A New Door and an Old Door

 As I mentioned in my annual Anniversary Post, I got a new back door this fall! This was another exciting project as it has been on the To-Do-List since I bought the house.The old door was not doing a good job any longer. We had several rows of weather stripping around it, but it still was drafty and the door knob would frost up. 

But I wasn't ready to just throw it in the trash. Even though there was a hundred layers of paint on it and the whole door bows out it is part of the house's history. I love the wavy glass in the window, one of it's good points. It also was the perfect size for the kitchen door. So now I have a new back door and an old basement door! 

 We have already noticed a difference in temperature with the new door. And it closes like a dream!

 I special ordered the door with a window to match the rest of the house. Isn't is perfect?

We are also loving the new/old basement door! Since the basement is unheated and unfinished having a door here helps the kitchen to stay warmer and less drafty. It also makes it cozier!

 

I love how the old door "fills" this corner. It has always felt rather empty and bare. Now it has a bit of character!

(In case you are wondering, I still haven't quite decided what to do about the old dead bolt hole. I am hoping to find a decorative plate to cover it.)

Looking through the door into the cozy kitchen. Pardon the dishes........I guess I should have tidied a bit more before taking pictures!

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A Little Bit of History

Before the year slips away completely, I want to show you the back door project. It is what kept me busy this fall. But before we get to the pretty pictures, I want to share a little history with you. 

In the process of installing the back door, all the exterior trim had to be removed and then put back on. And since it was off, I decided it was also a good time to strip off the aluminum wrapping that was hiding all the lovely details; scrape it down and re-painted it. 

I was very intrigued to notice there was a label on the backside of the trim and every piece was stamped with dimensions. This was very interesting as in the 1920's windows, doors and frames were typically custom built on-site by carpenters. 

A bit of research revealed the Anderson Frame Corporation. A lumber company founded in 1913 by Hans Andersen in Hudson, WI. By the 1920's Andersen Frame was selling pre-made window and door frames in standardized sizes. 

Andersen Frames invented the "two-bundle" system, where the vertical and horizontal frames were sold in separate bundles, thus they were able to provide standard sizes. It was nicknamed the 10-Minute Window as it could be assembled quickly and efficiently. 

(The entire Andersen catalog is view-able HERE)

Isn't that fascinating? The first company to sell pre-made building materials!

I love learning the history behind an everyday item!

Andersen Frames Corporation is still around today as Andersen Windows.

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Weekend Project: Back Stairs

I am so excited to share with you my weekend project! It turned out fabulous!! I was little surprised I got it all accomplished as I haven't been very motivated lately. But I am so glad I did.

 I love painted wood floors and was so sad my kitchen floor weren't salvageable. Then I realized there were some lovely painted floors in the back hallway that were crying out for a bit of pizzazz!

It took me awhile to figure out the placement and size of the squares. Lots of measuring and lots of taping and re-taping! Then I got smart and used the lines of the floor boards. (My favorite quilting ruler is the best tool for for just about any project!)

 Because the white went on over the blue, I needed three coats of paint. 

(Try not to notice all the yuck on the baseboard, I still need to find the heat gun and get that scraped off.)

 I love the results! It brightens up the hallway immensely. 

Painter's tape never seems to work as well as I think it should. I don't know if I do something wrong or what, but it bled through in a couple of spots.

 The tape also pulled up some of the blue paint in front of the door. So I will have to do a little touching up. It is a little tricky finding the right time to paint in winter. The basement is unheated and we hang a quilt in the doorway (until we get a door at the top of the stairs) to keep the warm air from going down. The stairway can get pretty cold and last year it was about 40. With the warm weekend we had it was 56!

I am thinking a painted rug would be perfect on the front porch, what do you think?

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