I think it's appropriate to start off with a quote from the 80's classic 'The Money Pit':
"If the frame is good, everything else can be fixed"
Guess we'll find out...
With permits in hand, we're ready to start restoring and updating our neglected 100 year-old brick townhouse in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It's exciting and horrifying at the same time to think about the task that lies ahead. From what we know, the house has sat semi-abandoned for the better part of 10 years... hence the dreary appearance on the outside.
The plan is to tastefully update and restore the house while making sure we don't over-modernize and get away from the fact that it's essentially an 1800 square foot antique. We're taking pains to meticulously restore much of the original detailing. In the photos you can see some of the old architectural elements of the house are in beautiful shape (like the old beamed ceiling in the dining room) and others are not... Like the plasterwork on the master bedroom ceiling. Anything salvageable will be kept and restored.
That said, we're...
-
Installing central air... Sorry to disappoint those die-hard radiant heat fans out there. If you want my old radiators, come and get 'em. Oh yeah, and there's a boiler you can have too.
-
Updating all the electrical and adding recessed lighting throughout the first floor and parts of the second.
-
Installing all new plumbing and adding a bathroom in the alcove of the master bedroom
-
Opening up the dining room and kitchen to create a open plan cooking and dining area.
Below are photos of the house at the start of this renovation. Fingers crossed that by the end of summer 2011, these will be the ugly "before" pictures in a series of shocking "before and afters".
Wish us luck. We're going to need it... I'll post photos once there are some visible signs of improvement.
The "befores"...
The front brick facade is in serious need of a steam cleaning, some lintel repair, and repair of the porticos over the windows. The plan is to replace the dreary aluminum window frames with a warm shiny wood.
Some of the cooler architectural elements... Those columns aren't original though so they're coming out.
The hot water boiler that's going. We're going to do central air.
A cool curve to the bottom of the main staircase.
Closeups of the original parquet flooring.
A nasty hole in the master bed plaster ceiling...
Neighbor's backyards in bloom.
Cool old skylight over the stairs.
Master bedroom flooring and radiator.
The fireplace... not quite sure if it's the real deal or if it was added. It's currently configured for gas, but it's all shut down at the moment.
Entrance to the garage out back (never dreamed I'd have a garage in NYC...)
Shot of the backyard.
The back facade.
