We're up to about 67 man-hours now...

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 02/14/2020 at 00:48 • Filed to: Casa de Zoidberg

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... But it’s finally coming along. Above is what my wife’s office looked like when we bought it. (Not pictured is the red carpet from the ‘70s). Yes, the baseboard, casing, and walls were all the same hideous mint green. And underneath that green was salmon. And underneath that salmon was beige. And underneath that beige was blue wallpaper.

Chipped paint, gaps, and whatnot everywhere. The doors never latched properly and the drawers had no deducts apparently and were nearly completely inoperable. Hinges had been painted over SEVERAL TIMES so those had to be cleaned. Each door took 15-30 minutes to hang because there is zero adjustment. Folks: just say NO to flush-mount cabinet doors. So much planing, sanding, chiseling, drilling, waxing...

Also those are solid wood. That center door with the mirror? It weighed 75 pounds. We got new knobs and I cleaned off all the original hinges. The splash of brass is nice.

There is much left to do. Lots of touch of paint after hanging those doors, two of which need to be planed. Another coat needed several others, chasm above that crown needs another thick coat, rehang the hall door, blinds and curtains, coverplate for light switch, new light fixture...

And there is no time for celebration after this is done, because I’ll be moving on to the guest room 

fintail > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 01:03

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For a real project, strip down the woodwork to the natural finish it was when the castle was built. You’ll never be bored again.

Nice built-ins, they knew how to do things.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > fintail 02/14/2020 at 01:09

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Hah, not in a million years.

Unfortunately, the previous stewards of the home had  an estate sale that cleared out just enough original doors, handles, and hinges, furniture, and whatnot that we could never truly make it like it was before. It's too dated to ever become contemporary and it's too modernized to ever be a time capsule. But the condition of the home was on a sharp, dark path. So I'd like to think we're doing what we can to keep something cool like this around a few decades longer.

wafflesnfalafel > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 01:10

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what’s that in doggo hours

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > wafflesnfalafel 02/14/2020 at 01:12

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About 19.54 days

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 01:22

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Gotta say, being in progress with something similar myself, I’m impressed that’s only 67 hours. You should pay yourself a productivity bonus. 

fintail > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 01:27

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Ah too bad the heathens sold off that stuff. A true sympathetic restoration on such a place would be enormously expensive.    By the look of your work, just keeping it clean and fresh is better than the place has been treated in a long time.

notsomethingstructural > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 01:27

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It looks good. Good call on not doing a restoration if you don’t have the hardware. I’ve seen fine millwork get restored, and it looks like a fucking nightmare. 

glemon > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 01:50

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Embrace the green baby

We have a 60s(??) mint green bathroom in the basement that was inoperative when I moved in, a new sewage pump, a toilet kit, some serious cleaning and we are back in business.  Even found a vintage ad to go with.  This is a basement room in the derp, dark corners of the house, my wife has an office too, don't think the retro funky plane would have flown very long before being shot down in that room.

shop-teacher > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 02:09

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Excellent work!

I couldn’t agree more about flush mount  doors.

M.T. Blake > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 02:49

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You mean you didn’t want a spearmint colored room?

Looking good!

Stef Schrader > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 02:59

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Those built-ins are BEAUTIFUL, though. Extremely envious of this cool room.

Stef Schrader > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 03:00

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Oh no. :( That’s so sad. I hate seeing the original stuff get scattered all over. I guess that frees you up to do what you want, though.

SmugAardvark > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 03:06

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just say NO to flush-mount cabinet doors. So much planing, sanding, chiseling, drilling, waxing...

No kidding, our 96 year old house with flush-mount built-ins everywhere...and not a single one with less than 5 layers of paint. I’m wondering which layer is where the lead-based stuff starts...

PartyPooper2012 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 06:19

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your wife rocking some nice steel toe boots! Mother/Mother in law... rocking some steel toe toes tho

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 06:32

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My childhood home underwent extensive renovations in this vein. We had to source new vintage everything, since originality was scoffed at. Here are some stats. then / now.

2ish / 0 Fish ponds

4 / 2 yards (undivided now)

1 / 0 carpeted yards

1 / 0 pink sinks in the main hallway

? / 5 chandeliers (and only 1 ceiling fan now)

1 / 0 fake skylights

facw > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 08:10

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Awesome work, that’s a big improvement. W hile color preferences change over time, I don’t understand what would have possessed the then owners to just paint over wallpaper, that can’t ever have looked good. I assume there was no chance of salvaging the original hardwood floors that are presumably down there somewhere?

Also Zoidberg sighting!

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 11:03

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Aren’t old houses fun?!?!?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 02/14/2020 at 12:17

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You know it — but new homes terrify me. I’ve seen... things...

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 12:21

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Oh I’m seeing things daily now. It’s horrific the corners getting cut to meet deadlines