Author Topic: The Lake House  (Read 19254 times)

lighter

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The Lake House
« on: October 25, 2020, 02:32:40 PM »
The lake house clean out has begun in earnest.

Not everyone happy about it, but we're rolling with momentum.

Brother been working on his farm and this property.....they look enchanted, so beautiful! 

Planning a remodel.....think lodge interior...
Pecky Cyprus walls and vaulted ceilings....must deal with 25yo wallpaper and dark green painted ceilings in some areas.....huge job.

We agree on luxury vinyl flooring to look like wood, but not sure how far remodel will go.

Maybe sell as is.  Maybe go entirely different direction.

The Phillipinos will be out by Sunday and it's time to make decisions.  I think I'm in shock.   This day felt like it would never come.

Lighter

Twoapenny

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2020, 07:29:15 AM »
Gosh that is another big project, Lighter, dark green ceilings sounds like a job and a half :)  Hope the cleaning out goes well and smoothly, along with everything else that is happening at the moment :) xx

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2021, 10:33:43 AM »
The Phillipinos, 2 of them, showed up downstairs, peeking in bedrooms, the day before we left.  They wanted to borrow a backpack blower and ladder.  I was so surprised at their appearance...just....shocked....I need to have a strategy for dealing with them.

You can say they don't know better..their customs aren't ours, but peeking in bedrooms, not calling before coming, and refusing to speak English in mixed company is going to end.  I'll call the husband....I get along with him well enough.  His wife never liked me and now I don't want to play act we like each other.  Just....no contact would suit me fine.

Ok.  Update on projects...forgot about this thread for a while.

Wallpaper in 4 rooms down over 2 day span of time.

All but 3 interior rooms painted.  A couple others need second coats.

The paint is a fairly light linen gray.....warm, not cool.  Fresh and modern, imo.  Give me neutrals and let the eyes rest in these rooms, please.

Sis found two sets if used Ashley leather sofa/is sets with 2 French chairs.  Big brass tacks help them look a bit more masculine as the wood is light, leather is light and a bit of carving on tops and bottoms almost too fancy, but not, if that makes sense.  I guess they looked too fancy sitting in the garage without legs for a few weeks.  Once in place, with baby grand piano moved upstairs, the room is balanced and every inch an upscale lodge living room easily accommodating 12.  Plenty of space.  Nothing crowded.  Old ottoman has threadbare map fabric, but right size and looks fine with throw for now.

Lamps....oh such amazing lamps from the Habitat store and Goodwills.....for 3, 5 and 8 dollars.  Just perfect.

I curated 2 very large end tables from the Grovepark Inn.....they're to scale and amazing with stone tops.

Drapes from the Biltmoree House, never used, large densely colored floral pattern on neutral background, will go in downstairs bedrooms.....rich greens, reds and Brown's.  So beautiful and suited to the asthetic.

My brother wants more blinds, less curtains, but hotels have curtains....he gets that.

We bought and trucked a beautiful kitchen from the restore....,with the bubbled imperfect glass.  Will put in another bed and bathroom jack and jill before finalizing downstairs kitchen and bar plan, but will be beautiful.  Dark solid wood cabinets with good hardware. 

What we don't use of the cabinets will go in the garage, likely.  Brother wants 2 more hotel rooms in garage, a laundry center and maybe some games....a fridge/ snack/ ice area.  Not sure.  Sister wants to tear out ceiling and vault that space....turn it into a hall for tables and dancing.

The area seems to have many very large homes, many for cheap, but none allow parties or large gatherings. 

Once we make changes, turn large metal building into a barnlike hall, and build a little chapel, we'd pretty much be the only game in town between Hartwell and Atlanta.

What we have now is a 3 bathroom, 2 half bath home with a funky layout for bedrooms.  3 very large bedrooms, a smaller bedroom off the main master, which means no privacy for that master, so will make new entrance to little bedroom, turn master closet into a bathroom and add a soaker tub, which my niece and I will playfully argue over.  Love soaker tubs....we both will book properties bc of tubs. 

That's 3 bedrooms with private baths on the main floor after remodel OR a regular bed and bath with a family suite at the other end of the house.

Downstairs is even odder with a huge bedroom holding a king bed and set of bunk beds.  A family room, again, with the plan to put a bathroom in that closet also.  Mayne build a portion, like in hotel rooms with sofa beds, which I've used a lot.  In Normandy, France we booked a family room with bunk beds too.....I took the bunk.  It's partial privacy with someone entering the king bed space to get to the bathroom. 

One bedroom downstairs, with the huge stone fireplace, would take that shared jack and Jill bathroom, which is very large.  I guess that would be the downstairs master br.

We formed another bedroom with large armpits and dressers......this is behind the area where the down kitchen is planned. 

If we break through the wall to the utility garage we can put in another bedroom with Jack and Jill bathrown.

The question is.....keep the large living room with huge stone fireplace as common space or build more bedrooms to rent, hotel style.

Sister favors living room staying as it is with Murphy bed installed.  Brother wants every inch to earn dollars, so hotel rooms built out.

I'm a slow processor so still mulling it, and my part in it, over.

It helps that moss grows everywhere....the thick upright stuff I can't grow at home.

If all those changes happen, the house would or could be a 8 bedroom/7 bath with 1 half bath for the upstairs living room/kitchen/sunroom/dining room with open floor plan and vaulted ceilings as it was originally built.

The second half bath would absorb the down master closet to make a full bathroom, which makes sense IF that is turned into another bedroom. 

It makes me nervous, chopping up all that open space, but I feel better IF it can be a living room game room OR a bedroom.

At this point the mind spins while pondering the logistics of cancelling single room bookings to accommodate larger groups, which feels very bad to me.

A door would be installed at the bottom of the stairs to create 2 homes, essentially, with the option of renting both.

I want to stain the back patio, stone around the bottom of the metal supports and box in upper portion to look like beams.  Light it all up.  Create outdoor spaces and kitchens and firepits.

We talked about setting up tents for clamping experiences with electricity and real beds, etc.

A petting zoo.  Baby goats and bunnies!

Going to fabric store with the gang now.  That's my update.

Will try to get pictures in soon.

Lighter








Twoapenny

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2021, 06:12:58 AM »
Oh my God, Lighter, that sounds amazing, you have been busy!  Sounds incredible, and you seem to have got a lot done in a relatively short space of time.  Amazing.  How do your planning laws work there, do you have to get permissions to turn places from homes into businesses or can you do what you want with a place you own?  Just curious as to the differences from here to there (not that I know much about those sort of things here, just what I see on the telly lol).  It all sounds amazing, and you've done all that with Covid going on.  Amazing stuff.  Well done you xx

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2021, 08:35:42 PM »
Hi, Tupp:

Right now there is no zoning in our area.  We can do as we like, but hard to say when that might change.

There are rules when dealing with the army corps of engineers regarding the lakefrontage, number of docks and lot size/linear feet of shore per dock, etc. 



My sister and I just bought 4 gorgeous, super heavy lamps from a thrift store.  They came out the Biltmore House, with electric outlets at the base.  They look brand new.  This is a bit of fun in the midst of hard heavy work. 

We begin the final, I hope, painting phase tomorrow.  Will be done in 3 days, likely.  We haven't decided when true renovations....moving walls/adding bathrooms would begin. 

And you're right! We have done a lot in a short amount of time.  It's been a whirlwind of activity.....very satisfying: )

Lighter

 










Twoapenny

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2021, 05:54:25 AM »
The lamps sound lovely, Lighter, I agree, the 'dressing' is the really fun part after all the cleaning and lugging stuff about.  It sounds like you're doing an amazing job and I'd guess it's easier to keep your plans flexible if you don't have to keep satisfying planners with regard to different projects.  I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment!  Lol xx

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2021, 10:40:19 AM »
Looking at larger picture now.

Do we change out master one piece kohler toilet and bidet or replace valve's and seat....keep rolling.

Paint shiny brass shower trim, or not.

Paint all muffed up oak trim and cabinets white, or not?

I know I'll find pictures of what I want, and research products and application then decide. 90% research.  10% execution.

The embossed wall paper in master bath is beautiful painted white.  I can try brush it with metallic paint to make it look like tin.  Still thinking: )

Lighter


Hopalong

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2021, 09:56:03 AM »
I can't grasp all the project details much since my scale of home improvement is from a mini-planet, but it's happy to pick up on the positive energy these building-developing projects set flowing for you.

Long may that proliferate, as long as it does you good! You are a dynamo. Amazing.

I'm glad you're enjoying it so and hope it'll be a source of pleasure for many years.

hugs
Hops
"That'll do, pig, that'll do."

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2021, 12:13:04 AM »
Thanks, Hops.  We've decided to move ahead with 4 new baths, adding a shower to the down half bath, and 5 new bedrooms.

It feels....like decisions have been made.  A relief of sorts.

I'm glad you're feeling better, Hops.

Lighter


sKePTiKal

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2021, 12:56:09 PM »
Lighter - is this another AirBnB project, a lodge B&B situation, or large group vacation rental? Or are y'all planning to sell it?
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2021, 09:08:21 AM »
Amber:
I think it's all three AND will be on the market. 

We're waiting on management company to send info.  We could go in several directions.

If we can't meet a target income, we sell.  Right now there's nothing like this on Hartwell.  That could mean there's no demand OR its a rare and lucrative gem waiting to be polished.

Will see.

Lighter


sKePTiKal

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2021, 10:05:27 AM »
Ah... that sounds like you've covered all the bases and will come out to the good, one way or another.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2021, 11:05:18 AM »
Lots of research to be done, but ready to do whatever renovations we decide on: )

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2021, 10:47:51 PM »
The powwow with sibs was super productive.  I loved my brother's idea to use the old claw foot cast iron tub out of doors.  So creative and appeals to me a lot.

We all agreed to redo the smallest guest bathroom, bc the sub floor is damaged from leaks, the layout is odd, the plastic shower is way too small and the vanity needs replacing.

I have a local contractor lined up to remedy bad layout by moving toilet to shower area, then putting in big new tile shower with frameless glass door.  Sis and I have perfect vanity.....white with mirrors, so pretty and modern!  If we can't or shouldn't reuse mirror we have a spectacular mirrored medicine cabinet.  So beautiful, I want to stare and stare at it. Have to find tile. Will replace that bed and bathroom flooring with luxury vinyl, as well as living room carpet.  Have to find flooring.  Have to find shower faucet.

Putting in downstairs kitchen, 3rd bedroom and door at bottom of stairs is on the list, as well.

I'm excited.  We'll make important improvements to enhance renting or selling the property.  I want to list it AND put it on rental sites, in tandem.

I'm very pleased with communication between me and sibs.  That was the most important thing for me, even though I had a very strong sense of phase 1 projects.

Tiny houses are exciting idea.  I have the name of a company I'll share.  You guys can chime in; )

Lighter





« Last Edit: February 28, 2021, 10:51:58 PM by lighter »

lighter

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Re: The Lake House
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2021, 12:06:12 PM »
The bathroom renovation is ready for plumbing changes.  Shower changes places with toilet.

Decided to put a little time seat in, a recess under the showerhead for products so water doesn't bounce in constantly.

White marble looking tile, large subway tiles if I can get them, with black shower floor tiles and grout is the plan right now.  Tile goes up 8 feet.  Shower door will be frameless.

The vanity is white with mirror panels, so pretty!  Med cabinet is all mirrir, super heavy and we'll made.....stunning piece I found at Re Store for 65.00.....such luck.

Bath floor will be LVP running into the bedroom housing it.

Will be my favorite bed and bath in the house.  Thinking of naming it after the Egret room, but it's not flowing off the tongue.  I found an amazing piece if art for that room....will hang over the bed.  I fell in love with it, found a perfect 3.00 frame at Re Store and will re use glass from another picture.  Just have to purchase oversized acid free Matt boards and have moss friend put together in her frame shop.

Will likely revise this rant.  Please don't copy paste into responses.  Too busy to proof right now.

Lighter