The Cross House

          I have yearned to do this work since 2014. The attic is now much more accessible. The HVAC system is now much more efficient (making it less expensive to operate), and easily serviced. And soon, soon, Ross will haul the shop vac into the attic. His pleasure will be so…

Y’all remember a few years ago when I laboriously restored the stairhall niche? But…the niche had no electricity. So, while I installed a fabulous ceiling fixture (a Bo discovery), it was never lighted. Until now.          

    As I wrote in my very first post, life is what happens when you are making other plans. The job I offered Cody seemed, on paper, an ideal fit. “The perfect job!”, he stated. But, for myriad reasons, it proved otherwise. I hope Cody well on the next chapter in his life.  …

  In 2014, I built a “monster” wall on the east side of basement to keep the house from collapsing. Then, during the ensuing years, there has been essentially zero work on the basement. But today, this narrow wall (it will soon be wider) was installed to we can attach four light switches and one…

  This was installed by the previous owner, Bob Rodak. I have never used it. Almost immediately when I began restoring the house in 2014, I partially dismantled the system. Now though, with the big push to finish all the wiring and plumbing, the vac system needs to be put pack in use. I Googled…

In order to move into the Cross House, a vital task needing to be done beforehand is one I have not mentioned: All the plumbing and wiring need to be completed. ALL of it. And why? Because, in order to move in, I also need to move all my lighting stock. This is many, many…

For the past seven months I have been consumed by the carriage house. I forgot that I also owned the very large house across the driveway. But now…I am back in the behemoth.   In talking with Justin the other day, I knew a few things to be done, like finish the cat fence, get…

Remember the Cross House? I resume working on it this week! Is that a collective SQUEE!!!!!!!! I hear?             So, the 1894 door was relocated circa-1929 to the southern edge of the east wall. I then relocated it in 2014 to the northern edge of the east wall. In 2022…

Recently, Jordan asked me about plans for the carriage house. While I have published the plans to the first-floor, I have never posted plans of the second-floor. So, for Jordan:           What is not evident in the plans is the extreme charm of the second floor. The turret room is wonderfully…

    I knew it would take another six weeks to install the remaining kitchen cabinets. They all needed work. Some a lot of work. But Cody was finding it difficult to use the kitchen with so little storage space. Then it hit me: Hey! Rather than do everything The Right Way, why not just…

    In 2015, I removed the sash and reglazed it. It had been caked with white paint inside and out. Last year, I restored the inside to its original shellacked finish, and painted the outside in gloss black. The pine sill is original and also been restored. The 1920s pine trim came from a…

I did a post on the carriage house in 2019, a kinda summation of discoveries I made concerning the lost front porch of the structure.       My plan is to bring the current roofline down, to form the porch roof. Bringing it down would perfectly kiss the outside corner, offering some indication that…

                                            So now…with period-correct wheel-cut shades and all new wiring…this deliciously curious and eccentric configuration is back as intended. Ross very happy. I have removed the ceiling fixture in the foyer, so the column…

                                The brilliance of all this is that the mudding/taping will be reduced by 95%. The pre-painted 1×6 boards will cover over the seams in the sheetrock. The brilliance of all this is that sanding and the attendant HORRIBLE dust…