Kitchen dreaming

I photoshopped a mock-up of how I'd ultimately like the kitchen to look. It's based on the fabulous work of Bungalow Revival here in Houston, which does a tremendous job of remodeling kitchens in historic homes.

I plan to close up the doorway into the hallway, build kitchen cabinets along that wall and install my new Viking stove over there too with a nice range hood. I'll also be adding a dishwasher and moving the laundry into the back corner. Let's not forget my little screamer, Hanai, who is always in the middle of the floor for you to trip over.

But, reality check.
Right now it looks like a bomb went off in my kitchen:

Bathroom privacy

In a Jamb

That moment

when you realize,
after finally getting a door
positioned just right in the jamb,

you cannot open it.

You've Got Mail!

The original mailbox was in the way of where a landscape drain needs to go. It had a pink post--much like the rest of the house--that I repainted green. It's placement was practical but not aesthetically pleasing.

IMO, mailboxes distract the eye away from the house and rarely function as a decorative attribute.

But they are a necessity--no one wants their mail fluttering down the street in the wind

Stumbled across this townhome mailbox at a Sears Hardware store closing sale for $8. Now the mailbox is 'hidden' behind a column and the old one removed, which was in the way of a much-needed landscape drain. So....progress.

Master architects

My house problems. No match for Galveston's...

Closing the loop-de-loop

My hallway has 5 doors, 3 of which I roam around in circles. 

I often find myself split between which route to take.

A few times, I walked straight into it, 

having failed to decide which path to take.

At least one of the doorways needed to go.
But which one?

It depended on what the ultimate layout plan would be.

Now it is two years into reno—

countless days of pondering,

sketching,

architectural drafting.

The doorway to the kitchen will be filled,

making room for counter space

and a wall mount oven.

Hardwoods to patch the kitchen floor were sparse

so I scavenged some from where the cabinets will go.

They won't do the house any justice there anyway.

Wood dilemma solved. 

Loop-de-loop dilemma solved. 

Oven dilemma solved.

WWII newspaper discovered in kitchen floor

Discovered this in the kitchen floor. Someone used it to plug a hole in the laundry room floor (now a part of the kitchen). It was wadded up and had been painted over. I began taking it apart, curious to find out what year it was from.

The paper so fragile —it fell into pieces with even the slightest touch. Salvaging it initially seemed like a lost cause...until I pieced together the headline:

Women among Jap Okinawa Troops

Recognizing the historical significance, I decided to piece it back together. The article was from The Houston Post:

Hardwoods. Again.

Just got this section of kitchen floor pulled up that was patched with mismatched wood. The blue floor must have been a porch floor before. Think I'll just leave that as the subfloor. The joist at one end is compromised by old termite damage. So I have the option of pulling these up, sistering the joist, and relaying. Or going under the house to do it. Or just skipping it altogether.

Decisions. Decisions.

Looks like they're all face nailed. That's good. That means only a few would have to come up.

The joist already has been sistered, it's just the nails aren't grabbing. That means none have to come up so long as its not going to be walked on.

I'll just facenail it and build a kitchen penninsula over it.