The dream

In our prerenovation home, my husband, Dan, and I made the most of our small, dated kitchen by painting the oak strip cabinetry, adding modern hardware and installing black-and-white vinyl tiles in a snazzy striped pattern. Although it had some charm, I was forever dreaming of a bigger kitchen with a better layout, more storage space, stone countertops and somewhere for guests to gather.

The snag

When transforming our bungalow into a three-storey home, we kept the kitchen in the same location to save on costs. To open it up, we took down a wall and extended the room to the very front of the house. The new kitchen had much more space and offered the chance to put the sink under a window, for daydreaming.

Still, there were a few things to work around: a corner that stuck out because of the staircase to the basement, duct work above the stove that needed to be hidden, and our desire for a bit of separation from the new entryway.

We used IKEAs kitchen planning software to fiddle around with different layouts, ending up with a peninsula rather than an island, the classic work triangle of stove-fridge-sink, and plenty of room to have multiple people in there at once.

The result

For countertops, we splurged on quartz with interesting, but subtle, veining that brings grey and white together. I wish I could have used the same quartz for the backsplash, but budget-mandated simplicity resulted in an elongated, textured white tile all the way up to the ceiling. Gold hardware adds a bit of glam to the space, and having some glass-fronted upper cabinets lets me display some of my favourite pieces.

I was won over by IKEAs modern design and great prices for cabinetry, and chose a shaker-style door with grey lowers and white uppers. We have yet to install the hood vent (it took a while to find one with the right dimensions), but I can see the finish line.

Having space for my husband and me to prep dinner at the same time with our daughter running around at our feet has been such a nice change. The kitchen has become the hub of our home, and we couldnt be happier.

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How we created the bigger kitchen of my dreams

View Larger Local More Local Stories US & World More US & World Stories Local Stories from ThisWeek More Articles By Mark Ferenchik The Columbus Dispatch Thursday March 12, 2015 6:04 AM

The quaint Dutch colonial revival house in Columbus Westgate neighborhood is being renovated, with new drywall, new sinks, new vinyl flooring and kitchen countertops.

But no new windows. Though it would be easy to install vinyl replacements, a group of young preservationists will learn this weekend how to repair the wooden windows in the 90-year-old house on Binns Boulevard.

The Young Ohio Preservationists, a year-old group, has formed a partnership with Homes on the Hill, the local nonprofit that redevelops and builds houses for low- and middle-income residents on the West Side.

Homes on the Hill acquired the Binns Boulevard house from JPMorgan Chase last year. The house was in foreclosure, and Chase donated it.

This weekend, the house will be a workshop. Volunteers from the Young Ohio Preservationists, affiliated with Heritage Ohio, will learn how to install weatherstripping, repair weight ropes, replace broken glass and apply glazing techniques.

The house has 14 windows. Repairing the windows will cost about $2,500, including the training, while new vinyl windows would run $4,500 to $5,000, said Steve Torsell, Homes on the Hill executive director.

Just as important, the work will help maintain the character of the house in a neighborhood that prides itself on just that.

We celebrate that, said Betty Jaynes, president of the Westgate Neighbors Association. We have a lot of people who are moving to this area, who embrace these older homes.

Torsells niece, Rebecca Torsell, is a member of the young preservationists group and looking forward to its first project.

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Preservation group to learn about restoring old windows

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Museum volunteers Cherry Hooper and Barbara Key wrap up handwoven baskets at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum last week in preparation for interior renovations.

image credit: Lorene Keitch

One of Agassiz' oldest buildings is getting a makeover. The Agassiz-Harrison Museum and Visitor Information Centre is undergoing a renovation throughout the coming weeks, in time for the scheduled season opening May long weekend.

With worn carpet and tired walls, the historic building in downtown Agassiz will be spruced up with new paint and flooring. The museum's last paint job was in 2003 when it was moved back to its original location from the research centre. However, it has never had a complete paint job since the 1980's when it first opened as a museum. While some of the museum has original flooring - the gift shop and upstairs - the main hall downstairs has carpet from the 1980's. The carpeted area will soon feature vinyl planking instead.

The funding comes through the revenue the District of Kent made from the filming of a television series here last year. Using Agassiz as the backdrop for Wayward Pines provided the District with an extra $309,500 in revenue. Council voted unanimously to give $22,500 of that funding to the Agassiz Historical Society. The remainder of the funds are being held in reserve, to be spent on a legacy project.

"We're very appreciative the District is supporting this project," says Judy Pickard, manager at the Agassiz Harrison Historical Society.

The museum was originally a Canadian Pacific Rail station, built in 1893. In the 1970s, CP started to tear down its old stations. The District of Kent was able to save the local building by moving it off CP land and out to the research station. When the District took ownership over the land that is now Pioneer Park, they brought the museum back to its old location to anchor the park back in 2003.

The colours will be similar to the neutral tones in the museum now, with perhaps an accent wall to "update things a bit," says Pickard.

"We want to keep the heritage theme," she assures.

A hardworking group of about 15 museum volunteers worked every day last week to move every item out of the main hall.

Excerpt from:
Agassiz-Harrison Museum gets a makeover

The remodeling of the 7,423-square-foot main house and accessory structures at 360 Mountain Home Road in Woodside is evolving, though with fewer surprises than was the case 10 months ago.

Planning Director Jackie Young and the Architectural and Site Review Board agreed to a set of revisions to site plans on March 2, Ms. Young said. The town's conversation with the applicant, SV Projects LLC, has been going on since December.

The result is a modified version of what had been "much more formal and intense" proposals that were "inconsistent with several aspects of the Residential Design Guidelines," Ms. Young said. "We found acceptable compromises."

Among the compromises: front gates will have a more rural style, three sets of stairs will be less formal, exterior lighting will be set to a minimum, and a pool patio structure and a garden structure will have bronze siding and roofs, Ms. Young said.

The applicant had proposed using the same stone siding and slate roofs planned for the main house. But that would have complicated an observer's ability to distinguish the main house and accessory structures, creating a perception of a more massive complex, staff said.

All existing upward-pointing exterior lights must go, and lighting in the basement lightwell and garden structure must be kept to a minimum, per the town's codes, Ms. Young said. The pylons at the entrance gates originally had metal caps, but those, too, must go.

The applicant agreed to these changes, but is planning to ask the Planning Commission for "a height exception" to overturn the ASRB's recommendation against a proposal for two more dormers on the roof of the main house, Ms. Young said.

The process is orderly, unlike in May 2014. Town staff visited the site and were surprised to find the top two floors of the main house elevated on steel beams above an empty space where the first floor and basement had been.

Permission had been given to elevate the house, but for the purpose of removing the basement only, not the first floor or its framing. Ms. Young issued a stop-work order on July 3.

After much discussion, the Planning Commission split on the matter on July 31, leaving it unresolved. The applicant appealed to the Town Council, which unanimously granted the appeal Sept. 9. Work resumed.

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Woodside, developer find compromises on mansion

Brooklyn, NY (PRWEB) March 12, 2015

Petri Plumbing and Heating, Inc., a leading plumbing company serving Brooklyn since 1906, recognizes March as Flood Awareness Month by offering useful tips to prepare homeowners for the flood season. According to the New York Daily News, last years torrential downpour not only threatened lives, but it caused structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge. With the memory of last years damages and the realization that flood season is on the horizon, Brooklyn homeowners are encouraged to take proper action in order to protect their homes, belongings, and loved ones.

Brooklyn is definitely not exempt from the risk of flood damage, and we got a taste of that last July, said Petri. Especially with all of the old homes in this city, it is important we prepare for the unthinkable.

In order to take preventative measures for the oncoming flood season, Petri Plumbing offers home plumbing inspections to safeguard each homes sewer lines against the threat of a potential flood. In the event that preventative measures were not taken or were not enough, Petri Plumbing also offers 24 hour emergency plumbing as well.

Sewer lines can be affected by backups throughout flood season, which can lead to seepage and a dangerous living space as a result. In an effort to avoid this condition, backflow prevention systems should be installed, replaced, or inspected in order to ensure all sewer lines stay clear. When sewer lines are clear, a home is free of dangerous gasses and bacteria. For optimal performance, yearly backflow prevention tests are also encouraged.

More often than not, the site of water damage and mildew is located in the basement, said Petri. We can prevent water from coming into your Brooklyn home by installing a sump pump in the basement so that the groundwater can be safely collected and discharged from the property.

Some additional routine precautions residents can take include investing in a flood insurance policy, elevating appliances twelve inches, anchoring appliances that cannot be elevated, and storing high value items in higher places.

To learn more about Petri Plumbing, call 718-748-1254 or visit: http://www.petriplumbing.com/

About the Petri Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

Petri Plumbing and Heating, Inc. is a family owned and operated business serving Brooklyn and the New York City area. Founded in 1906, the company offers a 100 percent guarantee on all services, upfront pricing, and friendly and knowledgeable Service Experts for all kinds of home and business plumbing and heating needs. Services offered include water and gas pipe leak repair and installation, fixture installations, inspections, boiler repair, water heater installation, complete bathroom, kitchen, laundry & utility room remodeling and more. Petri Plumbing is also licensed and certified by Green Plumbers USA - the first in New York City. For more information, please visit: http://www.petriplumbing.com/

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New Yorks Petri Plumbing Acknowledges Flood Awareness Month

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