Out with the old (carpet + laminate), in with the new (hardwood floors)!

October 14, 2016 Allison Ducharme

Our upstairs flooring is finally installed!

When picking out what type of wood you want for flooring, it’s important to do your research and make a list of what qualities you want as many people might not realize how many options there are.

Knowing that durability, natural graining and a moderate price point were my three key factors, solid Red Oak was the right choice. We decided on 3.25" for a more modern look.

Another key component about Red Oak, is that this type of wood soaks up stain really well, which allows for more options as to what shade you can create (pictures included below are not of stained wood…stay on the edge of your seat as those are coming soon!).

PROCESS:

It took about 3-4 days for the installers to demo, tighten the floor boards and lay the wood down (the new wood baseboard will be installed after the staining and poly are applied)
The floors are sanded for a nice smooth finish
They sanded the stair's railing to prep for the new stain, which took a few hours in itself
In order to install the wood stair treads they had to remove the balusters
The treads are also red oak and come prefabricated with a bull-nose attached
The new risers are applied consecutively as the treads are being installed
The new balusters, similar to the previous style, will be installed after the staining and poly are applied

BEFORE - Entry Stairs with carpeting and light oak railing

PROGRESS - Entry Stairs with carpeting, pad and balusters removed

PROGRESS - Entry Stairs They started the wood here

PROGRESS - Entry Stairs railing sanded for refinishing

PROGRESS - Entry Stairs with sanded railing and new red oak flooring installed (unstained)

PROGRESS - Entry Stairs new red oak treads and risers installed (unstained)

PROGRESS - Entry Stairs closeup of red oak boards (unstained)

PROGRESS - TV room with carpeting removed + screwing the subfloor to the floor joists to eliminate squeaking

PROGRESS - TV room with new red oak flooring being installed (unstained)

PROGRESS - TV room with new red oak flooring being cut down to fill in the gaps

AFTER - TV room with new red oak flooring installed (unstained)

AFTER - hall with new red oak flooring installed (unstained)

AFTER - Office with new red oak flooring installed (unstained)

AFTER - Bedroom and closet with new red oak flooring installed (unstained)

AFTER - Bedroom with new red oak flooring installed (unstained)

First thing’s first…A New Front Door.

July 18, 2016 Allison Ducharme

When looking at homes, many people don’t generally envision what their “dream front door” looks like, I often did, and was beyond anxious and eager to research and find the perfect front door for our new home.

The previous front door had to be replaced mostly due to the sill (aka the piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway) being completely rotted, and in addition, did not fit the overall style of our home. Generally, a front door is not something new home-owners tend to replace immediately; however it was uncovered during inspection so my word of advice would be to check this when looking at homes. There was bounce to the sill and to the floor when we first entered the house, like it was soggy.

Below you’ll see a before picture of the door (and house), as well as pictures showing the replacement of a few joists and plywood boards before the new door was installed (due to the discovery of carpenter ants living rent-free - oh the joys of owning a home!). Last but not least, you’ll see a picture showcasing our new door, sidelights & hardware…what do you think?

LINKS

Door - Jeld-wen Smooth-Pro Fiberglass All Panel Exterior Door - 2 Panel Square Top

Sidelight - Jeld-wen Smooth-Pro Fiberglass - Sidelight Full View - Clear (no decorative glass)

I custom-ordered the door and sidelight combo from Friend Lumber in Hudson, NH.

Exterior Handleset - Schlage F58CEN622 Century Single Cylinder Exterior Entrance Handleset from the F-Series in Matte Black

You will need to configure this with an interior handle

Interior Handle - Schlage F59-LAT Latitude Single Cylinder Interior Pack in Matte Black

New plywood flooring and flashing tape to protect area by door opening

New plywood boards - exterior view under the siding

AFTER - new door and sidelights installed!

My Home Renovation

July 12, 2016 Allison Ducharme

You are invited to join me on my exciting journey as I completely renovate my new home in charming Pelham, NH. I decided to start this blog to share my experiences (the good, the bad, and yes - even the ugly!) so homeowners who might also be embarking on this non-stop adventure themselves can learn tips & tricks, be inspired, and see first-hand experience into my personal world and vision of interior design.

My husband and I bought our first home in February, moving from city loft-living to a suburban cape-style home in the matter of only two weeks as our condo sold in only four days (due to my professional staging), and with the closing in six short weeks, we were off to the races in finding our new humble abode.

The vision my husband and I had was a classic home with character that we could utilize our expertise in design and renovation and combine our own finishes and style preferences. Due to the housing market not allowing for multiple options that met our needs, we quickly moved on a house with “good bones” in a quaint neighborhood that we would be able to make our home.

It’s an exciting time for me as I have always dreamt about designing a home based on the personal style of my husband and I, as I am fortunate to do everyday for clients, I am now able to fully explore my personal design style and allow creativity to get the best of me.

I will be posting pictures with detailed updates as the transition from “old” to “new” takes place across the interior, exterior, and yes…even landscaping changes! Please post any questions and/or comments you have along the way as I am eager to hear what you think!