Little House on the Prairie - 2010
Remodeling a 1920 Midwestern 'Foursquare' Farmhouse …

This page documents work on the house during 2010. Entries are blog-style in reverse chronological order (most recent first). For reviews of work done in other years, please click the desired year from the menu to the left.

December 31, 2010

Final update for 2010... At this point, the boys bedroom has wallboard hung, and Tyler is working on mudding and sanding it out, getting ready for paint, etc.

I've got the dining room all primed and ready for paint and wallpaper - that's been a challenge to pick all of that out, as the look we want is kind of a late-Victorian/early Arts & Crafts kind of thing...

Here's one color concept we're noodling...

Finally, I did manage to finish up the driveway pad project, just in time for Winter's arrival.

As far as meeting the goals I set at the beginning of the year, I can't really say I accomplished any of them 100%, but definitely made some headway on many.

August 21, 2010

Tyler and I completed the closet framing and wiring this week, plus installation of the final replacement window. We're ready to start insulating this week, Lord willing!

Oh, can you spot my mistake? This is what happens when you build a wall "in place, one piece at a time" instead of the normal method of building the wall first and then installing it whole.

August 15, 2010

Progress has continued, despite the lack of photos. The dining room has been wired, and new windows installed in the North and East walls. Just yesterday, I finished pulling up the sheet vinyl flooring (and plywood underlayment, complete with hundreds of little staples that had to be pulled out one at a time by hand). This room is pretty much ready for insulation and vapor barrier, after which I will install the 1/2" plywood ceiling onto which our tin ceiling tiles will be installed.

Additionally, Tyler has been working on remodeling the large upstairs bedroom - mostly by himself, as I supervise. We completed the rewiring yesterday and also framed up a new closet area - the former closet space for this room will be combined with the small closet in our bedroom so we have more of a walk-in closet.

March 20, 2010

First day of spring... 3" of snow, and finished knocking all the plaster off the walls.

March 17, 2010

More work on the dining room tearout; more ghost cabinets:

The former kitchen door and its former location:

March 7, 2010

This is a catch-up post showing everything that's been done so far in 2010. Unfortunately for these pages, it's a lot easier to post photos to FaceBook than it is here, and I'm just now catching up. Photos and comments, as usual, in reverse chronological order.

And here we go!

It's a cacophony of wallpaper! Most of the old cabinets and drop ceiling have been removed from the old kitchen at this point:

The 'ghost sink' we found behind the last cabinet to come out of the old kitchen (note plumbing holes at bottom right):

Finished hanging the wallpaper on the west and north walls, really gives it a 'homey' feel.

All moved in and fully functional!

Pantry cabinets and work desk.

Here we are enjoying our first meal at the 'breakfast bar' (Shepherd's Pie, mmm!):

Moving Day! Woohoo!

All cabinets hung and painted:

Carcasses completed.

My cellar workshop:

The start of our pantry cabinets.

Status Report

As we start our ninth year of renovation/remodeling, let's take stock of what's been done so far:

Still left to do:

My goals for 2010 are to finish detailing the new kitchen, tear out the old kitchen and build new a dining room in its place and install new siding and gutters on the house. I'm also going to direct Tyler in the remodeling of his bedroom, which will include adding a new closet.