13:46:00.002-05:00

old floor joists from 1426, cleaned up (slightly), cut down, and shellacked

two down, six to go

the one on the right is slightly warped, so they look a tad uneven, but they are level and are at the same height. trust me.

patio lights and refurbished cabinet

2011-12-13T14:44:00.004-05:00

salvaged ship sconce

salvaged cabinet (refinished) and hardware from community forklift

tv hanging, lighting, laundry

2011-12-12T10:16:00.003-05:00

the muscle

moose sconce in living room

temporary front light

powder room light

laundry

some stuff, and leaks

2011-12-08T15:59:00.001-05:00

powder room floor

cabinets! too bad they're cream and not white...

leakzzzzzzzzzzz. had to tear down the ceiling above the IL bucket

shades! from L to R: master, living, guest, kitchen

some design choices

2011-12-07T09:27:00.001-05:00

guest shower curtain

downstairs roman shades (more options coming)

master bedroom shades

guest bedroom shades

master bedroom shades

guest bedroom shades

A closet

2011-12-07T09:09:00.001-05:00

it holds!

guest bath

master bath stuff

2011-12-06T08:38:00.001-05:00

i have hot water

slow and steady

2011-12-05T09:30:00.001-05:00

master bath floor

guest bath

thermostat. i have heat! but the condensate line isn't hooked up, so i can't use it without flooding my first floor

linen closet shelves i built yesterday

the view from my bed

moved in

2011-12-02T09:14:00.001-05:00

I moved in last night. It went rather smoothly with Bryan and Kristel's help (not to mention the men from Suburban Solutions). Turns out the gas didn't get turned on yesterday so I spent the night of the first frost of the season in a sleeping bag on a mattress. Also, I hope I get a toilet soon...

master

guest

1st floor

hunkering down for a chilly night

oops

2011-11-30T23:36:00.001-05:00

so, the movers had the wrong date. looks like i'll be moving tomorrow.

the floors are turning out fantastic.

master

guest

wet poly

Moving Day

2011-11-30T11:33:00.001-05:00

Not sure it's ready, but let's do it.

master shower

into the back bedroom

thermostat came in yesterday. now all i need is the gas to be hooked up for the furnace...

flooring

2011-11-25T16:05:00.001-05:00

we ran out of it. need to order at least 150 sf more. talk about a set back. well, it'll be at least 3-5 weeks before we get more.

again with the flooring!

2011-11-23T17:30:00.001-05:00

1st floor

More Flooring

2011-11-23T13:58:00.001-05:00

master bedroom

rear bedroom

More Moulding and Flooring

2011-11-23T09:48:00.001-05:00

living room

master suite

into rear bedroom

master closet

night moves

Doors, Moulding, and Paint

2011-11-22T09:21:00.001-05:00

master bedroom

linen closet

pantry

master

rear bedroom

one more purchase

2011-11-15T09:22:00.001-05:00

guest bath sconce

super solid, all metal

he ain't heavy (yes he is)

very happy

Tile and Color

2011-11-14T13:46:00.001-05:00

master shower

rear bedroom (Hale Navy)

master bedroom (October Mist)

powder room (Deep River)

whole house white (Genesis White)

some of the paint

A Milestone

2011-11-14T13:43:00.001-05:00

Not for the house, but for this blog.

11,000 pageviews?! I swear I haven't been sitting at work all day F5ing to increase the hits.

Thanks to you all who faithfully follow and offer kind words and advise!

More brick and drywall

2011-11-09T12:06:00.001-05:00

Bricks Cleaned and Drywall Begins

2011-11-02T09:04:00.004-04:00

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Stairwell

Guest Bedroom

Powder Room Lighting

2011-10-25T14:24:00.001-04:00

www.schoolhouseelectric.com

Most recent purchase

2011-10-25T14:21:00.004-04:00

nest.com

insulation

2011-10-21T10:40:00.001-04:00

powder room mirror

2011-10-20T14:42:00.002-04:00

Wisteria

flooring delivered

2011-10-14T15:09:00.001-04:00

thought we'd have walls and paint by now, so it may be hard to hand drywall around this stuff...

black walnut

'murkin made

natural and beautiful

Wall Check Approved

2011-10-14T15:08:00.001-04:00

and now back to your regularly scheduled construction

guest bath floor tile

2011-10-12T14:01:00.000-04:00

this tile is awesome. color body porcelain. textured. unpolished.

made in italy. Daltile Vibe in Techno Gray

a few shots

2011-10-12T11:28:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the lack of light

guest bedroom

master bedroom

ground floor

A letter from my new contractor.

2011-10-11T17:15:00.001-04:00

Rob,

We didn't anticipate that the funding availability will be that slow. I am sure you know, with this pace, we may not be able to finish the project even by December. I know you are trying your best to expedite processing but it seems like funds are not going to be available for another week.

...

Is this what an ulcer feels like?

most recent purchase

2011-10-11T16:40:00.002-04:00

Appliances

2011-10-10T21:25:00.001-04:00

Went to Sears on Saturday and got some appliances.

dining room chairs

2011-10-10T21:14:00.000-04:00

still need to smooth the vinyl on the seat backs, but mostly done.

fixtures

2011-10-06T08:45:00.000-04:00

kitchen pendants

guest bath sink faucet

master bath sink faucet

powder room sink faucet

Done painting

2011-10-04T19:56:00.001-04:00

But the front door and transom still need to be installed.

- Posted from my iPhone

more stuff

2011-10-03T11:20:00.000-04:00

shower fixtures

electrical

new meter. 1kWh

bathroom design

2011-10-03T10:37:00.000-04:00

lights, furnace, painting!

2011-09-29T14:54:00.000-04:00

master bedroom

master suite

stairwell

furnace

oops. primer on the back wall. ah well...

moving along

2011-09-29T10:35:00.000-04:00

the stair rough in is complete

ivy grows (not)

prepping for painting

tub: made in the usa

interior door knobs

bedroom speaker controls

i have stairs

2011-09-26T10:11:00.000-04:00

When my new contractor came to do an estimate on the work a couple weeks ago, he was very concerned that the stairs hadn't been installed. He said it is usually indicative that there is an issue with the space. Yesterday, he fixed the issue.

i gain some space in the upstairs hallway. notice the new double joists.

speaker system

2011-09-26T10:08:00.002-04:00

more spaghetti

Windows, Part II

2011-09-26T10:03:00.001-04:00

drillin' holes in wood

2011-09-20T21:37:00.000-04:00

is a messy job

Footer: poured (part II)

2011-09-18T18:08:00.001-04:00

480 lbs of sakrete really made the honda sink low

i feel like shia labeouf

2011-09-18T12:04:00.000-04:00

footers for the back deck and spiral staircase

had to bust through a layer of concrete

my kitchen sink came in

kohler enameled cast iron. made in wisconsin.

Makin' a change

2011-09-14T15:56:00.001-04:00

but I can't even get my contractor to call me back so I can fire him. Sheesh!

front door

2011-09-07T09:30:00.001-04:00

I used Zar Rosewood stain and Man-O-War Marine Spar Varnish to seal it. Watch out for the fumes, they're intense.

just for reference

more things and stuff

2011-09-02T13:01:00.000-04:00

trees are gone

i can finally see the side of the house

woot. mulberry trees are gross

new front door

just for record keeping

spaghetti

Roof

2011-08-30T10:36:00.000-04:00

darn it

starting to hate nature

terra cotta liner, a bit broken

interesting water pattern. indicative of pooling....

definitely pooling

skylights, from a different, a angle

the view to the southeast

could be a source of water intrusion

but it's not my chimney

Darn you, Irene

2011-08-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

chimney

the culprit

water

more water

skylight

ditto

and again, although it could be running under the roof membrane

skylight

chimney

more agua

patio door header

and another

ugh. is that stachybotrus?

my contractor's idea of getting the job done

2011-08-25T14:54:00.000-04:00

if you see Dan Morrison on the street, please give him the finger for me.

this is what i have to deal with daily

2011-08-25T11:36:00.000-04:00

warning: unladylike language

these arrived early

2011-08-25T11:33:00.000-04:00

I ordered these chairs and was told they were back ordered through October. While at the house on Monday, UPS dropped them off... just a bit early. While putting the legs on them, I noticed that something was off.

for the living room

those legs look different

this is what they look like in real life. the lighting in my apt isn't the best.

Been a while, huh?

2011-08-23T09:49:00.000-04:00

rough cut the old joists for shelving

oh look, a tub

custom shower in master bath

can't wait to use it

patio doors

2011-08-10T11:32:00.001-04:00

now to get decent hardware for them

even more HVAC: diffusers, hookups, and returns

2011-08-09T11:51:00.000-04:00

hookup to master bedroom

industrial diffuser

connection to powder room

the main lower level return

Another trunk shot and patio doors

2011-08-08T15:44:00.000-04:00

the trunk!

2011-08-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

and diffuser

More HVAC

2011-08-05T10:48:00.000-04:00

detailed drawings...

drier vent

bathroom vent.

another

another shot of the return

HVAC getting started

2011-08-04T10:08:00.000-04:00

to the master bedroom

to the master bathroom

main return

master bedroom

master bath

master bedroom return

Transom & More Animal Heads

2011-07-31T22:49:00.000-04:00

i pick it up tomorrow in B'more

cast iron bear head bottle opener. midge got it for me in the north woods of WI. pretty baller.

finally, some more progress.

2011-07-28T17:02:00.000-04:00

after almost firing my contractor (again), it looks like we're starting back up. some electrical work is done. i talked with the HVAC guy and it looks like I'm having exposed ducts downstairs, which is awesome. HVAC will start on Monday. we talked specific lighting locations yesterday.

someone had fun with a bb gun

the old casings

more water

ditto

it's a jungle

switches and outlets

kitchen electrical

switch box

Issues

2011-07-15T10:28:00.001-04:00

Nope, this isn't another rant, just a record of issues I've found this week.

btw - still haven't heard back from my contractor re: windows, but I'm thinking about tearing them out myself (I took out an extremely water damaged apron with little effort on Wednesday).

just some more rain water

i doubt this is from rain (you think i should keep this osb as a subfloor? i don't)

wait, where's this water coming from?

oh! from my brand new skylight in my brand new roof

what about this water?

wouldn't you know it? it's from the other brand new skylight in the brand new roof

and this?

somehow it's coming from the plumbing vent pipe. srzly?

wait. we're putting outlets in the bedroom and outlets in the hallway on the same circuit? not in my house, we aren't.

and to top it off, the city is fining me for a "blighted" house. the inspector noted that a building permit was posted and my contractors saw him (so he obviously saw my contractors working). thanks, dc.

New windows, kinda

2011-07-13T09:48:00.000-04:00

Windows were put into the front of the house. They look good on the surface, but feel pretty cheap. Also, I don't think the casements and aprons were replaced, they were just covered over with textured vinyl (barf). The apron on the bottom window was rotting out and I can only imagine what the casing looks like underneath the covering.

Remember what this used to look like?

I guess my contractor enjoys ripping out newly installed things...