Reuse. Rehabilitate. Restore. Architectural salvage and repurposed pieces for the home.
Over on Ikea Hacker, there’s a great renovation of a 1950’s Eichler home by Greenmeadow Architect’s Mark Marcinik.
In the above photo, the bar is made of doors parts, three cabinet boxes and Ikea cover panels. The translucent window in the red wall is another Ikea door. The stainless steel sliding doors against the wall are Ikea cover panels hung on sliding door tracks.
If you’re going to try this at home, don’t forget to hit the damaged section first for bigger discounts!
Before anything, try a quick fix. Pour some baby powder into the grooves. Don’t vacuum the mess on the floor because you don’t want to remove the powder between the cracks. Wipe it up with a damp rag.
If that doesn’t work, there are a couple of companies that make easy DIY products specifically for stopping creaks. Squeak No More and Squeak Ender each get good reviews. But really, you can just do it yourself with some screws, shims and scrap lumber.
First of all, determine exactly where the squeak is coming from. It could be loose boards or the joists underneath.
If you can view the floor from underneath, try to find gaps between the floor and joist. If any exist, put some glue on a shim and knock it in there. Not so much that the floor pops up! For extra support, drive a screw at an angle up through the joist, shim and into the sub floor. And um, make sure it doesn’t go all the way through the floor above.
If it looks like your joist is sagging, you’ll need to support that. Squeak Ender is a brace for such a job. Or you can bridge between the joists with a 2×6. Or screw in support against the joist.
Can’t get underneath? Good for you. That makes the job even easier. Squeak No More makes a Countersnap Kit in which the screwheads automatically snap off when driven into the depth control fixture. Alternatively, all you need to do is drill tiny pilot holes at angles and drive finish nails or screws through the floor, catching the sub floor below. You can fill the holes with wood putty when done.
Easy 2 DIY
This Old House
Be Jane
Neatorama lead me to this Weird News article.
9 year old Iowan, Jake Wulf invented a foot activated toilet seat lifter which he named the “Privy Prop”. That beat out “Jake’s John Jack” which I actually prefer.
He created the handy device for his school’s Invention Convention, with the help of his dad who designs equipment for a living. Jake built the base out of plywood, then cut thin pieces of steel and fashioned a teeter-totter at the bottom. Step on: seats lifts. Step off: it closes.
The item was such a hit at the fair that he got a call from the Ellen Degeneres Show. His interview will air on Friday.
I know I’m saying the same thing wives and girlfriends are saying everywhere….”Where can I get one for my man?”
Hey kids, here’s a fun new feature because I can’t keep up with my goal of 4 posts per day! Enjoy these other fine sites, but come back here because I rock.
True Green Confessions
Using Bark : Bob Villa
House Flipping Foibles: Charles and Hudson
NYC 70’s: NY Times
Brooklyn Blogfest: OTBKB
From Brownstoner yesterday:
Coming this April, Brownstoner will be organizing a new flea market in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. Based on the now defunct 26th Street Market in Chelsea, the weekly flea will feature antiques, salvage and vintage items. They are also toying with the idea of having a local organic food court.
Council member Tish James has been helping with the project, which will be held every Sunday in the 40,000 square foot school yard of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School.
How psyched am I? So psyched that I sent in my registration for a space. Reclaimed Home participated in Brownstoner’s Salvage Fest back in September 2007 and it was a great success.
Brownstoner is accepting vendor applications now, so if you’re interested….
So, when I was having fun on Houseblogs I came across an old photographer buddy’s site. Renovator’s Diary chronicles Brooke’s renovation of an 1860 house in Sag Harbor. I’ve only known Brooke as a talented photographer, but hey, she’s got some great design ideas as well!
I was particularly impressed with their choice of kitchen countertop. Brooke and Josh used reclaimed wormy chestnut, which they treated with a solvent free linseed oil.
DIY job. And you know what I’m thinking? Perhaps you can use leftover planks from a floor installation, which means the countertop would be F-R-E-E!!
Counters. Part I
Counters. Part II
Oh my gosh! I ran across Die Hipster via a comment on Curbed. It’s so hateful. So vulgar. So friggen funny!
This is from a post yesterday:
Starting January 1st, 2008 all self proclaimed artists would have to pass through Ellis Island if trying to move here from another state.
….(must) be checked for:
– ability to tune a guitar
– ability to work in an industry not related to music, art, theater or fashion
– ability to order hot beverages with less than 15 syllables
From there I found a link to Burg TV. More ingenious hipster madness!
I really don’t hate hipsters. It’s just too much fun to mock them.
I’m just going to do this as a list. I find that the lesser known companies have better prices than your Restoration Hardware or Rejuvenation, but there, I’ve mentioned them too. Some of these sites sell antique hardware as well as reproductions. If you’re on the lookout for historically correct doorknobs, switch plates, hinges or drawer pulls, these are the places to hit.
Ed Donaldson
Van Dykes
Signature Hardware
Kennedy Hardware
Paxton Hardware
Historic House Parts
House of Antique Hardware
Renovator’s Supply
Can you name this former East Village dive bar?
Old Skool New Yorker that I am, I’ve been a fan of Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York for a while now. So I was excited when I came across an article in the Times featuring Jeremiah Moss (not his real name). Ok, the article is a week old, but I only came across it yesterday.
Jeremiah moved from Massachusetts to the East Village 15 years ago, a few years after I had already declared the neighborhood a tourist trap. Little did I know how much worse it could get (or better, if you prefer the new improved suburbanized NYC). On the main page of Vanishing NY is an image of Travis Bickle with gun in hand. The text underneath reads “yuppies, hipsters, real estate developers, billionaire businessmen, frat boys, princesses…”someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets”. Gotta love it!
Of the places on Mr. Moss’ death watch list are the Polish-Ukrainian East Village Meat Market and B & H Dairy. There is a photo of him taken in front of Katz’s Deli, which is something I worry about since the death of Morris Dell earlier this year. His son Alan is co-owner of Katz’, along with Fred Austin. It was my understanding that Morris had alot to do with the purchase of the deli, although Alan is running the show.
Another East Village landmark which I know isn’t going to last too much longer is the Holiday Cocktail Lounge. Owner Stefan is in his late 80’s and although he owns the building, his sons don’t want to take over the bar. I hope Holiday (and Stefan) hold on at least another 9 months so my husband and I can celebrate our 20th anniversary there. It was, after all, where we met.
I’ve been combing through Houseblogs.net recently. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.
Of course I must give a shout out to my top 3 faves whom I mention all the time:
I Love Upstate: Priced out of owning New York City real estate (on her terms). Follows the restoration of Greek Revival house built circa 1839 in upstate New York. She has trouble making design decisions and I like to f*ck with her by offering even more choices.
The Kitchen Designer: A Certified Kitchen Designer based on Long Island, Susan Serra knows her stuff. She’s always looking for fresh ideas and materials. I often refer to her blog for the latest info and cool retro designs. Susan offers phone or email consultations as well as design packages.
Howard Hall Farm: Ok, I just did a love fest write up on them the other day. Let’s not get nuts here.
And more…
Brooklyn Row House: The renovation of a 1906 Bay Ridge row house by a guy who really knows what he’s doing. Prior to this reno, he converted a couple of loft spaces in Manhattan. He won me over with his exceptional work and love of dogs, although I could kill him for ripping out that original dining room ceiling. In all fairness, he did replace it with an exact replica. Beautiful, but big no no for an eco-friendly preservationist.
Door Sixteen: From Brooklyn to Newburgh, fixing up an 1890’s Victorian rowhouse. She has a really nice design sense and often scavenges things to transform. But, oh, she had me at Morrissey!
Ok, that’s all for today, kids. If you want to see more, go to Houseblogs yourselves. I have to save something for another day.
From Apartment Therapy: Green.
It’s green AND it’s DIY! Teragren is a manufacturer, as opposed to an importer, of bamboo. This means they can control quality and know exactly where the wood is coming from. Furthermore, their butcher block panels are formaldehyde-free and food safe. The panels can be finished with tung oil or other FDA-approved food safe oils, such as mineral oil.
The installation tips seem fairly straightforward. It is only a piece of wood, which is not as scary to work with than other materials. Table, countertop or custom sizes are available.
Atlantic Plywood, with a few locations in the tri-state area, is listing as their local distributor. Other distributors here.
Yet another find from Materialicio.us. Too bad I can’t come up with my own material. (Get it?)
These decorative cast grates by Iron Age Designs can be used as trench drains, catch basins or tree grates. They are made from recycled products and are ADA compliant.
I use antique grills for some of my “creations” and always prefer to go with original salvaged pieces when I can. But then I had a look at Iron Age’s prices. Why am I spending hours taking paint off of something that costs nearly as much? You don’t have to answer that.
When you think of it, few things are more important than lighting a room. What good is your $10,000 rug if you can’t see the colors? Professional lighting designers exist for a reason. It’s not easy to properly balance light in a room while trying to maintain the ideal design with fixtures. I should know….as I photographer, I can light a room in my sleep, but I’ve never bothered to do it properly.
A few fairly simple ways to get the most out of light sources:
Natural Light. This paranoid NYer keeps the shades drawn all the time because she feels people are peeking in. I don’t care if I’m on the 23rd floor or in the woods. People are watching. There are shades and curtains that allow light to enter while maintaining privacy. To be honest, I can’t tell you which works best as we’re constantly renovating and the window dressing du jour in Brooklyn is contractor bags. (Great for privacy, by the way) Good window treatment article.
Balance. Overhead lighting is usually one light in the middle of the room, unless you have recessed or track lights. Adding lamps and sconces to darker areas will help set the balance. Accent lighting on artwork and task lights for work spaces are often overlooked when people light rooms.
Ambiance. During the day while I’m working, I want my room well lit. In the evening, when I relax, I need a softer light. Dimmers are a wonderful thing. Cloth or paper shades diffuse light, giving a softer tone. Lights that point up not only deflect negative energy (Feng Shui) but don’t create dark shadows.
Bulbs. There are so many choices in compact fluorescents now! When they first came out, they were all one size. You couldn’t use them with dimmers or 3 way switches. Now you have options. Make sure you are buying the correct bulbs if your lights are on dimmers. If you have bare bulb fixtures, CF bulbs do come in different shapes. Daylight bulbs are also available, with a cooler tone. I purchased boxes of CF bulbs on Ebay. Ikea is also a good source for bulbs of different shapes and sizes.
Relaxation Expert
HGTV
American Lighting Association
International Association of Lighting Designers
Ok, you’ve gotta bare with me here. I’ve been to Staten Island a handful of times in my life. I’ve always been pleasantly surprised. But don’t tell anyone. I still have to make fun of Staten Island because it’s the thing to do.
Disclosure: I did not get to Stapleton recently before writing this article. It’s just that….I’m running out of Brooklyn neighborhoods. I have to branch out.
So, here’s why I chose Stapleton this week.
A. It’s affordable.
B. Cool old homes.
C. Seems alive…culturally speaking.
D. Supposedly has good Italian restaurants.
E. Near beach.
F. Near ferry.
G. Still alittle rough around the edges.
H. My Brooklyn friend Vinny moved to Staten Island years ago told me I should do a post on it.
Some links since I don’t know what I’m talking about:
Prodigal Borough
NY Times Hipsta Article
Forgotten NY
Downtown Staten Island
Preserve Staten Island
Walking Is Transportation
$ 269.9k: Handyman/woman with details
$ 275k: 3BR Single Family
$ 389.9k: 2 Family