Heeeeeeeee’s Baaaaaaaack!
I think 592 days have gone by since my last post about the Cross House.
Well, maybe not quite that long, but certainly the longest since beginning the blog in 2014.
Justin has been working elsewhere for the past few weeks so that, of course, has slowed everything WAY down. And because I am just a pitiful remanent of once Mighty Ross (insert heroic theme song), things move glacially on my own.
But, thanks to my Baby Step Method™, things do move.
The south hall. To the left is the closed-up small library door installed, I think, circa-1929. I removed this in 2014. To the right is the now closed-up small library door I installed in 2014. Yes, I am remodeling my own remodeling.
But, baby step by baby step, these alterations to the Cross House vanish.
Of note is the Lincrusta wainscoting. Only bits remain. The missing Lincrusta to the left does not matter as a tall, thin radiator covers the area. The missing Lincrusta to the right was removed by me in 2014 and carefully saved.
This section remains from 1894. The corner has a wood guard, which I will recreate. You can see its 1894 upper section in the above images. To the left…
…this section will soon return.
You can see how about a half-inch of its right edge remained in place. I will be delighted to reunite the two.
The Lincrustra panels are topped with horizontal LIncrusta pieces, and I have these as well. Above that is reeded oak trim and this, too, is extant.
So, while the south hall has been through many changes during the last 128-years it will soon return, pretty much, to its 1894 appearance.
Ross excited. Slowly.
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Wonderful you can restore it with the originals. I love that both of those doorways are now gone. That gives you a long gallery wall for artwork.
Not much was done to my house other than removing fixtures and bad flooring. I haven’t done restoration so much as removing bad upgrades and adding what should have been done. (like built-ins) Some of the things I’ve found have been on the cheap so I’ve upgraded those. The door knobs were cheap plated hollow brass and all dented and corroded along with the backplates so I am just now in the process of replacing them with lacquered solid brass. Installed a period door knocker just last month. (And people still knock on the glass.) I upgraded the cheap plastic original doorbell for a solid brass one. (And people still knock on the glass) Unfortunately the trim was never finished wood but always painted so useless to take it down to the bare wood.
Can you “feel” your house relax, sigh and be happy with all that you are doing?
When I moved in I had hand me down furniture or none at all and it was a slow process to furnish the house, but I’ve found that the house seems to be happiest with furniture of the same period it was built, roughly 1920s – 1930s. Despite painting the walls the furniture just seems to “fit”, perhaps because I tore out the carpets and refinished the original floors. Maybe it’s just the way the light enters the house. Once I tossed the carpet it was a whole other house with the sun shining on the floors.
The house just seems happier now.
I also think houses are happier with owners rather than renters. Mine seems to like having someone in for the long term.
I can’t wait to hear your impressions once you have made the move permanently to live *in* the Cross House.
It’s great to read an update after far, FAR too long away! Your baby step method is working, and in fact I’ve taken this approach since starting my own restoration of a 1930s house I bought in April of this year.
Whilst having a floor area probably equal to two of your collosal rooms, the process has been glacially slow!
Keep up the great progress!!
Colon
Never apologize, never explain.
We enjoy your blog whenever
We excited, greatly! Hooray, Ross and trademarked Baby Step method.
Aaaaw, so glad to see you are back!!!
I was getting worried that you had ” the Covid “😥 . My dear husband, who is still working at 2 hospitals at the age of 71, was diagnosed with Covid yesterday. So I am relieved to hear and see that all is well in Rossville😁.
I love seeing the south hall take shape. Keep up the good work no matter the time it takes.
We all love seeing your progress!
Please be well and hopefully your husband will recover without problems😀
Wishing your husband a quick and complete recovery. You take good care of him, and yourself too. Sending hugs from the heartland.
Love the progress in the hall and the Lincrusta bit returning!
Great to know things are progressing. However, I honestly thought with your title that you meant Cody was back.
Yeah! 🙂
Ross, out of curiosity, I just goggled Lincrusta and its history. How did you get it off, and better yet, how will you get to stay back on??
googled!! long day here!
I’m so glad that you share your journey with us! It inspires me to not give up, but just keep taking baby steps. They really do matter!
Ross, have you considered removing the Lincrusta from where the radiator will conceal it and using it elsewhere? Just paint the wall the same shade as the surrounding Lincrusta and who’s to know if it was ever behind the radiator in the first place?
I’m grateful all is well Ross 💖 I check up on you often (and am inspired by your baby steps) lots of love from Mississippi!