Old House Nut

Ordered a loveseat for the nursery

2011-05-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

We ordered this Lee Industries loveseat from Safavieh in Manhattan for the nursery. It's supposed to arrive in 8-9 weeks. I will be 35-36 weeks with the twins at that point so it will be tight!

I picked a fabric that looked neutral and like rafia in the store, but I am nervous it may be a little yellowy (excuse the cellphone pic).

There's a cheapy overead light in the room now, which I am thinking of replacing with this Westport pendant from Circa, but in pewter. I don't want the overhead to be a dominant feature in the room.

Moving Along on the Nursery

2011-04-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

D day seems to be fast approaching, with the twins likely arriving sometime between 11 and 13 weeks from now. Wow, so close.

Time to make some decisions on this nursery.

Jenny Lind Crib from DaVinci in cherry

Goa crib bedding from Rikshaw designs; I don't know if the color will work, but liked that this is gender neutral for when they will share a crib. When they grow into their own cribs, we will find gender-specific coordinating bedding.

Benjamin Moore Covington Blue

Land of Nod bookcase

Chest of drawers is being refinished as we speak!

Initial Thoughts on the Nursery

2011-02-27T08:07:00.000-08:00

We found out we're having a boy and a girl at our 16 week anatomy scan the other day. Let the nursery decorating begin!

Our nursery is the rear room of the second floor of our brownstone and looks out over our garden. In the spring and summer, the view will be very leafy.

We are both big fans of the outdoors, and my husband has long been into North American parks and mammals. We are considering a woodland/ animal theme. Below is a William Morris crewel reproduction fabric from Chelsea Textiles. I had fallen in love with it over 10 years ago when I saw it in a House Beautiful article paired with lilac. Here I am thinking blue or green. I like Benjamin Moore's Wedgewood Grey a lot with the fabric.

I am off to check out Coyuchi's Thor crib bedding at ABC Carpet and Home today.

We will also tie in the theme through some art (calendar excerpts).

I know it's been a loooong time...

2011-02-19T14:57:00.000-08:00

The past several month has been real estate torture for me and Mr. OHN. 4 months after our accepted offer on the brownstone in Clinton Hill, we finally closed in the midst of the big NYC snowstorm and moved in the day after New Year's. Over the first few weeks, we struggled with the repairs left incomplete by the sellers. Mr. OHN installed the dishwasher, a new kitchen sink faucet, and repaired the kitchen sink plumbing, the master bath shower, and the balances in our rear parlour window, so it would actually close instead of hang open a full foot in frigid temps, and we had to repair our gas boiler. We also had a pipe burst in our garden floor bathroom, flooding the floor and the cellar below. We need to replace the hardwood floors on the garden floor now because they have warped. All of this over three weeks while unpacking, Mr. OHN starting a new job, both of us fighting the flu, and my struggling with first trimester nausea. It was rough.

But all that is behind us now! We're slowly working to make the house into a livable home, tackling a few things at a time, but it does seem overwhelming. I think a quick win can be getting shades for our master bath to replace the temporary ones I picke up at Home Depot.

I am thinking something like these available on Etsy.

Herringbone Floors

2010-09-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

The plasticy, bowling alley appropriate engineered floors in our potential future home have me thinking about alternatives, particularly herringbone floors. I am not sure the investment would ever be worthwhile, but it's fun to dream.

Photo from Maison Luxe

Photo: Design Track Mind

Photo: Stephen Gambrel

Single herriningbone floor pattern with border from Czar Floors

Caramel Frosting Yumminess

2010-08-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

Mr. OldHouseNut is steadfast in his birthday cake preferences: yellow cake with caramel frosting. After being together for 7 years, I am still searching to find the ideal recipes. This caramel frosting had an intense caramel flavor and was very rich. I may lighten some of the dairy next year. This recipe is a modified version of a recipe that appeared in Bon Appetit in Nov 2008 (thanks epicurious!).

1 1-pound box powdered sugar + 1/2 cup, divided

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Sprinkle 1 cup powdered sugar over bottom of small nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until sugar melts (do not stir). Continue cooking until sugar turns deep amber, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Carefully stir in 1 cup cream, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until any caramel bits dissolve. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons cream. Strain into small bowl. Cool caramel to room temperature.

Sift remaining powdered sugar into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in cooled caramel. Cover and chill frosting until firm enough to spread, about 2 hours.

Here We Go - Our Offer Was Accepted

2010-08-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

In NYC real estate, an accepted offer seems to mean there is still a long way to go. Nonetheless, we are heading down a path to owning a brownstone, after our previous two attempts didn't pain out. This one is located in the southeastern corner of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, a few blocks away from the Pratt Institute. More and more interesting businesses are coming to the area, and it's only a short walk to Fort Greene.

This place has been gut renovated. We liked that this means we don't need to endure renovations right way and don't need to replace basic things like heat, electric, and plumbing. The downside is the finish choices are certainly not ones we would have made. Ultimately we would like to redo the floors, the kitchen, and the bath to better suit our tastes.

Living room on the parlor floor: we will replace the floors with something more historic and panel over the exposed brick.

Kitchen on the garden level: we would like to make it look less modern. We will likely replace the lighting, change the cabinet ardware and replace the countertop and backsplash.

Our Trip to the Pacific Northwest

2010-08-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Victoria, Olympic National Park, San Juan Island) was the perfect escape from my work life of long days at the office, being tied to a blackberry, airports, etc.

A General Love of Table Settings

2010-08-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have always always loved theme parties. The mother of a friend with whom I grew up used to have fun theme parties a lot and had an amzing party closet of different plastic cups, napkins, paper plates; it was a dark samll 1980's version of a Caspari store, and I could spend hours in there. My friend and I would dress up and help out at parties; once we wore Mexican skirts and peasant tops as 8-year-old bar maids (seemed like a good idea at the time).

My grown up version of this (after planning my wedding) is holiday entertaining and dinner parties. My husband loves to cook and came into the marriage with a set of Tiffany's Audubon china he had collected over years, an original chinoiserie design. We've since added the silver. For our wedding we recieved for Philippe DeShoulieres Laurel Gold. I had also registered for salad plates in Bernardaud Constance for fall, but we didn't receive any. I love the acorns, and it mixes nicely with the Laurel Gold, which also mixes nicely with the Audubon. Well now, it's carried at Williams-Sonoma Home and I can use my AmEx points to start the collection. I really need a butler's pantry/ party closet soon.

Tiffany Audubon

Bernardaud Constance

Source: Williams-Sonoma Home

Philippe Deshoulieres Laurel

(platinum shown, but I have gold, looks way better in person)

Let's Talk Kitchens

2010-08-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Aside from the location of the brownstone shown in previous posts, I struggle the most with how the floor plan will work for us. It's fairly perfect as is for a huge one-family house: it's about 4000 square feet with a traditional brownstone layout of kitchen in the rear of the ground floor (garden level), another room in the front of the garden level which could be used for a casual dining/ family space, then on the parlor floor two huge rooms with high ceilings which could be more formal living and dining rooms. The two upper floors have two big bedrooms and a mini alcove room each.

The challenge is where to put the kitchen when we redo it. If we keep the place as a single family, then it's current location is fine (other than being a floor below the dining room--how cool would a dumbwaiter be?). If we want a two-family, we would like rent out the garden level and therefore don't want to invest in a fancy kitchen there. Decisions, decisions...

So let's pretend for now that it will stay in its current location. You can see below why we need to redo it:

Ick!

Here are some favorite inspirational shots.

Source: French Essence

Source: unknown

Source: Casa Cara

Source: Katy Elliot

Source: Unknown

Source: Elle Decor

Source: Unknown

Source: Margaret Austin

Source: Martha Stewart?

The House Hunt will recommence after vacay

2010-08-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

We had made an offer on the house in my last post but it was declined. We think their ask is high given the amount of work that needs to be done (water damage repair on the ground floor and probably upgrades to the electricity, plus all new kitchen and baths). It's still on the market, so we may explore it again when we get back from our trips to the Pacific Northwest and Maine in a few weeks. I really love the house, but we would be locking ourselves into private schools for the future little house nuts (will be true almost anywhere is Brooklyn where we can afford to buy a brownstone rather than a condo or co-op) and there is public housing across the street, (although it seemed fine the few days I was there).

I was thinking this morning about wanting a new duvet cover for our bedroom. I happened to be browsing One Kings Lane and found 6 yards of Chelsea Textiles William Moris Vine fabric, which I have been lusting after for at least 8 years, after seeing a photo in a shelter mag. I could never figure out how to source it since Chelsea Textiles seems to sell only to the trade. I couldn't believe my luck!

I've also been eyeing an empire dresser to replace the hub's Crate and Barrel one. I love this one!

Here are some pics of one of the bedrooms in this house, which we may use for a master. Maybe a slate blue color with white or slightly off white trim would offset the duvet and warm wood?

Recovering after the Break-up

2010-05-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted. We were recovering from our break-up with the house shown in prior posts. As we got to the final contract phase, we found out that not all of the ten sellers were represented on the contract and the sellers had been pretty shady throughout the process, so we pulled out. We grieved for a few weeks, but yesterday I went out in search of a new love...and I found it! It's in a different neighborhood, Clinton Hill. It probably needs a good bit of work: all the electric, heating, and plumbing updated, new kitchen and baths, floors and woodwork stripped, new windows. But can you imagine this place when that's done?!?

Third Floor Bathroom Reconsidered

2010-04-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

In the process of developing more detailed specifications to get quotes from contractors for the work, Mr. Old House Nut and I have reconsidered some selections. I love the look of Kohler Memoirs toilet and pedestal sink shown in my earlier post, but I kept reading reviews of the toilets clogging regulary. That is a tradeoff I am not willing to make. After reading Consumer Reports, we are leaning toward the Kohler K-3609-0 Cimarron Comfort Height elongated 1.28 gpf toilet, shown below. It's super low flow and quiet, but supposedly does a great job. It's too bad it's so boring and rounded everywhere.

Given this toilet, we needed to change our pedestal sink selection. I prefer a rectilinear look overall but wanted to find some round edges to tie in with the toilet. This one is St. Thomas Creations Richmond Pedestal Sink.

Of all the reproduction "vintage" faucets, this one most closely resembled the faucets I have seen in older homes. It is Strom Plumbing Mississippi widespread lavatory faucet.

We still want white marble hexes with warm grey grout on the floor (this photo is from Apartment Therapy).

The idea is to keep the fixed elements fairly basic and vintage, and have more fun with color and pattern with wallpaper and the shower curtain, as Kate Spade has done in her bathroom below (photo from Apartment Therapy).

Garden Inspiration

2010-04-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

We probably won't move into the house for several months, but dreaming about the garden helps make all the bureaucratic stuff worthwhile. The garden is south-facing so we have lots of options for planting. It looks a bit dreary in these photos because it was mid-March and had just poured. It's not in the best shape, but I think it has a lot of potential.

It's currently laid out with a small bluestone and concrete patio off the kitchen and mudroom, then edge borders and a central raised rectangle of lawn, separated by perimeter bluestone paths. Its seems like a lot of unnecessary path to me. I might prefer a larger patio for entertaining close to the house, remove some of the perimeter paths, and keep a lawn with some planted areas, including a raised garden for veggies and herbs.

We also need to replace the hideous chain link fence, perhaps with something like this from Walpole Woodworkers. I would probably stain it dark grey/ green. It may be a little boring to line the entire garden with this, so I need to think about how to break it up, or treat the rear wall differently than the side walls.

Martha Stewart Living

I don't know how I might incorporate this, but I like it. (Home and Garden)

Love the pavers. (Miki Duisterhof)

I would love to have a sheltered area at the back of the garden.

Attorney Working on the Contract; Received Advice from an Architect

2010-04-13T05:05:00.000-07:00

Things are moving along...Our real estate attorney is crafting a rider to the purchase contract to protect us from the various legal issues related to buying a single-room-occupancy building (SRO) with an existing tenant (to be vacated) in an estate sale. I have begun to really value professional services in a way I have not before, even as a professional service provider! I also am really happy to have Mr. Old House Nut, soon-to-be attorney, to read through the contracts will his legal-eagle eyes.

I spoke with an architect in Brooklyn today who focuses on restoring historic houses. He suggested we don't need architectural drawings to get DOB permits and advised that we use a DOB consultant/ expeditor to file the permit applications. He suggested several firms which also have professional engineers on staff who can help calculate heat loss to size radiators.

Planning our Third Floor Bathroom

2010-04-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

The current owner of the property began construction on a third floor bath over 15 years ago but never completed it due to objections from his tenant. Our FHA 203K loan requires that we complete it as part of our first phase of renovation on the house. Right now, all the plumbing is roughed in, and drywall was put up, but I understand it's the wrong kind of drywall for a wet setting, so it will need to be replaced. The vanity and toilet will go on the right wall in this photo. The tub is really gross, but we will try to save it be cleaning it, unless it's fiberglass or something not worth saving.

The photo below shows the opposite wall from the tub which is the future site of a linen closet.

The third floor will ultimately be the children's floor, so this bathroom will be used by future little house nuts. I am envisioning a period bathroom with most of the permanent fixtures (floor, vanity, etc.) in neutrals with a fun print on the walls or the shower curtain.

Love the wallpaper, the wood mirror, table, and flooring, plus the sconces...(unfortunately I don't recall where I pulled this image from)

Love the print wallpaper and grey base of the clawfoot tub in

Amanda Peet's bathroom as shown in Domino magazine. I plan to use subway tile in the tub surround, carrera tub deck and vinty surface, and carrera hex tiles on the floor. Is this too much carrera?

I like the vessel vanity made from a wood table and the sconces here. The wood table next to water is probably a bad idea in a kids' bathroom.

(Don't recall the source - I will get better at this!)

The window treatment and shower curtain are my favorite part of this bathroom from Coastal Living magazine. It could be fun to have a shower curtain of Liberty of London fabric (photo below courtesy of Design * Sponge)

To help budget, I have been looking at fixtures. This one is Price Pfister.

This is Jado Century Cross, as is below (photo taken in Gracious Home). Unfortunately I couldn't find a better photo online.

Initially I was planning on a built-in vanity with drawers for bath toys, but a pedestal sink seems an easier and more economical route. Thankfully the house has plenty of storage, including space for a linen closet in this bathroom.

Pedestal sink and toilet below are Kohler Memoirs.

A nice price on Carrera marble hexes at Amazon

Our Offer was Accepted!

2010-04-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

Now comes joy, fear, achitects, and contractors.

First up on the list, we are meeting next week with at least one architect, Johann Grobler, to get an assessment of what we need to do with our beam and joist issue in the cellar, help us determine what will be required to get New York Department of Building (DOB) permits, and lastly help manage the contractors.

The top horizontal piece which appears to be resting on the foundation (seems like a sill to me, but the inspector said it was a joist) has some rot and likely need to be replaced. The beam underneath it which connects directly with the foundation has power post beetle damage and is popping out of the foundation wall. The previous owners added in several layers of lumbers posts as a stop-gap measure, apparently some time ago.

We are keeping our fingers crossed this won't cost a lot of money!

We will need to replace the heating system as well. Currently there is an old beast of an oil boiler with forced hot air. We are considering a gas hot water boiler with hot water radiatiors. We hope to take advantage of the federal tax credits.

We're a Little Closer

2010-04-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Just spoke with the real estate agent--we're at our absolute max on the offer but only about $15K apart from the seller. So our hope survives.

In the mean time, I've been looking at other properties to prepare myself to let go of this one, but also allowing myself to window shop for new lighting fixtures (since the old ones will not work once the house is rewired). My challenge is choosing fixtures that reflect the period of the house without being too museum-like. I'm not a big fan of overheads, unless they are great chandeliers, and I love wall sconces. Therefore my first focus was lighting for the hallways on the two bedroom floors. This is the lower of the two bedroom floors, immediately above the parlor floor. Note the current lighting.

The floor above this has a skylight, but would require lighting at night. I think the same set of sconces would be great for both, on a dimmer. Here are some options from one of my favorite lighting sources, Circa Lighting:

We Met One We Liked

2010-04-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

The mister and I are looking for a nest. We've been living in Manhattan for five years in a 650 sq. ft. rental apartment, which has its pluses and minuses. Pluses: great neighborhood location, near Central Park, on the parlor floor of a brownstone, high ceilings, wood paneling, garden views, nice large great room, storage loft, and 4 small closets. Minuses: did I mention 650 sq. ft? This includes an 8x8 bedroom in which we can barely fit a queen size bed, a death chamber of a bathroom complete with mustard yellow tile on every surface and faux marble vanity, and a teeny kitchen. All in all, it's been a good home, but I am ready to move on. We want more space to spread out, enjoy our hobbies of cooking, entertaining, and gardening, and start our family.

We are looking for a new 'hood and are exploring Brooklyn. Along comes this place...

Sigh. We submitted an offer, obtained financing (which was quite tricky since it has a legal classification with the NY DOB as a single-room-occupancy, kind of like a boarding house), and had an inspection last week. The list of things to repair is painfully long: rewiring, plumbing, plaster repair from an old roof leak, brownstone repair, brick facade repointing, skylight replacement, stair bannister repair, kitchens, baths. It will be a big project. We're up for it, if only we can get the sellers down on the price a bit further.