Queen Anne 3: Before & After

AFTER

BEFORE

CHALLENGE  When purchased, this house had one issue that needed immediate attention – a drainage problem created when sellers hastily poured a concrete driveway to increase resale value. By doing so, they inadvertently directed rainwater into the neighbor’s yard and also into the basement.

SOLUTION  As is often the case with remodeling, fixing this problem triggered other projects. The back and side yard were partially excavated in order to expose the basement foundation for waterproofing, and disruption of the yard moved the landscaping projects up in priority. This, in turn, moved the roof and gutter replacement up in priority so that a dumpster could be placed close to the house without damaging new landscaping.

'AFTER' PHOTOGRAPHY  © Dale Lang, 2008

Click here for more photos. 

Why Architects Hate Curtains

While researching turn-of-the-century decorating, I came across a chapter on windows in Edith Wharton's The Decoration of Houses  that finally put into words what I wished to be able to explain so well. Edith, who became known as an accomplished novelist, began her writing career with this treatise, co-authored with Ogden Codman in 1897. Interestingly, although this book became a manual for interior designers, her position is in support of architecture-as-ornament rather than decoration-as-improvement.

As a normal part of my services as a residential architect, I help select everything from doors and windows to tile and carpet. To me, these items are part of the architecture of the building. They are as much a part of how the room feels and functions as its size, volume, and orientation.

I do not, however, "do" curtains. Those, along with movable furnishings, I consider to be the domain of an interior designer, and I limit myself as an advisor to the homeowner and/or their interior designer as to the "jobs" those items have in complementing the architectural style while fulfilling their desired function.

It is true, though, that most architects hate curtains. Well, certain kinds for certain reasons... and, Edith explains it well:

The "Job" of Windows

• ..."light-giving is the main purpose for which windows are made...ventilation, the secondary purpose..." 
• Windows should not be so wide that they are not opened easily. 
• The height of the window sill should consider both the view, the need for privacy, and whether or not there is a desire to have a piece of furniture, such as a window seat, in front of the window. Lower sills offer more view, while sills placed at 3' above the floor afford more privacy from "persons approaching the house". 
• Although the sill heights may vary "for practical reasons...the tops of all the windows should be on a level." 
• "...the old window with subdivided panes had certain artistic and practical merits...serv[ing] to establish a relation between the inside of the house and the landscape..." 

The Purpose of Curtains 

• "The real purpose of the window-curtain is to regulate the amount of light admitted to the room, and a curtain so arranged that it cannot be drawn backward and forward at will is but a meaningless accessory." 
• "The better the house, the less need there was for curtains." 
• "...the curtain...was regarded as a necessary evil rather than as part of the general scheme of decoration. The meagerness and simplicity of the curtains in old pictures prove that they were used merely as window shades or sun-blinds." (note: This book was written in 1897 and refers to artistic representations of feudal architecture, such as paintings.) 
• "Fixed window-draperies, with festoons and folds so arranged that they cannot be lowered or raised, are an invention of the modern upholsterer. ...they have made architects and decorators careless in their treatment of openings." 

These curtains are on rings that slide easily to provide maximum privacy and block window drafts. photo copyright Dale Lang, 2009

Bottom-up blinds are easy to operate and add privacy while filtering light. photo copyright Dale Lang, 2009

Edith's Preferred Choice, circa 1897
"The solid inside shutter...formerly served the purposes for which curtains and shades are used, and combined with outside blinds, afforded all the protection that a window really requires. These shutters should be made with solid panels, not with slats, their purpose being to darken the room and keep out hte cold, while the light is regulated by the outside blinds. The best of these is the old-fashioned hand-made blind, with wide fixed slats, wtill to be seen on old New England houses and always used in France and Italy: the frail machine-made substitute now in general use has nothing to recommend it."

Shutters in Paris

In Summary
"...the beauty of a room depends chiefly on its openings, to conceal these under draperies is to hide the key of the whole decorative scheme. ...The more architecturally a window is treated, the less it need be dressed up in ruffles."

Wood Flooring - Decision Factors

What are the main decision factors when choosing between pre-finished wood flooring, engineered wood flooring, and solid wood flooring that is finished in place?

Appearance

Microbevels
Pre-finished wood flooring typically has microbevels, which are little v-shaped notches between the planks. Some homeowners think that is attractive and desirable - accentuating the length of a room or creating the illusion of a different proportion. Others think that the grooves would look too "busy" and be a nuisance to clean.

Engineered wood flooring may or may not have microbevels, depending on the brand, style, etc.

Pre-finished solid oak flooring with microbevels displayed on top of a field-finished oak floor without microbevels.

Visual Authenticity
Some brands of engineered wood flooring use one wide plank of flooring to simulate several narrower planks. What is referred to as a "1-strip piece" will be a single plank that is a single strip. A "2-strip piece" will be a single plank made to look like two strips, etc. If the product has microbevels, this is very noticeable. If it is smooth, the seams are still visible, but less noticeable.
Transitions

If you are putting new wood flooring next to existing wood flooring, the thickness of the materials may differ, especially between engineered and older wood flooring. If you do not want to have a height difference between two areas, you will either have to have a transition (such as a stained door sill) or build up the subfloor underneath the new flooring to match the height. If your primary motivation was saving money, this added expense should be factored into your decision.

Maintenance
Pre-finished has an aluminum oxide finish that cannot be site-finished and does not have a real "clear finish" due to the aluminum suspended in the finish. If you have large pets with claws, lots of animals, heavy traffic, routinely wear shoes in the house, or are generally hard on your floor, this should not be your first choice.

Engineered allows you to sand and refinish the floor, but how many times depends on the thickness of the wear layer. Look for the thickest wear layer available. There are companies that have wear layers nearly as thick as solid wood flooring. Owens has a line with a 5mm (approx. 3/16") wear layer. For comparison, 3/4" solid flooring has a 5/16" wear layer above the tongue and groove. This is the amount that is sandable, however you cannot sand all the way down to the tongue and groove without splintering and exposing nails. So, in reality, a 3/4" solid product has about a 6mm (1/4") wear layer which is just about equal to the Owens 5mm wear layer (which can be sanded until there is no wear layer left).

Wear layer of solid unfinished oak vs. engineered unfinished oak

Installation Options

Field-finished

• usually nailed in place, concealed within the tongue and groove joint

Pre-finished or Engineered

• nail-down, 
• glue-down, or 
• "floating" (boards are separated from the subfloor by a sheet material and not physically attached to the subfloor) 

Advantages

Field-finished

• more predictable longevity (and therefore less likely to end up in a landfill) 
• is able to be refinished many times, with certainty 
• more familiar to floor refinishers (been around forever) 
• unlimited choice of stain colors, which can be swatched on the flooring after it is installed 
• your choice of finish (type, sheen, brand, number of coats) 
• best for period-appropriate installations (top-nailed, inlays, etc.) 

Pre-finished

• less mess and smell during installation 
• faster start-to-finish install time 
• may be less expensive than field-finished, depending on species, width, and type of installation 
• Engineered 
• more expensive and/or exotic species without a significant price increase 
• some brands/lines are suitable for installation over radiant floors (check www.kahrs.com for options) 

To learn more...  I recommend Jeff Lane of Lane Hardwood Floors, one of the most talented and knowledgable hardwood flooring vendors and installers here in Seattle.