Here’s a fun one for a Friday: As an owner of an old house… did you take the tried and true advice to “listen to what your house says it wants” before making updates or remodels?
- If so: What did your house tell you — and how did that affect your plans?
- Flip side: Did you not take the time to listen to your house… and make a rash decision you later regretted?
It’s pretty clear what the fabulous evaxebra’s old apartment was telling her: Don’t you dare mess with the pink bathroom!
Rnda says
My husband and I purchased our 1947 Mid Century Modest 10 yrs ago. We had to remodel the bathroom two months arter moving in as the floor had a gaping hole. We did save the original toilet and closet for towels. We did put in a pink cabinet and painted the walls a light pink. Other than replacing the 1980’s wall paper in the kitchen with strawberry motif the rest of the kitchen is all original. Except the flooring which the previous owners replaced. I almost ripped out my original cupboards but I just love them to much. I love the half- shelves for the small can goods. I love this house but watched to many of those DYI shows and thought my little mint green house needed a make over. But somehow just could do it. After finding this sight, I look at my house in a different light. The house stands taller now. It kept me from making some really bad decisions. I am so glad it spoke. 🙂
Deborah says
My house has been talking to us for 18 years. We ignored it at first and fortunately, we were busy with things like raising a large family in a tiny house to try to do any renovations. There are some wishes I had that I am glad weren’t granted!
I’ve been listening really hard since I found RR!
My house has very beaten up and ridged oak floors that someone thought peel and stick tiles could fix. I abominate those tiles. The glue is the dickens to get up. The tiles are going very slowly and I learned to love that beaten up oak long ago. It has a certain charm for me.
We had a long term houseguest that wanted their room painted a trendy greige. We did it. It looks dingy to me. I never saw what they saw in that color. It’s going to be painted some shade of blue.
The house needs major repairs to the kitchen and bathroom floors, it has for a long time and we just haven’t been able to do it. The bathroom walls need to be scraped to the plaster because someone used what I think is automotive paint in there. Anything put on top of it shrinks and cracks.
Recently, I discovered that the first layer of paint on the wood paneling on the front porch is some kind of varnish! I want to take it down to the bare wood and used some sort of weather proof finish. The wood looks red!
With all it’s deficits, we love our house: We got it basically for the price of the land with the house thrown in for free. (that’s a doing in California) and in two years it will be paid off!
I’ll paint between now and then and keep listening. So far it’s campaigning heavily for some knotty pine paneling.
pam kueber says
hehe: “Beat up”-look flooring is popular now!
And yes: That trendy greige looks dingy to me, too! Another good word: Drab.
Jacqueline Grice says
I don’t listen to a WORD my house says. It was built in 1980, but most of the homes around it were built in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s. I love MCM, and atomic ANYTHING. My daughter SWEARS the place will end up looking like it was put together by George Jetson and Dr. Suess. But I don’t care. Looking at it makes me happy and in a few years when it’s time to paint the outside, I’m looking at either Aqua or Coral!
pam kueber says
Yes: George Jetson and Dr. Seuss!!!
Miriam says
We dubbed the house we are living in the ugly smelly little cottage. It was built after WWII out of used materials we think. When we got the place it stunk – my nose and eyes would run. We could barely stand the smell. The kitchen sink did not drain. The house told me to move the kitchen to the bedroom right next to the bathroom. Hubby thought I went nuts until he thought about it for a while. For convenience, we cut a doorway in the hall way, (used the door taken down from the bedroom/new kitchen) and build a bridge across the utility room to the old kitchen. Necessary wires and water pipes moved under the bridge. The bridge made it possible to go from one side of the house to the other and go in and out the back door and into the kitchen. The bridge is also a mud room more or less and access to the attic. Also we were able to put the washing machine right in the hall closet next to the same drain! Now the drains work since they only go about 4 feet to the main sewer pipe instead of a 40 foot U shaped horizontal run. The house was on septic when it was built but some time it was changed to city sewer. It didn’t work. And the stench was because when they changed the house to city sewer they didn’t cap off the pipe that goes to the septic. We are very glad we listened to the house and built the bridge and moved the kitchen. The old bedroom/new kitchen also had too many windows. One broken window overlooked the breezeway – it;s hole was walled up. (Some day we should do something with the breezeway.) And that keeps the kitchen warmer, too. Another window was broken so we put in a shorter one we had removed from the bathroom. (That window was walled up since it was over the tub and quite the view for the neighbors and rotting wood removed.) The other window was in great shape. The room had 3 windows and 2 door ways. Not a good bedroom to begin with. We debated whether or not to re-use the bulky 1980s kitchen cabinets which were not original, buy new or look for used. Since the ceilings were low and the room small we decided not to use the bulky 1980s cabinets. Funds were low so we opted to look at used – only nothing turned up on CL at that time. But while I was trolling Craig’s List, I found a restaurant prep sink for not much AND it fit perfectly between the door way to the hall and the closet – now a pantry. WOW and we love using it. After we had decided to go debt free on it, we were given or bought: an old butcher block prep table from a restaurant for between the stove and freezer, a black and gray tool box cabinet which we put above the sink for cups and dishes, a trashed work bench frame with red drawers – we put plywood on it for a table for temporary, an industrial stool and so on. We hung pots and pans on the walls. The original single panel door to the pantry got chalk board paint. The grand daughters love to come over and draw a menu on it – usually pizza. No not a vintage kitchen but definitely a loved kitchen with character and no debt. I would say it is still a work in progress.
The old kitchen is my work shop for repairing vintage sewing machines. It has wonderful natural light and no more tears and runny noses since we got that pipe capped. With the bridge detouring traffic it could easily be a bedroom with a bathroom and kitchen just across the bridge and a living room out front.
pam kueber says
Wow. You not only “listened” to your house — you smelled it!
Jennifer A. says
Last November I purchased a custom 1959 MCM home built by the architect as his personal residence. There have been a string of neglectful and misguided owners since the family moved out, and some obvious (and h****** [edited]) changes to the architecture inside, so it’s been very tempting to do something. Fairly quickly after purchase, I came across the advice to “listen to the house”, and a short time after that, the son of the architect stopped by to meet the new owner. He gave me a 2-hour tour of the house and grounds and walked through everything that had been changed. Everything. He also shared a lot about his Dad and his family life growing up, which was priceless. I am so fortunate in that regard!
The one-two punch has given me the strength to take my time, and in amazing ways, the house has been talking to me – a lot. I think it’s been waiting for the right owner to honor it as I can’t seem to keep up with what she’s saying (it must be a she – she’s talking a LOT, haha). I know that not all of the changes I make will be to restore, but what I do have is a history of the house and its architect – what he was like and where he was from. His story and personality and the house “go together” so well. There are also some significant architectural features (impossible to explain) that are simply amazing and in letting all these things roll around in my head, I’ve realized what the house is telling me on a broad, visionary level. I believe that as long as I am true to that vision, that the architect had and that the house exudes, I’ll be good.
I’ve made one major change so far, and it was needed as some structural damage was severe. That change started off in one direction and then went another direction. This new direction resulted in making that part of the house look and feel completely different. And instantly “right”. Neighbors, friends, family and strangers have commented on how amazing that corner of the house looks (you can tell it’s a work in progress; some finish work needs to be done). The “new” space “fits” with the architect’s intent even though it’s a bit different than the original construction.
I’m still impatient, but at least I’ve seen the rewards for listening early on. Thanks Pam and Kate for the advice and for all that you do!
Linda C says
Our 1961 ranch house speaks to us like a ragamuffin orphan adopted by doting, older parents. We gave it what it truly needed (windows, insulation & new HVAC). But it looks at its neighbors (many of which are completely new builds on lots where houses just like ours used to stand) and whines, “I WANT, I WANT, I NEED!”
We have relented – to a point- because we want to make up for years of abuse suffered at the hands of shoddy “remodelers.” We want to free its lovely figure from the many tawdry layers it was clothed in over the decades. We may not recreate the house as it was in its childhood, but we are not going to yield to its demands to be just like its new friends, either.
It is a process and it is a challenge, but in the end we hope to have raised a house that will serve its purpose in life with good manners and understated taste.
pam kueber says
Yes, tough love is sometimes required! Sounds like your baby is learning the meaning of “enough” — and will be the better for it!
Judy H. says
hey, something happened, my comment posted itself! Anyway…certain that it was the right thing to do. I told him those bathrooms wouldn’t have stayed that perfect for all of these years if they didn’t care how they looked, they were proud of themselves and we should leave them alone. Years later they still the beautiful pink and sky blue they were when we first met and they are proud.
pam kueber says
Yup, they just do not make bathrooms today like they used to. Those old tiles were great quality… and the mud-set tile method: Built to last!
Bella Street says
After buying a granny ranch, and unsure what colors to pain the all-white walls, I had a dream about a blue, gray, and cream combo for contrasting walls and ceiling. I went with it and LOVE IT. So yeah, my house told me what to do.
Judy H. says
We moved into our 1950 raised ranch some years ago. It still had its pristine mint condition pink bathroom and sky blue bathroom. None of the floor tiles or wall tiles has so much as a chip in them. When my husband starting talking about remodeling the bathrooms, I sucked air! I told him we should wait. “Wait for what?!” I told him we needed to wait until we were absolutely certain
Elaine says
I and my contractor listened to this house (1963 CB ranch in Florida). He is a real house whisperer, loves restoring to match original design. I think I channel Granddad, as I call the man who built the house. I am more than satisfied with the results. Most people who see it cannot believe it was not built this way. We opened the wall between the living room and kitchen and moved a peninsula counter to that space. The contractor saved the beautiful cherry paneling and used it to finish the living room side of the counter.
We also completed a partial remodel where Granddad’s son added a garage half bath to a bedroom sort of by guess and by golly. We finished and expanded the addition and tiled it to match the vintage original half bath.
I sense Granddad is happy someone appreciated his care in choosing materials and building his house, and we just love the way it looks.