Windows and Light

The windows are here, and we have officially entered the the fun stage of the project. The part were cool things you ordered a lifetime ago show up and transform your project. Plywood is lifted, light streams in, and suddenly I can imagine what the addition will look like.     But first, we must admire the windows.  The custom Kolbe Old World Classic windows  … Continue reading Windows and Light

solid oak front door of our historic home in La Grange

To Match Or Not To Match

Remember when I said, ” pick the most critical items to match, bite the bullet on those items and find other places to save money?” (read more here)  Well so far, it seems everything has been deemed critical, so we need to find ways to save money. Because exterior details tend to be more permanent, architectural features of a home, most are critical to match. Mismatched … Continue reading To Match Or Not To Match

reclaimed stone is selected to match existing foundation stone in this historical renovation

Matching Stone

In the end, the goal is to build an addition that nobody notices. The key to that is matching all the cool old details both inside and out. This sounds easy, but as time marches on, methods, materials, and styles change making once ordinary building supplies objects of exhausting treasure hunts. We need foundation stone for the addition. I have no idea where the stone … Continue reading Matching Stone

antique schoenhofen beer bottles were discovered in the attic of our historic Howard Van Doren Shaw home

Support Walls, Beams, and Beer Bottles

Building a new structure is pretty straight forward. Building a new structure that ties in  to an old one seamlessly is full of complications. First, if you like your existing house, you have to create temporary support for it so it won’t collapse when you tear down the existing walls transitioning into the new space.  In addition, the weight of the new construction, and the … Continue reading Support Walls, Beams, and Beer Bottles