Any suggestions on updating or refreshing this 1920's bungalow?
Jacque Berg
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Jacque Berg
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1920's Sears&Roebuck Bungalow Home
Comments (16)One thing you can do with old photos is to scan them at the highest resolution that you can. Then begin blowing up the scan, and looking into the detail of the photo. You will be very surprised what you begin to see. I did this with some of the old old family photos taken back in the early 1900s. Blowing them up and peeking at things like the scuff marks on the shoes of the children, the detailing on the home made dresses, a barb wire fence between the yard and a corn field, which had corn ears fully grown on it, so it had to be late in the year. And most of all, I could see the expression in the eyes of my grandmother. But you might see the detailing of the boards on the porch, the way the steps were built and from what, and were they painted or not. Any flower beds and what was in them. Many of the homes in my old pictures were not painted, but were of rough lumber sometimes board and batten. But the young couple were invariably standing proudly in front of their home, probably newly built or expanded. Hard working people in homemade dresses and overalls and brogan shoes. It was as close to Southern American Gothic as you can get. Another one I loved was of my great grandmother Sophia taken in the hog pen with this huge hog which she was feeding. Going on the assumption that they had pictures taken of important things or events, I decided this was important because she was proud to be able to feed such a fine hog which would be slaughtered and feel her family well during the winter. Plus, she loved animals and took good care of them. I guess I inherited that love from her....See MoreWhat type of range hood is most classic for a 1920s kitchen?
Comments (33)Funkycamper as absolutely right. Recreating a period kitchen is not just a matter of slavishly copying the materials and features of the era you are looking to reproduce, but a process of keeping the feel of the period while incorporating modern conveniences. Stainless steel was rare in the 1920s, but available. In fact, it was used on the top of the Chrysler Building in NYC in the 1930s. So use it. Just don't go overboard with it. Take a look at thebathroom we installed in a 1928 Craftsman house. It has wholly modern faucets, vessel sinks, Asian-inspired vanity lamps, and stainless, very modern, bar pulls. But it "feels" like a craftsman bath with its rift oak cabinets and funky period tile. Anyone can copy a period kitchen. The art lies in recreating the ambiance of the period while designing a functional, modern kitchen. Lots of people here can, and have done it. So can you. It's not easy, but if it was easy, it would not be any fun....See MoreMatching hardwood in 1920s bungalow
Comments (9)The thing that needs to be established is the THICKNESS of the floor itself. Before getting revved up to do a match+full sand/refinish, you will need to find out if there is enough wood LEFT on this floor to handle a complete refinish. You will need to look for a cross section of the floor (all the vents are on the walls so you will have to find another place to look - like the area between carpet and hardwood) to MEASURE the thickness of the wood ABOVE the tongue. You need AT LEAST 3mm of wood (prefer to see 4mm or even 5mm) to have another sand/refinish done. The other thing to note here is the wood flooring itself. It is too hard to tell with the photos that you have. If these floors are original, it is possible they are maple. A lower grade maple has all that movement with a VERY tight grain. Again this is only conjecture. As for stain - no. This orange is from an oil based polyurethane. I would say there is no stain/colour added. And just to keep everyone honest, I think these floors have been recently refinished. They look "perfect"....which indicates they were probably done to list the home. This finish is meant to last 20+ years. If you decide to sand/refinish them now, you will be removing 20 years of 'life'. And that would be sad if they only have one more sanding in them. Really, really really sad. But first, bring in an EXCELLENT hardwood flooring professional (www.nwfa.org) to have a look at what can be done and why. Congratulations on your home. The floors are STUNNING! It would be a shame to disturb them before their 20+ year life span has been used up....See More1920s home exterior in need of update
Comments (6)Is one side of the duplex to be your residence or is this intended as a rental investment? If you are keeping it as a duplex, two matching doors is a great idea. Add a full width 6' deep covered porch and full width front steps with a 6' deep full width ground level concrete slab landing ... all divided by a center railing. Then outline the sidewalk with bricks or pavers buried so only their tops are exposed. Consider creating a small private patio area on each side of the entry box for each tenant -- not concrete but a mix of pavers with grass in between them ... easily mowed. https://www.houzz.com/photos/outdoor-fire-pit-with-concrete-grass-pavers-modern-patio-orange-county-phvw-vp~20847724 You might consider beginning a green privacy hedge in front of the landing slab (leaving an opening at the sidewalk, of course) to add more privacy for the patio for each renter -- could be a good selling point for some. Consider a shrub (w/o briars) that keeps its leaves and looks good year round that will grow well in that geographic location. Would Aucuba bushes grow in your planting zone? Agree with another comment that painting all the exterior siding on the entire structure one color with one trim color would be a good idea. If the upstairs siding is still in good shape, consider using that neutral color and all white trim. Paint the downspouts that same color. While I like trees in the yard, I agree with a prior post: those trees are too close to the foundation. Would remove all the landscaping man made "things" -- those white border / outline pieces for the planting areas, etc. -- and focus, at least initially, on creating the perfect lawn all around the structure. If those are Forsythias (shrubs with yellow blooms), keep them but consider trimming them at the appropriate time to create a more dense shrub -- check out care instructions on line. You might consider moving any and all shrubs planted against the building away from the building and planting them elsewhere....See MoreSusan
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