After 15 months, the Hardaway Cottage is finally ready. We purchased the house in March of 2017 and it is ready to rent June 13, 2018. Last year posts were regular and steady. Then…nothing. Everything stopped. Life is what happens while we are making other plans. I had a contract that occupied my time leaving only 2-3 days each month to work from January through March. Our son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters came to help kick start the final stage in April. That help allowed us to “see the end” and move on to complete the project. I ended up living in the house for 8 weeks to complete everything. Beth came down after school was out and stayed for 2 weeks.’
While there is a small punch list left, our first guests arrived on June 13. My granddaughters came down to gift them a tour and history of the house. Then went home and collapsed. The Hardaway has become a special place to us. Beth has done her magic again and decorated perfectly in a combination of Art Deco features and modern comfort. I ended up doing a good bit of building to customize rooms and furniture. I enjoy it. Here are some pictures of some of my favorite features.
The Curved Front Porch
While the porch as the largest building project it created the most visual impact. The porch made the old “creepy” house into a welcoming home. The curved corners were difficult to make but worth every bit of effort.The Kitchen
The kitchen was the largest internal project. We gutted everything in the room to reveal old termite damage. Then we repaired the damage, removed old flooring, refinished the hardwood floor, reconfigured and rebuilt the cabinets, and cut a hole into the adjoining bathroom for access.The Living Room Ceiling
This is one of those “no glory” projects. We had to do it but no one will ever see the work behind it. The ceiling we bought was badly textured with tens of failing patches. We had to either remove the texture or cover it with drywall. The texture was done with plaster not compound. Beth worked for 5 days with a razor blade window scraper to remove everything. I worked another 4 days to patch, skim-coat, and repaint. Beautiful in the end.The Alexander Headboard
The Alexander Headboard was a custom designed headboard. I found a set of mirrors with an art deco etched design for $25. The base has curved corners and uses moulding from the dining room to tie it into the house.
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