Farmhouse Update - Living Room...

Brynwood Needleworks - Farmhouse Living Room - Before

This is how our living room looked at the farmhouse the first time we saw it. We were drawn to the cozy space with so much natural light filling the room. It's separated from the dining room by a lovely, big arch. The whole house just felt happy when we walked through.

While the decor wasn't quite our taste, we knew that the bones were solid and sturdy. Handsome is 6" 5" tall. Rarely does one find a 98 year old farmhouse with 9' foot ceilings and 7' doorways, but that's what we found here. This room (and the dining room) had dropped ceilings covering damaged lathe and plaster, so we knew we'd remove that and restore them to match the height of the ceilings found in the other rooms.

We also checked under the carpet, which revealed the maple floors that were original to the house. Carpet would go, in favor of refinished floors.

Brynwood Needleworks - Farmhouse Living Room - After (Unfurnished)

 

Work began in earnest at the farmhouse in January. Our younger son is a talented carpenter, and we hired him to act as general contractor in our stead. (He has also brought his own craftsmanship to our new home, which I'll reveal after we've moved in.) His first task was pulling down the false ceiling to assess the damage. 

 

He brought in a drywaller, who is also an artist with plaster, to determine the best way to proceed with the ceilings and walls throughout the farmhouse. Once that was decided, a local electrician was called in first to pull wires for more lighting and outlets where we needed them. (Son and I drafted drawings before I left Wisconsin last December.) 

 

After the electrician, the drywaller came back and moved from room to room, repairing or replacing the damaged areas. We were adamant that walls and ceilings didn't have to be perfect. We chose early on to honor the age and design of the farmhouse, so we weren't removing walls, and we wanted the rooms to keep some of the "wrinkles" that come with age and experience...like us!

 

During all of this work, our one-man painting crew (my beloved uncle) worked from room to room, updating the walls and woodwork to our new color scheme. He has worked tirelessly, with stunning results. Using the two colors we chose throughout the house makes it appear even larger, and the spaces are more cohesive because of it.

 

Finally, the floors are all finished. The high traffic sealer was applied to our sanded floors, and now it will cure through the weekend. 

 

My uncle will go back in to finish the last of the painting, the electrician will return to hang fixtures, our son will complete his work, and then the house will be ready for our return the end of this month. Our furniture and family will move in, and the house will come to life again, with people breathing love and laughter back into every space. Our happy house will become home.