My husband Donald is a bath-taker. Some people, when stressed, turn to drink or to chocolate. Donald prefers a hot soak with good book. Which is why we've decided to move the clawfoot tub into the octagonal tower room next to the master--so he can open the door to the Juliette balcony for views of the lake as he takes the cure.
Relocating the clawfoot (which happily didn't sell in the tag sale, despite a bargain price of $300 affixed to its rim) turns out to be more complicated than it sounds, as is almost every part of a renovation. Unless we want to fill the bathtub by hand, it's got to have plumbing and plumbing requires pipes going down to the basement. However, the walls in the tower are outside walls which means putting pipes in them assures pipes will freeze. Frank and Rob hit on the idea of running the pipes inside, but hiding them behind bookshelves on the first floor.
When Matt the carpenter moves the cabinet, he discovers it to be amazingly solid. And held to the wall expertly by four clever screws. When Matt removes the screws, the cabinet falls cleanly away from the wall. Rob the contractor (who is also a master carpenter) admires the expert mortise and tenon construction. As far from Ikea as bookshelves can get.
Relocating the clawfoot (which happily didn't sell in the tag sale, despite a bargain price of $300 affixed to its rim) turns out to be more complicated than it sounds, as is almost every part of a renovation. Unless we want to fill the bathtub by hand, it's got to have plumbing and plumbing requires pipes going down to the basement. However, the walls in the tower are outside walls which means putting pipes in them assures pipes will freeze. Frank and Rob hit on the idea of running the pipes inside, but hiding them behind bookshelves on the first floor.
When Matt the carpenter moves the cabinet, he discovers it to be amazingly solid. And held to the wall expertly by four clever screws. When Matt removes the screws, the cabinet falls cleanly away from the wall. Rob the contractor (who is also a master carpenter) admires the expert mortise and tenon construction. As far from Ikea as bookshelves can get.
The plan is to move bookshelves a few inches from wall and hide pipes behind them.
Moving the bookshelves reveals original paint on walls and floorboards.
Doors are perfectly dovetailed with delicate pins. "Someone knew what he was doing," Rob says.
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