The Gable Completed
Greetings my friends and Happy Halloween. As I sit at my library desk reflecting on the time of year now and the projects that I have completed this year I have to say I feel pretty good. 2019 marks the 13th year of renovations on this beast. 13 YEARS! Gosh when I say it and see the words in front of me it doesn't seem real. Where has all that time and money gone? Well I see where it has gone, but just don't seem real. When I first began this project I thought a year, or two or three and it would be done. Not 13 years and when I look ahead to the other projects that need to still be done I can't imagine another 13 years on this same project and yet I nearly can. I have for a long time had such high hopes and dreams to do so many other houses and to restore them, but here I sit in this beautiful beast with the scent of fresh flowers and cannot imagine what used to be here. I joke with my friends that I'll haunt this house when I'm dead because I have put everything I have into it. I digress from my original intent of this post and as usual need to pull myself back to reality. 2019 was a productive year. I got a new chimney, got new arched windows for the gable, finished the gable and got one other treat I had been waiting 13 years for to use. All in all it was a good albeit EXPEN$$$$$IVE year.
The gable I can say in finally completed. She is dressed up, painted up, new clapboards were cut to match originals and were put back up. New arched windows made in exact same style as the old, new molding around the windows which of course was milled to match the old stuff that was rotted away and new arched storm windows to protect the new beautiful windows. The second benefit of having this all done is that I got to remove the rotting scaffolding on my porch roof that had been up there for a good 8 or so years. It was built so I could get the scaffolding to the gable but never got around to in in those days. Today I look at the front façade from across the street and I actually have a fairly complete front face of the house. It doesn't so much look like a construction site and its satisfying but also a bit odd. I had become accustomed to the rotting wood up there, the rotting wood scaffolding and all cleaned up it looks almost normal. A feeling that I am sure will go away in a few months.
My neighbor took this photo of me doing the last details of painting on the gable
The gable I can say in finally completed. She is dressed up, painted up, new clapboards were cut to match originals and were put back up. New arched windows made in exact same style as the old, new molding around the windows which of course was milled to match the old stuff that was rotted away and new arched storm windows to protect the new beautiful windows. The second benefit of having this all done is that I got to remove the rotting scaffolding on my porch roof that had been up there for a good 8 or so years. It was built so I could get the scaffolding to the gable but never got around to in in those days. Today I look at the front façade from across the street and I actually have a fairly complete front face of the house. It doesn't so much look like a construction site and its satisfying but also a bit odd. I had become accustomed to the rotting wood up there, the rotting wood scaffolding and all cleaned up it looks almost normal. A feeling that I am sure will go away in a few months.
Before with the old windows and plywood scaffolding
Dolly Parton is back in the window!
I think the gable turned out pretty darn good.
The other exciting change is that with the chimney rebuilt I got to get my fireplaces working again! They were built as coal burning originally. Very shallow and had not been used since probably the 1940s or so. With the rebuild going on this was the PERFECT time to get them functional again. I decided to put gas inserts in due to the size and also wanting energy efficiency. I choose to install the Valor portrait series with the senator front. These units would fit into the small openings and the face plates would not block my beautiful original tile. Well I had them installed in the summer, but no chance to use them with the heat. Now fall is upon us and I have been using these babies a great deal. I chose to have them with the coal on the inside to give them the feel of the old coal boxes and I also got blowers on them to move the heat around. I can tell you they do kick out a fair amount of heat and warm up the rooms nicely. I also love the look of them and don't think the unites take away from the fireplaces at all. In fact I think they fit right in.
I must say I am pleased by what got accomplished in 2019. I always wish for more to be done and this project is incredibly daunting when you're the only one doing it. I wish I had more help, but I also know that very few people will give the same attention to detail that I give to it. Hopefully I can keep plugging along and not take another 13 years on this project. This winter I have the vision of completing a new and badly needed bathroom on the 1st floor. The dream would also be to do the dining room too, but sadly I fear the bathroom will keep me quite busy. Plus the thing with the dining room is that I am using it as my living room, so if I have this room gutted I have nowhere to store my living room furniture and I have to resort to using the bedroom as my sitting room which isn't the most functional. Ah well dream big.... That's what got me here hu? Until next time friends.
Hello Matt, The gable came out beautifully, and the wavy clapboards are a real show stopper. The interior is looking handsome as well. I noticed the owl andirons--are those an original set? I collect old house photos, and I recently got an interior view with those andirons in an 1880-90's setting. If you want me to send you the image, let me know.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hi Jim. Thanks for your kind words. Yes those owl andirons are from the late 1800s early 1900s. I saw a friend who had a similar set years ago and I loved them. I think I have also seen them in a period image too. Even though they aren't used as andirons and only decorative now, the eyes do light up a big when I have the fireplaces on.
DeleteYour exterior is so beautiful. Loving every detail...including Dolly. Had you thought of possibly hiring an apprentice to work with you and you can teach them your attention to detail and why that's so important, especially on an historical home? Oh, and your beautiful choices in wallpaper go perfectly with the amazing fireplace tiles. There's that "attention to detail" thing again! Love following your restoration!
ReplyDeleteSuella lord knows I could use an apprentice. I had never thought of that because funds are always tight on this project and I consider myself such an amateur in this whole restoration process. It would be good to pass this attention to detail and this love of old buildings onto others that share the same passion. Your idea is something I'm definitely going to have to think about.
DeleteThat gable really turned out great! It's such a character-defining part of the house, so I'm glsd you restored it in original form.
ReplyDeleteThe fireplace inserts look really good. I think many people don't know fireplaces of this era were often coal-burning, so these appropriate gas inserts are a really good conversation-starter.
Lastly, I know the unrealistic over-optimism with schedules all too well. I thought our firet house would be mostly done in 1 year. When we moved out of state and sold it 6 1/2 years later, we were almost done... I've avoided making any predictions on schedule at all in our new place.
Thanks Seth! Yes time frames often have to be thrown out the window. I guess I should learn to just take it as it comes and do it as I can. Unfortuantely I am so darn stubborn that when I set my mind to something I can't give up on it easily.
DeleteAs far as the fireplaces you are absolutely right that coal was a common place heating element. They add a very modern twist on the historic use of these fireplaces. Now that I have them up and running and it's cold out, I use them quite frequently.
I'm late to this post.
ReplyDeleteAnd how thrilling to see your GORGEOUS gable end completed. 99% of home-owners would have covered it with vinyl siding.
As I have eight non-working 1894 coal fireplaces, what you have done also thrills me! I went right to the Valor website! Thank you! I am hoping to have at least one of my fireplaces reactivated.
Thanks Ross!!!!!!! I do love my inserts. I really struggled what to do with them and how to get them functional. Should I convert to wood, should I restore to use coal again, should I get inserts. In the end I am very happy with my choice. They add a good amount of heat in the rooms, they add a nice glow and they are easy to flick on and off with the remote. I love the idea, smell and feeling of a wood fireplace, but for as often as I used these fireplaces now I can't imagine always hauling wood in and out and cleaning them. They weren't cheap, but they are a treasure during these cold Minnesota winter days.
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