Bathroom Design Elements

I have a pretty good idea of what I want the bathrooms in the house to look like.  I like a small patterned black and white flooring, such as this one:

I like these train/hotel type racks for towels.  In all of the metal hardware, I like polished nickel.

I LOVE this textured, pressed glass as a way to bring in light in areas where you want privacy.  I hope we can use some in the house.  This particular pattern is a favorite of mine:

This is a gorgeous bathroom. Though, I'd change the ceiling light fixture to something that better matches the scones (something white/clear with polished nickel accent.)  I'd also make the vanities have storage.  They could be white or dark/antique cherry.  Mostly, I love the feel of this bathroom--so light and bright!

I'd like a deep tub that is long enough to stretch out your legs in, like this one:

I'd like the sinks to have higher, arched faucets.  Just in case you wanted to fill something tall or water a plant.  Something like this, but with less modern handles.

Handles like the one below, faucet like the one above.

Cabinetry would be pretty in a dark/antique cherry or in white.  Countertops/sinks white.  Wall color would be a nice pale blue green.

To Do List (a work in progress)

Here is a proposed list of changes to make at the new house.  Top priority items are highlighted.  Top priority items are ones that need to be done prior to moving in.  It would be good to get as many other items done as possible, as our current budget allows.

Exterior of house: 
Modify front facade (see post http://weschhouse.blogspot.com/2011/06/rethinking-front-facade.html)
Two story addition to south + screened porch with roof deck
New siding (white clapboard look, cement fiber board?)
New roofing (slate gray, steel roofing.)
New windows, where needed.
New exterior door on basement entrance.
Any exposed foundation given a limestone facade.
Repair/replace the brick on the chimney of the 1960s addition?
Repaint the original chimney?
Blow insulation into exterior walls.

Garage:
Repair damaged gutter, corner of garage.
New siding on front facade (to match house).
Paint top siding white.
Paint brick white.
Paint (or replace) garage door.

Brick Garden Shed:
At minimum, clean and repair gutters.
May need new roof

Basement:
Convert the "shop" into a mudroom with stairs up to the new kitchen.
Mudroom should have space for chest freezer, pantry storage, recycling center, hooks for coats, places for shoes, hats, gloves...
Create TV room in basement.
Improve laundry room (place to fold/hang laundry)

1960s Addition:
Convert to kitchen with room for informal dining and seating for entertainment.

Dining Room:
Replace carpet with hardwood or tile
Remove paneling.
Deal with chipping paint on window seat--lead paint concern.  Should seat be replaced?
Add built-in storage
Add wainscoting.

1938 Kitchen:
Leave as is for now.

1938 Living Room:
Add wainscoting.
Repaint.

Foyer:
Remove paneling.
Add wainscoting.
New flooring.
Add windows around/above doorway to increase light.
Add doorway into new south addition.

Stairway:
New carpeting.

Den:
Expand into new South addition to create a main floor guest bedroom and full bath (handicap accessible.)
Stackable washer/dryer hook up?
Make a half bath accessible to public.

New Addition (main floor):
West part will be new guest room.
East part (off of foyer) will be small library/den space.  Lots of bookshelves.

Screened porch (addition): 8 to 10 feet wide
Designed so that windows can be added later, if needed.


Upstairs:

NW bedroom:
Redecorate.

Existing full bath:
Leave alone.

2nd Story Addition (Master Suite Extension) 8 to 10 feet wide
Master bath including: small pattern, black and white flooring, deep rectangular tub with rounded corners, separate shower, toilet with dual flush, separate space for toilet with door (and ventilation), vanity with double sink.
Separate closets with built in storage.
Small seating area and/or area for treadmill

Attic:
Insulate attic floor.
Remove insulation from attic ceiling? (as suggested by inspector.)

Additional:
Update heating and cooling system
Update electrical where needed.

Siding Options

The existing siding on the house is a shingle style.  It may be original to the house (1938).  It needs to be replaced.  So, we need to explore our options. I like the look of wood clapboard siding.  It seems traditional and fitting with the style that we're trying to go with.  But, neither Mike nor I are keen on repainting the house on a frequent basis.  Or dealing with rot if the wood isn't painted and sealed properly.  So, another option would be vinyl, but we don't want to deal with it becoming brittle and breaking.  Aluminum siding can get dented, a big consideration in our area (with hailstorms.)  My first choice, at this point, would be cement fiber siding.  It doesn't rot and can be prefinished.  I just did a bit of research and found that there is also steel siding.  I don't know much about that yet.  I'm looking forward to discussing this with our architect/builder team.

Video Tour: Main Floor and Upstairs

Video Tour: 1960 Addition

Video Tour: House Basement

Video Tour: Back of House

Video Tour: Front of House

Found a House to Remodel

Although it was our hope to find a lot in the downtown area to build on, we managed to find a property to renovate instead. This meets Mike's needs to have a nice, landscaped yard with mature trees. The yard, over an acre in size, is spectacular! The house will need some renovations to work best for our family. But, we're really excited about it!

Front of house.  I'm not a fan of the appearance of the front of the house.  I don't like how the upper floor hangs over the lower floor.  I'm also not a big fan of the appearance of the top windows.  I'd like to redo the front facade, giving it a more Craftsman look.  I'd like to have a nice front porch, perhaps a double porch with access from the front two bedrooms onto a porch.  The front of the house faces east. 

This is the south side of the house.  I'd like to add a sunroom to the main floor.  On the top floor, I'd like to add on to the bedrooms, adding a master bath.  There is only one "full" bath in the house.  Which, is tiny and lacks a shower (just a tub with a shower wand.)

This is the back of the house (faces west).  Normally, I'd skip a house with a west facing back yard, but it is so wooded that we have plenty of shade, I think.  To the left (north) in this picture is an addition that was built around 1960.  We are thinking of putting the kitchen in this addition, as the current kitchen is TINY.

This is the view from the north.  The 1960 addition has a basement area that is a currently a work/crafts room.  I'd like to make it a mudroom and have stairs added up to what will be the kitchen.

View from the backyard.  Lovely landscaping!

The back patio, newly redone last year.

From the corner of the yard.  1.2 acres, in town!  Wow!