Gresham Butte Rummer Fun!

Rummer Plaque

2011-05-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

Spent a wonderful day out in Oak Hills at the Rummer Tour sponsored by the Historic Preservation League of Oregon. Walked through some amazing homes; attended a MCM architecture presentation and Q & A featuring Robert Rummer himself; popped over to the open house hosted by the fine folks at the Rummer Network; then finished off the day with a fantastic steak dinner at Poor Richards. Simply perfect day!

Now, for the super exciting news!... These really cool Rummer plaques (designed by Bob and Phyllis Rummer and friends) are now available for Rummer homeowners to purchase and proudly display in their entryways.

If that isn't cool enough... each plaque is customized with the year-built for each home and automatically enters that house on the official registry of Historic Rummer Homes. It's about time! What a great way to honor the design and historical impact Rummer Homes have had on the Mid-Century Modern architectural movement in the Pacific Northwest.

So if you own a Rummer... get your plaque today!

http://site.rummernetwork.com/Rummer_Plaque.html

The tour was great fun and deserves its own post. We will post our highlights and a bunch of pictures soon.

The Cave

2011-05-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am posting my room of shame... MY office! That's right, and I'm sure many of you can relate to the chaos associated with your home office. It is the center of all computer activity for the entire family. It is the scheduling center, catch all/storage room... and "if you don't know where it goes, just put it in the office" room. Now, to compound my shame, my office is not a room with a door that can be shut to hide all offensiveness from visiting company. No! It is an open nook just off the kitchen and family room. Yes, it is visible. VERY VISIBLE.

Located right off the kitchen and family room.

Here is the embarrassing BEFORE picture. (It is even more embarrassing because it is actually the NOW picture, but I have plans for this to change very soon.)

The home office, aka "The Cave"

I really don't work like this. Really! It's usually not this bad, but with a massive garage clean up underway all "office" items were put in the office. Now... what to do with it all. Hmmm.

Problem #1: Limited Space

The usable area in the room (that is not used as a walk through to the garage or extra pantry storage) is approximately 5' x 5'. That's small, very small. So we have to be very efficient with the space. The needed elements are:

It really is a small space!

1. Functional desk area (this is essential for my work and to house the computer)

2. White board or other option for organizing schedules, calenders and important family business

3. Limited flat surfaces (we are terrible with clutter... need fewer spaces to just stack things)

4. Scanner/Printer station

5. Shelving... lots of storage for all the crafting and paper supplies

6. Charging station for iPods, phones and iPad

Problem #2: Storage

Even with my attempts to operate a paperless design business, I still have a lot of paper (hmmmm), books, markers, pens, straight edges, Xacto knives, swatch books, supplies and MORE PAPER. My need for good usable storage is great.

Problem # 3: Budget

Basically, I have no budget for this office redo. Maybe $500... that's a big maybe. So I have to be really creative and resourceful with the plans.

The Inspiration

I found this fabulous wall unit a while back when we were looking for a storage piece for the living room. It was a little too bold for our formal living room, but the wild colors, clean lines, and modular design are perfect for my office. I may work in a cave, but I refuse to live like a cubicle dweller. My creative juices would dry up instantly in a beige environment.

The Initial Design Plan

Besta individual cabinet units at IKEA are a great and inexpensive option. Mounting them on the wall in a staggered design will give the stock cabinets the custom look of a wall unit. I hope!

Overall storage design with colored doors.

Note: the cabinets will be installed on 2 walls (wall A and wall B) creating an L-shaped configuration. We will need to customize the stock IKEA cabinet doors with paint. That should prove interesting and I will devote an entire blog post to that adventure.

Inside of the planned storage.

Wall Treatment

I really want something different on the walls. Something that adds some texture as well as function. Here are a couple of the options still under consideration.

Pegboard

Galvanized metal sheeting

Pantry Wall:

The back wall will be serve as multi-purpose storage... brooms, kitchen pantry, misc. To keep this area versatile, we will install individual shelves and then build sliding closet doors (similar to our hall closet doors) to keep the walk way clear and conceal the clutter! (I know our storage habits... even with the best intentions, it will be cluttered. Best to plan now on how to hide it in the most attractive way.)

Now, I just need to get up enough courage go back into "the cave" and start. If you don't hear from me you know where to send the search party.

Tiki by BOSKO

2011-05-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Our atrium has a new addition. A big tiki... bigger than me. Here's how and why it came to live in our house.
NOTE: There are zillion links in this post! Some to past blog posts, some to other websites... if you're a link clicker, be prepared to spend a LOT of time surfing around. AND blogger is not being cooporative with the spacing at all, so this post looks all wonky! ...sorry...

If you've read through our blog, you know we're kind of into the whole tiki thing. In fact our visit to Tiki Oasis #8 was a great source of inspiration.

Our back yard has an amazing amount of potential. But we haven't really put any of our "big ideas" to work out there yet. About the only things we've done are cut back ridiculously prolific wisteria plants and ivy (the links to the pictures seem to be messed up. I'll try to fix it later. sorry!),

Covered a bunch of lattice with reed fencing,

Refinished the deck (part 1, part 2),

Cleaned up the waterfall and pond,

... and whipped the pool into shape with lots of cleaning and new tile (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7).

While that is kind of a lot, I consider most of that to be necessity and not just aesthetic (yes, even the lattice!).

Our ultimate plans are still in flux, but generally we want the immediate pool area to have a modern Palm Springs style look, the fire pit area will be rebuilt to be a raised bar/table/fire pit with covered area and chimney, the west side of the yard will be home to a small vegetable garden, barbecue area and parking area for our 1956 Airstream Safari. That leaves the east side of the house which currently consists of a side entrance to the yard from the street, a couple of planters, a side door to the master bath, a path to the pool house and slide, and finally... where the topic of this post will live someday... the pump house and small pond with waterfall.

This area will become our tiki/tropical paradise. We envision lush foliage (bamboo, palm trees, tropical plants), tiki torches, Martin Denny or jungle drums playing through some hidden speakers, and a nice quiet spot to sit and sip a beverage through my favorite Don The Beachcomber tiki mug. We are a loooooong way away from that, but there's no time like the present to start accumulating needed materials. First on the list: a big tiki!

While in San Diego for Tiki Oasis 10, I was fortunate enough to meet tiki carver/artist extraordinaire BOSKO. I've been a fan of his work ever since Haley and I happened upon the now closed Taboo Cove at the Venetian in Las Vegas way back in '05 or so. It was a beautiful place featuring paintings by Shag, framed exotica music record covers, lots of bamboo, and a number of decor pieces carved by BOSKO, including a large Maori tiki at the entrance (now presiding at the entrance to Don the Beachcomber in Long Beach, CA). BOSKO had a booth in the vender area and we wound up talking tiki (surprise!).
Turns out, he had a 75" x 19" dia Cedar Marquesan Head Hunter in his studio that was too heavy to ship via UPS.

Haley handled the negotiations and next thing we knew, it was the next morning and we had a 175-pound tiki in the back of the truck. (Note the turquoise patio furniture... that is a Fibrellia lounger and table/chair set... stay tuned...)

I think it will eventually wind up between the waterfall and the soon-to-be-tikified pump house (which will require sealing the ends and applying a few coats of varnish to the cedar). But for now, he looks great resting quietly in the atrium by the front door.

Side note: Here's a great old pic a friend sent to me of a cool tiki in a Rummer atrium way back in 1966. Same as it ever was. ;-)

Aluminum Christmas!

2010-12-19T01:20:00.000-08:00

Mid-Mod Dot Rug

2010-10-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

With the fall weather sneaking in on us and the over abundance of spider webs springing up over night in the the yard, I've turned my attention back inside. The family room has patiently been waiting for us to complete the projects we started back during the kitchen remodel. (sigh) Just wondering why somethings take so long to complete and once you have them done the list of to-dos doesn't seem to get any smaller? This is the life of a DIY-er.

Family room BEFORE.

A year or so ago I found some round rugs at Ikea... ORANGE round rugs! I should have bought them then, but no, I waited. Sure enough the orange rugs at Ikea sold out and were not restocked!

Flash forward one year: Orange round rugs must be a seasonal fall item because they are back in the store! Last Monday night we bought 12 for the family room floor with the idea to place them in a 3 x 4 pattern to create a mod-dot area rug. (Approx. 7' x 10')

Since they are going directly over VCT flooring I was concerned that they would slip around on the waxed floor. Fortunately we found some none skid mesh that keeps the rugs from moving. And, oh my, they work great. Those circles aren't going anywhere... I really tried to get them to move once they were down. Even took a running start to see if I could skid across the floor. Nope!

Up next in the family room:

1. Finish trim

2. Install ball lights

3. Install sound system

4. Recover sofa sectional

5. White laminate side tables and coffee

6. Buy plant for corner by TV.

It's time to install an exhaust fan!

2010-10-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

I can't remember what I was cooking (burning), but we unhooked the smoke alarm and hid it under some pillows in the living room... and it still went off! I have the faint memory that the house smelled like bacon for several days. That's right, bacon! :)

Still busy... I swear!

2010-06-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

I know it's been quite a while since we added anything here, but don't be fooled... we have been busy.

We've decided to tackle the back yard, and there's a lot to do. We'll post drawings and other info as we get it, but for right now... I got the barbecue cleaned up and we'll be smoking up some spare ribs on Sunday. :)

ALSO on Saturday June 19th, Haley and I have been asked to give a presentation on local organizations & resources at an event put on by the Architectural Heritage Center in Portland called "Mid-Century Modern and the Recent Past: Documentation and Preservation."

We were also asked to participate in a panel discussion. It's an all-day event and we're really looking forward to it. Here's a link and the low-down.

Rejuvenation is sponsoring “Mid-Century Modern and the Recent Past: Documentation and Preservation” at the Architectural Heritage Center on June 19th, 2010. The Architectural Heritage Center is a non-profit resource center for historic preservation.

Event Summary
What: Mid-Century Modern and the Recent Past: Documentation and Preservation
When: Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Where: Architectural Heritage Center 701 SE Grand Ave. Portland, Oregon

Cost: $20 (Includes lunch)

More Information: Visit the AHC website or call (503)231-7264

Closet Doors

2010-03-31T16:05:00.000-07:00

The first week after we bought the house we ripped out the gold-mirrored, floor to ceiling closet doors in the hallway and promptly threw them in the dumpster! Whew.... But wait. We had nothing to replace the doors with. Consequently, we have been staring at our junk pile in the closet for nearly 3 years. Now, it wouldn't be so tragic except for the fact that the hall closet is prominently positioned in the front hall right behind the glass wall where our tiki fountain focal point sits in the atrium. Doh!
I started my search for door options. Flush panel, floor to ceiling doors were the easiest and most affordable option, but they seem too heavy and dark for the small, dark area at the end of the hall. Hmmmm. Then I found this photo of a shoji screen door design and knew that was an excellent option. Now, where do I get them?

We really like the natural look of the panels in this photo, but most shoji screen closet doors I found have glass panels. Time to get creative!

Several years ago I was given a roll of grass cloth wall paper. (Thanks, Ty!) At the time I didn't know what I would use it for... I just knew that I loved the look and would find a way to use it in the house. Grass cloth paneled doors are just the thing I need for the closet! We contacted our favorite door supplier to see if we could get the doors made without the panels. Then we could make and insert our own panels covered in grass cloth wall paper! Easy.

Apparently, I am developing this nasty habit of asking for things that are nearly impossible to create. And if it can be built, it will cost a fortune! Once my eyes stopped burning from viewing the door frame bids (seriously, ranging from $1400 to $2200 for ONE SET of 60" x 92" closet doors... just the frames...OUCH!) I started drawing up plans. Steve has tools and skills. I knew he could make these frames.

Here's the plan:

Supply List:
6) 3" x 8' Hemlock boards
2) 28" x 88" Masonite boards
2) cans of spray adhesive
1) roll of grass cloth wall paper
1) standard closet hardware kit
1-1/2 inch brads
1/2 inch staples
primer paint
oxford brown paint
utility knife

Simple frame construction. These are fairly light weight so they didn't need to be over-engineered. Steve just toenailed the pieces together with 1-1/2 inch brads.

Primer coat on.

Final coat of Oxford Brown. (2 coats)
Preparing to spray the Masonite and grass cloth with adhesive. (Hint: I had Lowe's cut the Masonite to the exact size I needed. They offer this service at no extra charge and there's no need to get out the jigsaw or table saw at home. Yay!)

Trimming the panels. We cut the wall paper a bit bigger than the Masonite so we could get a perfect edge for trimming.

The grass cloth panel looks amazing!

Attaching the panels to the door frames. 1/2 inch staples did the trick just fine.

Installing the the closet door hardware. This is just basic, bedroom style sliding closet door hardware. We didn't show the metal track we attached to the ceiling, but trust me... it was super easy to hang.

The finished doors in place. I've gotta admit that it's much better than looking at all our junk in the closet... and it's far better than the gold and glass doors that were there when we moved in! We still have to put up a piece of trim to cover the metal track that the doors are hanging from, but that project can wait for another day.

Total cost: $75
Time: About 3 hours labor; 4 hours of paint drying

Yeah, I'm pretty impressed with this one. I never thought we'd be making closet doors, but I never thought we'd be renovating a house from top to bottom either!

Pulling It All Together

2010-03-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

Haley loaded up all these pictures. I think they rock... it always surprises me how well our home photographs. Anywho, I'm not sure what to say about these except, enjoy the eye-candy!

Dining Chairs

2010-03-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

Well, the Portland Mid-Century Modern League is having the monthly meeting at our house. While it's kinda daunting to be faced with a deadline where tens of critical eyed MCM savvy folks will be moseying around our place, it's sure lit a fire under our collective cabooses.

During the last three weeks we've made a list, divided it into three categories:

1- Would be nice to have finished

2- Really should have this finished

3- Absolutely MUST be finished

One thing in category #3 was refresh the finish on and recover the seats on the dining room chairs.

We like the chairs. They're Heywood Wakefield and they match the table and hutch. But what's the deal with those covers? Ack!

Luckily, this seems to be a fairly straightforward project and between Haley, DD and me, we managed to get the chairs looking presentable in one evenings time. If you're in a similar situation, buck up... it's easy.

Step #1, remove the seat bottoms. (Ours required the removal of three screws per chair.)

Step #2, cut the new fabric to approximate size. You can trim things after the stapling. The padding was still pretty good, so we didn't take off the old fabric.

This is a perfect time to break out the #0000 steel wool, Murphy's Oil Soap and a little Restore-A-Finish for the scratches.

DD folded the new fabric around the edges, stretched things out fairly tight and went to town with the stapler. (Because I'm a tool junkie, we have an air stapler/brad nailer. A regular hand powered stapler will do just fine, but doesn't make that cool "Pa-choonck!" noise.)

I screwed the seats back onto the chairs and.....

...Ta-Da! They turned out quite nice! A quick, immensely satisfying job!

Now... what's next on the list....

Wall Unit Project

2010-03-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

4 or 5 months ago, I found a Craigslist ad for a Danish Wall Unit. Their price was very reasonable, but it was in Battleground, WA. Now, I'm not really from Oregon and unless we're talking Tri-Cities or Seattle I kind of think everything else in Washington is just on the other side of the Columbia. I now know that Battleground isn't really close to Gresham.

I contacted the sellers, arranged a time to come look at the wall unit and hit the road after work. I guess it really wasn't THAT far, but the hour drive on a dark rainy night took me by surprise.

When we finally found the place, the wall unit was in pieces, stacked up in a back bedroom in a doublewide and I was ready to leave. BUT upon closer inspection, the pieces were very nice, the hanging mechanism was ingenious, and the sellers dropped the price $300 before I even started any haggling. Soon we had the whole thing packed into the back of the truck and were heading home.

The kitchen remodel was job #1, so we stored the wall unit until last weekend when Haley said, "Hey, let's set up that wall unit today." There are LOTS of pieces. You must make sure things are level AND make sure the shelf hanger holes line up perfectly. It was kind of intimidating.

Here's what we did first:

We cleared out the room and did a sort of test run on the floor. We looked at a few design arrangements on the Flickr Mid-Century Danish Wall units and storage Group to get some configuration ideas and decided this would work best for our needs (stereo, record storage, bookshelf, tiki mugs...).

I thought that hanging the vertical wall supports was going to be really difficult, but it turned out to be pretty easy. Just used a level and 2" long screws. Since the wall is T-111 siding, we didn't have to mess with stud finders or sheetrock anchors.

The unit came with four long supports, two shorter ones and one corner support. We didn't use one of the shorter supports or the corner support. There are three corner shelves and one good size corner desk, but maybe we'll use those in one of the kids rooms someday. This will work just find for us... for now.

We had to reposition things a few times, but overall, everything fits, looks good and we like it. The Eames chair we picked up in Long Beach CA looks great at the desk.

I really like the book/magazine display shelf. Note the Atomic Ranch Magazine and the Julius Shulman book. Both are packed with great eye-candy.

Here it is all set up and ready for books, records, tiki mugs, stereo receiver, speakers....

NOTE: The doors on the upper cabinet are glass. We don't really care for them, so I cut out a couple of pressboard panels, Haley covered them with grass cloth and now they look like they belong. I still need to come up with some way to hide all those electric/speaker wires!

I Hate It When this Happens!

2010-03-09T11:13:00.001-08:00

So here's the deal; a year or two ago we picked up this Burke table & chair set at Hawthorne Vintage. The table has a tulip base and the four arm chairs have propeller bases. The cushions are original, but when you turn them over....

...you can see that the original color was orange. We've decided that we like the orange better so why not do what they did and respray them orange. Simple, right?
So with a can of Krylon orange spray paint for plastic in hand, I carefully applied a coat of paint.

I think they turned out pretty dang good. The color's almost an exact match of the original. I managed to avoid any drips or paint puddles. All that was left to do was let them dry overnight and as the Fonz would say, "Sit on it, Potsie."
Ahhhh..... we like this more than the blue.

Now here's where the "I hate it when this happens" thing comes into play. The paint just will not dry. It's tacky. It's been three days now and it's still tacky (tacky as in "Wow, that's sticky!" Not tacky as in "Ewww... that's tacky!"). See... a piece of newspaper stuck to it. YUCK!

Was it too cold? Maybe, but it was over 60º in the house. Was there an issue using plastic paint over the existing paint? Maybe, but I don't know about such things. I know it's not too thick as I was planning a second coat. I'm at a loss.

All I know is now I have to spend a few hours with the cushions and a can of paint thinner and a few hundred paper towels and take off the orange and hope they still look decent.

I hate it when this happens. :-(

Globe Lights 101

2010-01-30T23:07:00.001-08:00

First of all let me say that I am NOT an expert on mid-century modern lighting. I'm just a frustrated homeowner that's trying to renovate/restore his home without breaking the budget on every project.

With that disclaimer in mind, let's talk Globe Lights. If you're a fan of mid-century modern design, you're probably a fan of globe lights. They were a popular option with many many architects and home builders, probably most famously with J. Eichler and the 1,000+ homes he built in California. Mr. Rummer stayed true to this design and used globe lights in most of his 400+ Eichler-styled Rummers in the greater Portland area. Our home had them originally, but a previous owner grew tired of them and tossed them in the rubbish bin.

As close as I can tell, most globe lights original to Rummers were 10" diameter globes with low profile dome shaped bases (or canopies... the part that mounts to the ceiling and covers up the wires) with either a heavy-duty cord or pipe connecting to the glass globe. Most were painted white, but some were black.

NOTE: I could be wrong about the diameter... I've seen some that are 8" and other that are 12" or even 16"... but proportionally, I've been happy with the 10" globes in our house.

Although they are not in-stock at Home Depot or Lowe's, for those of us looking for replacements, we have options. Some expensive, some cheap... but they are out there. Here are a few options I've found.

Rejuventation Sfera
These are relatively new to the Rejuvenation line. They currently offer 8" and 16" versions of the classic globe light. They look great, are available in white or brushed aluminum. All the products made at Rejuvenation are top notch quality, but we needed about nine for our house and at $140 each $1,260 seemed kinda high. And we wanted to go with 10-inchers anyway.

SeaGull Lighting

They have 8", 10", 12" and 14" options... but their descriptions aren't the best, I don't know about their quality or what the canopies look like and their 10" ones are of the cord-hung variety. And it looks like they only come in white. Their 10-inchers are $88 each... $792 for nine.

Ikea FADO

They have 16" globes hanging on cord, and some 10" globes that look pretty good... except their canopies look like upside down tea cups, they hang down too far, and every Ikea light fixture I've tried to install is weird.

Craigslist/antique stores

If you only need one or two globe lights, or aren't worried about how well they match (or don't match), this might be your best bet. Many are of the "Hung by cord woven through chain" variety, so you would need to be able to do a little rewiring. But who konws... maybe you'll get lucky and find someone like the previous owner of our home that's looking to rid his Rummer of 9-10 mint condition globe lights. Hey... it could happen.

Ebay/Eichler Forums

Much like Craigslist, it's luck of the draw here. Happy hunting!

Here's what we did

Ikea is close by, affordable, and it was no problem finding 9 that would match. So that's what we did. BUT in my view, there are problems with the Ikea Fado globe lights. Haley and I try to be problem solvers, so here's what we did to alter them so they looked closer to the originals.

1- Take 'em apart.
NOTE: There's a sliding stopper thingie with a tightening screw that's attached to the stock teacup-ish canopy. You'll need to detach it in order to use it with the new configuration. I used channel lock pliers and my awesome, herculean strength to tear it away. (It was really pretty easy. Here's a pic.)

2- Cut 3-inches off the pipe with a pipe cutter (brilliant name, huh?).

3- Buy new canopies. This can be tricky. I wound up going to the lighting department at Hippo Hardware in Portland, rummaging through a few boxes of old light fixture parts and found three that were exact matches, and two more that were close.

4- Mask off and paint everything. As I said earlier, many were white, some were black. We decided we liked black more.

5- Put everything together, connect the wires and the first thing y'know old Jed's a millionaire! (Beverly Hillbillies reference for our non-American-pop-culture educated friends.)

Let there be light!

2010-01-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

One of the major complaints about the old kitchen was the lighting... or more to the point, lack of it. There were four 80s style "modern" fluorescent lights that worked okay, but it always seemed like we were working in shadows. We designed in a few different lighting solutions into the new kitchen let's take a look... shall we?

Globe Lights
These iconic light fixtures are a must have for any Rummer. They were in virtually every Eichler, and Mr. Rummer knew they were crucial to the nearly identical styling of his modern homes. The previous owner of our home threw away all the original globes and replaced them with ordinary fixtures (?!!!). She told us people were always bumping into them and that they didn't put out very much light. The kitchen had four, the family room had two. We've already replaced one in the loggia and two in the hallway. So far no one has bumped their heads. (Except for all our friends who are 7 feet tall.)

In order to have the kitchen globe lights centered between the beams, we had to move two existing wiring boxes (and figure out a way to cover up the holes they left behind), and add one in front of the fridge & ovens.

Our daughter came up with the brilliant solution of just using a smoke detector to cover one of the holes, and a carbon monoxide detector to cover the other one. Brilliant, simple and we needed them anyway.

I'm in the process of writing up a post about tweaking Ikea Fado globe lights so they look more like the originals. Stay tuned...

Cabinet Up Lights

Since the area above the wall cabinets is kind of encased between a couple of beams, it always looks kinda dark up there. So we wired in some fluorescent lights and wow... what a nice dramatic lighting effect. It's kind of an ambient look that is great in the evening. (Don't be fooled by what looks like white hot magma on top of the cabinets in this pic... the camera setting was wonky. It's really quite soothing.)
Notice you really don't see anything weird about the beam at the left in the two above pics, as opposed to the lights on the beam in the pics below. Keep reading to see what's up with that.

Task Lighting
These were really needed! I wish we would have thought ahead a little more and accomidated the light fixtures in the hanging cabinets so they would appear more recessed, but they work well, they look fine, and they make it a LOT easier to see what’s happening on the countertop.

NOTE: These seem to generate quite a bit of heat, so much so that the cabinets get fairly warm on the inside. We may be switching out the bulbs for something cooler. Maybe LED?

Spots in the Faux Beam
Haley is the genius mastermind behind these lights. Aesthetically we knew we needed to put a beam over the cooktop, but after talking with our construction guy, there wasn’t anything structural needed, so a false beam would suffice. We figured the area over the cooktop would need some extra lighting and neither one of us is crazy about track lighting (usually looks like an afterthought). Why not recess a few can-lights into the false beam?
It seemed like a simple idea, but it took a little extra encouragement and problem solving with our electrician and construction guy to make it happen. Just look at how much light they throw out. These lights are in my top 5 things I like about the new kitchen. I married a genius.

Here are a couple of our favorite shots.

NEXT UP...
Countertops. The countertops you see in these pics are temporary; sheets of melamine. We are hoping to get solid surface counters. Probably white. Hopefully much less expensive than what we've been seeing lately.
Backsplash. It desperately needs color under the hanging cabinets. We're thinking of a mosaic made from 2-inch square tiles, mostly white with random turquoise, grey & brown accents.

Cabinets go in!

2009-12-17T09:05:00.001-08:00

It's been a looong time coming, but the new kitchen is really starting to take shape. When we first walked through the house a little less than three years ago, we could see the potential of the other living spaces, but the kitchen was crying out for help. It had been remodeled back in the 80s with oiled oak cabinets and Italian tile. Good quality stuff, but not the style we felt was appropriate to the design of the house or to our tastes.

We gave our drawings and a pic of the Case Study #22 kitchen to our cabinet guy, wrote him a check and hoped he would do a good job. Haley was having nightmares of Swiss Chalet, rustic cabinets with wood burned accents.

This was to be our first peek at what he came up with. Was it close? Did he really "get" what we wanted? Would the release of nervous endorphins be too much for our systems? Would I have to take Haley to Urgent Care because she was so excited she was visibly vibrating. Now was the time to find out!

The first piece in place... hmmmm... I think I like it, I like the legs and the aluminum band across the bottom.
Sliding frosted glass doors on the upper cabinets.
Ahhh... this is the base cabinet that will hold the vintage Thermador cooktop. Note the aluminum trim piece sticking out. That will overlap the cabinet that will extend the cooktop counter and hold the under-counter microwave.
Haley was so very excited... we had to get out of there. So we went out to breakfast and to the store to pick up some orange plastic spray paint for the pads on our Burke chairs (they were originally orange, but had been sprayed light blue. We would like them to be orange again). It was a good diversion.

This is what we saw when we came back 2 hours later.

The floor slants, the walls are a little bit wavey, and the beams aren't exactly the same so there was a fair amount of noodling needed to get things level and fitting properly. The height adjustable legs helped make things easier. These guys really know their stuff and were totally up to the challenge.

This was our first view of how it was all going to fit together. Those upper cabinets really set things off... as do the legs.
(note: they originally made the back of the cooktop/spicerack cabinet go all the way to the floor. We wanted everything up for a more cohesive look and allow light from one room to spill into the other, so they removed the spice rack, took it back to the shop to cut and trim it down.)
The sliders of the spice rack are paint grade plywood that Haley and I will paint to match our drawing at the top of this post.
All cleaned up with temporary melamine countertops tacked in place. They will work until we decide on the right solid surface counters (right= affordable and good looking).
The sink will go where the blue paper towels are, and the hole on the left will be filled with the under-counter microwave.
This is my favorite view. Those holes will be covered by the backing that is attached to the spice rack, which was removed to trim 8" or so off the bottom. The wood sliders under the glass uppers will be painted to match the drawing at the top of this post.
Next, install the fridge, dishwasher, sink, disposer, twin ovens, cooktop and microwave.
Phase 2 will include permanent countertops and the under-counter food processing center thingie.

Patching the Tongue and Groove Ceiling

2009-12-15T13:25:00.001-08:00

This is one project that hopefully no one will ever notice.
If you're a regular reader of this little blog, you may remember reading something recently about how after we moved a beam, a section of the ceiling needed attention. (Here's a refresher.) The 2X6 tongue and groove ceiling is solid, but there's this issue of a 3"X3' galvanized metal strip held in place with a bunch of screws.

The solution? Re-skin that section. It will be 1/2" lower than the rest of the house, but since that particular section will have floor-to-ceiling cabinets, I'm hoping it won't be noticable... IF the wood grain and cut are right and the stain color is a match.

Let's see how it worked out.
First of all, off to Home Depot for eleven 1"X6"X10' boards of similar grade as the existing ceiling (similar in grain pattern, number of knots and smoothness... I gotta say, the existing ceiling has some pretty rough cut areas and we weren't able to match that, but I think the boards we got were close.) Home Depot cut them all down to 5' lengths. The existing ceiling boards are 5" wide with a 45° angle cut on each edge. I pulled out my handy-dandy little table saw and went to work. First step, rip 'em all down from 5 3/4" wide to a true 5" wide.
(We were experiencing record low temperatures in the greater Portland area... 14° at night and 4-5 days of below freezing high temperatures. Brrrrr!) After all 22 boards were now 5" wide, it was time to cut a 45° bevel on each side.
I survived with all 10 fingers intact!

I also had to account for the metal strip we were trying to cover up in the first place. I took about 10 of the boards and notched in a 4" wide dado so the boards would sit flat on the ceiling.

Finding the right stain was crucial to making this work. Our ace cabinet genius told us that the Miller Paint store in Gresham had a guy that had years and years of experience. We took in a section we had already cut out for one of the new light fixtures, a sample of the wood we would be using and this is what they came up with.

Then we had to start with the staining. It was much too cold to stain outside and the garage is packed with family room and office furniture. So I spread out a bunch of newspaper and started wiping on the new stain. At first, we thought it looked too light, but it seemed to get darker as it dried and one coat seems to have done the trick. (That's a very good thing, because that stuff stinks!) If after living with it for a while we decide that it's too light, we can always apply a second coat of stain... maybe in the summertime when we can open the windows! Looks a little light here, but we decided to put them up anyway.
Our Haywood Wakefield chairs and a couple of old 2X4s make a reasonable drying rack.

Final step... install new boards. The two boards that we had to cut holes in for the light fixture box were kind of tricky, so that was a good place to start. A little work with the jig saw, then nail 'em up. I used 1-1/2" galvanized finishing nails in my little brad nailer.

The rest of the boards went up fairly quickly. We didn't have to go all the way out to the side walls because this section will have floor to ceiling cabinets.
Not bad... hopefully no one will know it's patched once the cabinets are in.

Floor Prep, VCT Installation and Polishing

2009-12-15T13:17:00.001-08:00

We had hoped that the floor would be fairly straightforward and simple. I suppose it was, but there were a few things that needed doing that we didn't know would need to be done.

Example: the two pictures below. It looks like John (our expert floor genius... he did the VCT in our loggia & hallway) is smearing a bunch of dirty cement on our crisp & clean plywood subfloor. Well he is because unlike the particleboard sheets he wanted us to use as a subfloor, plywood has grain issues and a few of the joints were either too wide or were splintering a bit.
(We elected to use 1-1/16" tongue & groove plywood instead of particleboard mostly because of structural issues... there was a large crawlspace access hole where the fridge needed to go and a mysterious crawlspace hole in the family room. Frame in a few supports, lay down the super heavy duty plywood and that's one sturdy floor!)

A little dry-time and sanding and the floor was ready for Armstrong VCT.

After the VCT was down... let's polish that stuff! We found a great floor guy (who also works the pro-desk at Home Depot) who does floors on the side. We had him strip & polish the new floor AND the now dirty loggia/hallway floors in hopes that the transition between the loggia and the kitchen would be as seamless as possible.

It reminded me of a pint-sized Zamboni. this machine did the finish stripping and I think layed down some of the wax... I hear it took 6 coats of high gloss wax!!!

And to bring out that shiny finish, here's a high-speed buffer taking care of business in the loggia near the atrium.

The gleaming finished floor. It almost looks wet!!! AND it's super slippery when wearing socks (which makes it perfect for moonwalk lessons).

Volvo-riffic!

2009-12-03T12:16:00.000-08:00

I definitely married into a Volvo family. Here's the proof... (and the XC90 and 544 stayed home on Thanksgiving day!)

Sheetrock finishing

2009-11-30T11:18:00.001-08:00

I was conflicted about taking on this remodel challenge.

On one hand, our contractor told us that unless we used the sub-contractor she sent out to give us an estimate (of $1,500... original guestimate was $700), the cabinets wouldn't hang right, we would be unhappy and have to tear it all out and start over, which would cost us even more money.

On the other hand it looked so simple, most of the sheetrock would wind up being obscured by cabinets, tile and/or appliances and I do have a little experience with sheetrock*. After giving all the walls a coat of primer, I'm confident the cabinets will hang just fine.

We painted the beams, too... first the white primer, then two coats of Rodda Oxford Brown.

Today, the finished flooring is being installed. I hear that we're going to need about 75 pounds of floating compound. I can't wait to see how it looks!

*Our first home was a 1912 bungalow. We had a baby on the way and since the upstairs wasn't insulated, I tore into the baby's room to insulate, weather-proof and update some of the electrical. It was a room with angled ceilings, a dormer, double-hung window and a pony wall. Nothing was even close to being square. I ended up having to use a lot of mud to fill in gaps, but when it was finished it looked great and our little baby girl had a nice, toasty space for her crib.

My so-called weekend.

2009-11-23T08:49:00.001-08:00

Haley got a bee in her bonnet about getting stuff done. And it's a good thing too, because we went almost a whole week without any progress at all. Anyway, after a few phone calls and a few trips to our local Big-Box Home Store I had a very busy weekend planned for me. Here are the highlights:

Saturday- Subfloor! We will be installing VCT just like this, so an absolutely smooth surface is required. Any teeny tiny imperfections will transfer through and since we have many imperfections, we went with 1 1/16" thick tongue & groove plywood. It's THICK and heavy, but the height should match up with the other finished floors, and with the number of ringed nails we used, I don't think that floor is going anywhere for a long long time. It feels SOLID!

As many of you who have stopped by may have noticed, our home is NOT level... the back left side of the house has sunk a few inches. It's not really noticeable with furniture in the room, but when it's empty you feel like you're here, or maybe here. Okay, it's not THAT bad (if it was, we could charge admission!) but having some really heavy, not so flexible subflooring will sort of help everything even out. At least that's my hope.

Our original flooring "guess-stimate" was $700. The first bid was for $7,500 with $4,500 of that going to subfloor installation! Huh?!! Another bid came in at a much more reasonable $1,500. Still eager to save, and considering I already have subfloor experience, we decided to hire a couple of very able handymen, I would chip in where needed and we would just get it done. We wound up spending a whopping total of 5 hours and $600 on the subfloor. I still have to float a few areas to close up a few gaps and level out a transition or two, but it will be ready for the final floor to be installed on Monday.

Sunday- Sheetrock! And plenty of it. We had a bid of $1,500 to put in the sheetrock. That's just kooky! I bought $100 worth of sheetrock, another $100 for tape, mud & screws and asked a couple of amigos to spend a Sunday getting it up on the walls. Between the three of us it's up, and it looks great. Out handyman pal came in on Monday to handle the mud & tape duties and voila!... we saved a cool thousand dollars.

It's a good thing we handled this ourselves, because when the time came to pull off the old water valves, we discovered they were very very corroded. The valves themselves were not too horrible, but the threaded metal thingies they were screwed on to were beyond saving. We had to heat the connection up, clamp on Vise-Grips and unscrew them by tapping with a hammer. The replacement ones I got are brass, so hopefully further corrosion won't be a problem.

We are still over budget and it looks as though a few things will have to sit on the "to be installed when funds allow" list: drawer microwave, in-counter food processing center, and ??

We haven't decided on countertops yet. Formica is cheap, Coran is possibly barely affordable, and quartz is too expensive. (We forgot to include that on our initial estimate list... along with a new sink and water fixture... oops.)

Next... finishing sheetrock & paint/primer.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It's all in the planning

2009-11-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Even though the studs are still bare, the sub-floor isn't down yet and the electrical is only roughed in, I think it's safe to say that we are on the home stretch. I also think it's okay to start a list of things we've learned along the way.

1- Be careful with your time and dollar estimates. Our mistake was that we sat down with our contractor and penciled in rough cost estimates ("Let's see... sheetrock should be about $700, flooring and subfloor should be about $1,500, electrical will be like $1,500..." etc.). Based on that number, Haley and I started the kitchen remodel with a finite pile of money and a Thanksgiving deadline in our heads. The actual bids & estimates have ALL come in at close to double our original not-so-educated-guesses. (Sheetrock estimate: $1,500 VCT Flooring/subfloor estimate: $7,000!!! Electric estimate: $2,400)
Lesson learned- Even when you are in the initial planning phase, don't base the cost of your design on "educated guesses." Put your plan down on paper and get real bids from sub-contractors, or be prepared to roll up your sleeves and do some work yourself.
How we adjusted- We had to take on a few more projects ourselves (all demolition, subfloor, ...). The money we save there is used to cover the higher than expected estimates. (NOTE: I'm not saying that those bids were too high, but they are significantly higher than we expected them to be.)
Trade off- Time and sore muscles. I don't have a month of spare vacation time at my work, so I have to handle these jobs in the evenings and on the weekends. I'll get things done, and they'll be done right, it just takes me longer than the pros.

2- Stick to your guns. If someone tells you what you're asking for is going to be "hard" or says "I don't know how you would do that," push them once with a possible solution and show them pictures. If that doesn't do the trick, find someone else. Example: Our cabinet design isn't based on typical/conventional configurations. We want "odd" things like a metal trim piece along the bottom, all base cabinets raised 8" off the floor on metal legs, sliding masonite (or pegboard) doors on a spice cabinet near the cooktops, vintage Thermador appliances installed, etc.. A normal cabinet guy will balk at nearly everything. An experienced cabinet guy will say things like "Neat idea," and "Here's a way those sliders will work better." Go with the experienced guy.
Lesson learned- Don't be afraid to say things like "But that's not how we want it," and "Can you try it again, maybe more like this?" No matter how nice and polite you try to be, you'll still likely frustrate the contractor and the subs, but in the end you'll get what you want and they will have learned something new.
How we adjusted- We had to be creative in our presentation and be willing to delay.
Trade off- Time... and dealing with a frustrated contractor and subs.

3- Your gut instinct is probably correct. You can tell if someone "gets it" or doesn't. If your gut is telling you that he doesn't, be prepared to engage in some heavy "art direction" every step of the way, or keep looking.

Remember: You will be living with your kitchen (or bathroom or whatever) for a looong time. To them, it's just another job and unfortunately they will probably be more concerned with "what's the easiest/fastest way I can get this done" as opposed to "how can I make the design of the guy who's paying me a reality."

Office floor

2009-11-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

As you can see on the floorplan over there --> there's a small nook (mud room) you go through to get to the garage from the kitchen. At one time we thought about turning it into a 1/2 bath, but it makes a nice (albeit small) home office and Haley wants to keep using it as such. No problem, right? Riiight.

We've always kind of assumed that a previous owner took a chunk out of the garage to make the space and that appears to be the case. No problem. BUT the garage floor is about 8" lower than the floor in the kitchen and we wondered how they raised it up to match. Well, I found out. After removing the ceramic tile, there was cement board. The cement board was very securely fastened (glued & screwed) to what looked to be plywood. I scraped, but I wasn't able to totally remove the adhesive from the plywood and since the new VCT requires an absolutely smooth surface (imperfections will show up on the finished floor) I was advised by a flooring guy to remove the plywood and put down a new sheet on the floorboards. No problem, right? Riiiight.

It would have been easy... if there were floorboards. There aren't. Nope, just 2x6 boards put together like mini floor joists without the tongue & groove floorboards. Actually, it was very solid, so I'll probably just replace it with smooth plywood, but it's kind of a pain because the door threshold is on top of it. As was the sheetrock.

There were also remnants of mice under there. Surprise! Actually it was extremely gross because there were drippings, nests, dead mice... the works. I'm very weary of dealing with mice remains and re-doing half-hearted attempts at rodent proofing the house. I'll spare you pictures this time, but let's just say I did a few more full body shutters. Really really gross.

Electrical. Hmmm.... yeah. I don't know why they didn't just run those three conduit lines over where the rest of the wiring accesses the crawlspace. Seems like it would have been easier than bashing two holes in the wall. Luckily for me those holes will be hidden inside a cabinet, but yeah, I have to figure out a way to mouse-proof this area. So I made a template from a Pepsi box and will cut out a piece from plywood and totally seal things off with plenty of that spray foam stuff. And maybe steel wool. And mice poison. And maybe a cat. sheesh!

Since I started this post, I've cleaned out all the icky stuff, sealed off the electrical stuff, put in new plywood "floorboards" and topped it off with 1 1/16" tongue & groove plywood subfloor. Everything is solid and it's going to have to be one very determined mouse to find a way into the house.

The Family Room (pt 1)

2009-11-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

Much like how we were sort of compelled to re-do the laundry room at the same time as the small bathroom (click here to read up on that saga), the family room is attached to the kitchen, therefore it's gotta be spruced up at the same time.

Luckily, it's a simple, no-nonsense room and our plans are to merely re-do the floor in VCT to match/compliment the kitchen & office (right now it's carpet), add corresponding window trim & baseboards, paint the beams Oxford Brown and call it done. Simple, right? Yeah... that's what I thought.

Since we made the opening from the family room to the dining room wider, we had to replace the beam over that opening, which meant we had to expose the studs. So the sheetrock on that wall had to go.
("the toe-bone's connected to the foot-bone...")
Since the sheetrock’s gone and that’s the wall we’re going to hang a flat screen TV on, wouldn’t it be smart to fix up the connections so we won’t have a bunch of wires hanging down from the TV?
(“the foot-bone’s connected to the ankle-bone…”)
And while I’m not a movie freak or audiophile, it would be kinda cool to have speakers up in the corners and maybe on the back wall for surround sound.
(“the ankle-bone’s connected to the shin-bone…)
But the back wall still has sheetrock on it… should I fish wires up from the crawlspace through the wall, or just pull that sheetrock off so it’ll match the kitchen?
(“the shin-bone’s connected to the knee-bone…)

So now I have some questions:
How much $$ will that add to our new sheetrock bill?
Shouldn’t be TOO much, the remaining sheetrock is on walls that are mostly glass. Materials: not so much. Labor: probably most of the cost.

How do I wire this stuff?
Hmmm, we had a guy from The Geek Squad (Best Buy) come take a look and he said it was a really really simple job.
- Run some speaker wire where we want the speakers (left, center & right front; left & right rear, and subwoofer)
- Put in a “clock electrical outlet” up where the TV will be (didn’t see one of those at Lowe’s)
- Put up a “full-motion” TV mount
- Position the cable, electrical & phone outlets about 2 feet off the floor so they’ll be out of sight inside the as-yet-to-be-selected media cabinet
- Position the "to speakers" and “to TV” inlets next to the outlets
- Make accommodations for RCA plugs from the Wii and HDTV PS3 system and extras for like a video camera or an iPod/computer connection

Hmmm, doesn’t sound so simple to me, so I’ll be drawing up a “media wiring” diagram and maybe it’ll seem more doable.

Tile is gone. Concrete board is on it's way out!

2009-10-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend removing all the tile from the kitchen and office nook. It was really quite the job, and learning from our past experience with the loggia floor we rented an electric chisel. Steve got to work on it and he made it look so easy. So I thought I'd give it a try... NOPE! That thing had to weigh about 40 pounds and I was only good for about 3 tiles before my girlie arms gave out. So I turned it back over to Steve and he made quick work. I demoted myself to debris hauler... carrying bucket after bucket of broken tile to the dumpster. (Sadly, I was still sore from that little job.) Steve's hands were thrashed after wielding the power chisel all day, and then he had to hurry off to play 3 sets at Portland's Scream at the Beach. I don't know how he does it all!

Our contractor let us borrow her large crowbar thingy. It worked great for prying up the concrete board and removing the nails. We still have about 1/2 the concrete board left to tear up, but it should go pretty quickly. The boards in the office nook were screwed in so that may prove to be interesting.

The floor guy is coming in tomorrow to measure and order the VCT tile. We are using the same tiles that we put in the loggia. It will really simplify and clean up the look from room to room.

Hmmmm

2009-10-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

QUESTION: Why is my side of the bathroom now the kitchen?

I'm just sayin'.
-Steve

Walls Out. Beams In.

2009-10-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

The wall between the dining room and kitchen is gone! (Thanks Steve.) The tiny wall between the family room and dining room (the one with all the tricky wiring in it) is gone, too. A new beam now spans the opening from the dining room to the family room.

The pantry is totally gone (yikes) and the whole space now feels huge and very open. I know that it will close up a bit as we put the drywall up and cabinets in, but it seriously looks like a new house. Here are a few pics to show the progress.

The pantry is really gone:

View from the dining room:

View from the family room:

View from the loggia:

New beam with all the wiring hidden inside:

Replacing the beam by the eliminated pantry proved to be a little challenging. With the new beam secure, our beam guy took out the old shorter beam. That shorter beam was the main support for a few of the tongue and groove pieces. But that's not a big concern because tongue and groove lends stability... except for the section where the short beam was hiding 3 boards butting up against each other. Ugh! We ended up installing a metal support strap to hold those boards together. Now, we need to re-skin this small section of the ceiling. Since it's sandwiched between the beams, it shouldn't be too challenging to blend it with the rest of the ceiling. We haven't been able to locate 1/2" x 6" tongue and groove, but Steve has some creative ideas for this project. I'm looking forward to seeing what he does.

The new beam now lines up with the beam in the dining room:

Ceiling boards where old beam was:

Metal strap screwed in place to stabilize the 3 boards in question:
The beams are in and secure. Next project... the floor!

We've found a cabinet guy!

2009-10-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yep! It's true. Met with Norm Dickinson yesterday to go over the cabinet design. He stayed for 2 hours discussing all the details, finishes, and options. He was very reassuring. He believes this job to be fairly easy and has no doubts that he can translate our vision into a real kitchen. Since he is the one actually making the cabinets, I am very relieved and have no anxiety. (That's a good sign.)

Bonus Points: he fell in love with our 11" x 17" color print out of the kitchen from Case Study House #22. He asked if he could take it and put it up on his shop wall. YES!

Also, Steve completely removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room last night. It is so open now. Beam guy should be here soon to finish up the beams and ensure the posts and tongue and groove ceiling are structurally sound before we proceed.

Color Renderings of the Kitchen Design

2009-10-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

I seriously don't have the time to be playing around in Photoshop, but I can't help obsessing over the kitchen design. A new cabinet guy is coming out today to take measurements and we are very excited that he understands the style we are wanting. I created these renderings from Steve's design to ensure that everyone is on the same page with the design concepts. We'll see how the meeting goes today. (Fingers crossed.)

Here are a couple of back splash ideas... We are at a complete loss as to what to put there. All white seems too "white", but we do not want it to be busy. We've had fantastic luck with the Hakatai mosaic tiles on our bathroom and pool projects, but I'm not sure it's right for this space. Please let me know if you have any brilliant ideas!

Quick Project Detour

2009-10-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

So, when our electrician was in the crawlspace stringing Romex, he noticed that there wasn't any support under one of the posts. There was support within a few feet on either side, but yeah, there should have been a post in the crawlspace under the post. Haley and I decided that it would have been a very bad thing for us to finish the kitchen only to have it start sagging.

NOTE: You read correctly, dear reader... our Rummer is equipped with a crawlspace. Most Rummers (and Eichlers) are built on a slab foundation with radiant heat. I think because our lot is on the side of a hill, a regular crawlspace foundation was needed. In many ways it's a good thing (stringing wires is MUCH easier), but radiant heat would be nice.

Did I mention that the crawlspace is about 12" tall in spots with WAY too many furnace ducts, electrical wires (some hot, some not), many many feet of phone wires, damp dirt, vapor barrier, insulation and evidence of mouse habitation? Well it's not a happy place. I even put on some fashionable Tyvek coveralls. In fact, as I lowered myself into this cramped, dank DIY Hell, Haley and I agreed that a code word was a smart idea should I need immediate emergency attention. Because I was toting a 50 lb. block of concrete through the maze of stuff I knew there would be grunting, groaning and an occasional curse word uttered. "Barbie, call 911" seemed to be an effective unmistakable code phrase.

So I (as quickly as possible and without uttering a single word of the emergency code phrase) installed a 4x4 post in the right spot. Not my idea of a great way to spend a Saturday morning, but it had to happen. Thought you might like to see a pic or two. The kitchen work resumes in earnest this evening and tomorrow...
I gotta go take a shower.

Electrical Plan

2009-10-15T11:25:00.001-07:00

I must admit we have a huge fear of electricity... probably a healthy fear. (In a previous house I had a bad experience with electricity. And that's all I have to say about that.) Much of the wires and outlets are staying in place, but there are a few new things we've added in the design, and a couple of light fixtures that needed to be moved. (Tricky, given the flat roof and tongue and groove roof decking.)

Here's the most recent electrical plan. (Note: we've since eliminated the can lights over the ovens and refrigerator... our electrician was able to tap into the other lights and add a new one centered in that section of the kitchen. So now we'll have 4 ball lights in the galley instead of 3!)

Electrical Challenge #1:
We are removing the wall between the kitchen and the dining room, but the beams didn't line up. Huh? Well we better fix that, right? Right! And it sounds simple... the beam in the kitchen (it's white in the pic below) is offset by about 11 inches, so we only have to put in a new beam in the new spot that'll line up with the dining room beam. You can see in the photo below where the brown dining room beam ends... imagine it continuing along it's line and the white beam going away. Now notice where the light box sits. Welcome to the dilemma du jour.

I just added this pic with a highlighted area showing where the new beam will be... notice how it partially overlaps the light box.

Question: Can you move a light fixture on the flat roof/tongue and groove decking without going through the roof itself?

Answer: Yes!

Our electrician pulled out the offending light box and discovered that the decking was channeled for the wiring. He successfully moved the 2 lights and added another... so now all four sections of the kitchen will have a ball light centered between the beams. Beautiful!

Electrical challenge #2:
The new design has two walls removed to open up the kitchen to the dining room. Unfortunately, those walls are so full of electrical wire it looks like a fishing net. Some of the wiring extends from the ceiling lights in the family room, so we have to keep them. The contractor and electrician wrinkled their noses and said it was impossible, but we stood firm with the design and encouraged them to come up with a solution. Our stubborn homeowner persistence paid off and we were able to remove the walls and save the wiring. How? Our problem solving electrician bundled the wiring into a nice, tidy group and attached them to the ceiling and one of the beams. The beam guy cut a channel in the new beam that will extend over the removed wall. And presto... wall is gone and all wires are hidden in the beam.

Gonna rip it up!

2009-10-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Hammers, crowbars, Reciprocating saws, OH MY!
Y'know, when you watch one of those home shows and see a goofed up remodeler or high-heeled flipper swinging a sledgehammer on a "never-been-updated" kitchen, it always looks like they are having the time of their life. Wild eyed. Shards of sheetrock flying everywhere. Giggles and grunts. They make tearing out an old kitchen look like it's more fun than a pocket full of squirrels.
Well I don't mean to shatter any illusions here but... it's work! About 100-million screws, and 1/3 of which stripped out the second I touched them. Screwed into the floorboards, screwed into each other, screwed (and glued) onto a ledgerboard that was also screwed into the studs. I had to use everything from Vise-Grips to a reciprocating saw to do it, but the cabinets are now all outside under a tarp.

I suppose it would have been easier and more satisfying to just start swinging the sledgehammer, but although we don't care for the design of the cabinets, they are well made and are in decent shape, too. I'm sure someone else will want them, so we're donating them and the appliances to the Rebuilding Center in Portland.

The ghosts of wallpapers past!

A little urban archeology for your amusement.

Grossest thing ever!
Mice! When we moved one of the base cabinets, we discovered a mouse-mini-metropolis made of insulation and mouse poop. Learn from this, dear reader... seal up every possible entry to your house no matter how small, or these little varmits WILL find a way in. And while they are kinda cute, they smell BAD and can spread disease. You DO NOT want them in your house!!! Haley somehow managed to supress her gagging long enough to hold open a trash bag while I used two other bags as gloves and scooped away the mouse unrine soaked insulation, and about 5-10 dead mice. (YUCK! I guess they had been poisoned or something.) Then I used the Shop-Vac to clean up all the smaller bits. Yuck Yuck Yuck!

Sheetrock removal
This was actually kinda fun... dusty, but fun. After making a few initial holes and making sure the power and phone outlets were clear, we started pounding, prying and pulling away the sheetrock. All four of us got into the act and a sort of contest developed to see who could pull away the biggest piece. There is now Mount Sheetrock in the middle of the floor just waiting for the dumpster to be delivered today (it'll be a regular family style sheetrock bucket brigade tonight!).
The sheetrock was hiding some interesting things.

-It became clear where the new kitchen beam needs to be placed in order for it to line up with the existing beam in the dining room.
-There wasn't any insulation in the water vent portion of one wall (used to build Mouse-Metropolis, no doubt).
-When a previous owner had opened up a pass through from the kitchen to the dining room, they did a very poor job in shoring up the studs they cut. Two of them were literally unattached and wobbly. Good thing it's not a load bearing wall!

-There is now an amazing view of the back yard now from the kitchen. We are very pleased with our decision to open things up a bit.
...stay tuned.....

Kitchen Appliances!

2009-09-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

One of the more interesting (and difficult) things we've tackled in our kitchen design is selecting new appliances that integrate with the vintage Thermador ovens and cooktop we found on Craigslist.

The cooktop is huge and has a built in griddle (for all those pancake breakfasts I plan to make... I don't know what it is about this cooktop that makes me think I'm June Cleaver and want to buy bulk packages of bacon!) The cooktop is in amazing shape, plus it came with a second cooktop (brand new still in the box). It's huge and will be a definite focal point of the new kitchen.

The matching double ovens (that's right we have TWO) will sit side by side next to the huge cooktop. It will be an impressive wall of Thermador bliss. Naturally, new appliances pale in comparison, but we had to find a dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave that would blend in and not break the bank.

Last year our dishwasher died. We replaced it with a Bosch 24" Integra 800. It's simple lines and stainless steel front sit flush with the cabinets. It is really nice and nearly silent. My only complaint is that is does not have a dry feature... so our cheap plastic dishes are always wet and need to be towelled off when we put them away. This model has the hidden control panel and in my book is considered "expensive"... so we are keeping it in the new kitchen.

The refrigerator was a challenge. I want. I want. I want a built in refrigerator that completely integrates into the wall. I can't. I can't. I can't possibly justify an appliance that costs as much as a moderately priced car. RRRRRRR. Plus, every appliance dealer has advised us to stay away from the built ins. (I guess the compressor on the top can be a real problem.) With the cooktop, ovens, and dishwasher all stainless steel we were pretty locked in to finding a nice, reasonably priced stainless fridge. I'm a side by side fridge girl... not real excited about the french door design with the pull out freezer that is so popular with the kids these days. Everyone I know who has one loves it, but it's not for me. So with a short criteria list in hand—stainless, side-by-side, ice/water in door, energy efficient, counter depth—we headed down to Riegelmann's, the local appliance store in old town Gresham. AND there it was... love at first sight. I instantly knew that was our fridge.

A beautiful Electrolux Icon side by side with a big ding on the side... and marked way down. Everything works and it has a full warrenty, but that little ding knocked over $600 off the price. The fridge will be encased in cabinets, so the flaw will never be seen once it is install. We particularly like all the metal accents (not plastic) in the water/ice panel and the freezer baskets. This thing is built to last.

The new kitchen design has the microwave tucked out of sight from the main galley—around the corner in the lower cabinet that faces the breakfast nook. Since we typically ONLY use the microwave for melting butter, cheese quesadillas and popcorn it made sense to put it where the kids could easily use it—next to the TV room. After receiving a tip from one of our blog followers, we are very excited to add the Sharp Microwave Drawer to our appliance "must have" list.

I have yet to see this in person, but I will be hunting for a floor model in the Portland area to test out. (I've gotta kick the tires before simply purchasing online.)

The last (and certainly not least) appliance for this kitchen project is the TCC Kitchen Center. This is the slickest thing I've seen in all my appliance research.

The basic power base (similar to the NuTone counter power unit) mounts right in the counter top. It has several attachments—blender, food processor, mixer, etc—which eliminates the need for several small appliances. Including this in the design adds the "kitchen of the future" final touch!

Cabinets and Microwaves

2009-09-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Update: Cabinet guy came out Wednesday morning (early) and took initial measurements. We discussed the cabinet style, hardware and wood finish. I think he's got a grasp of what we want. Can't help but worry when we get a lot of "this is a difficult project" and "if you want that it will cost more." I had mini anxiety attacks all day yesterday. Is this normal?

On a more exciting note, one of our followers sent us a link to an under counter drawer-style microwave. (Thanks Scott!)

The plan... as of today.

2009-09-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

The kitchen project seems a little daunting to our DIY skills, so we hired the expert builders at Home Makers of Oregon to help us. Our contractor, Mary Tongue, is amazing and understands exactly what we are looking for... which is HUGE because our ideas are not the typical "Tuscan-villa, granite drenched" designs so typical in today's kitchen remodel projects. We showed her our inspiration photos, discussed functionality, materials, and focused on how to blend modern appliances with our vintage finds. She brought in Kathy Fuller from Fuller Spaces to work up the final kitchen design, and we couldn't be more thrilled with how she transferred our ideas into one unified design... she even worked in side-by-side double ovens into our small space. Yay!

This is the elevation layout from Fuller Spaces:

With this I was able to draw up a new floorplan and perspective elevation. We made a couple of measurement adjustments (those silly beams really get in the way), but the basic design is the same.
Note from Steve- Dig Haley's mad Illustrator skillz! She's working on a living color version of the perspective elevation... the plan is sliding frosted glass doors on top, birch doors on the bottom (I wanted those to be sliding, too... but I think this design works just fine), white countertops (Formica today, maybe solid surface white later), white-ish VCT on the floor (matches the loggia), and happy people milling about. We're still not clear on what to do with the backsplash above the sink. Maybe mosiac tiles in mostly white with a random color here and there? hmmmm

Our new design includes unique features inspired by original Eichler/Rummer kitchen designs and Case Study #22's kitchen. Overall, we are pleased that the design appears to be a nice blend of then and now without losing functionality. Here is a quick punch list of a few specific features we are excited about:

1. Vintage Thermador double ovens and cooktop with built in griddle. Thank you Craigslist!
2. Built in spice cabinet above the cooktop with sliding doors. A common feature in Eichler/Rummer kitchens.
3. Electrolux Icon counter depth side-by-side refrigerator (built-in look without the built-in cost)
4. Microwave stainless trim package tucked away at the end of cooktop cabinet (with drawer underneath for popcorn!)
5. Wall between dining room and kitchen removed with pass through bar
6. Raised lower cabinets (stainless legs)
7. Remove walk-in pantry to allow more counter space
8. Floor to ceiling pantry cabinets (next to refrigerator and office nook)
9. Sliding frosted glass doors on upper cabinets
10. Up-lighting and down-lighting on upper cabinets (hidden as much as possible)
11. Built-in kitchen center by TCC (very similar to NuTone food center)
12. VCT flooring
13. White laminate countertops
14. Birch cabinets
15. Vintage drawer pulls (or cool ones from Rejuvenation)
16. Built-in office nook (lots of storage)
17. ...and ball lights, of course!

We haven't said much about the family room, but in a nutshell it will have VCT tile that matches the kitchen, new trim, and a media cabinet of some kind (I'm thinking maybe an Eichler/Rummer "coffin" style cabinet mounted low on the wall, or something cool from Kerf or maybe IKEA).

The tragic BEFORE photos

2009-09-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

This is our kitchen. These photos were taken by the previous owner before we bought the house and for the most part still looks pretty much the same today. The view from the loggia looks through the kitchen, out the glass wall/slider and into the green space on the side of the house... too bad the huge breakfast bar peninsula add-on blocks it! (Note: see previous post on lattice removal!)

This pic was taken from the opening of the office nook. You'll notice that there is something of a pass-thru over the cooktop into the dining room. That opening will be enlarged and those over-cooktop-cabinets will be removed. The microwave lives in a hole above the oven.
To the left (where the plant shelf is) was originally a doorway from the family room into the dining room. It was closed off for some reason. Since this photo we have opened it up again and plan on keeping it that way. The Italian tile will be replaced with VCT as in the loggia (maybe with a color added... maybe not).

This picture of the family was taken from the same spot as the above pic. (Note the hanging plant shelf that is now the location of a re-opened doorway into the dining room.) No that's NOT our big-honking TV. We'll be hanging a flat screen on the wall above where that couch is. Since most of the other living areas are predominantly Danish or at least warmer, I think we'll try to make this space have a more modern look with with some steel, some brighter colors, a FLOR floor covering... y'know, sleeker. The beams will be re-painted Oxford Brown (of course) and I think something needs to happen with that unsupported beam intersection, it just looks weird to me. Those two elCheapo light fixtures will be replaced with ball lights similar to what's in the hallway. The breakfast bar/peninsula will go away as well, restoring the feel of the original galley style kitchen and making room for our Burke breakfast table & chairs.

Here's a better view of the peninsula and the sink area. See how the sink and shelf above it are not centered in relationship to each other and in relationship to the overhead beam? This drives Haley bonkers. Those funky fluorescent lights will be replaced with more ball lights. This is the wall that we are hoping will be most inspired by the kitchen in Case Study House #23... but as you'll note, we don't exactly have a breathtaking view of the LA Basin. Hmmmm.... (in fact, the garage is on the other side of that wall... there will be no window there, only backsplash).

Here's a close up of the existing cooktop and the pass-thru into the dining room. This will be enlarged... a lot. Also the Thermador cooktop we picked up on Craigslist will replace the Jen-Air. It's actually a good cooktop and we've enjoyed the BBQ grill feature but it's white, and it's gotta go.

Let the great kitchen re-do begin!

2009-09-18T15:33:00.001-07:00

Yup, it's true. After living here for 2 1/2 years and collecting ideas for the kitchen, we are ready to dive in and rip out the non-original, 80's- oak kitchen in our Rummer. Luckily, we have found loads of inspiration from blogs and books about Rummer and Eichler kitchen restorations. (Note: I've been collecting photos for nearly 3 years and can't remember where we've snagged these from, so if any of these beautiful kitchens belong to you please write in and tell us your story and we'll give you photo credit! Thanks.)

This is the ultimate inspiration kitchen... Case Study House #22! If I could pick this up and plop it right down in our space, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But since that is not a possibility nor legal (I'm sure someone would miss it!), we'll have to recreate the elements we like and try to keep the feel of the original Rummer home while adding some modern functionality. It's a fine line we walk here...

Here are a few examples of things we love and want to incorporate into our kitchen. I'm hoping that our final kitchen will be a mixture of all of these with a few added surprises of our own.

Here is a view of a typical, fairly stock Eichler/Rummer kitchen with the section of wall between the stove and the dining room removed.
On this one we like the traditional ball lights and the use of frosted glass on the upper cabinets.
Really like how the cabinets are lifted off the floor with simple metal legs. Don't know how practical this is, but it reminds me of the kitchen in Case Study #22.
We're not crazy about everything in this one, but do check out the tapered supports for the counter bar. Do you think we could incorporate this on the bar between the kitchen and dining room? Hmmmm.
OK, this is a strange one, but we need to add extra lighting above the cooktop... what do you think of a track lighting options? I could live with it as long as it was really subtle and hidden behind a beam.
Like this, period. White floors, green counter top, vintage oven and cooktop, glass upper cabinets, built-in fridge look, but lose the flower-power throw rug. Nuff said!
This is nearly the exact layout of our new kitchen design (sans the open shelves and window above the sink.) Interesting lighting effect waaaay down there over the fridge. Not sure if I love the whole bump-out lighting effect, but we desperately need more light at that end of the kitchen.
NOTE: These are FADO 14" ball lights from IKEA. We started with these in the loggia & hallway, but Steve shortened ours for better head clearance, painted 'em black and replaced the teacup bases with flatter ones.

Night Life...

2009-08-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Shots of the backyard lit up at night:

We have taken down all the white Christmas lights we used for the party, but will be wiring the backyard for accent and pathway lighting soon. We will keep all the tiki torches (of course!) and probably add some more over time.

More Deck... Much More!

2009-08-08T09:49:00.001-07:00

Pressure washing the deck gave us hope that it was not a complete loss! (See previous post.) Due to many years of neglect, some of surface area was chewed up and had a felted texture after pressure washing. This is not good for bare feet... splintery!

The 3 step plan: counter sink all the nails; completely sand the top surface and edges; and seal with a good oil based sealer.

We called our good friend Justin for help... his knees are 10 years younger and he had some extra time between his own projects to take on this one! (Thanks Justin!) He quickly counter sunk all the nails. So quick I didn't get a chance to take any pictures of this process.

To sand this monster we rented a 12" x 18" random orbit floor sander. We struggled at first, but then Justin found the magic trick and the correct grit sand paper (60 grit) and after a good 5 hours in 95° weather the first round of sanding was complete.

Finding a bit of relief from the heat was tricky, but Justin tried to find shade whenever possible. Note from Justin: sunscreen lotion and sawdust are not a good combination for your skin... he looked like a powdered donut!

Surface sanding complete! The finish sanding of the edges, rises, and trim had to be done by hand. It looks really good.

The newly sanded wood needed to rest a bit before sealing. According to the experts we consulted at Ricks Custom Deck & Fence here in Gresham, sanding causes the pores of the wood to close up for a bit. After resting a couple of days the pores opened and were ready to accept the sealer. (A good way to test the pores is to pour a tablespoon of water on the wood... if it soaks in, the pores are open and ready for sealer... if it beads up, the pores are still closed.)

We used an oil-based wood sealer recommended by and purchased at Ricks. They originally built the deck 12 years ago, so I trust their advice. The sealer has an mold/mildew inhibitor and is also supposed to keep the wood from turning grey. The sealer penetrates the wood surface and dries to a beautiful warm cedar color.

Arrr ye scurvy dog! Swab the deck or walk the plank... Justin swabs the deck!

The finished deck looks amazing. Better than I ever imagined. We will seal it again in 90 days and then clean and seal it annually. Hopefully, this will keep the deck in good shape for several more year. (fingers crossed)

Footnote: we've had several pool parties since restoring the deck and the sealer seems to be doing its thing quite well. Water just beads up. Looks just as good as the first day. I'm very, very happy. :)

Cleaning the Pond (and Waterfall)

2009-07-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

Something stinks in the backyard! Oh, that? It's just our salamander swamp.

How often are you supposed to clean a pond? We have lived here for 2 years and never have cleaned out the pond by the pump house. After emptying the water we discovered that is was probably last cleaned during the Clinton administration... possibly first term. Yikes. The pea gravel bottom was mixed with ankle deep sludge. Max rescued the baby salamanders and put them in a bucket... good thought until we found the raccoons dining on them in the middle of the night. :(

Steve braves the sludgey muck and removes the mess one wheel barrow at a time. He dumped most of it in the parking strip next to the driveway. 10 loads later and the pond was empty. After checking for leaks and arranging some loose rock it was ready for new river rock.

I first bought 5- 50 lb. bags of river rock... not even close to enough. So back to the store. 10 bags total to cover the bottom. It's a bigger area than I expected. Rocks in, moss scrubbed off the waterfall, accent lights positioned... we were ready for water. (We turned on the hose and watch 3 episodes of 30 Rock on DVD while the pond filled.)
(I thought it would be funny to pose like the guy in American Gothic, but it doesn't work so well without the girl and Haley wouldn't climb down there. I look pretty mean, anyways, huh? haha)

Night time photo with the flash.

Without the flash! Awwww. The red flood light the looks really red in the photo, but I like how it shines up through the decking.

The waterfall has yellow, red and blue accent spotlights. I love it at night and the sweet sound of the waterfall outside our bedroom door is wonderful.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Ignore that lattice. It is gone. I need to post a new picture.

How to Camouflage Lattice!

2009-07-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

Don't know what it is about lattice... but I think I actually hate it. This house had so much lattice the first time we saw it that my initial instinct was to RUN AWAY! I'm so happy to report that we have successfully removed ALL the lattice from the inside of the house (see previous post) and now have begun the de-latticing process in the backyard.

Problem: TOO MUCH LATTICE
Solution: Remove it... or cover it up.
We'd like to create a tropical oasis in the backyard and have some big plans for this space! This project is the first step in transforming the backyard. In keeping with the tropical theme, we found some inexpensive reed fencing (same used in ghetto fence project) that could be tacked up over the lattice, and bought six 6' x 15' rolls. (Yes, we have that much lattice that needs to be covered!)

Step 1: Measure and cut the reed fencing to fit over the lattice sections.
The reed cuts easily and the wire banding can be trimmed and twisted to the length needed.

Step 2: Air staple reed section to lattice.
Some of the pieces were awkward to install, but with a ladder and Max up above to move the air compressor it went pretty quickly.

Step 3: Instant tropical makeover!
The pool house looks like it's wearing a grass skirt. Now all we need are some tiki torches and hula girls!

Note: We are still working on this. There is quite a bit more lattice to cover and ivy to remove. I'll post final before and after photos when the project is complete.

Pool Update

2009-07-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

The new tile looks great and when the sun is bright the water actually looks blue! We didn't resurface the pool this year, but we may paint it blue next year. It will do for now.

Next steps:
1. Install handrail and ladders
2. Paint grout around top of lagoon (or install rubber edging?)
3. Clean and seal concrete

We also hooked up the water to the slide so it will recirculate in the pool... no more hose!

Ghetto Fence and Canned Ham

2009-06-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

Our little 1956 Aloha trailer has been sitting in my parent's driveway for 2 years. With subtle and not so subtle hints from my folks, we determined it was time to move the canned ham home. But where to put it? Our place does not have RV parking and our driveway is barely big enough for our cars. The side yard is big, but were unsure how to get it back there. Would it fit between the fence and the house? Would it clear the overhang on the roof? Could we make it up the steep driveway without scraping the bottom of the trailer? OR rip off the tongue and hitch? The existing fence/gate looked deceptively small. I thought there was no way to get a car through the gap... let alone a trailer? We measured. Then we measured again to be sure, and found that it was plenty wide enough to fit the trailer through. The old fence had to go.

Step 1: Clear the bark from the side yard.
Several weeks ago we discovered aggregate concrete existed under a thick layer of bark on the side of the house. With shovels and wheelbarrow we started the lovely task of removing the bark chips. Unfortunately the concrete is not as large as we thought, but big enough to park a trailer on.

Step 2: Remove the existing fence.
Steve and Max made quick work taking down the fence. The old fence boards were still in pretty good shape so we saved them for future use... possibly a new fence (sans the lattice) since the neighbor's wisteria "Plant From Outer Space" is consuming the existing one. With the fence out, the shrubs and rocks had to be moved from the parking strip next to the driveway. Yikes those are some very big rocks! And we think the huge lump of rock and cement in the corner is the sad remains of the old lava rock mailbox base. Yes, it is VERY HEAVY.

Step 3: Build temporary fence.
We have no idea what kind of permanent fence we want to build... but because we have a pool in the backyard something had to go up. Solution: The Ghetto Fence! With a couple 4 x 4's, concrete deck footings, a few 2 x 4's, a couple packages of reed fencing, screws and a power staple gun we threw up a quick fence. Not bad for a quick fix. (Although a gate would have been nice... maybe a ghetto retro-fit is in order.)

Step 4: Park trailer... Trailer park.
I seriously thought we'd argue to the point of divorce squeezing this trailer in next to the house, but to my surprise we rolled it right into place with little difficulty. ("little difficulty" ...hmmm. Actually with considerable difficulty and luck. I have almost NO experience backing up a trailer. I got lucky, plain and simple. And our martial bliss prevailed.) And with lots of room to spare on both sides. (Maybe our 1956 Airstream Safari will fit here... it's a couple of feet longer, but the same width. Awww, yet another project sitting in storage!) Outcome: we're very happy... and still married!

This trailer is so cute. We are definitely planning a few getaways this summer.

I thought I would add a quick side note about my trailer obsession. We bought the 1956 Airstream Safari (pictured below on the day we got it and Max driving the "tow vehicle.") almost on a whim, after seeing a segment about Vintage Vacations on the Travel Channel (I think). It is truly a beautiful design, but needs a few things (the plywood floor was rotten and most of the interior needs rebuilding). You don't see many '56 Safari's and I'm kinda scared of messing it up.

The trailer pictured above is also from 1956 and has an aluminum skin, but it's an Aloha made in nearby Aloha Oregon. It's usable but also needs some work (there's some rotten wood here and there, it needs a new vent, some trim work and assorted bits & pieces). Instead of subjecting it, myself and my family to the complete restoration this trailer deserves, I'm planning on keeping it roadworthy, learn how to polish aluminum and deal with other vintage trailer stuff and eventually sell it to another vintage trailer aficionado and put the $ toward stuff the Airstream needs.

That's my plan.

Solair Chairs... Very Cool Patio Chairs!

2009-06-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Designer: Fabiano and Panzini
Manufacturer: IPL, St.-Damien, QC

This indoor/outdoor chair had a long production run, from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. With it's classic styling and increased demand Industries Émile Lanchance Ltée in Canada has reissued these fantastic chairs.

These chairs are awesome... and NO ONE sells them on the West Coast until NOW! If you want some contact me and I'll send you the information. They are available in 6 colors: white, aqua, orange, yellow, bright pink and beige.

This is it!!!

2009-06-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

Where can I get this umbrella? This is exactly what I was looking for last fall. http://greshamrummerfun.blogspot.com/2008/10/summer-dreams.html

Check out this place! It is simply amazing.
Now I feel like crap. Noooooo! I'm not jealous... take it back.
http://www.dallasobserver.com/slideshow/view/15057368/9

Cloudy Grout Scum

2009-06-03T16:37:00.001-07:00

Looks like we will finish up grouting the pool tile tonight. Just have the lagoon and one skimmer left to complete. Health issues and appointments have slowed us down this week, but we're still on schedule to fill the pool this weekend. Yippee!

I love the grout lines... it is the DIY tiler's best friend. This is BEFORE I cleaned off the cloudy grout scum. (I just want to say cloudy grout scum one more time!) I'll post final pics when it is completely finished.

Frankenstein Deck... Bringing it back to life.

2009-06-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

We have lots 'o deck... maybe 1200+ sq. ft. I know!

Question: how many suitcases of money did it take to build?
Answer: about 40K.
Bottom line: we could never afford to replace it!
Action plan: attempt to bring this sorry looking deck back to life... somehow. (fingers crossed)

The deck had been very neglected the last few years and we worried that it may be beyond saving. With the help of some 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner and a pressure washer we began the Frankenstein deck experiment. This 30 Seconds stuff is amazing! It takes about 1 gallon/100 sq. ft. We bought two 5-gallon containers to start, followed the instructions on the label and jumped in.

Outcome: we are pleasantly surprised at the vibrant, nearly new look of the deck.

What a difference! The pressure washers chewed up a little of the surface. To keep our feet as splinter-free as possible we'll rent a floor sander to smooth it down before we seal the wood. The main back decks are done. Still need to clean the sides, the deck overlooking the green space (this one is pretty bad), the path up to the pool house and the pool house deck. We will also use the same cleaning process on the aggregate patios, walkways and driveway then seal with a wet-look concrete seal. Should be fabulous when all done... good thing I love the pressure washer!

Progress on the pool

2009-06-01T17:55:00.001-07:00

Max is an animal at removing the old tile. Some came off with just a tap tap... others worked best with a screwdriver as a pry-tool... but it was most fun to just whack at it with a hammer and watch the pieces fly.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: Ceramic shards cut skin quite nicely. (We all had our battle wounds from flying tile shrapnel. Wear gloves and safety goggles... also, keep a stack of Band-Aids handy.)
The old tile is gone and all the water has been removed, but it's not ready for new tile yet. The old mud and grout need to be removed!
Note from Steve:
And don't worry about that water... if you look at the large version of this pic you'll see six holes in the wall and I had just taken out one of the plugs. Two are for the current pump system- one takes dirty water to the filter, another shoots clean water back into the pool. When you plug up the return hole that diverts water to the upper pool area and the waterfall. I have NO idea what the other 4 holes are for. I've tried every combination of open/close with them and my best guess is that they're from the old pump system and the pervious owner just left the holes.

We tried scraping, wire brushing and pressure washing... none were successful at removing the old cement and grout. After a quick google search we found that another DIY pool tile person has used a 4.5" grinder with a masonry bit... and YES! It did the trick. It was messy and took Steve one day to grind down the tile base.

We also had to smooth out the lagoon. The plaster surface was installed over the old tiles. Steve cut into the plaster, removed the tile chucks and rounded over the thick part of the plaster. Not perfect, but will work great until it's time to resurface the pool. And a smooth, continuous line looks a lot better than before.

With the surface prepped and smooth, Steve applies a skim coat of cement to the border.

First tiles go up! Yup, that is a very blue/green border. I love it and it really will brighten up the pool.

The transition from the pool to the lagoon was tricky. The lagoon doesn't have the aggregate coping at the top. To keep the visual line of the aggregate we decided to add a dark grey mosaic blend to the top. It works really well and eases the transition from pool to lagoon a little better.

We spent hours laying on our stomaches nipping individual tiles to fit the curve of the pool. This is all under water, but I know it would bug me if it wasn't done right. No one will see it, but we know we like it!

The finished lagoon with grey border. Awwwww. We pre-sealed the tile yesterday and will start grouting tonight. We hope to have the pool filled by this weekend. (fingers-crossed!)

Possible Pool Add-ons

2009-05-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Found a few things we may consider adding to the pool. (I can hear Steve's big sigh.)

1. Handrail for the lagoon:
The lagoon is the shallow bowl at the east end of the pool. It is where most of us enter the pool if you're not cannon-balling off the waterfall! The first step is about 12 inches and can be a little unsettling for the balance challenged. I'm considering installing a handrail to help ease the process of entering or exiting the pool. It looks kind of clunky, but not out of place since most pools have them. It will ultimately come down to a battle between form and function... with function the most likely victor. In the Swim offers this hand rail at a fairly affordable price, but since I've just started looking... I have no idea what a good price is. It's a start.

2. Ladder to the upper waterfall: The waterfall is a favorite place for jumping. It's not too high and seems to keep things interesting when the kids dare each other to jump. I've done it ONCE... that's all I'm going to say about that... but the kids love it. Right now we use an old red ladder from a bunk bed to climb up to the waterfall. The round bar treads hurt the feet, but works for now. I'm wondering if this stainless steel ladder from Back Yard City could be attached securely (but removable when not swimming). It is designed for above ground pools, but could possibly work... the height is perfect for our needs.

3. One More Ladder
I don't know. Maybe I'm getting ladder crazy, or over safety conscious, but this would be nice down at the west end of the pool. I admit, it may be too much for out little pool (at least I'm not shopping for a lifeguard tower... yet!) This one is on sale at Back Yard City.

The pool is empty of most of the water. Just need to remove the rest of the tile and clean, clean, clean. Should be fun!

Tile Removal Begins

2009-05-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

We began removing the tile around the lagoon today. The tiles actually POP off easily... not a good sign, so it's good that we are re-tiling.

The mortar is very crumbly under the tiles. We've found bugs, pine needles and mold under some of the tile, and the surface is very moist... is that normal? I think the only thing holding the tiles up is the grout. The removal looks to be the easy part. The cleaning and prepping will take some time. I'm going in to talk with our pool guy tomorrow to discuss strategy and buy the correct mortar and grout for the project.

Some of the tile actually sits underneath the pool surface and there are a few crack in the pool wall and lagoon bottom, so I will schedule a professional to come out and evaluate the pool surface. This may be a little more than a do-it-yourself project.

That's one green pool! Oh, and it's bigger than I estimated... I have to buy more tile.

Pool Tile Pics

2009-05-08T11:01:00.001-07:00

This is going to look so good on our pool... even better than the pics with white grout between the tiles. Can't wait to see a tropical blue pool in the backyard. What a switch from the "nuclear green" it is now! Looks like we will be draining and cleaning it this weekend. Fun. Stay tuned!

Pool Tile is Here

2009-05-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

I ordered tile on Tuesday and it was delivered this morning... it's gorgeous. I love Hakatai!

I'll post pics soon. :)

Pool Paint

2009-05-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

How can you not want to paint your pool with ad graphics like this?

Initial research on pool resurfacing is distressing. Full resurfacing is very cost and time prohibitive. Maybe we could just paint it. Still need to research this more before making a decision, but Rumac Pool Paints seems like a viable option. Sold locally at Rodda Paint and step by step application instructions are a huge plus.

Still don't know cost, but check out the colors!

The Pool

2009-05-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

Seems like I've been focusing on tile quite a bit, so sorry if this topic is getting a little boring.

New Project: The Pool
We planned to have the pool ready by Mother's Day, but our pool is a mess. Very, very green. And the weather has not been cooperating. It will actually cost less to drain and refill it than purchase all the chemicals required to clean it. The decision to drain it and start over was simple. Since it will be empty we will give it a good scrubbing, repair the tile and rust-proof the supports for the lava rock waterfall wall. I'm hoping that we can resurface the pool too, but that's still in the maybe column... the previous owner re-did it a few years ago and decided that the black bottom gave it a lagoon feeling. Who wants to swim in a lagoon?... when you can have the cheesy, bright, obnoxious turquoise color of the South Seas. I'm hopeful, but have no idea what the process is for resurfacing the pool bottom. We'll research this in the next couple of days and post our findings.

Step 1: Drain the pool.

Step 2: The blue tile must go.
Plan A: chip off all the country blue tiles around the edge and replace them with this snazzy mosaic from Hakatai. Today I ordered 50 sheets of Sky Blue/Mint Green Blend. It will be here next week.

Plan B: there is no plan B so plan A better work!

Colors in blend
30% sky blue
25% light blue
20% lake blue
15% mint
10% mint ice

Step 3: Clean metal supports and apply rust-proof paint
I know absolutely nothing about this. Steve will post the project details, but I believe it includes wire brushes and spray cans!

Step 4: Repair lava rock waterfall and reroute water.
Steve really wants to create a fabulous water feature in the back corner of the fill pond... possibly a volcano (surprise!) The water pipe carrying water from the pump house will need to be moved about 6-8 feet. Steve assures me that the process if fairly simple... but Rule #1 in home improvement is: nothing is ever simple.

Some of the rocks and masonry work around the waterfall is breaking down. Many rocks need to be re-set. I don't know how to do this either... hmmm. How hard can it be?

Step 5: Fill pool, add chemicals, heat water and enjoy!
Sound pretty simple to me. Time to start shopping for patio furniture!

Holes in the paneling?!!! ACK!

2009-05-03T23:37:00.000-07:00

Hanging something on our new wood paneled hallway involves pounding a nail through it. It's kind of a permanent thing. That's why all the walls that have new paneling up don't have anything on them yet.

Well, tonight we took the plunge and hammer in hand, hung up a recent Craigslist purchase, a 5-foot long wood carving of I think the Bay Bridge as interpreted by the fabulous WITCO! (W-500 for my Witco freak friends.) The colors are great and the first pic is how it looks from about 2 steps inside the front door. The second pic is how it looks as you start walking down the hallway. This is nighttime lighting... I hope we like it as much in the daytime.

(Also, I'm trying a new font. Ariel is the closest thing they have to Helvetica.)

Just let it go......

2009-05-03T23:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, so Haley and I were talking about how we can give the atrium more "zip" and I had the stellar (I thought) idea of putting small fountains all around the flower beds, buried in the lava rock. They would be set up to spray water up a foot or so for just 10 seconds each in random. Then what if we rigged it up so there were little bursts of flames, too! COOL! Then I thought it would be amazing to figure out a way for it to rain in the atrium! WOW.... or so I thought. Haley brought everything back down to earth by saying it would be easy to make it rain in the atrium... just take the roof off.
Genius.

More Fabulous Tile!

2009-05-02T14:40:00.001-07:00

Check out these colors! Our friends just ordered custom blend mosaic tiles from Hakatai. I love these colors and they will look great with their pink/peach fixtures. Must be the season for bathroom projects!

UPDATE: Kids Bathroom & Laundry Room

2009-04-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it's almost finished. And it's only been 18 months!!!

As regular readers may remember, way back in November of 2007 I made the stomach-turning, ever-so deflating discovery that the toilet in the kids bathroom had been installed incorrectly.
If you'd like to see pics and read the long version, click HERE.

Memory Refresher: During a previous owner's misguided '80s "update" (complete with particle board, fall apart vanity), the old vinyl sheet flooring had been covered with super-thick ceramic tiles. Fine, except they didn't raise the toilet flange or even double up with another wax ring. There was no watertight seal... there was a gap. A gap big enough for me to see water seeping out between the toilet and the floor when I flushed. This discovery made me very unhappy. I could only imagine what damage many years of unsealed toilet flushing had had on the subfloor. Suddenly the kids bathroom jumped to the top of the list of things to remodel.

Since the bathroom is attached to the laundry room (As seen here in the floorplan), it just made sense to redo the needful laundry room at the same time. After a long period of researching flooring, tiles, vanities, mirrors, light fixtures, trying to accommodate contractor's hours, budgetary considerations and a ba-zillion other things, I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get it functioning again.

Floor: EcoNights Rubber Floor (color: Monster's Ink)
Plus: Looks great. Feels great under bare feet. Is 100% waterproof (see toilet installation below). We like it!
Minus: One seam, but is almost invisible. $$$
Satisfaction Level: 10

Laundry Cabinets: Custom built to fit space and match the vintage vanity.
Plus: Matches the bathroom vanity very very well. Provides much needed storage. Looks great from the front door.
Minus: A few dings. There's some kind of scratch or de-lamination happening at the bottom of one of the tall doors. I think there's too much of a gap over the stacked washer/dryer. $$$!
Satisfaction Level: 7

Laundry Light Fixture:
Plus: Low profile & simple. From IKEA and only cost about $10.
Minus: Because of the new cabinets, there wasn't clearance for another hanging globe light to match the hallway, but this seemed like a good solution.
Satisfaction Level: 8

Laundry & Bathroom Paint: American Signature Colors (SR904 Shallow Pool)
Plus: Looks good with tile & floor without trying to be too matchy-matchy.
Minus: Nothing... it's paint.
Satisfaction Level: 9

Bathroom Tile: Custom blend from Hakatai
Plus: Opaque glass tile from Hakatai. Much more affordable than other, more trendy sources. Located in Oregon. Able to handle a custom blend for our mosaic. Looks great.
Minus: First-timer "Do-It-Yourselfer" installation is evident in spots.
Satisfaction Level: 9

Bathroom Vanity: Vintage find! (Thanks Heather!!!)
Plus: 1950s craftsmanship. Free! Saved by a friend from the scrap heap (Thanks again Heather!). Love the curved shelves and the very unique sink. New Formica countertop pattern looks great.
Minus: Our contractor charged us $$$ to take 6" off one end and install the countertop. There are a few "age-spots" in the finish (might not even be a minus as they add character).
Satisfaction Level: 9

Toilet: Kohler Cimmaron round bowl
Plus: New. Reliable. Properly installed by me.* Looks just fine.
Minus: New.
Satisfaction Level: 8
*I had a bit of an adventure when I thought I had the water turned all the way off and cut the copper pipe to install a compression fitting. In the time it took me to run screaming back out to the street and turn the water ALL the way off there was time to spray almost 1/4-inch of water onto the new floor. Both the rubber floor and myself are indeed waterproof and cleaned up nicely.

Bathtub:
Plus: Original to the house. Free!
Minus: There are a few chips, but I've fixed them with a that enamel touch up paint stuff and they're very hard to see.
Satisfaction Level: 8

Bathroom Light Fixture: (See earlier post on bathroom lighting)
Plus: Great, classic design... George Kovacs!
Minus: Was weird to install and it only uses these strange skinny light bulbs.
Satisfaction Level: 9

Still To-Do List:
Mirror - We're looking for a simple, classic Nu-Tone mirror that's the right size.
Sink backsplash - The new countertop wasn't scribed to fit the space and we had to wait for a newer layer of Formica to be installed over the new sheet in order to cover the 1/2 inch gap. It's on now, looks fine and we'll get getting on with operation backsplash soon .
Shower Curtain - Haley had a GREAT idea for this inspired by those ceiling mounted privacy curtains hospitals use.
Frosted window film - No mini-blinds needed.
Finish Trim - Window trim, door trim, baseboards & corner trim.

Lessons Learned
1- Shop around for a cabinet maker. We didn't and got over-charged.
2- Make sure the water is really turned off before you start wielding a pipe cutter.
3- Set deadlines for yourself. For us anyway, things are much more likely to get done when there's a hard deadline involved. If it's one of those "Let's get that finished sometime soon," things it becomes very easy to put off.

4-I'm sure there's more. I'll post more in the before 'n after write up once it's all done!

I know we were all hot for tea-green fixtures, but the expense of replacing (or refinishing) a perfectly good white bathtub just seemed extravagent, especially after the cool sink in our rescued vanity was also white. In the end, I'm quite satisfied and I think green or blue appliances would have been too much for the space.

Eureka!

2009-04-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

While Steve is distracted installing the toilet in the kids' bathroom (yah!) , I thought I'd quickly share our newest discovery!

The sun is finally out... perfect day to walk the yard and plan our outdoor projects. While exploring we discovered treasure. Buried under 3 inches of bark on the side yard (where the old play structure sits) lies a fabulous aggregate/concrete slab. It appears the whole side yard was once a patio located right off the kitchen sliders. Approx. 40' x 20'... we won't know until we dig up all the bark chips.

Get a wheel barrel and shovel!

It's hard to tell from the photo, but there's concrete in that there hole!

Stay tuned... the bathroom is nearly finished!

2009-04-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

I know I know... there has been nothing new from us in quite a while, but rest assured we haven't been sitting idol eating chips and fighting over the remote (well, not ALL the time).

The small bathroom is almost finished. The floor looks great, we like the new paint color, the cabinets in the laundry room totally match the vintage vanity we got from a friend, the new paneling in the laundry room matches the hallway perfectly, the tile looks great, as does the new Kovacs light fixture. But there are a few loose ends we'll be taking care of this week; sealing the tile, sorting out plumbing connections (have you SEEN how many connectors Lowes has?!!), installing the new toilet, re-installing the door, finding & installing a NuTone mirror, applying some kind of opaque privacy film to the window, and of course.. trim (baseboards, door, window, cabinet...).

There have been a few snafus (like the 1/2 inch gap between the countertop and the wall... too wide to be hidden by a backsplash... so we're waiting for new formica), a few happy surprises (the hinges on the laundry room cabinets are new, yet they match the ones on the vintage vanity perfectly!) and luckily almost everything is working out just like we imagined.

And never fear, dear readers... we have been taking oodles of pictures and are drafting a Before/After post that should be simply riveting. AND as a teaser... we've met with a kitchen designer and the remodeled kitchen is going to be awesome!!!! I don't want to give too much away, but there are birch, glass & orange cabinets involved!!!

I just hate going months between entries, especially when we've been busy working.

Stay tuned!

PS I just added these two pics... there will be more.

Another Rummer in the news

2009-01-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

This is a short, but good article in todays paper about a Lake Oswego Rummer kitchen re-do. They didn't do a historic restoration or anything, but I think they did a nice job making it work better for their family (breakfast bar, much more open to accommodate more people) with a few nice design touches (FADO ball lights from IKEA, polished concrete countertop). I'm quite taken by their cabinets made from Applewood plywood. They look really nice. Anywhoo...enjoy.

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2009/01/_headline_rummer_redo_deck.html

2008: A Year in Review

2009-01-07T00:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick executive summary on the projects we tackled this past year. It's exciting to see all the progress we've made, yet a teeny bit overwhelming with what's still to be done.

Spruced up the atrium.

Gutted the kids' bathroom

Cleared out the backyard

Installed new exterior lights

Planted bamboo

Installed new house numbers

Fixed downspouts

Installed more exterior lights

Painted exterior

Built new flower beds

... and nearly finished the bathroom! The drywall is done, cabinets are ready to install, tile is up. Just need to get the floor installed so we can put it all in.

Flat Roofs + Snow = Oh, No!

2008-12-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

Update 12/24/08: Yup, it started snowing on the 14th and we're snowed in. Still. 3 more inches fell yesterday. No mail in 7 days. No garbage service in 2 weeks. Cars are encased in snow cocoons. Chains are required everywhere. Our town is still under a State of Emergency (the National Guard rolled into town and Haley's on the roof hoping to signal helicopters and get a ride to the mall via a HumVee and I'm expecting a Home Depot Gift Card from FEMA. It's my right!!). Cars can't make it up our hill without 4-wheel drive AND chains (I only know that because I got to the office on Monday with a Suburban driving co-worker... had meet him at the bottom of the hill). Can you imagine how much worse it would be if we didn't have Global Warming?!! Thank YOU Al Gore.

But never fear, since it's Christmas Eve and we're big believers in Christmas Miracles we're bundling up and marching about 1-2 miles to the nearest strip mall. Ho Ho Hum. (Christmas this year is brought to you by Ross Dress 4 Less, GI Joes, Teriyaki King, and Craft Warehouse!) It WILL be fun.

Actually we're expecting the thaw to begin over the weekend... I'll send you a flood update on Monday. -Steve

We are slowly digging out of the snow. This is the snowiest December for our area in recorded history. About 2 feet with some drifts chest high. It's crazy.

It has been beautiful, but all this snow needs to go somewhere when the temperature climbs. Our roof has a lot of snow on it (2 feet in some areas) and it needs to come off. We have no idea about the best way to remove it, so we're just planning to climb up there with shovels and brooms. Wish us luck!

UPDATE: We just cleared the snow and ice out the downspouts, downsized the drifts and cleared out the run off trough things (scuppers?). It was 45-degrees today and the thaw is staying outside the house. I think we're fine. -Steve

Merry Holidays!

2008-12-24T00:01:00.001-08:00

Snowed in for 5 days... and we're a little punchy. Had to get a little creative with the Santa hats! Have a safe and happy holiday.

'Tis the Season... to decorate.

2008-12-16T10:59:00.000-08:00

We've put up the tree, the lights and the plastic figurines. Decorations... are done.

Snow Day!

2008-12-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 12/17/08: We hardly ever get snow here... and any snow that doesn't melt immediately is quite the novelty. We have about 4" from last Sunday's storm... and it's been snowing all morning on Wednesday. Should get another 4-6" by tomorrow, and more (possibly another 12") is expected this weekend! I know this doesn't sound like much to you mid-western folks, but there's a layer of ice under all this white fluff. I can't get off the hill (I might be the only person in East County that doesn't have 4-wheel drive!) It's so beautiful, but I'm getting a little cabin fever. I'll post more pictures after the storm passes.

What am I thinking????

2008-12-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

I'm still pining for summer and window shopping for the back patio. Steve found this darling set on Craigslist and I'm just obsessing over it. I NEED IT!!! I think I might have a sickness for patio and pool sets... but this one is really cute.

Let's hope it's still there after Christmas. Then I can seriously consider it... the holidays and bathroom remodel are sucking the life out of my pocketbook. Sigh! Pain!

Therm-o-riffic!

2008-12-04T11:00:00.001-08:00

OK... I can't help myself. Steve found a Thermador cooktop and double ovens with an extra cooktop (still in the box). Also, comes with the original book from Thermador. Yeah, we bought it and now I'm reworking my whole kitchen concept around these pieces. Looks like we'll have a sleek Jenn-Aire set for sale soon. Sigh. I love that one too, but the Thermador is just too amazing and fits the house perfect! I'll post pics as soon as we pull it out of the back of the truck.

While the Jenn-Aire is a super fine appliance, a Thermador is probably better quality, is more original to the house and c'mon... all 4 pieces (including the extra cooktop) were only 50-bucks! They look to be in primo condition, although I think they are from the 1950s... a little too early for our house, but that's fine with me.

The Primary oven is model W-016-A and sold for $176.00 according to the price written in the booklet. The Secondary oven is model W-016 and was $163.25. I've never seen this model of cooktop before. It's big, with a good size griddle in the middle. Model SU-4G and was a whopping $199.50 way back when.

Haley's deciding if we're going to mount the ovens side-by-side or go with a top/bottom configuration. I'm sure she'll keep you posted! -Steve

Winter Projects:

2008-11-08T13:56:00.001-08:00

UPDATE!!
I'll put a green X next to the things we've finished so far.... we've been busy.

It's raining! And probably will continue to rain until May. So we are now focusing our efforts on indoor projects. Our goal this winter is to get as many rooms as possible completely DONE. Top priority is the living room, atrium, second bath/laundry room and hallway. (Basically, anything visitors would see!)

In order to keep things organized we've compiled a punch list. It's really more for our reference than anything, but it will also be interesting to see how much we can get accomplished during these dark, wet winter months.

Here's the to dos (in random order.)

Living Room:
• replace all electrical outlets (They're white... brown goes better)
• paint upper beam and trim (They're really high and I think a scaffold will be better than teetering on top of a ladder.)
• install finish trim (Should be straightforward, except we all know there's nothing square in any house.)
• remove fireplace surround
• install new fireplace screen
• install new hearth (concrete? tile? ...not sure 'bout this one.)
• add fireplace up lights (would show off the stonework better.)

Atrium:
• install finish trim
• trim out front door
X • complete planter (lights, plants, rock)
We're getting closer... put in new plants and a few new lights. We're just waiting for one corner that's being used to store remaining finish trim.
• paint beams
• paint skylight (No... not the skylight... the woodwork around the skylights)
• fix skylight opener (one has been broken before we moved in... may require welding.)
• build new step (Right now it's concrete blocks. Haley's thinking 2x4's on edge would be nice... a sort of Nelson Bench effect.)
X • re-build fountain (Love the Leaky Tiki, but I think he's sprung a leak somewhere and the motor's getting loud. Time for a re-do.)
• clean bamboo furniture (A nice Sunday afternoon project)
• order new cushions for chaise
• paint grooves in floor (To erase the last rememberences of our experiments in grinding/staining.)
• reseal concrete floor (I think it's time for a shinier shine.)

Second Bath:
• install new toilet flange
X • install new t-connection for sink plumbing
X • move shower head up 10 inches
X • install drywall and concrete board
• install tile Haley's going to tackle this job! I'm confident it will look great!
• paint walls
• install new subfloor the rubber flooring must be installed on a plywood base. •
• install flooring
• set toilet and vanity sink
• install new light fixture
• install new fixtures
• finish trim
• install laundry light
• stack washer/dryer and hook up
We have "people" doing this stuff... I gotta know my limits!

Hallway:
• finish birch paneling
• install finish trim
• buff and polish VCT flooring
• install closet doors

Things to Order:
• closet doors
• 2nd bathroom door
• master bath door
• atrium light
• gutters/downspouts

I'm tired already.
Me too, but it's going to be great!

Vintage Stoves!

2008-10-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

Found this article in the Tuesday Oregonian:
"A Burning Passion for Vintage Stoves"

It focuses a lot on the stoves from the 40s and 50s, but the vintage 60s stoves are my passion! We have acquired a vintage Jenn Air stove (with aluminum cover and built in fan and cook light!) and matching oven. It's been sitting in our garage for months awaiting the new "vintage" kitchen we have planned.

We'll post more details on the stove when we start the kitchen project... but here's a peek at some of the original literature that came with our stove:

Summer Dreams

2008-10-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

It's not even November and I'm already dreaming of summer. I'm going to be a basket case by March!

Instead of preparing the pool and patio for winter... I've been searching for a very specific patio umbrella that we saw on our recent trip to Disneyland. The umbrella is aluminum or fiberglass petal leaf construction in a multi-color palette. Can't seem to find a resource for them, so if anyone knows where to get them please let me know. It looks kind of like this:

They may be vintage and out of production (welcome to my world.) We'd love a backyard full of high quality vintage patio furniture, but unfortunately pieces are rare and usually in poor shape or outrageously expensive! This stuff will be used a lot and we need it to hold up to use, abuse and the lovely Pacific NW weather. With that in mind, I'm looking at NEW.

In the search process I have found some interesting options for our patio and pool.

Umbrella Option 1: Fiberglass umbrella with star burst

Belson Outdoor offers this in several stock colors. Not too exciting. But wait! We may have a winner with STM Industries that offers the same fiberglass umbrella with over 200 custom colors!!!!!

Umbrella Option 2: Aluminum top umbrella

Park N Pool offers a few options for aluminum top umbrellas. I love this color. (See previous post on color scheme) Don't know if this is what we want in the backyard... too much of a good thing is never good. Luckily they offer quite a few color options:

Furniture Options: Panama and Pacific Island Weave Collections

This site also offers patio furniture. We have approx. 1200 sq. ft. of deck and patio surrounding the pool, so we need some furniture to break up the expanse.

Park N Pool also offers some chair designs that are kinda fun. (This is the closest thing I've found to that "resort" feel we are trying to accomplish in the backyard design.)

These nifty patio chairs go great with the aluminum umbrella! The site offers a design generator to custom design the color weave on these chairs. Sweet! Plus the chairs and chaise are all stackable (perfect for our weather.)

Time to wake up and get back to work!

RUMMER HAS IT: Builder's name is golden, 40 years after homes were built

2008-10-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 26, 2008
By JEFF KUECHLE
The Oregonian

Of all the rooms in her house on Beaverton's Southwest Glenn Court, Mary Smith prefers the atrium -- a central, sunlight-drenched 20-foot square of lush plant life surrounding a comfortable sitting area. Large skylights on both sides of the overhead gable peak welcome sunlight by day and moonlight by night.

"Sitting out here under a full moon, with the fireplace going in the next room, is magical," Smith said. "I love the play of the light in this house, the openness, the expanse of it. The home itself is like an object of art."

Peak experience

Smith's home is a Rummer -- one of the most sought-after "collectible homes" on the Portland market. During the 1960s and '70s, World War II veteran Robert Rummer built more than 1,000 such homes in West Portland, Lake Oswego, Newberg and Gresham.

Most Rummers are classic Midcentury Modern homes: open, spacious, with wide expanses of glass. Common Rummer design elements, inspired (although Rummer himself, to this day, steadfastly denies it) by the classic Joseph Eichler homes of California, include ranch-style one-level designs with central atriums or courtyards; a flat roof with a peaked central gable and interior vaulting; lavish use of glass and sliding doors to bring the outdoors in; in-floor radiant heating systems; and design details such as open ceiling beams, "flying coffin" cabinetry and tiled, step-down Roman showers.

At any given time, there can be a half-dozen Rummers available for sale. Meadows Group Realtor Jim DeMarco, who has sold a number of them over the years, estimates that the typical Rummer commands a premium of $20,000 to $30,000 over a similar size standard westside ranch.

"The people who like these homes typically have a design background, and often work from home or need a studio space," DeMarco said. "Some clients just want to live more of a retro, mid-'60s lifestyle. Interestingly, for some reason many of the clients who buy these homes are designers at Nike. I compare owning a Rummer to owning a classic car. These homes have really stood the test of time."

Enduring appeal

Rummer himself, now 81 and retired from building, is somewhat bemused at the enduring popularity of his homes. "I don't understand it," he said. "I suppose part of it is the post-and-beam construction, which makes them look a bit like Frank Lloyd Wright houses. I used top-of-the-line materials, beams and siding you can't get today, and top-of-the-line Thermidor appliances. The open floor plans make them great entertaining houses. But if you ask me why they're still popular, I just don't know."

Smith's four-bedroom, two-bath, 2,177-square-foot home at 13200 S.W. Glenn Court, built in 1970 and listed with Mike Shainsky of Arete Realty NW for $442,000, exemplifies the Rummer appeal for many owners.

By day, Smith -- a licensed massage therapist and nutritional consultant -- says she uses the atrium as "the nicest waiting room in town." Sliding glass doors off the atrium lead to the living room, kitchen, studio/office and bedroom. The living room is an open, white-beamed expanse with floors of polished concrete that features a wood-burning fireplace of white brick set in a wall of windows overlooking Taliesin Park -- named, coincidentally, after Frank Lloyd Wright's famous home in Wisconsin.

Outside, spacious decks -- one with a hot tub -- provide access to a manicured backyard. Through yet another slider, the home's kitchen, with its black glass cooktop and original, Italian-influenced ceramic tile floor, hearkens back to the Tomorrowland fervor of Rummer's late-1960s construction heyday.

In the opposite wing of the house, the spacious master suite has a distinctly Asian tranquillity, a walk-in closet (not found in all Rummers) and a slider to the garden. In the master bath, the step-down shower is illuminated by a wall of frosted glass.

Just around the corner, another Rummer home, at 13105 S.W. Heather Court, offers a slightly different take on the Rummer oeuvre. This 1969-vintage, 2,062-square-foot home, listed by DeMarco for $494,900, features a stone-filled atrium reminiscent of a Japanese garden and a vast, open living/dining room with sliding doors to a deep and flourishing fenced backyard.

The all-white kitchen features Rummer's original cabinetry and glass cooktop; the master suite boasts another sliding door to the backyard and a white subway-tiled bath. A floor-to-ceiling sheet of privacy glass spills light into the roomy step-down shower. The house will be held open Sunday, Oct. 26, from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

A bow to the master

Rummer's success inspired other builders to imitate his style -- some on a grander scale. The home at 4900 N.W. Malhuer Ave., listed with Tim Cairns of RE/MAX Equity Group for $665,000, is a testament to the influence of Rummer and Eichler. The home was built by Dick Hanning in 1972.

This sprawling 3,165-square-foot ranch, half again as large as the typical Rummer home, overlooks the 18th green at the Rock Creek Country Club. Walk through the 810-square-foot entry atrium and its classical fountain, and the doors open to a vaulted living/dining room with white stone fireplace, separated from the entry by a unique wrought-iron screen. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out on a backyard with heated in-ground pool and gazebo.

The right side of the house opens up into a vast and elegant kitchen, recently renovated with white glass-front cabinetry, Thermidor appliances and slate-colored Corian countertops. An unusual semicircular fireplace of Montana basalt warms the living room and game room. Beyond lies a sumptuous, marble-tiled bath and two spare bedrooms, one with extensive built-in cabinetry.

On the opposite side of the home, the master suite features a wall of windows overlooking the pool and golf course. The ornate master bath includes a marble-tiled, jetted soaking tub, a tiled steam shower and a separate, skylighted meditation/exercise room. It will be held open Sunday, Oct. 26, from 1-4 p.m.

"The house had had the same owner for 33 years," said current owner Simon Tam. "When we first walked in we were just in awe of it. It's such a great space, with so many unique details. It's like living in the Frank Sinatra era."

Jeff Kuechle is a Portland-based freelance writer. He can be reached at jeffkuechle@comcast.net.

Vanity Light for Bathroom

2008-10-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

We are slowly plugging away at the second bath. The floor is scheduled to be installed and the plumber is on deck. Our contractor is picking up our cute vanity to resize, refinish, and install the new counter top.

I ordered this new light for above the vanity. It's fairly modern, but works with the vintage fixtures we are using. It has the same feel as the lighting we used in the entry, but longer and sleeker. It's the only light fixture in the bathroom so the double sconce will hopefully put out a good amount of light.

Blog is International Sensation!

2008-10-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe that's a slight overstatement.

We have been documenting our Rummer restoration for about 18 months and had no idea anyone was reading this... except for a few comments here and there. Our new neighbors from Scotland bought the Rummer behind us and knew us from our blog before we ever met them. Small world!

A couple weeks ago Steve installed this nifty little counter thingy that tracks how many people visit this blog. Many of you are one timers, but most are return visitors! Thanks for checking in on our restoration adventure. We don't know you (my mom is the only one I've told about this site... and she doesn't check it at all!) but we truly appreciate your interest. Please leave us comments if you have any insight or suggestions on the projects we're working on. We are amateurs at this home improvement stuff and would love some input.

Oh! and here's a screen shot of where folks are visiting from around the WORLD. Amazing. Welcome and hello!

Good, Fast, Cheap... pick 2

2008-10-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

We are do-it-yourself-ers! (With some help from our trusted contractor, Randy!) But I've got to admit I found a excellent work crew that I plan to use again. They were good, fast AND cheap. They needed a lot of supervision, but were eager to please and completed the job on time and within budget.

The project: Living room window flower beds.

We cleared out the shrubs from the beds and fixed the downspouts (see previous post) when we painted the exterior trim. Now is was time to rebuild. After visiting the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Plant Sale on September 20th I formulated a quick and easy plan for the beds that included shade grasses, rock (lots of rock) and a little punch of color!

The materials: Landscape fabric, white rock, shade grasses, pots and colored rock!

The process: Secured the landscape fabric in place with large fabric staples then spread the white rock evenly over the bed.

The crew at work: Max with a couple of neighborhood friends attack the project with muscle and enthusiasm.

The cost: 3 juice pouches!

The final touch: Aquarium Rock! Gotta give credit for this to McDonalds. Yeah, that's right... we took Max to breakfast and noticed the colored rock in their outdoor ashtray. In seconds we all had the same idea.

Paint: Before and After

2008-10-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

We all like the before and after shots... so hope you're not disappointed!

Front:

Back:

The rains have hit, so we put the old white downspouts back up. New gutters and downspouts will be installed next month.