Closets...progress

Lots of folks automatically think they have to add square footage to a home to make it fit their lifestyles. Since we are downsizing (again), we wanted to keep within the existing footprint of the house. After studying the floor plan, we found that there really was a lot of wasted space. One of the things usually lacking in vintage homes are closets. We're lucky in that Two Sisters has quite a few closets, just not in the right places. We needed a bedroom closet (since we're turning the former living room into the master bedroom) and a larger pantry in the kitchen. The former pantry turned into the air conditioner/water heater closet. The only other storage in there was a small broom closet.

To make space for a small walk-in bedroom closet, we borrowed space from the living room next door. A little framing, a new opening for the door, and we have a nice closet with plenty of space for both of us. The tall walls in there (9.5' tall) will have shelves for luggage storage, photo boxes, etc. Adding this makes some nice wall space that's just the right size for our entertainment center, and it also frames out the entry to the living room nicely (to the left).

THE FUTURE MASTER BEDROOM CLOSET

And since we cook a lot and need space for storage of dried and canned foods, we borrowed space from a strange corner of the dining room that once held the old water heater and ancient gas wall heater (the space I used to make my new spice shelf). The inside used to be the broom closet, and we extended the walls so now there's also room for the recycling bins, water jugs, etc.

We keep making discoveries about the house. One of the recent ones was that the existing dining room used to be a covered porch off the back of the house. You can see the original ship-lap siding sticking out on the left-hand side inside the closet. We decided to leave it there since it was part of a load-bearing wall. Besides, I love the idea of walking inside the closet and seeing a piece of history.

LOOKING INTO THE END OF THE CLOSET...THE BACK IS THE FORMER BROOM CLOSET

Although we had to keep it covered up, the ceiling of that area also has the original beadboard on it underneath the sheetrock. I wanted to uncover it, but unlike all the other wood in the house, it's not in good shape. Perhaps we can do that at a later date when we don't have so much other stuff to do.

LOOKING IN FROM THE SIDE OF THE NEWLY ADDED AREA...SPICE SHELF ON WALL RIGHT INSIDE DOOR AND FORMER BROOM AREA TO THE RIGHT

We got the framing finished in time for the electricians to come in yesterday to put in switches and outlets for those rooms, in addition to others. Much of what we have to do to the electrical system is updating it for modern appliances. There are things like three-pronged plugs, new circuits, new panels, etc. that have to be added. Necessary, but not necessarily fun.

Today, the "fun" continues as we remove 80-years of flooring to uncover the original pine sub-floor, just to cover it up again with new wood for the bathroom floor.

Happy trails!

bobbi c.

Singin' the Blues

This heat, and drought, is getting me down. My trees are stressed and other than the plants I rescued and put into pots in the shade, my veggie garden is dead and gone. The predictions are more of the same for this week---Wednesday, 105—Thursday, 105---Friday, 104---Saturday, 102 (ah, a cooling trend!).

I’ve been trying to make a decision on the paint color for my little writing nook, which is also the main entry to the house. I want something bright and cheerful that would stand up to the bright sun that streams into the old windows there, but also something out of the ordinary for me. Every time I look at the paint chips at the store, I’m attracted to the blues. My little sister says “But you NEVER do blue.” That is true; I don’t. I like blue, but don’t want to use it in such a huge way in my room since I do spend a lot of time in there. Still, when it comes down to a choice, I choose blue. The blue paints are different now...brighter, more cheerful. The one I like is more of a robin's egg blue, and it matches the old curtains that used to hang in the living room. I've re-purposed them for my room after washing them four times. They are a landscape print, with fluffy trees and a watermill.

BEFORE

IN PROGRESS

THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS ROOM...IT'S ALSO THE ENTRY TO THE HOUSE

After painting two of the walls, I start to feel like I’m immersed in deep, spa blue. This particular color, appropriately called Blue Bayou, makes me feel cool, even though it’s now 108-degrees outside. I wonder how much hotter it will get before we all spontaneously combust.

The flat farm and ranch lands in between Leander and Taylor are golden brown, crispy and dry. On the ride over, I notice that some of the short cotton plants that were fluffy with small bolls have been plowed under overnight, before harvest. Now they look like a light sprinkling of snow has fallen on top of the dark soil off in the distance. All of the farmers are hopeful for a tropical storm that will bring rain to the coast and maybe some farther northeast, too. “Just enough, not too much,” is their mantra.

I take a break from the painting for lunch. I sit and stare out the window at the old pecan tree that grows in the center of the yard. Someone years ago hung a giant thermometer on the tree and it reads 110-degrees. I’ve had enough! I go outside, the screen door slams behind me, and take it down. I go back inside, find my hammer, go back outside and remove the giant rusty nail that’s held it there for years. I apologize to the tree, go back inside and fling myself back into the chair in a heap of exhaustion. Much better.

After a while, I pull myself up, grab the paintbrush and slowly apply more deep blue paint to the walls. I visualize water, and lakes, and rain. And fields of white fluffy cotton, knee-high.

Happy trails,

bobbi c.