All posts by Sarah @ 702 Park Project

The Sunday Currently, #2

August 25, 2013Categories: This Week's LinksSarah @ 702 Park Project

Happy Sunday! How’s your weekend going? Ours has been fairly relaxed, which was a welcome change from our usual completely full weekends! We did get some house and garden work done yesterday–more on that coming this week! But for now, here’s what I’m up to:

Currently:

Reading– This inspiring post by Jess Lively. To say that I don’t want lots of “icing” in our new house would be a lie, but I will do my best to remember that the cake, or substance, is far more important.

Writing– A grocery list. I’ve been thinking about starting to do some meal planning each Sunday to get ready for the week. What do you think? Worth the effort?

Listening– To the local news in the background. I usually try to avoid local news…it’s so depressing!

Thinking– About options for reupholstering the vintage settee I picked up a while back. It’s really unfortunate that I have such expensive taste. Because, of course, I am head over heels in love with this little number:

Wishing– The weather would stay like this for a while!

Hoping– This week goes by fast so we can finally enjoy some Wolfpack football on Saturday!!! GO PACK!

Wearing– My Sunday best…headed to church.

Loving– It’s the Little Things Coffee Talk. It’s hilariously clever and totally feeds into my guilty pleasure of watching Bravo!

Wanting– This rug for the office. Or this one. (Keep dreaming, right? I should probably add “winning the lottery” to my list of wants!)

Needing– A pedicure.

Feeling– Sore after our yard work yesterday!

Clicking– This tutorial for an adorable new way to wear a scarf. Is it Fall yet?

You can get my first edition of The Sunday Currently here. Be sure to check out Lauren’s page at http://siddathornton.blogspot.com/, where you can read about what she’s up to, as well as lots of other bloggers! Enjoy this last week of August! Official countdown to Fall: 4 weeks! :)

Three-Month Roundup

August 23, 2013Categories: RenoSarah @ 702 Park Project

It’s Friday!! Does anyone else feel like this has been the longest week OF ALL TIME?!?! But at the same time, how is it already the end of August?!?!

Charles started his new job on Monday and has successfully made it through his first week. They sort of just threw him in the deep end and said, “swim!” but he’s done a great job. I’m really excited to see where he takes the business center…so many possibilities! And of course, I’m super duper proud of him!!!

Ok, that’s enough gushing for today. Back to the house…

On Tuesday, we hit the 3 month mark on our house renovation. While I know that so much work has been done in the last month, it’s also some of the hardest work to see. Reconstructing the rotten eaves and gutters takes A LOT of time. I’m not complaining…we’d rather it take longer and be done right, than have to go back in a few years to have it all redone!

To see what we accomplished in month two, look here. This is the broad list of things we had left to do as of the end of month two:

~~Scrape and prep interior walls, trim, and ceilings~~
~~Prime~~ and paint interior walls, trim, and ceilings (downstairs is primed!)
Remove all interior carpet
Finish electrical, including adding several outlets and wiring each room for ceiling fans (we are about half way done here!)
Repair all porches
Patch and paint the metal roof
Rework hidden metal gutter system and repair/replace exterior woodwork (all bad wood has been removed and the repair process has begun!)
~~Install new heating and air system~~
~~Repair mortar in the basement~~, and repoint front-of-house mortar (front mortar repair starts next week!)
Finish upstairs back bathroom (tile floor, plumbing for a shower, new sink)
Update downstairs bathroom (paint cabinets, new mirror, new light fixture)
Repair garage (it is currently sturdy, but leaning)
More landscaping

The entire downstairs (walls, trim, and ceilings) has been primed. When I last checked in, the kitchen was all that was left, but it’s had at least a coat now. (No more Carolina blue!! Yay!)

A new heating and air system has been installed. Well, almost. Once Charles and I clean out the basement, which will happen this weekend, they will finish running the duct work down there. Then all that will be left is to install the units themselves. Meanwhile, our house looks like this:

The electrician has started his work on the house, but it’s quite the daunting task, so it will take some time. I laid out our expected furniture placement for him on our floorplan, so that’s helping him determine where we need new outlets. I told our contractor, “just think Christmas!” Charles and I both go a little nuts at Christmas and I know we will be decorating every inch of the house, so the less cords we can have lying around, the better!

So much has been accomplished, but we’ve still got a long ways to go. Luckily, we are less than 40% of the way through our total budget, so that’s definitely a plus!

What are your thoughts? Care to take a guess on when we might be moving in?

Home

August 20, 2013Categories: Guest BloggersSarah @ 702 Park Project

I’ve got another awesome guest blogger today…my Aunt Jane! Hope you enjoy! :)

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I was honored to be asked to post a piece in Sarah’s blog. 702 Park Project has been on the top of my reading list all spring and summer. I am delighted for Sarah and Charles that they have recovered a home that was in Charles’ family and will make it their very own…with a whole lot of hard work. I was lucky enough to see it for myself a couple of weeks ago, and became even more excited to see the process as well as the final outcome.

Well, my brother Jim kind of took my original thought for a topic: the house we grew up in on National Avenue in New Bern. Like many of us, I immediately noticed some similarities between 702 Park Avenue and 1304 National Avenue. But he did such an outstanding job with his comments that I can’t be too upset, so I picked another topic.

I have been thinking a lot about HOME lately. What makes a place home? In the Powers/Gaylor/Archer family (which we lovingly call PGA) our “children” are growing up and making homes for themselves. My son Matt and his wife Alison have “set up housekeeping” in Dayton, Ohio. Jason is making a life for himself in Salisbury, NC. And our baby, Sarah, has married her Charles and taken on this restoration.

Here are a few thoughts about HOME:

Home is where your “stuff” is. I don’t mean fine furnishings or fabulous jewelry (although those things are nice). I mean the pictures, objects, books, and special gifts that mean something to you and give you comfort. Home decorating is not one of my talents, but I love to have the things I love around me. Little gifts and school Mother’s day cards that Matthew gave me are so valuable to me, along with pictures of places we have visited and shared together. Oh, and the “coma” chair (where it is impossible to sit without falling asleep). Gotta have that!

Home is where you can take off your shoes and put your feet up. David (my hubby) has a habit of taking off his shoes & socks the minute he comes through the door, whether the temperature outside is 90 degrees or 20 degrees. I love it when people come into my house and get comfortable. (Comfort would include some warm socks in the winter for me).

Home is where you laugh with your friends and family. As my brother and sister and I grew up and moved out of her house, our Mama used to tell us, “I am ready for you to come home and put your feet under my table.” I so understand what she meant by that now. Nothing is like having the people you love around you. Some of you may already know about our PGA “Christmas Around the World” celebrations. Every year, we choose a different country and serve Christmas dinner using recipes from that country. We have done Italy, France, and Germany so far, and Spain is the pick for 2013! We learn Christmas songs in a foreign language, led by “Maestro” David. Sometimes we play teeny-tiny handbells or whistles. The laughter and merriment in our home is one of the highlights of our year as a family.

Home is love. I have been so overwhelmed by the blessings of life. I have a loving husband of 33 years, a fine son who has always been a source of love and pride for me, and a new daughter-in-law who has just fit right into that place in my heart that was made for a daughter. My extended family (siblings, nieces, nephews) is a wonderful and nurturing family. What a loving bunch of people!

Libraries are full of books that have schemes and plans for having a better home life, raising better children, creating better relationships with other people. But the answer has been right before us all the time:

Love one another. Serve God together. And your home will be a happy one.

Sarah and Charles, I wish for you all the joy you can handle. Enjoy the process of restoring your HOME! And invite me over…I’ll bring my own socks.

{If you would like to be a guest blogger, please comment below or email me. Thanks!}

The Perfect Pink Couch

August 19, 2013Categories: Decor, FurnitureSarah @ 702 Park Project

Two things…

1. I love estate sales! Especially on Sundays. Usually, everything left from Saturday is marked down significantly on Sunday, so you can really get some steals. Mary and I went to a sale in the middle of nowhere yesterday and left with some great stuff, both for ourselves and for The Remedy House.

2. I’ve been wanting a pink couch for some time now. I know it’s super girly, but I’ve always wanted a pink couch to go in the formal living room. My vision for this room is very ethereal and feminine. (See my Pinterest board for more of what I’m thinking.)

So imagine my excitement when I found this gem at the estate sale yesterday…

It is in great condition, needs no work, and is pink velvet. Does it get any better?? And, at a whopping $150 (it was originally $300 but everything was 1/2 off yesterday), it was just too good to pass up!!

Here are a few ideas that I pinned a while back. I’m thinking some white and soft gray throw pillows, elegant and flowy window treatments, and of course, plenty of gold mixed in! (Note: the color is a little funny in the pictures above. The actual color is very very close to the first couch below.)

{1, 2, 3}

What do you think? Are you a fan? Is there any piece that you would just “have to have” if you saw it for a good price?

The Sunday Currently, #1

August 18, 2013Categories: Just For Fun, This Week's LinksSarah @ 702 Park Project

It’s Sunday Funday, and I’ve decided to try something new. On Sundays, I will be joining in on Lauren’s link party entitled The Sunday Currently. A link party is basically a way to interact with other bloggers and just see what everyone is up to. There are tons out there (check out Linky H ere if you’re interested in finding one yourself), but this one was the most appealing to me. So here goes…

Currently:

Reading– Magazines! As much as I love Pinterest (and trust me, I do!!), I still love flipping through magazines. They never get old to me, and there’s just something about seeing things in print. So right now I’m catching up on my favorites that I haven’t had time to read… Traditional Home, Southern Living, Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Our State, Garden & Gun, and Self. Whew!! Now you see why I’m playing catch up! I may or may not have a problem. (source)

Writing– For this blog. I’ve come to really love writing (which has never been my strong suit), and I’ve been struggling with trying to not stray too far from the reason I started in the first place. It’s really hard to not want to go in a hundred different directions, but I’m trying to stay on topic. But there will definitely be a few personal posts mixed in here and there…I mean, restoring your dream house and customizing it to fit your life is personal in itself, right? So these Sunday Currently posts will just be a little way for you to get to know me better.

Listening– Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke, which I’m totally embarrassed to admit. It’s just so damn catchy!!

Thinking– About master bathroom layouts. We basically have a blank canvas, so there are plenty of options! See my post here on trying to decide which flooring to go with. It’s a gut wrenching melodrama. ;)

Wishing– Our dear friends Brad and Mandy a lifetime of happiness!! We had a fantastic time at their wedding yesterday!

Hoping– That people will be as excited about our new shop as Mary and I are! We will be officially opening in September (exact date coming soon) and I can’t wait to share all the goodies with you! You can read more about this new adventure here.

Wearing– Old jeans and an old t-shirt…the perfect “crafting” outfit. Lots of work for The Remedy House getting done today!

Loving– Our house! I know I’m not supposed to say that out loud, but I really do. Every time I go over there, I get more and more excited and fall more and more in love with it. We feel so very fortunate and blessed to be able to make our first home into our dream home!

Wanting– These sheets. I know what you’re thinking, but come on…they’re called Park Avenue Scottie sheets!!

Needing– An entire day with nothing to do.

Feeling– Super excited that college football starts in just 2 weeks…and we have Wolfpack season tickets!!! (source)

Clicking– Marcus Design Inc. blog. I just discovered it last week through one of my favorite blogs, and I’m already obsessed. I’ve totally stalked her Pinterest and pinned an embarrassing number of things.

Be sure to check out Lauren’s page at http://siddathornton.blogspot.com/, where you can read about what she’s up to currently, as well as lots of other bloggers! I hope y’all have a great week!! :)

It’s Gettin’ Hot in Here

August 16, 2013Categories: RenoSarah @ 702 Park Project

Yesterday was day 1 of our HVAC adventure! We found out that most of our duct work is in good condition (miracle), so luckily we won’t have to do too much there. But both units – an AC unit and a heat pump – were completely shot, thanks to this fiasco.

Remember these bad boys?

Well now it looks like this:

Oh, and our yard looks like this:

I knew that taking out the units would have an impact, but I was totally shocked at how much space is now freed up in the basement! All of a sudden it is double the size we thought. Here are a few before shots:

And here it is now:

All gone!! Of course, there will be some duct work running through when it’s all said and done, but it will be very minimal and take up very little space. So here’s the scoop… we hired Jackson & Sons to get everything out and set us up for new systems (although we won’t be installing them until much later for fear of another theft). They ripped out all of the duct work and shotty insulation in the basement, disconnected and removed the two outside units, and removed the basement furnace. We plan to go back with a new heat pump and gas pack that will be much more efficient and cost effective in the long run. Also, I really want to install a Nest thermostat like this one.

In other news, the entire downstairs, minus the kitchen, has gotten at least one coat of primer! All of a sudden, the ugly green trim is almost gone and the walls are stark white and everything looks so much cleaner and so much bigger. It’s a little overwhelming!

The chandelier in the second picture totally looks like a ghost, right? ;)

The walls are stark white now so that our painter can see any imperfections that need fixing, but the final primer will be tinted in these colors, mainly because the cost to paint right now is just not feasible.

Well, that’s it for today. I hope y’all have a nice weekend. I’m hoping these temperatures will stick around for a while!

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