The Sunroom!

Home Sweet Home

It is a rainy October evening and I am cuddled up on the daybed in the Sunroom with Clarissa, a stack of books, my grandmother's quilt, and a cup of tea. I'm reflecting back to about six months ago when this room was full of extra building supplies and Amazon boxes, major upgrade!

Before!

After!

Initially the major barrier to setting up this room was the floor. There was a sheet of some sort of floor covering over the original floor. Judging by the texture and design, I was concerned that it could be.. the A word...asbestos. Many old homes still have asbestos here and there throughout the house, from exterior shingles to pipe insulation, and it's not a huge problem. Unless you want to move it. Asbestos is a material that is made of tiny particles that, if inhaled, can increase cancer risk. The common thought is that if it is left undisturbed it's safe to remain in place. I wanted that old floor covering to disappear, so I needed someone to test it for asbestos first! I called my friend Andre of New England Home Restoration. He checked out the material and gave me the go ahead to tear it out. Within the hour I had pulled up the old beat up floor covering and started detailing the space.

Over the past year, I have had a total of 10 roommate/renters at The Nest. Each one with his or her own story and unique twisting path. It's been a great learning experience to provide a soft place to land for these humans. Or should I say, to witness The Nest be a soft place to land. I am just a steward of this old house, it's been here since before I was born and it has a life and power of it's own. I'm honored to be part of it and to share it with so many others.

One roommate was James. He only stayed for a few months and then left abruptly when he fell in love with a Bumble match. But before he left, actually I think it was the first weekend after moving in, he stayed up with me till 2AM re-screening the 9 screen windows in the Sunroom. This involved tedious hours of stretching plastic screen over the aluminum frames and using a pizza roller shaped tool to press it into place.

Once that was complete I added the cozy furniture. I spent hours looking at rugs online and finally settled on this hot pink number. I got a gorgeous daybed from Urban Outfitters, covered my papasan chair from childhood with a knitted throw, and collected a bunch of cushions for lounging. The macrame swag lamp was handmade by my dad when he was courting my mom. And the stuffed walrus, named professor, was a gift from my Uncle Brad when we visited the Museum of Natural History in NYC circa 1994.

I comissioned my dear friend Kristin (also a former resident of The Nest) to create some of her original art for the space.

Mom and Clarissa looking pretty on the daybed!

Many Leather Bound Books: The Library

The library is the smallest room in the whole house, but it has taken the longest to complete. Now it is transformed from a dark nook with peeling walls to a cozy nook with a new ceiling, fresh paint, and tons of books, instruments, and trinkets to play with. 

before!

before!

A relic from the past. Found inside the closet.

Oddly, the radiator was built in to the closet. Remodeling the closet made a big difference with the heat.

after!

So many cracks. So much mud!

Finally the walls were painted a bright cream and I filled the room with antique furniture. The desk was my Great Aunt's make up vanity. The chairs were various Craigslist and Antique Store scores.

Books, my first love! 

One of Clarissa's favorite spots. 

Hearth and Home

The Nest was built in 1915, over one hundred years ago. I like to think of everything this house has seen: women's suffrage, the end of prohibition, The Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, Rock and Roll, the invention of radios, then computers, then the Internet, 9/11, Marriage Equality, and so so much more. The people who have lived inside these walls over the years surely had a variety of worries, challenges, loves, and accomplishments. But there was at least one constant. Year after year, evening after evening, someone bustled about in the kitchen to prepare home cooked meals, infused with love and care, and placed platters of food on the table under this chandelier. There is comfort to be had there, despite the turmoil we are experiencing these days. Throughout history there has been political and social discord, and there have been people who stood on the side of love, and there have been home cooked meals for us to gather around to find strength and support. 

I was thrilled to have the dining room renovation completed just in time to host Thanksgiving here for the first time! It was a bit of a close finish, with the finishing touches going up just a few days before game time. It was a huuuge undertaking and took over 60 hours spread over many weekends. 

The before picture below doesn't truly capture the state of things pre-renovation. In fact, it actually looks quite fresh and lovely here! This photo was taken immediately after we ran the chandelier crystals through the dishwasher to clear away the dusty yellow residue. Look closely and you can see the oddly matched neutral wallpaper which was peeling away from the wall in many places. The trim was yellowed with nicotine and every nook and cranny was dusty and in need of love. 

Before!

First things first, the wallpaper needed to be removed. I used a steam cleaner to remove the paper in sheets. Very satisfying! And then I used a sponge and a big bucket of hot water to clear away all the remaining glue and paper residue. 

There were still a few lingering holes from the electricians work last year, so I used joint compound to patch them up. Once the walls were bare plaster, they needed to be sanded and then primed. The ceiling got three coats of flat white paint and I discovered about a dozen muscles in my arms and shoulders that I didn't know existed before. Good times!

Primed and ready for action

Then the trim got three coats of white semigloss paint. Special shout out to Sophie, Xander, and Michaela who all pitched in and got down and dirty for some solid painting parties. (so bummed I don't have photos!) Michaela texted me three days later to tell me she was still finding paint in her hair. That's a true friend!

Notice the contrast of the newly painted mantle with the unfinished china cabinet!

Sweat Equity Sunday

The tools of the trade

Finally the "prep" phase was complete and it was time to make the color selection. I chose three green options and two different whites from the huge Benjamin Moore color book, sure that one of them would be perfect. I picked up samples of each at the local Ace (my home away from home), got them home and slapped em up on the wall. I hated all three greens once I saw them in true daylight! Colors often look different in natural versus artificial light, and apparently green hues appear more variable than other colors like blue and gray. I went back to the store for more samples, not cheap, but way better than ending up with a color that stinks.

I ended up using Linen White above the picture rail and Liberty Green below. There was one final day of work to complete the three coats of wall paint and do a full clean up and the job was done! Except for the finishing touch: the birch mural for Simon. 

Panorama View

Jute Rug, inspired by Sophie

Josephine the Fiddle Leaf Fig, still hanging on

Spot the critters (hint, there are 5)

Simon LOVES his new digs

What better way to celebrate the completion of the dining room than with a lovely Thanksgiving meal with friends and family. Cheers to many more cozy meals with loved ones in this room!

Eva, Emmanuel, Dad, and Mom. Ready for a feast!

The Cutest Mouse Trap

We've been pretty much pest free here at the Nest (except for one episode with a brave squirrel). But last month, like clockwork, on the day the first signs of the New England Autumn began to creep in, we discovered an unwelcome visitor. One evening I walked into the kitchen and saw a mouse run across the counter. I turned on my heels and went right to my laptop to pull up Amazon Prime where I ordered some friendly traps. Two day shipping. As I was shopping the selection of friendly traps, I noticed that the package of three traps was only a few dollars more than the single trap. So I clicked the triple pack. The traps couldn't arrive fast enough. Now I'm not really squeamish, but when I felt a mouse run across my FOOT while doing dishes later that night I almost did a backflip. I wanted this guy OUT.

Of course Murphy's Law was at play and exactly two days later I had house guests- my dear friends from childhood, Jasmine and Corinne. They live in different cities and were staying at my place for the weekend to celebrate our bestie Kate's fabulous wedding. 

I was giving Jasmine the grand tour soon after she arrived. We checked out the library, the lovely bathroom, then on to the kitchen where I flipped on the light and saw a little guy scurrying across the stove. "OooooH NO!" I yelped. Luckily my Amazon package had arrived that day. So we immediately put out the trap with some fresh ground organic unsalted peanut butter. Only the best for The Nest's interlopers. So the guests and I settled in to catch up.

It wasn't long before we heard a few tap tap tap sounds. When I flipped the light on in the kitchen there was one mouse in the trap, and another mouse looking at him from the outside! I was immediately glad I got the three pack! We set another trap and within two hours there were THREE more baby mice in the trap. I sent that group to Medford with my pal Sophie. Then I caught another one that night and released it in Dedham the next morning. I set the traps out every day and averaged a mouse per day for the next 5 days. 

I also soaked cotton balls with Peppermint oil and placed them around the kitchen. Apparently Peppermint is a mouse repellant. And it also smells like candy canes. 

Sometime in the middle of this mess, I was chatting with my mom who suggested nature's most adorable mouse trap: a kitty! I've always wanted one but it never really seemed like the right time before. All of a sudden, it seemed like the perfect time. 

I started searching for my new fur baby immediately. I applied to three different local shelters. The application process was actually quite thorough including a reference check and lots of questions about my pet owning history. Just about a week later I met Sweet Clarissa at The Kitty Connection in Medford. I pet Clarissa a few times and then sat myself down on the stairs. She jumped right into my lap and hunkered down. I guess you could say she chose me!

She had to be kept in a safe room for a few days when she first came home. It was clear that she knew she landed in a safe place. She didn't stop purring for the first three days! She was so curious to come out and explore the rest of the house. By the end of the week I just had to let her have free reign of the place. 

Clarissa has been settling in nicely. Still very happy to cuddle, but also becoming more playful as she gets more comfortable. She has brought such  great joy to The Nest! She hasn't caught any mice, but the sightings seem to have ceased, thank goodness!

Every Nest Needs a Throne

The Bathroom Remodel. The biggest and hairiest project to date. But we survived! And I get to gaze at this beauty every day! The bathroom is arguably the most important room in the house, because let's face it, you can eat or sleep anywhere, but when it comes to bathroom activities... You get my drift.
Judging from the style of the features, the former bathroom had probably last been remodeled in the 60's. Pink tile, drop ceiling, a "cozy" enclosed shower space, all hallmarks of the time. There was probably a time when that bathroom was sparkling clean and modern, but by the time we moved in the linoleum floor was peeling up and the subfloor showed signs of rot, the tile was falling off the walls, the medicine cabinet was rusty and the lighting was jaundiced and depressing. It was time for a change.



Bill had the job planned out like clockwork. It was crucial that we stay on schedule so each phase of the job would be ready for the plumbing and tile contractors. Plus we wanted to spend as little time as possible without a working bathroom. I ordered all the fixtures from my homegirl Kourtney Miller at Build.com. The choices were endless and she was super helpful with the selection process. I don't know who was more excited, me or her, when I settled on my amazing rain shower head and wand set up. The parts began arriving a few weeks before the job. I never knew I could be so in love with a faucet!

We started on a Friday the 13th, fully gutting the place. We took one last look at it then Bill started by pulling out the toilet and sink vanity. The drop ceiling came down. The linoleum got pulled up and cracked into pieces. We used a hammer to crack the tiles off the walls. And I carried huge pieces of wall covered in ceramic tile and all kinds of craziness down to the back yard.

By day's end there was nothing left but the bathtub.




This also marked the beginning of 8 days without a working shower or toilet! Yes. That's right. We had to get creative by grabbing an occasional shower at the gym and taking daily walks to whole foods around the corner to "powder our noses".





The next day, Derron and Mike showed up to do the rough plumbing (you might remember them from the Washer and Dryer saga). Mike had just been in a bad car accident a few days before, so he showed up with a bruised nose. He didn't even take a day off after the wreck! He toiled away for the day and had the place ready for us to install cement board the next morning.




We spent the entire day installing cement board. I mostly took care of the apprentice work, lugging tools, cleaning up debris, and steadying materials while Bill did the skilled work. But I also got to do my share of installing screws in the cement board. I was actually thrilled to get a "real" job. But it wasn't easy. I had to press my whole body weight into the impact driver to sink the screws. What I lack in brute strength, I make up for in sheer determination! The next day when I changed for yoga I noticed a football size bruise down the center of my chest. I felt pretty badass.





We installed the last bit of cement board at 6AM on Monday morning before rushing off to work, just in time for Vasil from CB Tile (owned by Bill's friend Chris Brand) to arrive to start laying the tile. He worked all week long, first cutting and laying the tile to make a regular pattern. Much more mathmatically complex than I ever realized before! And then grouting his work. Allowing it to set. And then laying more tile. He did a fantastic job!



Next we were ready for finish plumbing (and also ready to get our toilet and shower back in working order!). Dana, another good friend of Bill swooped in and took care of the finish plumbing. He squeezed us in right before having to go to a wedding later that night.



But first, there was an emergency trip to home depot because I had ordered the wrong style faucet for the sink! Quick decision making has never been my strong suit, so there was also a frantic text to my group of gal pals, including my very own design coach Liz Martin of Charleston Weekender, to help me make a final selection.

Dana worked for hours, and the bathroom was really starting to come together. I could almost feel my first shower!! He was just about to leave when we discovered..... the toilet tank was cracked. We would need to replace it!

Dana had to rush off to get to the wedding, so Bill and I piled into his van and drove to Home Depot to pick up a new toilet. An unplanned journey at the most inconvenient time: Saturday afternoon. We fought through traffic and alternated between grumbling and trying to keep each other's spirits up about the whole business. After all, we were so close to having the bathroom back in working order. So close! We grabbed the box that looked the least dinged up and hopped back in the van.



We got home and opened the box.... only to discover that the toilet was shattered inside the box! We barely said a word, hopped back into the van, headed back to Home Depot, and swapped it out for a toilet that was in one piece! Since this was my THIRD TRIP to Home Depot in one day, Bill said I earned my Contractor Brown Belt. Bill installed the throne when we got back and finally did the honors of the FIRST FLUSH! Hooray!

Next Bill went to work on the finish carpentry. He installed a drywall ceiling and walls and beadboard and chair rail. The intricate carpentry is a labor of love. He did lots of sanding, and I did lots of vaccuuming.



Every day it looked more and more fresh and beautiful. Then we were ready for finish painting. I had a vision in my mind, but debated back and forth about whether it would be too dark and make the room feel small. So I bought four different blue samples to try before settling on Silvery Blue by Benjamin Moore. Completely different from my original vision, but I couldn't be happier.

The gorgeous medicine cabinet went in. Mom and I painted the radiator a brilliant shiny white.




Bill installed some small shelves for storage. And I hung some art and, of course, a house plant. And it was complete!

 


The whole project only took about 6 weeks in total. But we definitely busted our butts the whole time. Spending time in the bathroom went from uncomfortable to luxurious and now I have to work to conjure up the memory of the old and broken down pink tile and dusty nooks and crannies. Bill and I have definitely been known to enjoy a glass of wine reclining in the bathroom, we alternate who gets to sit on the toilet seat and who perches on the edge of the tub.

The Before and After Pics are pretty incredible!