Lighting the Living Room

The bungalow came with two of these light shades. One in the entry, one in the living room. I don't think they are from 1930, more likely the 60s, but I'm not sure. I think they were the only light fixtures in the whole house that I liked. When construction began, we carefully removed the shades and fittings and put them in a box. The box went onto a shelf where it sat collecting dust for something close to three years. After the electric, new plaster, priming and painting were all done, it was time to get the shades out of storage and put them back up where they belonged.

And that is when I broke one of them. Dropped that fancy end nut thingy right on the large part. I didn't break the fancy art glass around the edges, but that is more durable. The center looks like regular frosted glass. And while installing the second one, I managed to put a small crack next to the screw hole. Thankfully it is not noticeable.

I've been meaning to take them and get both repaired. Some day. The slightly cracked one has been left up and the really broken one has been packed back in that same box. So, that's 7 years now? It is amazing the little stuff you learn to live with, and even forget until someone points it out.

Nearly all this time the living room fixture was just 3 bare bulbs. It was so off my radar, but it drove Lewis crazy. He wanted to go pick out new shades, but I really wanted to keep the ones I had. Plus, I don't like to spend money on temporary stuff.

So, back in the spring I took my friend Josh on a door-hunting excursion for his house. We had already looked through the antique door stash in my basement. He has made use of two so far, but I didn't have anything else he could use. So we headed to Lancaster and York counties to two wonderful architectural salvage shops I knew of.

Our first stop were these two great old barns in Manheim, called Echoes from the Past. They don't have a web presence at all, this is strictly architectural salvage, old school. Josh scored a couple doors there and was pleased as punch. We went on to the antique shops in Columbia, saw lots of cool stuff (including a beautiful green glass lamp I would love to have it is hasn't sold yet, hint, hint) but no doors for Josh.

We ended our shopping excursion at Historic York's Architectural Warehouse. This place is also loaded with great stuff. It is indoors, the temperature was comfortable, and it is pretty well organized. Josh actually found two doors there that would work, but they needed a bit of tlc and were priced a bit high. The guy at the counter said that prices were negotiable on donated items, but unfortunately not on the consigned items.

This whole long, rambling story does have something to do with my light shades. I found this little lovely in the York store for just $5. It may not even be old, it certainly isn't fancy, but I love starbursts and the price was right.When we got back to my house at the end of the day, Josh put it up for me, then we made Lewis figure out what new thing I bought. "I'll give you a hint. It is something you have been wanting for a long time and you can see if from where you are sitting." He was very pleased.

As you can see, they should both match, or at least coordinate. These two are practically in the same room. But for now, and the foreseeable future, I can live with mismatched shades.

A Welcoming Sign

Many years ago I was crazy about this new craft I had discovered. Glass painting. I was obsessed with painted Christmas ornaments. It was a lot of fun, experimenting with different colors and textures. It must have been a hot new craft at the time because there aren't as many kits to choose from now as back then. Fortunately, I had stocked up. Well, I guess really I bought more projects than I ended up completing. Ah, the more things change, the more they stay the same.



I had two of these lovely glass panels, purchased from Ben Franklin Crafts, long before they closed. I still have one I need to paint, but I managed to finish this welcome sign with its art nouveau ladies before the glass painting phase wore off. Then it sat in a closet for a decade, just waiting for the perfect spot. Notice, too, that it is hung so as to not block Oliver's view. That's important, you know. And no, I did not buy this house because my welcome sign would look good next to the door, it just worked out that way!It was difficult to photograph from outside and still catch the details, so here it is from the inside looking out. Just imagine the image flipped.

House Numbers, Finally

At long last, we finally got around to mounting the new house numbers on the front porch!

We've only had these pretty metal numbers for the last four years, and since we installed the new old door last August we've been completely without house numbers. This became a big problem a few weeks back when I was expecting guests who had never been to my neck of the woods.

So, my friend Marc got roped into helping me put these up one day a few weeks ago. He's such a good sport. Please forgive the bug dirt, dust and pencil markings. Actually, does anybody know what will remove those pencil markings from the metal siding?

House Numbers

With all the excitement of the party and the recent additon of the shiny new front door, we've overlooked something. House numbers.

Yeah, we didn't put new numbers up yet. No biggie, right? Wrong. Apparently, not every mail carrier in this tiny town knows us yet. I started to get suspicious over the last couple of days. Friday only brought a couple pieces of junk mail. Saturday nothing. Monday was a holiday, so I expected something on Tuesday. Nope. On Wednesday I got a couple pieces of "resident" junk mail. So, I figured maybe I'd better find those cool black metal craftsman-style numbers I bought three years ago when our Lowe's was having their must-sell-everything-'cause-we're-relocating-sale.

After much debate, we decided they should go in this spot above the mailbox, since there isn't a good spot on the door anymore. We also briefly considered putting the house numbers on one of the porch pillars, but no one was really convinced it would look good.

So, above the mail box they will go. I just have to clean it first. The previous owners had a different mail box there, but it was too high for me to check the bottom. And I'm too afraid of bugs and spiders to go sticking my hand blindly down the mailbox in search of lost items.
As you may have guessed, nothing gets done very quickly around here, so I only got as far as locating the numbers and laying them out on the table on the porch. As it turns out, this was apparently good enough for today's mailcarrier because when I got home Thursday the mail box was stuffed with what looked like a week's worth of mail!

"Press" the Buzzer

Jack also did some touch-ups around the doorbell plate. Three years ago, when we replaced the modern, cheap plastic, oval-shaped doorbell with my new round PRESS, we realized that the new one didn't quite cover the where the old one had been. So, I figured we'd fix it eventually, and last week Jack did just that when he was putting the finishing touches on the rest of the front door.

I had originally wanted a twist style doorbell. You know, the ones that make the sound like an old-fashioned bicycle bell? Only I didn't know what to call it. So, I tried to describe it to Jeff, my fabulous and patient electrician. He came back with this buzzer-sounding thing. It kind of reminds me of a doorbell you'd hear on a British television show. It wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind, but dear Jeff had tried very hard to find this and he was so pleased with himself that I didn't have the heart to tell him that wasn't what I wanted.

Jeff and me, at the birthday party.

Now, this doorbell buzzer thing is kind of cool, it still had an old-fashioned sound to it. But I seem to be the only one around here who thinks so. Mom and Lewis definitely don't like it.

Even once I figured out what to call it, I couldn't find a twist doorbell a couple years ago, and even now, I can't seem to find one in the black powder-coat finish that all the other outdoor accessories have. Maybe someday. I'm definately willing to replace the buzzer if I ever find a nice twist in black. But for now, I'm rather fond of the one we have. And I love the PRESS, which was very inexpensive. Only $5.99 at VanDykes. And worlds better than that horrible plastic thing that made the ding-dong sound.

The library where I work was built around the same time at Oliver's bungalow, and the service elevators still have most of their original details intact, including the alarm button, which makes that same bell twist sound I'm after. Of course, I'd hate to be stuck in one of those elevators from 1930 with only that little bicycle-bell sound in hopes of getting someone's attention! But, it would make for a great doorbell.

Curtains or Shades?

I had a nice fabric roller shade (from JCPenney, of course) on the old front door. It matches all the other roller shades in the living room, entry, and up the staircase. But I'm not sure I want to install the roller shade on the new window. See, I do need something up there, I just feel too exposed with nothing on this giant window, but I love the extra light it is letting in.



I've been thinking about new curtains for this area for nearly a year now. I did have golden colored sheers up, but they made everything too yellow. I'd like to get the Stripped Semi-Sheer Tailored Curtains from Country Curtains. In the natural color. And, I ordered one panel of these for the upstairs bathroom window, in white, and I really like the fabric. It is simple, but the stripe gives it a little texture.


I guess I really do know what I want, the question is just this: should I buy them all now, just order the door panel now, or put the old roller shade up and wait to order all the curtains at once?

Keep in mind, there are 7 windows, 2 sidelights, and 1 door panel to re-dress in this area, so it is going to cost me almost $300.

Special Screen Door Hardware

I ordered special spring hinges and a screen door latch from VanDyke's for my new screen door. Gotta love that VanDyke's.

I'm really enamored with the spring hinges because the tension is adjustable, which I never even thought about. They were pricey at $39.99 for a pair (and I needed three hinges, so I had to order two sets, and now I have one hinge left over). But I think they were money well spent.

The hinges were a bit wide where they mount to the door frame, so Bill had to remove a strip of trim. Check out all those giant nails they used to attach that tiny piece of finish trim!But, Jack was able to blend the bare wood very nicely. I know what it looked like, but you have to look very closely, and know what you are looking for to see it now. Great job, Jack!The latch is okay. It has a black powder coat finish, which has already flaked away in one small, unnoticeable spot. I'm sure nobody else would even notice, but I know it is there. So, I'm not exactly thrilled with that. I do love that it locks.

Also, mom got a nasty little metal splinter from the tightening screw, just under the knob. I borrowed a fine metal file from my dad, and was able to make that spot smooth, but now the brassy finish shows through there. Luckily, it is on the underside, so no one should notice that, either.

Too Short By An Inch

Bill quickly discovered that the new doors were a bit too short for the doorway.
That made for a nice big gap.
So, Bill found a scrap of chestnut from the wood pile in the basement, and he filled in the gap at the top. Now, that piece, along with some other spots, will need to be cleaned, very lightly sanded, stained, and given a tough finish coat.

Even though the new door has much more glass than the old door, I can already tell that it blocks much more sound, because it fits the space better. I expect it will do the same at blocking air-flow. Bye-bye cold drafts this winter. Well, from that spot, anyway.

Creature Of Habit

Oli hasn't quite gotten used to the new, big window. He still goes to the small sidelight to look out! Silly puppy.

New Front Doors Installed!

It has been a long time coming, but it was worth the wait. Bill was able to come up yesterday to install the new front door and the screen/storm door. It wasn't all easy going, we ran into a couple of problems, but Bill was able to make everything work. Now we just have to do some touch-ups, and it will be perfect.
Also, some cleaning. Bill made lots of sawdust, and the glass needs a serious cleaning. It still has lots of sticky residue from the stripper, the stain, and the finish.
Oh, and Oliver is enjoying the breeze coming in through the screen door.

Jack was Back

Jack delivered something today. Do you know what it was? A couple of somethings, really. And I've been waiting since February. Can you remember back that far?















That's right! Doors!
The storm door/screen door frame, along with the screen inset and the storm inset, and the actual new old front door.

I called Bill as soon as Jack left this morning, and asked him when he might be able to get them hung. He said he'd try to squeeze it in this week, but he wasn't sure. Next week he's on vacation. But I think Bill knows how excited I am to see this finished, so I think he'll get here as soon as he can.

Jack is not happy with the way the rest of the frame around the front door is weathering, so he said he will come back after Bill has hung the new doors. This way Jack can finish anything Bill needs to trim, and give the whole thing a new coat of finish. Something more durable. I honestly think this is really terriffic of Jack, I mean I know we are paying him for this project, and I think his price is quite reasonable, but I'm impressed he's willing to fix a problem that was made by someone else.

The door trim seems to be getting lighter and the wood is looking awfully dry. I'm not sure why, because it is under the porch, mostly protected from the elements. It gets the sun only early in the morning, and is in shadow by 10 AM. I suspect it didn't recieve the proper finish coat for an exterior. I mean, it has only been like three years. Seriously.

But don't worry, Jack is going to fix it.

Front Door Project: the Abrasive Story

Mom and I worked on the door a bit more the other day because the weather was nice. After an application of chemical stripper, much patient, diligent scrubbing with stiff bristled brushes (mom) and whining, stomping, and a hasty once-over scrub (me), I declared we were done with the stripper. I've had enough of this project. Remind me to thank my grandfather for thinning his paint and applying it in so many tissue thin layers.


We pulled out the big guns. Now we were finally seeing some results. I started with 60 grit on the orbital sander, then moved to 100 grit. Mom played around with her new 3D sander, which has three small rotating discs that flex; nice if you are working on something curved. Think men's electric razor. I guess I should have snapped a picture of it in action, but we were both tired by then.

The sanders made pretty quick work of those last two stubborn layers. Makes me wonder if we shouldn't have broken out the sanders earlier in the game. We flipped the door and gave the other side a quick wipe down with the denatured alcohol. For some reason I had it in my head that there was shellac on this side, not sure why. Turns out that's not the case, so all the denatured alcohol did was take off the top layer of dirt. I'll let Jack worry about what to do here.

Speaking of Jack, we expect him to pay us a visit any day now. He'll come and pick up the "new" front door, and the shiny new storm/screen door. Jack will take them back to his workshop, do his magic and when he returns them they'll both match in color and both look shiny new. I'm not sure exactly how he'll get the stained side to match, or anything about his process, but quite frankly at this point I don't care, just so long as someone else takes this project off my hands. Mom and I have done as much as we have the skills and patience for. Now it is up to Jack. I'm sure I won't feel as surly about the front door by the time it is returned to us, so maybe I'll ask Jack about his process. Then I can share that part of the saga with all of you.

p.s. for my friends and family who only read my blog to see pictures of Oliver, sorry to disappoint today, but chemicals, power tools, and puppies don't mix.

Front Door Update

We had some freakishly warm weather this past Wednesday, considering it is February in Pennsylvania. It was blustery, but with temperatures in the low 60s, mom and I couldn't ignore the siren call of the stripping project we started more than a month ago, when we had temperatures in the high 50s in January.

So we hauled out the chemical stripper, orange gloves, and all manner of scrapers. The door, saw horses, and drop cloths were all still out on the front porch, 'cause we're klassy like that.

We set up, and got through two or three layers of stripper. I can't remember which. Mom was doing most of the work, while I was scraping and whining. The wind made it feel like it was in the 40s, not the 60s. My mom is such a good sport.

When we were done, we wiped it all down with mineral spirits, and decided that our next move would be to take the sander to all the flat parts. The sanding I am pretty good at. As for the mullions, I think they are going to get slatered with chemicals a couple more times. I've heard that they make special scrappers for curves and small corners. I must look into this.
You may have noticed that we didn't strip the bottom panel. Well there is good reason for that. As many people suspected, it is in fact a veneer over four vertical boards. I truly don't know how we overlooked it before. I feel kind of silly now, it is so obvious. So since the bottom panel's veneer is so damaged, it will just need to be replaced. Keep in mind, this is the bottom of what was the exterior when it was on my grandparent's house. At the bungalow, it will be on the interior, and the only moisture it will be subject to are Oli nose prints!
Speaking of Oliver, he is anxious for us to complete this project so that he can once again be allowed out on his front porch.

For Bill and Jack

Staples! Yes, the wood bubbled, and they tacked it down with staples. Ordinary staples, nothing industrial, thankfully.
More on this project soon...

House Tour: Entry After

And today, in October 2007...

...here is Oliver, always ready to greet anyone coming in the front door.

We still want to replace the front door, and we have the perfect door propped in the basement, courtesy of my grandparents (found it in their barn, used to be on their house, grandma got tired of it, replaced). Gone are the thermal drapes and window cling. We think the banister and stairs look better without paint and carpet.


Oliver isn't so crazy about all that slippery wood floor, and he prefers the carpets because a doggie gets better traction for running and tugging.

House Tour: Entry Before

In September 2003...

...the screen door that opened oposite from the (not original) front door, the mailbox that was mounted too high for somone only 5'4" to reach the bottom...

...the inside of the front door, complete with no less than 3 types of ill-fitting "drapes", including pinch-pleated thermals on the sidelights, 'cause you know how drafty those non-operable windows can be...

...yes, people, that is gen-u-ine stick on "texture" on that transom...

...now, that banister looks better today, but it was still pretty even then...

...and say goodbye to that natty tan carpet.