Pulled the Picture Rail

Jeff spent a couple of hours trying to strip paint from the picture rail in the entryway and it really wasn't coming off, so we just went ahead and pulled it. It was right up next to the ceiling anyway, so it wasn't going to work to hang pictures. We decided it would be far better to move it down a bit so we could actually use it as a picture rail. (We have loads of art we hope to unpack and hang someday.)

It came off pretty well so we could, in theory, strip it and reinstall, but now we won't have enough since we decided to install a multi-part moulding, like the rest of the main floor. And if we do this, the existing picture rail is a few inches too short where it meets the newell post.

McCoy Millworks carries a picture rail that is nearly identical to the one we removed, so I went this afternoon to get replacement wood. As luck would have it, however, they only had 7-foot lengths and we need 10-foot. So, I decided to wait 2 weeks for their next order to arrive.

I guess it's time to take a look at my list and see what else I can work on while I'm waiting.

Someday, When We're Done . . .

. . . I want to make a Marie Webster hand applique quilt for our bed. I want to make the Iris quilt from 1910.

Marie Webster's Iris Quilt, 1910

We will be done with our list someday, won't we?

And I recently picked up Michele Hill's William Morris in Applique and I really want to make a lap quilt for the living room, called Morris Magic (on page 60). It would go well with our tapestries and William Morris pillow. Our modern quilts just look out of place in the the room.

Morris Magic Quilt

For now, I think I will content myself with a starter-size project. The book offers up a pillow project, called Tudor Rose, designed by May Morris in 1892, on page 56. I need a hand project for during my wasted Netflix time.

Tudor Rose Cushion

Our House is in a Magazine!

Our main floor renovation appears in the October/ November 2012 issue of Northwest Renovation magazine. Very exciting! (Thanks to Skye over at Rose City Bungalow for telling me about the article.)

There is a nice article written up by Wade Frietag, Owner/Architect for Craftsman Design & Renovation, who was the contractor for our big project last year.

These pictures were taken about a year ago, right after the bulk of the main floor had been renovated, but before we finished the new leaded glass panels. And most of the decor belonged to the contractor. They didn't like our stuff so they removed it and put their own stuff out for the photos.

The digital version can be downloaded here.

Almost Done Paint Stripping

I finally managed to get back at the paint stripping project; today is day 3 this week. Some bits of white paint are being very stubborn, but I'm getting there. I do have some challenges that I'm still working on.

The first, is stripping this little corner behind the newell and in front of the first step. There is just not enough room to get the tools in there, not even the dental tools. I'll probably try sanding it with the dremel tool, and if that doesn't work, it will just get stained as is and I'll touch up with paint if needed.

And I still have this high portion to work on. I hate working on ladders.

And the mullions in the lower window need some work. I'm thinking about trying paint stripper and soft wire brushes.

And I have to figure out how to deal with the picture rail that is above the woodwork restored last year. I keep asking myself why I didn't just strip it back then, but I didn't think about it. I should probably pull and replace it, but so far I haven't been able to bring myself to do that; the wood you buy now just isn't the same as this old stuff. 

I may just have to declare one of the next rainy days "paint stripping day" and have Jeff help me with masking everything and we'll just have to work on it until it's done. He's much better about working on ladders.

Other than these areas, I'm mostly to the sanding stage. I bought a bunch of sanding heads for our dremel tool and a bunch of sandpaper for our multi-tool, so if I can maintain motivation, I should be able to finish this project this month.

Latest House Task List

The last three weeks, I've been in one of the longest periods of non-motivation that I've had in quite a while. I just got tired of stripping paint with dental tools. Ugh. But the clock keeps ticking . . . so I'd better get over it soon.

We did work hard this summer and I figured I would revisit our house task list. It always makes me feel better to see that we've accomplished something in the last six months.

This time around I did some rearranging and added a bunch of new items. I also deleted all the items crossed off the last time I looked at the list. There's no sense leaving stuff on here that's been finished for a while.

Our priorities have changed somewhat over the last year and other projects have moved up in importance.

1. Buy woodworking tools (done enough for now)
2. Buy/Make and stencil curtains for dining room
3. Embroider curtains in dining room
4. Stain/Shellac master bedroom woodwork
5. Refinish master bedroom floors
6. Plan/Install master bedroom closet interiors
7. Stain woodwork in Sharon's closet
8. Prime and paint master bedroom and closets (2 of 3 closets done)
9. Strip woodwork in guest bedroom
10. Stain/Shellac woodwork in guest bedroom
11. Prime and paint walls/ceiling in guest bedroom
12. Refinish floor in guest bedroom
13. Strip or Replace linen cabinet door
14. Strip paint in entryway (nearly finished)
15. Sand entryway woodwork
16. Stain & Shellac entryway and upper hall woodwork
17. Refinish floors on stairway and upper hall
18. Plan/Install kitchen pantry interior (postponed)
19. Plan garage
20. Clear with city/File permit
21. Hire contractor?
22. Empty garage
23. Demo garage
24. Rebuild garage
25. Seal garage floor
26. Install drainage pipes on gutter downspouts
27. Install gutters on garage
28. Rain barrel behind garage
29. Install garage roof insulation
30. Build workbench from salvage wood
31. Plan and build side fence
32. Install backyard path
33. Have quilt quilted
34. Bind quilt
35. Plan and build raccoon/rat-safe chicken coop
36. Plan and build pergola at back patio
37. Clean bricks and install back patio
38. Prime/Paint/Stain basement bathroom
39. Install flooring/fixtures in basement bathroom
40. Strip woodwork in sewing room
41. Stain/Shellac woodwork in sewing room
42. Repaint walls/ceiling in sewing room
43. Refinish floor in sewing room

I'm going to drop the paint stripping in the sewing room, for now. That project can wait until 2013 or even later. I'm beyond ready for a break from paint stripping.

Our House's Builder: Spencer McCain

The last few days I've poked around a bit and I figured out the builder on our house: Spencer McCain. I actually always had it, but didn't realize it. I had this original plumbing permit from 1912. It shows the owner as Spencer McCain.

This morning, I typed the name into Google and a few links showed up in architectural publications. Then I tried the Oregonian archives and I found a few ads, shown below. (It would help if they didn't change the format every time they put it in the paper; over the three years it shows up as Spencer & McCain, Spencer McCain Co., Spencer-McCain Co., and Spencer, McCain Co.)

The Oregonian, 26 Nov 1911

The Oregonian, 13 Mar 1910

The Oregonian, 9 Sep 1911

I also found a number of classified ads for lots and building plans by this builder, but not ours, alas. Maybe they just had too many projects in the works to consider this one important enough to advertise. All of these ads were published between 1909 and 1912, and then the name disappears. I wonder what happened . . .  

Anyway, this afternoon I wrote the Architectural Heritage Center to schedule an appointment to do some research on our house. Hopefully I'll be able to find more information about our house specifically.

Update the next day:

Some more digging and I found it (the description of our house's construction):

The Oregonian, 19 Feb 1911

The article reads:

The Spencer-McCain Company has prepared the plans and commenced the erection of a two-story, seven-room, modern frame residence in Laurelhurst. The design is carried on the broad lines with low sweeping roof and broad eaves. To one side and under the main roof is carried a porte-cochere supported by heavy brick columns. The exterior of the house is shingled with brick trimmings.

The interior is finished with hardwood floors, beamed ceilings, and panel wainscot in the main living rooms. There is very broad, artistic mirrored buffet in the dining-room and built-in bookcases in the den. The mantel in the living-room is rock-faced brick. On the second floor are three chambers and bath, which are finished in white enamel; also a large sleeping porch and airing balcony. The Dutch kitchen and lavatory room are also finished in white enamel. There is full cement basement with furnace and fruit room. Completed this residence will cost about $4500.

For more detailed entry of this builder, visit my Spencer McCain Page, where I've set out the information I've found so far on the houses he built.

Garage Guttered

Jeff and I looked into putting up gutters ourselves, but when I realized we had no way to haul around a 21+ foot long gutter without damaging it, I decided to just get a quote from the company that did gutters for our house.

It was about twice as expensive as just buying the materials ourselves and installing them, but I just ended up hiring it out—so it's done now. I can now get the final inspection done and get this project closed out as far as the City is concerned.

Forest green gutters with white downspout

So, the garage is now nearly done. Jeff is working on installing drain pipes to redirect the water to the rain garden. We put a rain chain on the back of the garage and we're planning to add a rain barrel this winter.

It's really hard to take photos because there's all these trees in the way.