Deep Cleaning and Cabin Love

Last week, I spent 3 days deep cleaning our little vacation rental cabin in the mountains. In January, my property manager/cleaning couple quit. For years, I had so heavily relied on them to manage the cabin’s maintenance issues as the geographical distance (a 3 1/2 hour drive) precluded me from doing it myself. And now they were gone. Sigh.

Our cabin was purchased by my husband long before he and I met. He co-owned it with a life-long friend and several years ago, we bought out his interest (as he invested in a bigger cabin for his family). We have had it as a vacation rental from Memorial Day to November for the last few years.

When the children were little, we used the cabin more frequently. At that time there was no television, no internet, just board games and forest explorations. It was quintessential family time which lasted until the children got older. Enter sports, other interests, friends, etc. and we seemed to use this cabin less and less.

We have kicked around the idea of selling it, but since the recession second homes sales have stagnated over the last few years. So instead of it just sitting there, it is now a sweet vacation rental.

So back to my current dilemma~~getting the cabin ready for our summer visitors without the help of my dynamic duo.

So with slumped shoulders and a downtrodden spirit, I made the long, albeit beautiful drive up to the White Mountains of Arizona. Who among us looks forward to deep cleaning? Not I! But, I am not one to wallow in self pity for long so I carved out 3 days to tackle the opening and cleaning of the cabin.

It was FREEZING in the mountains….well, freezing for me. A low of 39 degrees and a high of 60 with strong winds the entire time. The cabin doesn’t have central heat, but it does have a few wall heaters and numerous space heaters. But after being closed up for 5 months, it would take some doing to get the inside warm. On the plus side, I did get to wear scarves and jackets again~~such a treat with the hot Phoenix summer just around the corner.

The deep cleaning included taking down all the curtains~~washing, drying and ironing….Scrubbing the oven (doesn’t self clean) and the outdoor gas grill~~gross and greasy; pulling out the refrigerator and washing the floor~~disinfecting all bathrooms, wiping out all cabinets, drawers and reorganizing the kitchen. Cleaning out all closets, ironing duvet covers, window washing, carpet and upholstery cleaning (by a professional thank goodness) and general polishing. And finally we replaced the old water heater.

By the end of the 3 days, I was physically exhausted but spiritually elated. Losing my management couple almost felt like a blessing in disguise. Touching every square inch of this cabin reminded me why we have kept this property in our family for all these years. The cabin and I reconnected.

The cabin is on .8 of an acre of Ponderosa pine forest. The view from the kitchen overlooks the large back deck and into the woods. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths and sleeps 8 and is charming and cozy.

The master bedroom is the largest with a queen bed and a set of bunk beds and two seating areas.

The upstairs bedroom, which we refer to as the “loft”, has two twin beds and a “secret” room filled with stuffed animals, toys and Legos.

Two years ago we broke down and put in cable and internet, as our vacation guests wanted to remain technologically connected. But the best part of this cabin is its location. Being part of the White Mountain Summer Homes, it is gated and safe, yet private. There is great biking, hiking, fishing and golfing….and of course, forest exploration. It is not uncommon to see wild horses, elk, deer and bear in this area.

So in spite of my original internal whining, the cleaning trip to the mountains was a personal success. Now our cabin is sparkling clean and ready to create vacation memories for our guests. And I’ve fallen in love with it all over again.

Maybe it’s time to sell it if the right offer or family came by. But in the meantime, we will continue to cherish it and all its memories. If you would like more information on this cabin, please visit this link at vrbo

Have a wonderful Saturday!

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You say tom-a-to, I say tom-AH-to

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. “ Lewis Grizzard

I love to garden. There is a giddiness when picking that very first tomato. I take pictures of it and then carry it around the house for show and tell for the rest of my family. They think I’ve lost my mind but they humor me with oohs and ahhs.

In Phoenix, our gardening seasons are so strange compared to my childhood in Connecticut. Right now, the heat has pushed most of the herbs past their prime. The dill is tall and has gone to seed. Basil is still abundant and may last through the early summer. We will continue to pick tomatoes until the blistering summer heat withers the plants.

But the mornings are still glorious~~ and there is no better way to start the day than coffee in hand and strolling out to the garden.

I’ve had great success with smaller tomatoes~~from brilliant red cherry tomatoes to the yellow grape varieties. We just pluck these off the vine and gobble them up!

The Roma tomatoes are almost ready to harvest ~~ the warmer days should accelerate their ripening.

Wishing you a day of something fresh and healthy~~whether from your own garden or a local farmer or farmer’s market.

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Happy Mother’s Day

God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers. Rudyard Kipling

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who is a mother or has been a mother to others in your life.

In the United States in 1905, Anna Jarvis campaigned to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized holiday. Anna’s mother, Ann had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers from both the Confederate and Union armies of the American Civil War. She created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother and all mothers because she believed they were “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” (source)

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.

Every day I am so grateful for the three children God put into my life. And even though words cannot completely do justice for the depth of love, admiration and joy I feel, I hope they know how much they have enriched my life. Children are our teachers~~showing us the world through their unbiased eyes, their hopeful giggles and their strength and determination. The unconditional love I have for them is boundless. As much as I sometimes long for the days when they were toddlers, I look back and believe I did the best job possible. I am so proud of their accomplishments as they enter the world as responsible young adults.

Being a mother is perhaps the best thing I have ever become, the greatest love I have ever felt and the best part of being me.

Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours.

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A 1922 Historic Home Restoration is Finished!

After 8 months of extensive renovation, we are proud to show you the results of the 1922 restoration in one of Phoenix’s most lovely neighborhoods. This Jeffersonian grand dame is worthy of all the time, money and energy it took to make this restoration a reality.

If you would like to see previous posts on this, please click here and here. For some reason, this renovation consumed more energy than I imagined. I’ve been contemplating as to why that is so and I’ve come to the conclusion that this house elicited many emotions for me.

First of all, I find it troubling that someone could let this architectural gem deteriorate so greatly. When it was being built in the early 1920s, it is evident that great care and pride went into every detail. It is obvious that many people have loved this house over the decades. Yet the last 20 years it sat empty and neglected, sad and lonely.

When you let something like this go, the steep slope of decline happens rather quickly. My heart actually hurt when I first walked into the house. I could envision what it was like in its prime~~a home filled with laughter, activity, parties, and celebrations. But when I purchased it in August 2016, it was filled with debris~~depressed and abandoned.

The Exterior

The home was covered in aluminum siding and the only activity involved pigeons who had taken it over as their residence. If you look closely, the aluminum siding is falling off and I held my breath hoping the original clapboard siding is underneath. We stripped all the aluminum siding off (and recycled it). A local company was able to replicate any missing or damaged clapboard.

With a fresh coat of paint, a newly rebuilt front terrace and overhang, new roof, light fixtures and all new landscaping, the house is now back to its former glory. How fun that my neighbor, David Stanton, is kind parked his antique car in front for these photos.

The Entry

The entry was painted a hideous pink and the gold plaster curlicues were glued to EVERYTHING. The entry light had plastic, fake crystals, the balustrades were painted gold (more gold!) and the hardwood railing was painted white.

All the original floors are preserved and refinished~~they are gorgeous!

The Living Room

Upon entering the house, the living room is to the left. With gold-flocked wallpaper and what appears to be 2 mantles (?), the original hardwood floors are in tact and the room is a very good size. Thankfully the original chandeliers and plaster medallions are still there.

All the windows needed repair as did the many cracks in the plaster walls. We removed the baseboard heating system, as well as the wallpaper. Though you cannot see it in this picture, the electrical conduit to the chandeliers was just tacked onto the walls.

Now you can see the gorgeous bones of this room. The ceiling rosettes, crystal chandeliers, beautiful woodwork and original hardwood floors make this room an elegant space.

The Dining Room

To the right of the entry is the Dining Room. The walls were wallpapered and then painted over, so we removed everything down to the plaster. Yes, behind the piano, that is an exterior window that was used as a bookshelf. Go figure.

Both the dining room and living room have beautiful French doors that open up to the front terrace.

Here is the dining room after from 2 different angles. What was once a storage area, is now a closet for china, silver, linen and crystal. Though you can’t see it well in this photo, the concrete floor is hand-painted. See a previous post regarding that project!

Picture a meal here with all the French doors open to the outside. The original chandelier was missing but I am able to find another crystal one that fits the period of the house.

The Butler’s Pantry

From the entry there is now a Butler’s Pantry where parts of the original kitchen were located. The plastic door to the left is the former laundry room. This is now a completely new powder room with a pocket door added for privacy.

Here we have gutted the room back to the walls. The door in the distance is the entrance to the basement.

This sweet butler’s pantry has oak countertops, crystal pulls and knobs on the custom cabinetry and a skirted sink.

The Kitchen

The kitchen was a massive undertaking. It spanned two rooms with the sink, dishwasher and refrigerator in one room with the stove in another. However, there is a lovely, large, brick fireplace which apparently was at one time, used for cooking.

This is now what I am calling the “kitchen cozy”. A perfect place to sit in a very comfortable chair to read the paper or have your coffee.

There was a tacky addition to the back of the house that needed to be removed. After structurally supporting the exterior of the house with a beam, we rebuilt the addition and took this opportunity to add a second story which becomes the master suite.

The new flooring is now level with the kitchen and all the air conditioning vents have been submerged in the subfloor. This addition, on the first floor is now the open kitchen/family room.

Great care is taken to put all the first floor air-conditioning ducting in the floors. Insulation helps with sound and keeping the house cool in the hot Phoenix summers.

The family room after.

This is the view from one end of the kitchen to the family room.

The Hall Bathroom

Upstairs, the hall bath was quite a site! Again, lots of gold on the walls and the ceiling!

Notice the small brass cranks on the window trim. These cranks allow you to open and close the exterior shutters from the inside.

All the bedrooms are off this wonderful upstairs hall. You can see the hall bath in the background with its original beaded curtain.

With a fresh coat of paint and refinished floors, it looks so clean and elegant. The light fixture has silk shades and this is a Ballard Designs purchase.

The Bedrooms

The southwest bedroom had the funky bathroom in one corner without any walls. Gotta love the very disgusting fuzzy, pink toilet seat cover!

When we took out the vanity and we discovered an original window in tact! Hard to believe the faux brick wallpaper was “in” once.

With the addition of walls, this space becomes an actual bathroom.

The Master Bedroom

The master bedroom was rather tiny so we created a new master space with the second story addition. Where you see the closet to your right, we walled off a larger section (over the yellow rug), and created a new master walk-in closet. The window, located in the left of the photo is where the opening becomes the new master bedroom addition. Where the bed is located in the background, becomes the master bath.

We build a small deck outside the bedroom~~where there are city lights to be viewed at night.

Notice the window behind the bed. This is where the new bathtub is placed.

Demolition and Addition

Some of the greatest building transformation took place outside. The backyard was crammed with 3 buildings~~all rentals units that were uninhabitable. We demolished 2 of them and opened up the back yard. We left one cottage and discovered it had been the original garage.

However, we couldn’t salvage the barn-style doors as they had been destroyed. Included in the demolition permit was the removal of the addition off the kitchen which was not built to code. I don’t have any good pictures of the backyard before, however, here is what the house looks like after everything is gone.

Here you can see the second story demolition of the house and the where the future master suite will be located.

The Guest Cottage

Here is the remaining guest cottage/original garage.

By adding new doors and windows, this original garage becomes a sweet place for guests.

The Garage

There was no garage so we add 2 two car one next to the guest cottage. There is an 2 – car automatic garage door on one side and a single car garage door which opens out to the alley. This way you can pull you car in one side and drive out the other.

The Yard

I’m not a big fan of block walls, however, they do provide privacy and safety. I always like to do something whimsical and unique at each house I renovate and this section of wall seems to be the perfect place.

I picked up this bike on Craig’s List for $20.00, cut the seat in half; removed one pedal and split the handle bars. The block wall was white and we paint both the wall and the bike a great shade of green/gray from Sherwin Williams.

The “bike art” is now a focal point of the back yard. Once the trees fill it, you may not see it but it’s a fun surprise. I wonder what other objects I could use for future wall art projects??

The Details

The French tub was a keeper and it is repurposed as a dog bath in the new laundry room. I had the exterior of the tub (which was gold, no surprise there) professionally coated.

Here are some additional photos of the exterior.

After-back house, guest cottage and back yard

Since I retained the original windows on the existing house, I add Sunbrella awnings over the windows facing west to reduce the sun exposure.

Finishing this project

This is a great shot showing the original house and the newly added (and structurally correct) 2 story addition. You may note that 3 windows in the upper story don’t match the rest of the house. I assume this section may have been an old sleeping porch and then enclosed at some point later. Nearly all the windows are double hung, but these three are casement windows.

I find it interesting that the shutters are only on the front of the house~~which is historically correct. The shutters actually serve a purpose since the front is south facing. The upper shutters close via an interior brass handled crank and the lower, larger shutters actually work and cover the French doors. Very innovative back in 1922 when air conditioning didn’t exist.

I hope you enjoy the restoration journey of this magnificent home. My work is done and now it is up to my realtor, Madison Hallock to find the perfect person/family for this house. You can see more photos and real estate details here.

This project could not have been done with the right people working on it. I am blessed with the absolute best crew, who manage to keep the laughter going even in times of despair. Everyone left a little bit of the heart and soul here and we are so proud to breathe new life into a historical home of this caliber.

Many thanks to the following people for helping me: some before and after shots by photographer, Adam Peter; after photos by photographer, Jesse Fitton; Lola Castle with Castle Designs for her wonderful staging. I’ve never used a staging company before and Lola was calm, cool and professional even as I was anxiously hovering over her. I would definitely use her again! And a big thank you for all the neighbors who tolerated our presence in their neighborhood. Their words of support and encouragement are so appreciated and welcomed!

Will I do another?

Everyone keeps asking when I will do another one, but I can honestly say, I’m pooped. I hope to take the summer to recuperate. Unlike some profit-driven flippers, I do this out of love and respect for older homes and their architecture. I take this responsibility seriously and feel that renovating and restoring is a way of care giving. And if you have ever taken care of someone, you know how rewarding and draining it can be at the same time. As with most things in life, I always try to leave the campsite better than I found it. I think we hit this one out of the park!

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