Then and Now photographs of my house.....

[sinkingfeeling]

[pipi_k]

1. OMG you are so

lucky to be living in such a gorgeous house! I love the old houses...lived in an old Victorian home back in the early 90s.

On Mulberry Street, where Dr Seuss lived (but not the actual house)


http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/63-Mulberry-St-Springfield-MA-01105/56221317_zpid/

[sinkingfeeling]

2. That one's huge!!

[TheDebbieDee]

25. I saw it all on Mulberry Street is my favorite Dr seuss story.....

And the house pictured is one beautiful house!

[dolphinsandtuna]

3. amazing

Did you restore it, or was it in good shape when you bought it? Inside photos?

[sinkingfeeling]

4. It was about to be condemned. It was in 5 apartments for over 50 years.

I really don't have any digital photos of the inside or how awful it looked when I bought it. The picture from the 1800's was available because the library ran a project to 'save' historic pictures and scanned it into their system. I just happened to find it during a Google search.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. Did you have to remove lead paint?

Also, was it classic lath and plaster? If so, gypsum or horse hair?

[sinkingfeeling]

30. Balloon framed with real 2 x 4's. Plaster and lath with horsehair. I removed the

small amount of lead paint myself. It was around the window transoms.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

32. I've seen Victorians as art....

Including the ceiling painted like the sky with birds.

They're also great fun as haunted houses around Halloween.

[Lochloosa]

5. You painted it the wrong color...it should be all kinds of shades of gray.

Kidding...Beautiful.

[In_The_Wind]

6. I love the windows and gingerbread trim.

[KittyWampus]

8. don't you just want to sit on the porch and sip lemonade?

[KittyWampus]

7. they don't make houses with that much charm anymore.

[dolphinsandtuna]

11. why is that I have wondered from time to time.

Mostly junk houses are built now. Mostly junk office buildings too.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. Yup. 2x4s, 2x6s, plywood, drywall and stucco.

[surrealAmerican]

9. very cool

You should get some of those roof spikes next. What are those for anyway?

[dolphinsandtuna]

12. lightening rods?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

23. Hitching posts for Santa's reindeer.

[sinkingfeeling]

29. I would love to put back the roof cresting, but the reproduction stuff is expensive. We also

lost the little balcony thing on the front extension (which is really the oldest part of the house). Ran out of money.

[greymouse]

36. little balcony thing?

I am not seeing what's missing that would fit that description.

What an amazing house.

[BlueJazz]

10. Absolutely beautiful. Marvelous restoration.

[Xipe Totec]

13. Mine is now a cosmetic surgery clinic

Well, the land where the house stood. And some parts of the original structure remain.

[raven mad]

14. Talent and vision.

They bring the best rewards, don't they? Beautiful! Thank you for the smile!

[archiemo]

15. What a treasure you have!

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. I love the colors you used!

The leaves of the tree go well with the house colors, or vice-versa, in all seasons, looks like.
Hell of a job to paint that place, tho.
Did you do it or have to hire someone?

[sinkingfeeling]

28. Two guys took about 4 months to restore the porch and pant the trim.

[pansypoo53219]

17. HGTV was not there.

hope not the 70's inside either.

if i hear 'site fucking lines' or OPEN plan..........$&%#^STFU IDIOTS. your 2015 redo is gonna look old in 10 years too!

[packman]

18. Pray tell -

Just curious, what state or town is this beauty in and are there more like this?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. Willard Library in Battle Creek has historic photos taken in the 40s....

They wanted to document every home in case if they were destroyed by bombing during WWII. (Yes, they actually believed that was a real danger back then.)

A few examples of buildings still standing:







I've thought of buying one of those old places and using historic photos to restore it.

Did you do paint scrapings to find the original colors?

[vanlassie]

21. How's the plumbing?

[TorchTheWitch]

24. I'm on my way to move in

Which spare wing do I get?

I'd like to say I was just kidding, but I really want to move in.

I'm so envious. What a fabulous treasure you have.

[sinkingfeeling]

27. Well, I'm about to put it up for sale.

[midnight]

26. Love the colors you choose.

[hippywife]

31. Very cool and...

eerily similar to my sister's house in OH, for which she also has the old photos.

[Buzz Clik]

33. The mattress on the front porch really adds to the authenticity.

But the Obama yard sign is totally cool.

[sinkingfeeling]

34. That's pieces of plywood on the porch.

[polly7]

35. Oh Woooooowwww .........

That is gorgeous!

What an amazing job you've done on it. I absolutely love these old homes, so much character. I can just imagine the time, work and money put into it.

Beautiful!