Going into this project our biggest fear was that the deteriorated walls in the center of the house. We had a historical architect inspect the house for structural stability and soundness. We were relieved when we found out the walls were not load bearing and could be removed! A family friend of our, who we've nicknamed Squirrel, was brave enough to get on the roof and get them below the roof line. Getting to see the interworking of the house is one of the highlights of the whole project to me. Jake and I often talk about the size of the trees and the work it took to build a home like this. Take a look for yourself! Eventually all the bricks came down. There were a lot of them, too! Unfortunately, so many of them were so deteriorated they crumbled in our hands and could not be salvaged. For reference the photo below on the right is now my kitchen and on the left is now a bathroom and part of our laundry room.
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So often you see shows on HGTV and the DIY Network about these extremely successful renovations that seem to happen so quickly. I was caught up in that fantasy for so long. I am very much a get it done and get it done now person that I became discouraged by the time it took to demo. I was ready to see "pretty" progress. I promise most of what we see on TV does not translate to real life, especially in the renovation world. Nonetheless, it has to get done. So, in the 50s or so my Aunt Pie and Uncle Tom spruced up the first floor so they could live downstairs. They put in hardwood floors, added a bedroom and a kitchen, and did some other cosmetic work. The problem was they laid those hardwood floors on joists that were sitting on dirt. This contributed to the major moisture problem and sagging of the floors. We knew that was going to be the first and most important project to tackle on the first level. So, they came up! Next came the first floor bathroom demo. This bathroom needed some major upgrades, such as, a shower, tile floors, and new sheetrock, so everything came out. I really enjoyed using the sledgehammer.
Kitchen AdditionAs most of you can imagine, I am a huge Fixer Upper fan! If you are not familiar with the series I am referring to, you need to watch HGTV or catch up on Hulu! Chip and Joanna Gaines are a joy to watch! Chip's favorite part of their process is #demoday. Now that I have confessed my love for all things Magnolia, we can get down to business. First to come down was the second floor kitchen and breakfast room. The breakfast room had actually been made by enclosing part of the back porch. I was so thankful to find the original siding still intact. There was also some really cool beadboard hidden by that paneling that was salvaged! Below are some of the in progress pictures of the kitchen demo. Bathroom AdditionThe existing bathroom was not in good enough shape, nor did it have a big enough closet, so it had to go! The original bathroom was slanted due to the roof line and also being built off of the back porch. Did you know most old homes have slanted porches? This is so the water will run off of them. The porches at Lakewood are no exception!
There was also a door hidden in the wall of the bathroom. No one knows why it was there or when it got there. Before any noticeable progress was able to be made, the whole house had to be sorted through and stored. You have to understand, I belong to a family of collectors. A family that has occupied the same home for 187 years. That is a whole lot of collections. I knew that cleaning the house out was not going to be fun but it was necessary. Thankfully I had some really good helpers. Denah and Brooke Winsett have been life savers. They helped us go through and pack so many boxes. Once everything was gone through, we had a major yard sale for several weekends! Some great deals were made. After the yard sale, everything that was left was donated to the Bargain Box in Demopolis, AL. We donated two cattle-trailer loads! I bought two 40ft shipping containers to store all of our things in during the reno!
Unfortunately, I get overwhelmed by this project. It is so easy to only focus on what today is bringing instead of just how far I've come. In the beginning, I knew this would be daunting but no one could have ever prepared me for what was to come. But here we are. Almost two years into this thing and we still have a while to go. Here are some before pictures so we can all appreciate just how far we have come.
To completely understand this journey you must know a little of the backstory. {We will get to the good stuff soon} My home has been in my family for seven generations. I was lucky enough to grow up in this home. The greatest part was that I was surrounded by family. My Aunt Pie lived on the first floor. She cooked wonderful meals and was famous for her cheese straws. My grandmother lived in a smaller home just across our driveway. That home was destroyed in 2004 and there is another home in its place that we call "The Cottage." My parents and I lived on the second floor until I was 17 and we then moved into "The Cottage" to enjoy modern amenities it offered. The central heating and air-conditioning along with showers were very appealing! Before we moved my mom, Sweetie Pie single handedly began renovations. She sand blasted the tin ceilings in the second floor hallway, ripped down wallpaper, and sand blasted most of the wood work on the second floor. However, life got in the way and she was not able to finish. There were many attempts to find a solution to the growing concerns surrounding the house but we were still unable to save Lakewood.
No one has lived in my house since 2010. During these past seven years I have longed to be back in my home. Many options were discussed and considered. Do we sell it? Who can save it? But nothing ever worked out. As you can imagine, a project of this magnitude can be financially overwhelming. But, hey, without the risk there is no reward, right?
So, fast forward to June of 2015. It was decided that the house would be where I would one day raise a family. Work began pretty much immediately. Let me just say now, this has taken a army. I couldn't have done what I have done if it wasn't for friends and family. |