Update on the Farmhouse Renovations
To be honest, part of me is wondering if I should even be posting a renovation update right now. From where I sit, everything is a mess. Exposed electrical, absolutely no insulation, and nails poking out of almost every wall without purpose.
On the plus side, we still have a gorgeous barbed wire chandelier lighting up our living and dining room. Yes, that was sarcasm. Because I cannot wait to throw it out. But, Justin wants to hold onto it as some sort of heirloom to showcase how far we’ve come once everything is complete.
We’ll see, I might be able to get behind that idea….
Taking on Interior Renovations
Now, I’ve already shared a bit about our first foray into home renovations right here with our mini makeover for the only full bathroom in this farmhouse. Something to hold us over for now. Until we truly get to demo and reno this little house of ours.
I mean, I don’t think many of us can function without a full working bathroom, am I right? I know I can’t.
Aside from the bathroom mini makeover, we’ve removed all of the wood panels from our living room and dining room area. Also known as the largest room in our house. These wood boards were an undertaking if there ever was one.
We started by removing the “antique fireplace” which sat on a wall right by the front door. The wall of – you guessed it – wood panels. Justin and I were convinced that this fireplace was just a facade without a chimney behind it.
So, imagine our surprise when we uncovered a chimney in the first part of our demo. We were absolutely shocked and excited by all the ideas we have for this space.
One tip I have for diy home renovators is to go slow. If we just bulldozed through that wall (with our pry bar and hammer) we could have seriously messed up the brick chimney that we didn’t think was there. Or, hurt ourselves in the process.
We are hopeful that we can turn this uncovered gem into a double sided fireplace. Which would also act as a barrier between the family room/den and kitchen area. Keep your fingers crossed for us because this find truly has potential.
Source
Gotta love a realtor’s wide angle lens! This is what the house looked like when we moved in. See the “antique fireplace”?
Taking Down the Fireplace Wall
Taking down that fireplace wall was a breeze. I think it’s because it was an interior wall. However, two walls are exterior walls, and they were a nightmare of a project.
For starters, each board seemed to be fastened in by at least 6 nails. Think zombie murder weapon for each board that was removed. The top of each panel slipped in above the ceiling line, and they were airtight.
I guess to make up for the lack of insulation? I honestly could not tell you the thought process behind most of the craftsmanship we’ve encountered thus far. And, interior renovations are on hold now that we’ve made it this far.
Our next step is to compile our questions, and hire a structural engineer for a walk through. See what we can and cannot do as far as removing walls from this point forward.
With that in mind, my focus has moved to our very first farmhouse garden. My very first seeds were sowed last weekend and have already sprouted. Little tiny tomato plants. I know they grow fast but it’s still exciting.
I’ll be sowing seeds pretty much every weekend going forward. While that’s pushing the needle forward, Justin and I have to make a final decision on where to put the garden.
Of course, after I shared with you where I would like the garden, Justin interjected that it might be too far away. He may have also mentioned that the deer, coyotes, foxes, bunnies, ya know, the wildlife, would have their way with the garden. So, the search for the perfect spot continues…
In a sense, the Ravitch fam is roughing it for the time-being. Partly because we don’t know the best next step for the interior, and partly because we really want to get this garden off the ground. I have to keep reminding myself that this renovation is not going to happen overnight. And, encourage myself to find joy in the journey.
