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I’m starting to get excited; a couple of tools I’ve been waiting on arrived today, and I’m anticipating a very productive weekend spent working on my exterior paint prep. Hopefully, I’ll soon be ready to start painting one side of my old house in earnest. I tried the tools for a few minutes today to make sure they were operable, and I imagine they’ll get quite a workout over the next few days. Porter Cable has a compact belt sander that I’ve read good things about; supposedly it’s light enough to easily use on a ladder; I’ll let you know if that’s true. I also wanted to try a Milwaukee orbital sander to give my Porter Cable sander a break, and I now have that to play with, too. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!
I’m also excited because I’m already planning this winter’s old house project; an open floor plan of my first level. The area currently consists of an enclosed uninsulated and unfinished front porch, living and dining rooms, and a kitchen. I’m going to remove the walls separating the porch, living, and dining rooms, although I may leave knee walls for some book shelf space. I can already picture how the project is going to completely transform my first floor. At least two of the walls being removed are bearing walls, and I suspect the third is as well, so there will need to be some headers installed. There’s also going to be a lot of work involved to make the porch fit in, but when finished, the changes will fit my personality and lifestyle.
Character, Personality, and Old Houses
There are a lot of reasons I enjoy living in an old house, but if I had to name the number one reason it would probably be that my sweat and hard work become a part of the character, personality, and history of the home–and in a way, the old house becomes a part of who I am. It’s not just my address or an investment, and when I read that home values continue to fall, it doesn’t really bother me: I don’t plan to go anywhere.
An old house allows you paint your cabinets green with white trim if that’s what you want. Evidently the family that lives in a 1902 Victorian did, and now the room reflects their personality. If you happen to like a dark green leather look, then express yourself by using that color on your kitchen walls. As you become a part of your old house, you can even paint your living room red if you feel the color suits you, the room, and your home. I kind of like the red and may have to try it myself.