laurel heights

The back wall was totally removed leaving a carved-out view into the back of this house.  In the right image the framing seems to make giant heart ♥  These photos are a few weeks old, now much of the new framing has been put up.  There’s the owner and contractor on the right, making important decisions I’m sure! Inside it’s all down to the studs.  Here are the old cove framing half-moons.  We’re raising the living room and kitchen ceilings, because there was about 24″ of scuttle-attic space above. The area on the left now has a new staircase framed in it, from the kitchen down to the first floor rooms, sort of like below:  

This was a quick Sketchup rendering to figure out the stairs, which duck down behind the counter on the left.  The lower window was to look into the stair, and the upper window out to the sky.  It’s been modified partly by codes (amount of window allowed within 5′ of property line) and partly by the owner.

This is an old bay window that was removed – it looks like a typical SF foggy view.  It was covered in plastic which was making thunderous noises in the wind, and the neighbors wanted it taken down….Here’s the raised, angled ceiling framing over the kitchen.  The ceiling drops flat over the Dining Rm, then raises again in the Living Rm beyond.  more to come~

laurel heights mystery

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)