In this renovation update, take a look at some of the structural work we needed to do and the moisture barriers that we added. There are also some discoveries and layout change milestones.
What You See in the Video
- Moisture barriers were added on the ground floor to protect the future floor.
- One room was dug out to create an airflow passage underneath.
- We found three antique wine jugs and covered up insets in the wall.
- The opening was made to connect the entryway and the future kitchen.
- The walls on the top floor were removed and the floor reinforced.
The Story Behind-the-Scenes
Seeing the house with so many walls down and wide-open spaces was such an exciting moment! Visualizing and sketching out the space only does so much. But when you see your vision taking shape, especially on a project of this scale, it’s exactly the encouragement needed to remind you that you’re really on the right path.
The very first time I was in the house, I tried to open the door to the crawl space under the stairs but it was stuck. I had seen some of the antique wine jugs in other houses and businesses and secretly wished we had found a few in our house. Then, to my surprise, we finally opened that door and there they were! I immediately learned how to say the name in Italian, damigiana, and never forgot it.
The connection point from the entryway to what will be our kitchen and dining area was another big turning point because it was the first time you could reach this part of the house from within the house.
I invited the previous owners to stop by (we’d actually become great friends) and they couldn’t believe the difference this one opening made to the overall feeling of the house. With the wall down and a view into this side of the house from the moment you walk in, the house seemed even larger than it already was!
The top floor transformation was amazing to see because this was the most damaged part of the house. With the floors reinforced, there were areas of the space that we could step on for the first time ever! And the handwritten sign in Italian warning about the potentially dangerous floor was finally removed.
Where To Next?
See all the renovation updates in order by heading back to this renovation journey page.
Or watch more now using the navigation links below.
Previous update: Renovation Update Part 2 – Upper Floor Changes
Next update: Renovation Surprise: Balcony Redo
