My 'new' Old House - lots 'o pics

15 years ago

Six months ago my husband and I took the plunge and bought our "new" house - a 1923 former beach cottage. As with most old houses, it's had it's ups and downs, and many, many owners ;) The first owners had it for 40 years - then about 9 different families have lived here.

It needs HELP. While it isn't NEARLY as grandiose as some of the beautiful homes I've seen discussed here, it has a lot of nice character I fully intend to preserve. There is original woodwork that I adore. Alas, the previous owners - HORROR- painted some of it, and the bits they didn't paint, they did lousy jobs of painting the walls and globbed paint on my wonderful picture rail..etc. etc.

It is a former two bedroom that has been converted into a three, courtesy of a hack-job renovation of the attic. While poorly done, it's a fabulous space up there, though it's taken us MONTHS to finish! With a full time job each plus busy lives, it's hard. And a lifelong project, it appears. Anyway, I'll post some pics. Try not to be too harsh at the hideous siding. ;)

I really love the old details - the high baseboards, curved coved ceilings, hardwood (which desperately needs refinishing...sigh). It isn't beyond hope, I think :)

The beach is one house away. We are very lucky!

The ugly carpet we ripped out, revealing hardwood underneath, though it is in rough shape

I painted the circa ?1970's cheap cabinets, and will be replacing the godawful floor. None of the original kitchen is left :(

Gas fireplace is long gone, as is the mantle :( though the gas line is still there, capped.

Dining room, with original (and drafty!) windows

Back yard

Stained glass in the living room

The not-so-great attic room - which has no insulation and is mighty chilly, btw.

Poop brown siding and all - we love our little house!

Comments (9)

sarahandbray
15 years ago
Very cute!! Love the original features!! Looks like cool latches on the windows as well. And I actually don't think the poop brown siding is too bad--and the stone underneath it is divine!!

(and, hey, it's at the beach right? I'd go for a tent at the beach right now, all snowed in!!)

:)
Sarah from Albany, NY
worthy
15 years ago

On that strange and tenuous strand of sand across Hamilton Harbour (Lake Ontario) in warmer times.

You're on the right track! I'm not appalled by the siding colour either.
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nursekathleen
Original Author
15 years ago
LOL at you posting the pic of me being dragged down the beach by my shepherd.

Yes, it is a HAMILTON beach, which currently has four feet of ice, and even in the summer is not the most pristine ;) but I love it.

Worthy, every time I see your name I look twice - it's the name of my former horse, and I've used it as a board name on occasion.

I still hate the poop brown though ;)
Aesop
15 years ago
Hey, I'm from Hamilton as well! Nice to see some neighbours on this forum.

NurseKathleen, Worthy - love your pics! NurseKathleen, your house is very cute! I understand your angst about the windows and lack of insulation. I have a 1895 Victorian, so the heat loss is awful. Folks who visit me in the winter know that they need to dress warmly! We also have lots of work to do - the house used to be a boarding house in the 1950's, so since we've moved in 8 years ago, there's been lots of changes!
PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
15 years ago
Hopefully you might be surprised( happily) as to what you find under the linoleum in the kitchen.
nursekathleen
Original Author
15 years ago
Aha another Hamiltonian! We are new to Hamilton - love the architecture :)

Well, if the kitchen is anything like the bathroom, it will be like an archeological dig.

We had no fewer than *8* layers of floor in our bathroom. We stripped it all, except for the very last bottom layer, which we had some concerns about being made of asbestos. Now our bathroom floor is 1.5 inches lower. I need to stand on my tippy toes to see in the mirror, lol.

OH woe the lack of insulation. We are freezing. Is the character worth it? Maybe...lol...no, it is. Maybe. In July ;) ;) ;)
missouri1
15 years ago
I think your house is darling and I don't dislike the siding color at all.
igloochic
15 years ago
Oh I can't wait to see pics after you tackle the job :) It's such a cute house, it deserves people who love it!!
concretenprimroses
15 years ago
Its adorable! Boy old houses are constant work unless you've gotten it form a master restorer (not many of us report that!) I know I just wouldn't be happy in a new 'boring' one tho.
kathy