Main Floor

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=473398" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#660000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="287a0c00dvldxa.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="70" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="66"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="76" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="66" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Site Title"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About the house"><U>About the house</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The House"><U>The House</U></A></div> <div> <B>Main Floor</b></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Upstairs"><U>Upstairs</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Below Stairs"><U>Below Stairs</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Front garden"><U>Front garden</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Back Garden"><U>Back Garden</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Carriage House"><U>The Carriage House</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christmas time"><U>Christmas time</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What weve learned"><U>What we've learned</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sign the guest book"><U>Sign the guest book</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Neighborhood"><U>Neighborhood</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Steinbeck House"><U>Steinbeck House</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Frog Ponds"><U>Frog Ponds</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Main Floor</b></div> <div>  <A NAME="before___main_floor"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Main Floor</div> <div> There are three bedrooms, one and a half baths, a drawing room (formal parlor), living room, formal dining room, scullery & kitchen, morning room, and three porches (front, side, & back) <B>on this floor</b>. </div> <bR> <div> Shall we take a stroll?</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Room 8: The Front Hall</b></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="3c1e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="3"> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Book Antiqua" >Passing through the front door of the house brings you into The front hall. It's four doors lead to either the Drawing Room, Living room, Master Bedroom or Stairs to the second level. <IMG SRC="1e965870.jpg" border=0 width="101" height="135" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Amazingly enough, the Lincrusta (pressed paper) wainscoting still has it's original surface (pretty good for being over 110 years old). We could not have selected a pattern more fitting as the geometric Persian motif blends perfectly with our collections.</div> <bR> <div> The aluminum light fixture in the hall is said to be "of the era".</div> <bR> <div> Ahhhh, but the fabulous picture above was not how the hall used to look. When we purchased the house, the grand opening to the Drawing Room had been closed off with a "false wall" thus making the entrance hall quite dark, cramped and unwelcoming. With the help of VPA friend, Greg Winslow, we were able to tear out the wall and return the front hall and Parlor to it's original footprint. The pictures below say it all.</div> <div> BEFORE                                           NOW (Dec 03)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3bde12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3bfe12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Room 9: The Drawing Room (Formal Parlor)</b></div> <bR> <div> Let's continue from the front Hall into the Drawing Room...</div> <bR> <div> BEFORE                                IN PROGRESS (Aug 03)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="329a7df0.jpg" border=0 width="167" height="223" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="3132ce10.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The most beautiful room in the house also took the worst beating. It requires extensive restoration of the wood trim which was painted over and refinishing the woodwork around the bay windows, not to mention the floors- which are trashed. </div> <bR> <div> From it's days as a boarding house, the parlor had been turned into a rental room. The grand opening of the parlor from the front hall had been "plastered" in with a false wall. We removed the false wall (thanks Greg!) and have restored the footprint of the house back to its original state.  </div> <div> BEFORE                                              NOW (Dec 03)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3c8e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="3c6e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The beautiful bay window had been ripped open to create a door to a (now nonexistant) bathroom that had been built on the front porch! We've painfully restored this front window (at least as it appears from the outside of the house). More is yet to do, here's some "in progress" pictures. </div> <div> AUG 03 (all)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3c3ade70.jpg" border=0 width="173" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3c4ade70.jpg" border=0 width="173" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3c2dfa70.jpg" border=0 width="223" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This room will be kept as a true <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Light" >Victorian Drawing Room </FONT>with a heavy Chinese influence. The color pallet will be cinnabar, golds and black and will have shades of an Opium Den.  If you are curious as to what that might look like, keep your eye on this page....</div> <div>  </div> <div> The Parlor has a set of pocket doors that opens to the living room which are in perfect shape with their original patina intact (how lucky we are!). </div> <bR> <div> MARCH 2003: View looking from the Parlor into the Living Room (with Dining room in background). Shall we step into the Family Parlor?...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="31b2ce10.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="31de12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Room 10: The Living Room</b></div> <div> The main stars in this room is the stained glass bay window and the fabulous overmantle.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3cee12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3cae12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> There is the rather large bay window in the living room (about 13 feet long). Lower Left: the sun rotted drapes hide the fact that the entire window below the stained glass panels was missing.  Lower right: $1,200 dollars later, the window is completly restored. (Did we mention that owning a Victorian is for professionals only? Kids, don't try this at home.)  Having a sense of humor is pretty critical too.</div> <div> BEFORE                                  March 2003</div> <div> <IMG SRC="3cfb7f40.jpg" border=0 width="183" height="244" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3d0b7f40.jpg" border=0 width="183" height="244" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  </div> <div> the Fireplace</div> <div> This magnificent overmantle is ten feet tall and has hand turned pillars with carved features. There are four arched alcoves at the top of the fireplace.  Here is the overmantle as it sits March 2003.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="324e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="326ecb10.jpg" border=0 width="236" height="177" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="1f159c90.jpg" border=0 width="89" height="201" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">The beveled glass mirror is in excellent shape and in it's reflection you can see the stained glass panels of the huge bay window that is at the other end of the room. The mantle sits at chest height and the oringinal tiles of the surround are all there, save one (which thankfully, was saved).</div> <bR> <div>  We don't plan to do anything to this magnificent piece except replace the firebox, install a metal tube down the old chimney and replace the missing tile... then we can enjoy many evenings bathed in it's warmth.</div> <bR> <div> Pocket doors</div> <div> BEFORE                                                                                                      BEFORE</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1e6bce30.jpg" border=0 width="188" height="227" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1e781ac0.jpg" border=0 width="129" height="172" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">There are two sets of pocket doors on the main level of the house. As you can see from our friend Tina standing in the doorway (lower right), the pocket doors  are approx. ten feet tall. The ceilings are about thirteen feet tall. </div> <div> Left: Pocket doors to the Drawing Room (Formal Parlor). The wood work around all the doors in the house are phenomenal! The wood is intricately carved and is two toned redwood burl and redwood.</div> <bR> <div> View from front hall entering Living Room</div> <div> BEFORE                                            IN PROGESS (Mar 2003)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2d1e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="328e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Rennaisance Revival Interior</div> <div> <IMG SRC="332bce70.jpg" border=0 width="188" height="231" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">Most of the twelve doors on this level of the house have their woodwork intact.  The doorknobs and hinges are beautifully crafted and are original to the house. To attempt to find matching hardware for an entire house would be quite a feat, so we are grateful that these are intact.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="212aee80.jpg" border=0 width="174" height="232" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">Notice the Sanskrit design in the center or the door knob and the Persian motif of the wainscotting? It could not be more perfect!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="334c5940.jpg" border=0 width="197" height="148" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Room 11: The Formal Dining Room</b></div> <div> View of the dining room as seen from the living room.</div> <bR> <div> BEFORE                                            IN PROGRESS (Mar 2003)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2d4e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="32bfd2c0.jpg" border=0 width="253" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="336a8bc0.jpg" border=0 width="168" height="188" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="338afe90.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="233" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> On the right is a photo of the built in china cabinet. The six drawers below all have their original brass hardware. The cabinet is very deep to accommodate the largest platters, pitchers and stemware. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="32d76a90.jpg" border=0 width="118" height="169" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">We plan to honor the established bird theme. Notice the wood panels that are the wainscoting in this room. Each panel depicts a different species of bird in an exquisite hand carved Audoban-like scene.  The wainscoting runs around the entire room! <IMG SRC="37423da0.jpg" border=0 width="291" height="218" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="2" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="20b24db0.jpg" border=0 width="292" height="219" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The view below is from the butler's door looking through the Dining room, into the Living room, and finally the Formal Parlor (through the pocket doors).</div> <div> BEFORE <IMG SRC="330a3d90.jpg" border=0 width="163" height="217" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">                          MARCH 2003 (both)</div> <div>  <IMG SRC="331b5f10.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="241" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="375b4f00.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="240" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Room 12: The Morning Room</b> </div> <div> <IMG SRC="2dde12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="0">This used to be the Maid's room because it has a closet in it and it's located directly off the kitchen. The current owners call it a "morning room" (where they take their morning meal). </div> <bR> <div> It's a lovely little room that has the sun streaming into it in the morning so it seems right to continue to enjoy the room in this way.</div> <bR> <div> I take my tea and read the morning paper here while the cats catch the morning rays.  Since the rest of the main floor of the house is being kept "in period", we plan to hang our collection of whimsical modern lithographs in this room.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Room 13: The Scullery & Kitchen</b></div> <div> Its going to take a bit of adjusting to, as we are moving from a modern equipped kitchen to one that casts shades of "Frontier House" in my mind...  Guess I'll either have to hire live-in servants OR a pair of those yellow gloves (to match the kitchen). </div> <div> (all pictures are of kitchen BEFORE) </div> <div> <IMG SRC="2df2ce10.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="339aae20.jpg" border=0 width="170" height="226" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="19ce12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e1e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <div>                                                          BEFORE: back porch</div> <div> Looking out the back door into the backyard.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2e3e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <bR> <div> Room 14:  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#990000" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Light" >Master Bedroom </FONT></div> <div> The Master bedroom received a coat of paint, proper window treatmentsand a bit of decor. We still have yet to install the "coffered ceiling" and refinish the floor. But it's very liveable for now...</div> <div> BEFORE (May 02)              IN PROGRESS (all Dec 03) </div> <div> <IMG SRC="3d3b0eb0.jpg" border=0 width="176" height="235" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#660000" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Bold" ><IMG SRC="3d22cea0.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="234" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="3d715d00.jpg" border=0 width="277" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="3d914cf0.jpg" border=0 width="276" height="207" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Room 15:  The English Bedchamber:</b> </div> <div> This sweet room is located directly off of the Family Parlor, we have yet to do the paint treatment (which will be a dusky rose with periwinkle blue accents),wallpaper rosette & border ceiling treatment, and floor. It's the only room in the entire house with a pastel color pallet. </div> <div> BEFORE                                all other pictures: MARCH 2003</div> <div> <IMG SRC="33cbbf90.jpg" border=0 width="187" height="249" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="33bbcfa0.jpg" border=0 width="188" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="343ac7a0.jpg" border=0 width="172" height="122" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="33fecb10.jpg" border=0 width="236" height="177" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="341a5dc0.jpg" border=0 width="165" height="220" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <bR> <div> <B>Room 16: Library/Media Room </b></div> <div> We have turned this room into the Library and Media Room. It's received paint, but needs to have it's border of antique maps, and the ceiling treatment of a giant compass star with Northwind mural finished. We also plan to do built-in library shelves on each wall. Guess we should put a little hidden Port & Brandy bar in there too somewhere.</div> <div> BEFORE                                             MARCH 2003</div> <div> <IMG SRC="23ce9af0.jpg" border=0 width="233" height="175" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="346d9210.jpg" border=0 width="217" height="289" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Room 17: Master Bath</b><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Book Antiqua" > </FONT></div> <div> (Bath#1 of 4) We've got a lot of work ahead of us to make this nice.</div> <div> Both pictures BEFORE, May 02</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2c7e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="2c9e12c0.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <div>  <A NAME="before___basement"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>