Diary of a Mad Housewife...

...and househusband.  That's us!  We are a bit crazy, as you'll see. We retired a few years ago. And last year we bought a 100-year-old bungalow in Hamilton, Mt., that was in need of lots of work!  We own another 100-year-old home back in the Midwest (rented, thankfully, to a wonderful tenant). But we've asked ourselves over and over: "Do we really need all the hassle of yet another rehab?" Yes, we mostly answer. And now that it's just about done, we are, as they say, over the moon!  Let's take a little house tour, shall we? Each"After" picture comes first, then each "Before" (with details in the latter captions).

After, front: New paint colors are "Storm Cloud" gray, "Brilliant White" and "Pumpkin Pie." 

 

Before, front: This was a grandma house, circa 1910 but with the addition of a lot of '50s details, including screen door with glass-brick surround, old-school foundation plantings and patches of vertical siding where Craftsman-style horizontal siding should be. The bungalow also had an out-of-place, glassed-in front porch (we removed that early on). And its paint scheme was what we called mud brown (with trims of lipstick-red!). We hired a huband/wife team from Valley Home Painting for October. And we moved all foundation plants from the front east-facing side to the north side of the house, to serve as place-keepers until native Oregon grape-holly shrubs (Mahonia) grow in.  Oh, and we had generous new front steps poured and surrounded them with mums and the ornamental cabbages that we've learned deer love (oy). Also new are two sub-alpine dwarf blue firs and six variegated wintercreepers (Euonymus 'Emerald Gaiety'). More plantings next summer. Unfortunately, the big junipers at each end are staying for the time being (oy yoy yoy).

After, living room #1: Living room floors are original fir, found under a layer of tatty old carpeting and a thin layer of oak. An efficient wood-burning insert replaces an old gas-powered one. Chairs, rug, lamps, antique table (where Alex sits) came from the other house, but walnut coffee table was crafted by Alex here, while sofa (and two beds) are from Bitterroot Furniture. And all walls are painted with colors from locally resourced Benjamin Moore's historical paints.

After, living room # 2: Another living-room view, to show original coffered ceiling and this cozy, light-filled space where we (+visitors and guests) spend much of our time. Windows, btw, have new insulated, pull-down cellular shades. Drapes also may be in our future.

Before, living room #1: The living room looked like this when we first saw it. The old gas fireplace insert had seen much, much better days, as had a vent above it. The carpet once was white: gag. Polyester curtains and odd wooden shelves (on windows to either side of the fireplace) gave everything a feel of beyond old-fashioned.

Before, living room #2: And here are the splinters of thin oak flooring getting torn up by our contractor Danny Lelleck. Beautiful, long planks of original fir stretch wall-to-wall underneath the battered oak. They were carefully sanded and sealed by Chester Weeks.

After, kitchen #1: Italian crackle-finish tiles on backsplash, new appliances, paint a la Alex.

After, kitchen #2: Another view of the kitchen, with wider opening, peninsula and nook in the background.

Before, kitchen #1: Dark as a dungeon and floors of wood-look vinyl. Ugh.

Before, kitchen #2: Another view of the old kitchen from the nook. Note two old-style pass-throughs. Both are long gone.

Entry, after: Another gem in our jewel-box of a house. Who said I was afraid of color? Alex installed old hooks on a piece of cherry that used to be the old kitchen's backsplash. It and my old hat rack replace a built-in coat closet that had seen better days. Like it?