Our Renovation Story Begins

Today we go to settlement on our big yellow house and I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I’ve bought and sold nine houses in my life, and I don’t remember being this excited since I bought my first townhome in the spring 1982. Instead of worrying about whether or not I could afford the mortgage, this time I tossed and turned thinking about all the things I want to do to help restore this home to its full glory.

As you can see from my first posting, our big yellow house is BIG. It is also in remarkably good shape for being 96 years old. Not only was it well built (its first owner was also the owner the town’s lumber mill), it’s been lovingly maintained and upgraded by its 7 former owners. Since all of the difficult work has been done, my job is to bring it into the second decade of the 21st century without losing its 1916 charm.

The Kitchen

Here are some pictures of what the house looked like the day we took possession. While small, the kitchen is a real charmer. Exposing the back of the fireplace was a stroke of genius by the former owners. While I know I want to expand the kitchen by incorporating a nearby enclosed sun porch, I don’t plan to make any changes to that fireplace.

The Foyer

The stain glass windows surrounding the front door are a trade mark of the home’s builder, Frank Fred Muth. Similar windows can be found in other homes around town constructed by the same builder. I like the simplicity of the geometric shapes.

The living room with its five large windows, built in bookcases, and working fireplace is a place I am certain to enjoy while reading a good book on Sunday afternoon. If I don’t want to hear Larry watching the football game in the nearby family room, I can always close the glass pocket doors.


The Living Room

 One of the first jobs Larry tackled was closing up the pet door on the back porch. Since the previous owners moved next door, their cat is a bit confused about where he lives. The silver duck tape on the swinging door should be a good clue he needs to try someplace else. 

Closing Up the Cat Door


While in good condition, my list of desired modifications is many times larger than my budget. I know I need to sort out what is a must have vs. a nice to have so we can prioritize and start renovations...but right now I want to do it all!