Archives for 2010

An Ornate Mantel Can Be Literally Moving

When we started restoring our house, which is a Victorian/Craftsman bungalow hybrid, the sky was the limit as far as aesthetics go.  The house had been mostly robbed of its architectural treasure and converted into a triplex.  Several original mantels were long gone, the dining room stained glass … [Read more...]

Infuse Spaces with Warmth Using Salvaged House Parts

Several of my most enjoyable renovation projects were houses that were totally violated:  everything worth anything ripped clean out of them.  In fact, I live in one of those houses now so I’ll talk about this one.  We bought this house after watching it sit vacant for 7 years--of course, that’s not … [Read more...]

Old House Interior Door Styles

Interior doors can provide a good bit of insight to the history and style of a home.  Here in the Deep South, specifically Atlanta, we typically have six-panel heart of pine doors in our Craftsman bungalows and American Foursquares: homes built during the late teens and into the early 1930s.  Six … [Read more...]

Lettuce Grow Produce

So, aside from my tropical plants and myriad of perennials, we’re also growing edibles: strawberries, peaches, blueberries, Italian grapes, Simpson and butter crunch lettuce, arugula, three kinds of peppers, carrots, spring onions, cukes, basil, cilantro, lemon balm, eggplant, stevia (that’s an … [Read more...]

A Geyser In the Yard Presents Challenges

When we were at the lake house two weekends ago and the water pressure was less than stellar, I thought that something was afoot.  Then, I ventured down into the basement to discover that at weekend’s end, my newly filled chemical tank (to get the Ph up to a neutral 7 in order to hit the iron … [Read more...]

Not Just for Salads: Vinegar Does Wonders for Wood Floors

If you mix pets, children, entertaining and simple day-to-day life with your beautiful wood floors, you know that what you get is floors that are less than pristine.  I am speaking from experience as my 100 year old pine floors bear the brunt of the feet of many sub-contractors, my daughter’s garden … [Read more...]