Keeping on Keeping on

The ship-lap from heartpine siding accent walls finished up in March.  It adds such character to the bedrooms, we are researching size and wood to plan an end wall in the living space with the same upfit tying the theme throughout.  The effort to accomplish this treatment while substantial, we hope will add years of enjoyment and appreciation for the age the house was built.  A friend staying over last week feels its the "coolest shiplap she's ever seen!"  We couldn't agree more.  

 We hauled 1400 lbs of construction debris from our backyard to make way for our new deck and brick patio.  The bricks seen are an old driveway installed many years ago.  The street is too narrow to have off street parking, so we are going to develop it into a private outdoor space we can use for entertaining.  The bricks stacked at the back of the property vary in age and are from deconstruction at the beginning of our project.  They will be part of the patio.  Above, the siding was moved to our front courtyard.  It is not long until we will side the rest of the exterior.

On Friday, we spent the afternoon throwing brick and making a new stack in preparation for building our deck.  We had hoped to get to this over Memorial Day weekend, but the heavy rainfall expected has changed our direction.  Greg is running electrical for our piazza lights and installing a new ceiling.  The white ceiling pictured below was demo-ed last week.  

A passer-by asked Greg if the dark studs were rotten, and while there is some rot he is replacing, the dark color is natural to heartpine studs.  Many of these are original to the late 20's.  The wood is more dense then new wood purchased at the local lumbar yard.  

Most doors now are 3068 door, 36 inches wide.  While our door is still standard they are a 2868, only 32 inches wide.  Finding it with custom features such as two panel and 3/4 light in the entrance took several weeks of looking around and trips to various lumbar yards.  Therma-Tru had doors that were very close to our idea without paying the custom price.  This was a two weekend project to get them installed with transoms.  We kept all three entrance doors as part of respectful restoration.  One door is an outside entrance to the guest room, the main entrance off the kitchen and the living room entrance.  Charleston is known for it's many entrances off the piazza, much of this due to the need to get as much ventilation during hot weather pre- HVAC.

We want to acknowledge This Old House Charleston 2018 filming near us.  Greg enjoys the craftmanship and expertise of this show.  And it amazing to have them facing some of the same challenges in their projects in Ansonborough and Elliotborough neighborhoods.  These houses while a treasure require expertise in restoring them.  This Old House Charleston 

 Over Memorial Day Weekend, we were balancing on a scaffold and ladder installing a tongue and grove ceiling.  Greg is very comfortable up in the air, but my balance is not what it once was.  He was desperate for a helping hand, so I was lending him mediocre attempts at maneuvering the wood into place.  Working overhead is harder than I understood.  We were pleased with the outcome.  A second coat of paint will finish off the primer and porch blue.

We added a new member to our family this past weekend.  Congratulations to Ethan and Sam who tied the knot at a beautiful ceremony in Ft. Mill, SC.  We found time to sew this quilt for their wedding, a family tradition.  We wish for them many happy years facing life together. This respectful renovation has the potential to overtake our life, but we always want to stop and consider what is truly important.  Family.