Home Tour

Y'all come on in. Yes, that is truly how a Texan welcomes you to their home! Although the TV show Dallas put a lot of attention on our City in the 80's, there is a lot about that show that is not really Dallas.

We don't all wear Cowboy boots, or Cowboy hats. We don't all have an interest in oil and certainly don't all have a ranch!

But, it also brought to the attention that Dallas could have style. Not just in the way that people dressed, but in their homes.

The 80's brought Texans to attention and we have continued to embraced our homes and demanded that homes have style, details and a sense of comfort for our families. A place to easily entertain. We love to host a party! We like our brick and stone. We want a mix of materials to keep things interesting.

I've been fortunate to live in many different cities and states over the years. Including Tampa, Denver, Atlanta and at least 4 different cities in Texas. I am always surprised at how Texas homes and buyers are more demanding in what they want. Other homes in other states are often dated, boring and priced at much higher price than the homes in Texas.   HGTV has brought attention to stylish homes and the value of a good design to the World.  So y'all the gap is closing! We now see the value of a beautiful home, maintaining our investment, and keeping things current.

All that to say, come on in y'all and take a look around....let's step inside. I love how you can quickly see all the main areas of my home when you enter the front door.

Welcome to my living room...I'm not all white sofa's and chairs over here. I do love that look, but, it's just not practical in my world. I have pets, kids and since we move a lot because of my husbands job, I need durable. Pieces that will hold up well and look great in many different scenarios. So I choose my neutrals in darker colors, leathers, chenille's, dark wood...

I am also a big fan of dark wood floors. As time marches on I also tend to become more aware of our environment, so, when we move to a home and it needs an update I look for low VOC and sustainable materials. I can't always afford them, but, I look for the best option in my price range. There are many ways you can update and be respectful of our Earth. With that said. Wood floors are an investment for any size home. So, I want them to look great, add character and warmth to a home. Mine are NOT hard wood in this case! I chose Cali Bamboo floors, they met all the requirements. LOVE them! I chose the Distressed Java 5" 5/16 width. They are a nice medium color that lend themselves as a great backdrop to many different styles and colors. They have a 50 year warranty, are equal to hard wood floors and look and feel great.

and no we really don't have many reasons to light a fire but we love to decorate a mantle and make things cozy in the winter time. I like plenty of room to stretch out with a good book or have my 4 kids and their friends over. So I chose two complimentary sofas and a big over sized chair for this room. Our home is open. The previous owner loved dark colors. Possibly a left over to the late 90's Tuscan themes. Those colors just were not me. I knew I wanted the home to feel light, bright and comfortable. We got rid of the light brown ceilings and painted them crisp and white. I know not everyone likes a white ceiling but I like light to flow through my home, a white ceiling allows natural light as well as lamp light to flow easily from one space to another.

From our living room we can easily walk into the breakfast room and kitchen. Pull out a chair and sit for awhile with a glass of ice tea. Yes, y'all it is sweet and cold! I'm a bit traditional, I bought my first antique piece when I was 16 years old from the money I earned at my first job. It was a lovely piece from a local estate sale. My friends thought I was crazy. LOL. I love old wood and the history of a beautiful piece of furniture. My kitchen table is Tiger Oak and was hand made in France by my husbands great, great grandfather. They brought it with them to America. I love that we have the documentation and history of this table. The Antique ice box was my grandfathers. It was in the house he grew up in. Covered in a hundred layers of paint, he was using it to store dog food for his hunting dogs when I spied it and bartered him out of it! The new containers for dog food and the hours helping him at the dog kennel where he raised his Walkers and Beagles was worth it. The bonus was my momma spending the rest of the summer helping me strip it and bring it back to life. I refinished it in 1985 and it still looks beautiful today. I love the pieces and the memories they bring.

Another thing that is important to me in a home is LIGHT! Good lighting is so important. When we bought this house there was a single bulb fixture in every room and/or a ceiling fan single light in the bedrooms and living room. It was dark. I added the can lights in the living room, kitchen, and Master bedroom and upstairs game room. I also added under cabinet lighting, the two birdhouse style pendants over my kitchen island. I love lamps too. I want to be able to see to do a project with these old eyes of mine or turn things down and cozy up with soft lights and snuggle with my honey.

Do you spy my corbels? I have lugged these around to the last 4 houses I've owned. I bought them on clearance and knew they were perfect for a project...I just didn't know it was going to take me so long to find the right project! HAHA...my husband shakes his head when I bring these things home. I love how such a simple detail draws your attention to this bar area. I also chose to have my counter increased from the measly 12" it was so that you could really sit and eat or lay out a buffet! I don't know why builders always make the bar area more like a shelf than a place to actually sit and eat?!

The tile floors were original to the home. I like to choose my battles and expenses! Like I said we move often and this home might be a 2 year, 5 year or forever home. We will see. The floors were in good shape, no broken tiles and although I prefer something a little more modern and lighter, they worked well with all the choices I made for the home. So they stay.

I love white kitchen cabinets! I love that the look and feel clean. Love that they stand the test of time and it's so fun to decorate with such a bright backdrop. My counters are a leather finish of Quartzite in Fantasy Brown. Y'all, I LOVE my counter tops! I would have loved anything that was the green with pink flecked laminate that was there previously but when I saw this stone I knew that was it. It holds up in the kitchen. We cook a lot. We have 6-7 people busy in this kitchen at times, so spills and messes happen. With a simple wipe all is forgiven. They are beautiful in every light. I wanted to do a butcher block counter top for a long time. I decided this was my opportunity to shake things up and install a warm piece of butcher block on my kitchen island. It's been great. I sealed it with Watco Waterlox sealer. It is been in for over a year now and has warmed up even more but handles the day to day abuse my family throws at it.

Come on over to my dinning room. This is where our family eats 50% of our meals. We eat breakfast and lunch mostly in our breakfast room. But, we have an extra mouth or two on most nights so we usually wind up in the dinning room.

This room used to have a door coming from the kitchen and a door to the office. The doors hit each other and limited the space you could use for your table and chairs. I removed the door from the kitchen because I knew it would never be closed and just was in the way. I also removed the door to our office and added a barn door there. I wanted something that was interesting to look at and wouldn't cause a disruption to the flow of the room. My barn door is new. Yep, it is a simple pine shaker door. I bought the barn door hardware and installed it. I then took my new door and debated about a minute with painting it white or a pop of color. I then decided I really wanted an old door but y'all they are crazy expensive in Texas! A good reclaimed barn door can run from $800 on up and they don't last long. You have to be willing to buy them on the spot. So, I took nails, chains, screws and hammer and went to work beating up my "new" barn door. My dad wondered several times why I was beating up a perfectly good door. I then took 3 colors of Minwax stain, walnut, honey and classic black. I love how the door turned out. It works for me and I don't have to worry about it getting scuffed, a dog rubbing against it or children slamming it. The more dings the better.

Speaking of offices, let me show you ours. It is tucked behind that door and works perfectly for a place to work outside of the hustle and bustle of our home.

My husband offices from home so this space is used everyday by one or both of us. I chose a color that would be stimulating but still relaxing. This is SW #9057 Aquitaine. It is a lovely blue gray with just a slight green undertone. We also decided while we were doing the work we would add 6" baseboards to this house. Do you like large baseboards or do you prefer you baseboards to be smaller? I really like the beefy baseboards. I recently had the honor of restoring my childhood home. I realized that the original baseboards in that home from 1940 were 5". I guess that is why I always prefer them larger. It's what I was used to seeing.

Speaking of color. You probably noticed that the rest of my home, accept this office and my daughters bathroom are all the same color. I do like to use a "whole" house color. It creates a nice backdrop for your home and allows you to choose colors or trends by incorporating them into your furnishings and window treatments.  I chose SW #7036 Accessible Beige for my home. It is a Greige not a gray. I tend to like a little more warmth in my home. I had it lightened by 25% for the majority of  my home. I used it at regular tint for my media room and upstairs bathroom and carried the color across the ceiling in my upstairs rooms. I wanted to carry out the "media" room feeling of a little darker and cozy space.

Let's run on upstairs and look at that space before we head back down to see the bedrooms and baths downstairs.

 Here you can really see the way our Cali Bamboo floors have such a rich color variation and you can see the character of the distressed wood. We use this space for family movie night, to work out and hang out. In a pinch we can add the air mattress and have a fully guest suite for our out of town visitors. This space really is the definition of flex space.

Our bathroom is perfect for this space. The plumbing was here but the space was left incomplete. So we enclosed the space with walls, added a shower and created the perfect 3/4 bath for our needs. Through those double doors is a fabulous 6' X 11' Storage closet! 

Let's head back down and we will wrap this tour up with a view of our bedrooms and other bathrooms.

First we will peek into my teens room and the bathroom that she uses daily and also supports most of our guests.

 We have fairly generous rooms in this home. The secondary bedrooms are 12' X 13'. That allows our daughter to have her desk in her bedroom. She likes that she can use it as a vanity space as well. Since we chose a whole house color I asked her to work with me and not against me. You know what I mean. At first she was bummed and wanted to really make this room her own. So we started discussing ways to do that. She found these fun gold circles by Wallpop and added them to her room. She then found the cute jewelry holder shaped like a dress form at a local garage sale! Yep, she is her mother's daughter. Shhh...she likes to pretend otherwise! Her bedding was where she could really bring in her favorite colors and patterns. All in all she loves her room and I'm happy that it is easily to transform with her as she continues to grow and her taste change. The other fun little update we did for this room was add the cute flower shaped fan. Isn't it fun?

She loved the Aquitaine color we used for the office so we chose that for her bathroom. She thought it was meant to be when a shopping trip to Target turned up this gold polka dotted shower curtain. So fun. You can't really see her beautiful quartz counter tops in this picture but she chose Calacatta Classique for her vanity top. I was able to find it as a remnant at the stone yard so the savings allowed us to add this higher priced material to her space.

And if our guests want to stay on the main level we have a room just for that....be our guest.

This room is a generous size, again it is 12' X 13', but I wanted to use a queen size bed for our guests. that proved challenging with the way the room was designed and where the doors and closet were. I usually don't like to put a bed in front of a window, but in this case, it truly was my only option. I ended up using my traditional canopy bed. framing the window as the back drop of the bed.

Now if you'll walk across the house with me I will share my Master suite with you....when you step in from our hallway this is what you see. Again, I love how open the house is.

 I've read that glass block is passe. However, I find that it really works well in a bathroom to allow light and privacy. I also like the texture it adds to this space. So I kept our glass block. This bathroom had a Jacuzzi tub that was leaking and a prefab shower that was tight and dark. Only one single bulb light fixture in the room. I added lights above the vanity, above the tub and above the shower. I also chose a tub that is new but touched on the charm of the past.

Marble tile in a warm beige/gold color make this room feel inviting. I liked adding the modern vessel sinks to mix it up and keep it a little more interesting. Do you like to mix old and new? It keeps people on their toes.

My husband is just over 6'2" so I raised his vanity slightly and he loves not having to stoop to use his sink.

Again, I love my floors!! Never tire of feeling the smooth finish under my feet or enjoying the beauty of them. I don't use a lot of area rugs. I have in some homes but I don't want to hide the beauty of these floors. Yes, my 130 lb. Great Pyrenees is indoors most of the time, especially in the summer. The floors are so durable they don't get marked up at all by her big paws and claws! Now that is something to like.

This room is where my husband and I unwind. We like to read, watch a little news, chat and catch up. Of course we also sleep here. ;) We've often had a very small Master bedroom. Not every home allows so much square footage to be in a bedroom. I love that this really feels like a Master Suite. We have room for our necessities and a sitting area. My pink lamps are my "girly, girl" item in this space. My husband doesn't like a lot of frills, so I keep the room comfortable for him and add the lamps for me! I've also heard padded headboards are OUT, people! Can you believe it? Well, I'm hanging on to mine for awhile. I love to sit against it. I often wonder why I didn't have one sooner. This one is 6 years old but is still in great shape. COMFY! In my book that is worth keeping awhile longer. Do you listen to all the in's and out's of design. Since I design spaces for clients, I do keep up with them, but, like I tell my clients, your home is your home! It has to work for you and feel comfortable for you.

Having pieces that make you smile or feel comfortable to you are part of making your house become your home. If you invest in good quality pieces you can have those for a lifetime. My canopy bed is 25 years old and the night stands still by my bed today are from that set. They are in perfect condition so I don't feel the need to replace them and I like the size function they lend to my space. Again, use what you love in your home.

Now, if your not afraid of a little Texas heat, let's step through my bedroom door and take a look at the back patio.

This is where we kick off our shoes and chill during the hot days of summer. I recognize that a pool is a luxury and we didn't always have one. This is a sport pool (only 5' deep in the center) just big enough to swim a little, play some water volleyball or get cooled off. We also have a hot tub to warm up and relax those tired muscles in the winter.

Do you spy my little pool cabana? I'll write a post on it soon. I love it. However, my HOA does not. We have neighbors that have heavy plastic lawn sheds and several play houses. One play house is 8' tall! But, my little pool cabana is frowned upon. So, I'm not sure how much longer it will be here. But, it is a fun little spot. I can't wait to show it to you and let you see how we created a little hang out space for teen or adults alike.

Well, thank y'all. It was so nice to spend time with you and have you take a look around. I hope you enjoyed your time here. Come back anytime. I'm not Motel 6, but, chances are I'll have a light on.

Finding your Homes style...

There are various rules of thoughts when buying an old house. Do you re-imagine it? Make it something brand new? Like blowing off the top and adding a second story. For example and taking a basic ranch and transforming it into a Colonial.

Or you could basically ignore the old house you bought and transform it into something modern and new.

I've chosen to embrace the home that she was built to be.  My house in the middle of the block is a very, very fine house...beautiful, yet simple brick and stone one and 1/2 story Tudor.  Classic details and simple lines for everyday living.  I will be opening up a few of the rooms to add light and function and reimagining others.  I've chosen to kick the pink and burgundy tile to the curb but will install beautiful classic mosaics that will stand the test of time and honor the 1940's.  Re-wiring and re-using many of the original light fixtures, restoring some elements and adding others that make living in the home work for today's lifestyles. 

I'm so excited, we've started DEMO! Follow along as I respect the beauty of this lovely old home and reveal her new potential. Bye, bye to low arches, pink tile and a tiny, tiny kitchen space.  Hello, open, bright and lovely!

With the demo comes lots of dust and a lot of clarity. We've assessed our budget, reviewed our skill set, negotiate with several subs and contractors.  We are now dividing the project into two phases. Technically 4 but two of them are happening simultaneously.  I have registered as a General Contractor and will be managing the main level of the project for our home. We will still use a larger General Contractor to work on the upstairs re-working of the roof, stairs and the new addition.  This is definitely a bigger scope of work than we are used to managing and we want a seamless finished product.  Phase 1 & 3.

Phase 2&4 are the yard.  This was what we originally thought of as Phase 3. But, reality hit. The yard was in a very natural state of affairs.  There was a lot of clean up and clear out of plant material and debris so that we could find and see the house.  We also lost a few more trees because they were growing too close to the retaining wall and house and actually causing damage.  We have now done a very complete clean up and clear out.  We've built a fence and will add a semi-circle drive to the front of the home, rebuild the retaining wall and add wrought iron fencing so that we create security around the creek.  This will complete phase 2 and leave us with a beautiful pallet for new plants - phase 4.

Clean up!

It was so awesome getting Phase 2 the yard clean up under way! Can not thank the City of Dallas enough for their bulky debris clean up crew! They did a wonderful job cleaning up our debris. It wasn't a small task but they stuck with it and did a great job!

Now what with your Old House Remodel?

This Old House Remodel...

The best place to start was laid out on my previous post with tips and advice. Now you've done it! Your standing there with the keys in your hands smiling and quaking in your boots at the same time. What have you done?

Take a breath and remember the long term goal. Your gonna get there! In fact we can journey through this together.

Now that you have your house, a plan and a contractor it's time to think of the BIG issues.

Most homes that are as old as 50, 75, 100+ years old have some issues that will costs money and you wont see the benefit. That meaning it's not pretty but necessary and you will feel the impact of the changes.

Wiring. Many homes have what is referred to as Knob-and-Tube wiring. This wiring is very dated and can be a hazard. Most cities require that if you are doing any remodeling that you include updating all the wiring in your home.  This does add a chunk to your budget.  It is a necessity.  Your contractor will have it bid out and be able to give you a clear understanding of costs and timing.  The good news is if your going to have many of the walls opened up this is perfect timing. Fortunately, with the house we just purchased some of the wiring is up to date and in good shape. We have about half the house to re-wire.  We also will need to replace and update our breaker box. The box on the house is original and it has a known safety concern.  That is another costs.  We also have a fuse panel in this house that is for some of the area. That is a required update as well. 

Things to consider while you are updating your wiring: What type of computer or TV cables will you use? Call your Cable company or Internet provider or someone who specializes in this and have them layout a design for those cords and cables.  Perfect time to have them in the walls where they should be than draped across your house! Another thing to consider are you going to have an alarm system? Call your provider and have them also layout the wiring and keep as much of it in the walls as you can. How about a surround sound system? Plugs! Does each room in your older house have 1 plug or non at all? Decide where you will need or use plugs in each room and lay them out.  Much easier and cost effective to add this while your walls and ceilings are cut up than to retro fit later. This is a simple way make your home feel and function for today (modern) but keep it's classic charm.

Lighting - Lighting is one thing that is usually lacking in a period home.  Sometimes electric lighting wasn't original to the home. So a single light bulb light maybe all that is in most rooms. Some rooms may not have any lighting at all and are solely dependent on lamp light. To me lighting makes a house inviting and function better.  While your electrician is still on site and working layout where you want your lights.  Consider a combination of can lighting, flush or semi flush mount, ceiling fans with lights and or chandeliers and pendants.  Think through the times of days the rooms are in use. Where furniture will be, what the room is used for.  Will you need task lighting? Do you want dimmers for mood lighting? Will you be reading or doing crafts in the room?  Lay the lighting out well. Yes, lamps and task lighting can still be added too. Layering lighting gives a home balance and lends comfort to a room.  I also like to repurpose or use original lights when possible. They are intricate and beautiful pieces many times.  With that said not all of them are safe. The wiring my have started to deteriorate or fray.  The lights may not have proper grounding.  Having a piece re-wired is still often times more cost effective than buying new lights and will give you a unique one of a kind fixture that fits perfect in the style of home and is more valuable than a reproduction.

Plumbing - Old homes can be riddled with plumbing issues.  From Cast Iron or Clay pipes that have succeeded their lifetime, lead pipes, pipes that are not the proper size for the current use of the home, etc...now is your chance while the home is having walls and floors opened up to address this. Talk it through with your contractor as to what is there and what are the most urgent needs to be addressed. Plumbing like electrical can be a big hit to the budget. Don't be naïve but also you don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water.  Review your plans and see where changes to the plumbing are needed. Address where you want new plumbing to run.  Know what changes are your responsibility and what issues or expenses may be the Cities.  Now that you've gone over the in's and out's with your contractor talk to an expert. A reputable and knowledgeable plumber that is used to working with antiquated plumbing issues will be key to the success of your project.  That patch work quilt you've discovered can be repaired and keep your water flowing and your toilets flushing but you need to hire someone with experience to help walk you through what is next.  Be prepared that more may need updating or repaired than the new bath or kitchen lines you were envisioning. 

Lead Plumbing pipes

Old Cast Iron

Mixed Materials

Old Rusted Pipes

Thing to investigate before you buy, find out if the plumbing has been updated and to what extent. Plan to replace old plumbing made from materials that won’t hold up, even if it doesn’t seem to be a problem. It eventually will be. You don't want to tear out all your new materials for an old plumbing problem that you didn't address.

Talk to neighbors about which sub-contractors they would recommend. My neighbor recommended a plumber who has replaced plumbing in old houses being converted into apartments — I knew that was the kind of experience I needed.

Get a second opinion before you start any work. Find out exactly what access the plumber needs, Don't create extra work and expense by tearing out areas that are not needed for access. Most plumbers will do a walk through and assessment for free and this will give you valuable information that will help you with the ongoing job.

Don’t spend money on new finishes and fixtures until the plumbing repairs are completed. You don't want to waste your money or cause damage to those new materials by an underlying or lurking problem.

Outdated Windows - If your home has it's original windows you may be captivated by the wavy glass and charm of the rope sashes.  Regardless that most of the sashes are deteriorated or broken and many of the windows haven't operated in years, this does not deter you from loving this "original" charm! Choosing windows with a period look and feel will be important if you want to keep the historical accuracy and charm of your home.  With that said updated windows will help button up and create a more energy efficient home.  New windows will also add function and beauty that will breathe new life into your home for the next 100 years.  Some might ask if you ever save old windows.  The answer would be yes, I do believe in stained or leaded glass from the original home if it is there is a wonderful and often valuable asset to your home.  Hire an expert to evaluate the stained or leaded glass. Often times minor repairs or new frames may be needed. This can be an extra costs and sometimes as much as replacing the window but the over all beauty and value out weigh simply replacing.  If it is a large window and you are concerned about energy loss you can also have these encased with clear glass on each side.  This will protect the leaded and stained glass but it will also create an energy efficient window for years and years to come.

New windows with period details

Restored Stained Glass

http://www.oldhouseguy.com/wood-storm-windows/

When replacing windows to exact period details with new windows the costs can go up.  Weigh your options. Choosing to replace the windows on the front of the house with exact replica's or details will save you some money than replacing the whole house with the more exact period detail windows. Choosing a simplier designed new window for the rest of the house will be more cost effective.

What you need to know. If your home has an HOA or is in a Historical Society then you need to contact them first. Chances are this hot topic has been discussed.  There maybe certain vendors you are allowed to use. There maybe detailed specifications that you have to consider.  Again, a little upfront research will save you from buying materials or making costly custom decisions that you may not be able to use. 

If you are restricted from replacing windows or you just have a love affair with all things original then this article from DIY Network maybe helpful for you.

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/doors-and-windows/how-to-make-old-windows-more-energy-efficient

Roof - Don't overlook your roof.  Again, if you are in an HOA or Historical society you may be bound to using certain materials or limited in the changes to your roof.  Talk to your contractor. Know if you are adding on to the home or making changes that will change the roof line.  Choose materials that have a good R value.  The roof is important for buttoning up the energy efficiency of your home and for creating a comfortable and inviting home.

Why R value matters, read this article from HGTV:

http://www.hgtv.com/remodel/mechanical-systems/why-r-values-matter-in-energy-efficiency

You next want to choose the best attic insulation for your home and geographical area.  Most older homes have little or no insulation in their attics and walls.  However, addressing the roof and attic area will give you more return on your money than trying to go back and insulate your walls. In fact you can create other problems by putting insulation in walls without proper vapor barriers. 

We are making these decisions now on our Old House Remodel. I will keep you posted on the materials and choices we choose.  I hope you find this information helpful.

~Teresa

Kitchen Reveal!!

This kitchen has been a labor of love and I am so excited that it's done. It is now a happy, functional space that my whole gang of 8 can gather in for food, game night and family fun! It's perfect for entertaining and I am so happy with the kitchen. I hope you can enjoy another "White Kitchen" story. Click on the slide show below to enjoy the kitchen as she is now and to see the before pictures. Friends have said it's like walking into a totally different space. Here is what we removed the old island and repurposed that cabinet where the small unused desk space was. Patched the tile floor and counter sunk the plug. The cabinets were good wood and sturdy so we added moldings, sanded, primed and painted them out in a beautiful snowy white. Subway tile back splash with an accent tile above the cooktop. We fitted the kitchen out with Stainless Steel appliances and took my farm table apart and made her over with new counter height legs that we distressed and painted out. The popcorn ceilings were removed and new halogen can lights and two new lanterns brighten up the space. A pop of paprika red paint was added and the space is now bright, open and happy. I am so happy with how it turned out. What do you think of our "White Kitchen" story?

Exciting changes!

The popcorn is gone. The island was removed, tile patched, floor plug counter sunk and a new floor plug is in place. The walls are painted, the granite is in, cabinets are primed and backsplash is chosen....It's getting closer to reveal day!!

I'm also excited because this house has more painting to do and I'm talking to Home Right about their Finish Max paint sprayer! Wouldn't that be an awesome tool to add to the tool box. I all ready own 3 of their paint sticks that I used to do the guest room and I have their heat gun which is a DIY'er must have when you are working with pieces that are covered in old paint.

So, let's take a sneak peak at the still rough around the edges but quickly improving kitchen!

Texas ReVamped! ©

New Granite going in, checking for level. LOVE the color, white ice. Going to the granite yard is always a fun day time.

Texas ReVamped! ©

Popcorn & fluorescent lights gone! Love the red, it makes my heart sing. Cabinets are primed & you can see sneak peek of my new light fixtures!  Things are looking so different and I'm loving it. Hope it helps inspire you to embrace your space and make it your own.