In old homes, items found during renovations may tell us something about the house’s past. Cryptic paintings found in this new project’s cellar may tell of one involving – a shootout with aliens? Being a horror movie fan, I jokingly suggested a possible message in the paintings but the owner said “I don’t want to know!”
Message or not, the house does have a ‘choppy’ past; we figure the garage level used to be the main living level as there is baseboard, wainscoting and wallpaper found in the garage and other rooms on that level, possibly 1890s-1900s. The top floor with lower ceilings, is a typical ‘marina style’ 1920s-ish home, probably added around that time.
The ‘rear’ door as seen below, caked in layers of paint, was likely the front door – mail slot, and a knob shifted way up. We plan to reuse this as a door in the house somewhere, as with other random items as we can.
A great rear yard, but a boring rear facade! The new owners want to bring this home into the 21st century, and our plans call for a big remodel to the studs of course.
A lightwell above, to be filled in behind the kitchen with a new stair to the first floor.
Existing kitchen above and entry hallway below, with 2-dimensional railing cutouts…
more to come – soon (demo already started)
TO THE STUDS 
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