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Laughing Sun Renovations
Tag Archives: old house
When Demo Discovery Can Drive Design
Demolition is almost always interesting. Unfortunately, for clients with old houses, it isn’t always interesting in a good way. In old bungalows and Victorians here in the South, if we tear out a plaster and lath wall, we risk discovering framing … Continue reading
Unexpectedly Salvaging
I relish putting antique materials back where they belong. Re-hanging mantels back onto raw brick openings in old houses; installing hundred year old medicine cabinets into the wall cavity of a bathroom, complete with imperfect beveled mirrors, the silvering flawed … Continue reading
Old House Interior Door Styles
Interior doors can provide a good bit of insight to the history and style of a home. Here in the Deep South, specifically Atlanta, we typically have six-panel heart of pine doors in our Craftsman bungalows and American Foursquares: homes … Continue reading
Lettuce Grow Produce
So, aside from my tropical plants and myriad of perennials, we’re also growing edibles: strawberries, peaches, blueberries, Italian grapes, Simpson and butter crunch lettuce, arugula, three kinds of peppers, carrots, spring onions, cukes, basil, cilantro, lemon balm, eggplant, stevia (that’s … Continue reading
Posted in gardening
Tagged butterfly, front yard gardens, gardening, grow your own produce, historic, lettuce, old house, organic garden, urban gardens, vegetables, veggies
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A Geyser In the Yard Presents Challenges
When we were at the lake house two weekends ago and the water pressure was less than stellar, I thought that something was afoot. Then, I ventured down into the basement to discover that at weekend’s end, my newly filled … Continue reading
Urban Gardening: Why Dad Had ’Nam Flashbacks in my Front Yard
My banana tree has far exceeded my expectations of its growth. On year two of its planting, it hit 20-some feet and produced three massive bunches of green bananas, inedible since our Atlanta growing season is shorter than Costa … Continue reading
Clawfoot Tubs, Bad Hygiene, and the Sears Catalog for T.P.
I am enamored with my clawfoot tub, which is original to our restored 1911 Craftsman bungalow. It’s is a deep wellspring of contentment. I love soaking, with a glass of red vino, on a chilly winter day. And since I’m … Continue reading
The Silence of the Lambs Basement of Old Junque
I get a huge kick out of amassing great quantities of old junk. Not just junk really, but “junque.” That’s French and that makes it valuable. I kid, sorta.
Posted in salvaged house parts
Tagged antique, antique tile, atlanta, Atlanta Historic Renovation Restoration Custom Woodwork, design, hanibal lecter, historic, improvement, kitchen backsplash, old house, renovation, restoration, scary basements, silence of the lambs, tile, victorian
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How Little Bug Bodies Give Trim that Warm Historic Look
My favorite old house finish is made from the scraped bits of bug secretions. And when first harvested, the finish is a tempting amalgam of scraped bark, bug appendages, and sticky-lac resin. The female lac bug is the one responsible for this … Continue reading
