INTERIORITY COMPLEX

WHAT WE DID THIS SUMMER

Not much -- house-wise, that is.

We worked a bit on one shade garden...with our trusty gardening assistant:

 

And we also couldn't go the whole summer without any fresh vegetables, so we planted a small plot of tomatoes, lettuce, and nasturtium.

 

It worked out fine for us...except for the gallons of rain we had all summer and the late blight it caused on our tomatoes.  Regardless, we have still gotten quite a few beautiful heirloom tomatoes and lots of lettuce.

As we roll into Fall 09 we have lots of new projects planned and will keep you updated regularly.  Please stay with us!

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN...

you want to refinance a mortgage.

When we first started this blog -- nearly a year ago now! -- we wanted to not only chronicle our process of renovation but also educate on things we've learned.  So here goes on how we recently refinanced our mortgage:

1. GET YOUR STUFF IN ORDER.  Get your paperwork together -- tax returns, etc.  Do it up front so you don't have to scramble in the end.

2. FIND A GOOD MORTGAGE BROKER.  Ours was recommended from a friend -- the best way to go.  They can help you navigate the ins and outs of how the process works.  Ours was a construction refinancing which required lots of hoop-jumping.

3. KNOW YOUR CREDIT SCORE.  Knowing this up front will help you gage what sort of rate you can qualify for.

4. TIE UP THE LOOSE ENDS.  Anything that looks fishy, is fishy to the bank.  Any old judgments -- valid or otherwise -- need to be settled.  Old tax issues, any past due nasties, etc. should be cleaned up neatly before you get too far along.

5. HAVE PATIENCE! -- This is not an easy process -- they will make you earn that money!  These days there are lots of hurdles to jump -- more if you have a complicated loan situation.  Just keep your eye on the prize!

It's all worth it in the end!

WE'RE BACK!

And we'll keep posting...we promise. As you can see in the above video, we are making some progress on the property around our house. Mostly small -- and inexpensive -- work, but it's still progress!

We are also in the process of working out the details ($$$) on when/how to begin Phase 2 of the interior work. This will include the kitchen, library, powder room, and front hall. We'll keep you posted... More details garden posts to come...

OUR FIRST TREE

As you can see on our latest video, we've planted our first tree -- a Weeping Katsura .  This is a beautiful tree that weeps oval shaped leaves and "jingles" as the sun catches them in the wind.  We selected a precise spot for this tree -- adjacent to what will eventually be our flagstone paved terrace off the french doors.  It gets great sun and is in prime viewing from both inside and outside the house.

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Since it's been beautiful in the Northeast lately we've moved to the outside...check out the latest tour!

STRIPTEASE

When we bought this house we suspected that above the unusually low ceiling beams in the kitchen there might be more space above...and there was.  We were able to capture almost two feet of ceiling height back in the kitchen by removing the original ceiling joists and re-supporting the house with new horizontal bracing.  Remember this?

 

After deciding to keep them-- for some project, some day -- a friend told us to leave them outside all winter and the elements would strip the layers of paint.  Well we'll be damned...it worked!  Have a look:

 

We haven't really figured out what to do with them -- and this weekend we need to get them out of our yard -- but they really look great, don't they?

WHO KNEW? ELLE DECOR HAS AN INTERIORITY COMPLEX TOO!

Not that long ago -- before we undertook this massive renovation project -- we owned another, smaller home in the same area.  We were lucky to have that home photographed for Elle Decor magazine and it is out in the new June issue.

 

It's bittersweet -- we loved that house -- but we are trying to remember we are on to bigger and better things with our new project!  Check it out below:

 

OUTSIDE, PART DEAUX...

On the heels of the lilacs, we had another great find.  Ramps .  Not the most common vegetable, but being New York Foodies, we have loved this spring vegetable for years -- never really knowing where to find it...until we happened on a field of it in the woods behind our house.  Ramps love dappled sunlight in wooded areas...just what we have!  Technically they are called a wild leek, but as a restaurant-owning friend of ours calls them they are "the caviar of onions."  Most definitely.

 

Identifiable by the two split leaves (looking kind of like lily of the valley), once dug up they have small white bulbs resembling onions.  Pan fried with olive oil and served with nothing but salt and pepper they are the best.  They can also be grilled or pickled.  For those of us lucky enough to have a small field of them we have also made our own ramp butter from the leaves -- the most flavorful butter for vegetables or steak you will ever have...just get out the Cusinart and blend unsalted butter with sea salt and a handful of the leaves and you won't be disappointed.  Jealous?

OUTSIDE...

With the weather in the Northeast so lovely lately, we knew we were bound to be having an Exteriority Complex soon.  In the midst of budding trees, green leaves, and grass that needs to be mowed (more on that later) we found a great surprise:

Lilacs...one of our favorite spring flowers!  We knew we had a stand of them along one edge of our property, but assumed (as with everthing else) that they were beyond neglect and would never bloom.  Low and behold!

 

We've had a steady stream of these inside house for the last few weeks, making for the most amazing air ever!

SPRING!

Amongst dumpsters, earth movers, and major trenching of what used to be our yard is Spring.  Somehow these daffodils managed to survive years of neglect and all the action since we've bought the house...

 

A welcome break from the chaos!