Dandelion Bungalow is Coming Along

We are excited to give an update on how Dandelion Bungalow is coming along.  A lot has happened with our remodel in the last five months!

Our  carpenter’s, Greg and Glenn, have had their work cut out for them.  This old house has been full of “surprises” for all of us.  They have worked diligently to complete our vision for the house, even with all the setbacks.  

Rental side Work

We wanted the rental unit completed first, so that was where they began work.  One of the first tasks was installing the door that would lead into the rental.  We were all surprised when they found cut logs behind the siding.  It certainly made us even more curious as to how old this bungalow really is.  

Next, they began changing the layout of the three bedrooms and a hallway into a kitchenette, living space, and bedroom.  The space is small, so we tried to come up with ways to make the most of it.  We also wanted some unique touches.

The electrical work and plumbing had to be completed before walls could be put back together.  The electrical was pretty uneventful, but the plumbing was tough dealing with old, clogged pipes.  We were thankful the basement eased access for the work and I’m sure the electrician and plumber were, too.

Special touches

After all that, the work we had been waiting for could begin.  Kenny had the idea to use cedar beams above the open doorways and the area where the hallway was removed.  The cedar came from property surrounding our home. So we joke that a piece of Judy Branch is in the Dandelion Bungalow.  I know that had to be a hard job, but Greg and Glenn made them look awesome!

The new doorway enters the kitchenette area.  Therefore, we decided to make it small, with only a few necessities due to the lack of space.   The kitchenette is modeled after an Airbnb in Iowa that we stayed in this summer.  It was a very old building, too, and the cabinetry was made of bead board.  I fell in love with the Grandma’s kitchen feeling that it gave me. Therefore, the design of our kitchenette was born.  

Another touch that means a lot to both of us although they were not the easiest to work with were the interior doors.  After my grandmother passed away, my aunt and uncle remodeled her house.  When they removed her doors, Kenny and I took them and stored them in our barn.  I always loved those doors and didn’t want to see them thrown away.  They are now the interior doors in the Dandelion Bungalow.  They have old fashioned latches on them the same as they did in Gran’s house.  

Living Area and A place for art

The living area is also small and is a bit quirky.  Where the hallway was is a kind of nook and was the only spot we could figure out to fit a sofa.  We also planned for a gallery wall of sorts behind it.  Kenny wanted a chandelier in that area, too.  First, we planned to use one that came out of our son’s flooded house.  It ended up being a bigger job than we wanted to take on to restore. Luckily, we found a vintage one that we liked on the 127 Yard Sale.  Another touch in the living area that I really like is the art shelving. We had the guys build the shelves for the art we plan to have for sale in the rental.  

We wanted the Airbnb to have the feel of a gallery along with the business side of the bungalow.  A few years ago, we were blessed to visit the Blair House Inn in Texas which was also a gallery.  We loved the art in our bedroom and the common area there. It was our inspiration to include a gallery at Dandelion Bungalow.  

Bathroom was a challenge

The bathroom of the rental was the only bathroom in the house. Therefore, Greg and Glenn had to turn a small portion of the old hallway into a half bath for the business side.  Another issue involved the bathroom for the rental. It had a pocket door on it that we wanted replaced with one of our vintage doors.  When they took the old shower insert out and installed the door facing, it became impossible to fit another insert.  We ended up having to install a tile shower with a bit of an odd shape.  

Another problem we had with the bathroom was the flooring. Our plan was to paint the hardwood in the rental due to the great expense of having it professionally repaired. We expected hardwood under the vinyl in the bathroom the same as in the rest of the house. We were disappointed to find that was not the case. The hardwood had been replaced with plywood. Thankfully, the carpenters were able to fill in all the seams and we painted it anyway. For now, it’s gonna work for us!

We searched everywhere for a school house type sink for the rental bathroom with no luck.  We finally just took the plunge and bought one that was as close to what we wanted as we could find.  The sink also had to be installed a little higher than normal due to the makeup of the walls.  Again, we realized old houses have to be treated a little bit differently.

Thankfully, Dandelion Bungalow is coming along

Thankfully, the bedroom was pretty uneventful.  Even though it is small, it came out exactly the way we had planned despite a slight imperfection in the paint color.

All in all, we are pleased with how Dandelion Bungalow is coming along and can’t wait to get it all set up!