A thousand years ago we raided this Prospect Heights home for free reclaimed materials. The couple were about to embark on a massive renovation and posted their salvage on the Brownstoner forum. It was free for the taking, the only catch was that folks had to bring tools and remove everything themselves. Kind of like a demo party, only we had to be very careful.

We snatched up a bunch of goodies that we’ve used or I’ve resold. The two closet doors sat around for awhile. I thought of making tables out of them but then decided on radiator covers.

This was a pretty easy project because the radiators are set back, so we didn’t have to build sides.

All you need to do for this front cover is build a picture frame without the bottom. If you have all of the necessary power tools, I probably don’t have to tell you how to do this. If not, you’ll need a miter, hand saw, staple gun, hammer and nails or screws and a drill, glue and a tin snips.

Measure twice cut once.  Measure twice cut once. Measure twice cut once. I can’t stress this enough.

So you you miter the frame, glue before securing and add the decorative piece to the back.

Here’s what it looks like from the back.

Voilà! Painted with the mesh backing. Now searching for salvaged marble slab for the window sill.

 

You saw the kitchen counter top a few weeks ago. Now the entire kitchenette is finished! Almost. Since we don’t live in Brooklyn full time and we don’t cook, there’s no need for a real kitchen. A microwave, toaster and electric kettle will suffice. Nope, not even those plug in burners. We have menus.

This cabinet, made from an antique sideboard, is pretty much the kitchen. We’ll probably build some shelves above the mini fridge and maybe try for more storage on each side, but what you’re looking at is the “work station”.

This is what took us about 3 years to complete (well, the whole apartment), but no more washing dishes in the bathroom sink! Weezy, we’re movin’ on up!

 

Ever since we found old love letters and newspapers in a cubby hole during demolition, I’ve been meaning to incorporate them back into the house so they can remain part of the history. Well, four years later, the kitchenette resin counter top is finally (almost) finished!

The idea was to use the original letters and newspapers, but Emilia, an expert on various processes, thought it might be too thick and cumbersome under the sealant, so she recommended the photo transfer process. Nothing about this process is particularly green. The only thing reclaimed here is the history.

Here’s a step by step of what was done:

1. Emilia suggested we use a masonite board (There’s a name for this. Emilia?). It’s lightweight and waterproof with a smooth surface. Unlike wonderboard, it remains intact when screwed down.

2. Primed and painted.

3. Print images on an inkjet or have copies made. It doesn’t matter if it’s toner or ink. One thing you should remember (which Emilia didn’t!) is that you need to print backwards if there is writing. The transfer is a mirror image.

4. Apply painter’s medium to counter and back and front of photo. Enough so that it’s well covered, but don’t overdo it. I tried Mod Podge on another project and although it worked, I don’t think it transferred as well as the medium.

5. Use a scraper tool to spread the medium around once you place it face down on the countertop. Leave it for a about a minute.

6. Test a corner first to make sure it transferred. It doesn’t all peel off perfectly at once. There will be paper residue. Take a damp sponge or better still, your fingertip, and rub the spare paper away until smooth. Not too rough or you’ll take the image away!

7. Optional: We glazed it with a metallic bronze to give it an aged look.

8. Let dry overnight before applying resin.

9 and beyond. About the resin, it’s a 2 part solution. You just have to make sure to mix it really well. Keep mixing if it’s taking a while to apply. You can pour it or brush it on. Make sure it’s thick enough. I ended up doing 2 coats. To deal with air bubbles, use a heat gun for a few seconds. It will take a few days for the resin to properly dry, so make sure you stay out of that room so as not to kick up dust or anything.

And that’s it. Our resin is so smooth. It looks like buttah!

 

Guess the husband got bored with our half finished living room so he decided to start a new project. He and the next door neighbor are digging up our backyard and adding some drainage. At least that’s what I think he said. Why else would he have that huge hole back there?

Our basement doesn’t exactly flood, but it gets pretty wet. By changing the pitch away from the house and putting in some drains, the problem should be resolved. The water damage was already repaired on the interior of the house, so if we don’t deal with this soon, we’ll have done that work for nothing.

My husband thinks he’s Mr. Safety, but see that sheet of plywood? I put it there. He had the hole dug right near the back door, no covering and no warning given to anyone else in the house.

Remember our $10k stoop? Yeah, still working on it. The guy is doing a nice job, but he’s taking his sweet time. Granted, we had to wait a few weeks for the cement to set. Granted, it was a crazy, rainy summer. But there were plenty of days he could’ve showed up that he didn’t. Typical contractor, focusing on getting the jobs but not pleasing his clients.

The other night when we got home, there was a wooden stick blocking the steps. We use the garden gate, so no biggie for us, but there was no warning for the tenants. Why not do every other step or half the step so they can go in and out?

Well, we’re used to living like this. I just hope the tenants had no intentions of hanging out on the stoop or barbequing in the back for the remaining days of summer.