Part 1: The vestibule.
{22 jan 07}
Now that I've established our house is in dire need of a major renovation, here is the grand tour.
The house: A limestone built somewhere in the early century. We think 1910 but can't be sure. We're not really sure the "style" since it seems to have a little bit of a few different listings in the row house guide. Maybe once you see the photos, someone might have an idea?
The owners: We're Brooklyn 'lifers' and are glad Brooklyn's been getting the attention its so long deserved. Yes, we lived here when our Manhattanite friends would moan about coming to Brooklyn. Of course, now they all live here and wish they had bought when we were telling them that Brooklyn wasn't the warzone and/or mafia playground they imagined.
The plan: Total renovation of the kitchens and baths. Add a master "suite" with bathroom and closets. Create a kitchen/dining room on the parlor floor. Restore the details that can be saved like the doors, floors, etc.. Replace what can't be saved with house appropriate choices. Get it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Toilets that flush. Windows that open and close. Ceilings that don't leak. You know, the usual.
Where we are: Just closed. Working with an architect that thinks we're only 95% insane for doing this. Looking for people to do the work at a price that won't have us eating cat food for dinner for the next 20 years. And without further ado...the grand photo tour.
Chapter 1: Vestibule and hall. Please enjoy.
More to come...
WOW...I love all the beautiful details in your old limestone! I'll be eagerly following along as your renovations begin.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck~
Thanks for stopping by Poppy!
ReplyDeleteTeree - Its a two family house so its design is intended to provide two entrances - one under the stairs (the iron gate you see me slipping the key into on closing day) as well as the double doors at the top of the stairs.
Pretty much all brownstones/limestones in NY are set up this way. Some of these are 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 family dwellings depending upon how its divided on the inside. (Don't know if you watched Sex and the City but she lived in a multi apartment brownstone so she would have used the doors at the top of the stairs while her downstairs neighbors would have used a private entrance under the stairs.)
We are mixing up the floor plan a bit so we'll probably use both entrances equally.
I could post architectural drawings but that is a bit on the boring side (and I always find plans hard to visualize if I havent been in the house).
Anyway, I'll post more "grand tour" photos as I go on so hopefully it will easier to see how the house looks.
WOW - gorgeous! Love the details. I love brownstones, I lived in one in Troy NY for about a year and still miss the super tall windows, windy stairs, and my view out onto the city below.
ReplyDeleteComing over from OHR - I absolutely love it! The details are just stunning and I can't wait to see what you unearth as you move along.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Don't lose faith...its going to be gorgeous!!!
ReplyDelete