The Unvarnished Truth: How Wood Countertops Wear (10 Years Later)

It's been almost 10 years since I began the kitchen renovation at our beach cottage. How time flies! This project was a budget redo from the get-go. We only use this summer house four months out of the year, so I kept costs down by retaining the original footprint, using IKEA Sektion cabinets, and topping it off with low-cost Numerar wood countertops. It was money well-spent; we've enjoyed it! The room is at its best on a sunny morning, when birds are chirping up a storm and the sun projects rays of green off the surrounding trees. Thanks to windows on all sides, it's like living in a treehouse. But there is one regret about this renovation that I want to 'fess up to—it's that I didn't varnish the wood countertops. I'd heard from so many sources that regularly oiling wood countertops will keep them looking new, and I want to tell you today that's just pure rubbish. Sure, the counters still look okay in photos like this, from far away, but up close they're not so pretty. Ready for the ugly truth? This is what unvarnished wood countertops look like after years of use. 

Artwork in the Bathroom

It had been a little over a year since the big bathroom reveal, and I still had a blank wall. I'm a big fan of artwork in the bathroom. Well, I'm a fan of artwork everywhere, really. And for many years, the bathroom was the place where I'd hang some of my lesser favorites or framed posters, thinking any moisture damage wouldn't bother me so much. But I've spent so much time designing this bathroom that I couldn't put just anything in here. I was holding out for the right thing.

Cottage Renovation: Cedar Shake Roof vs Asphalt Roof

Our little cottage, with photo-shopped cedar roof -- hah! wish it were so easy!

It's been a while since I posted about our little cottage on the Northfork of Long Island, NY. But that doesn't mean nothing's been going on there. We do try to make at least one improvement each year, depending on the Renov8or budget. 

We knew last year that the roof was starting to go. When we engaged a carpenter to build us a shed out back, he pointed out the wear and tear to our roof and said that ought to be our next project. The asphalt shingles were peeling in places and it was starting to sag in spots over the porch. At that point we had to make a decision - shed or roof - we couldn't afford to do both. We already had the shed plans drawn up and in our imaginations the thing was already built, so we went with the shed. 

Bead Board Bathroom Loves Claw Foot Tub

Cottage After - With Bead Board

Our cottage was built in 1925, so it's pretty astounding that it had an indoor bathroom. One of the elders in our home association told me that our cottage was built as a display home and the indoor bath was a selling point.

Here's what it looked like when we bought the place.

Example of Renovation Estimate

Front Porch Awaiting Windows Installation

We got the first project estimates from Dan and we are well within our budget - it's a go!

Here is the breakdown.

Build Porch Built-In Benches with Storage Beneath: $1,540.00
Parition wall + door to create fourth bedroom out of old livingroom: $1,228.00
Oak flooring over old linoleum: $2,485.00
Bathroom beadboard over old mauve tiled walls: $1,850.00
Beadboard panel and retrim over wallpapered bedroom: $1,449.00
Porch: Replace screens with windows 8- 4 x 4 windows, trim inside and out: $4,212.00

Total: $12,764.00

Here is the plan.

Hiring a General Contractor - Dos and Don'ts

Cottage Porch Renovation - Before & After

Much has been written about hiring contractors, and I've read a lot of it. The horror stories about bad general contractors are enough to keep a girl from even embarking on a renovation project. I'm not here to tell you any scary stories. I've had only good experiences so far. How do I account for my good contractor karma?

I do exactly what the experts advise:

• Get recommendations
• View past projects
• Get everything in writing
• And pay in thirds (first third on contract signing, second halfway through the job, third upon completion)

Cottage Projects Timeline

Last night we wrote up a list of everything we'd like to do to the cottage. We can't afford to do everything all at once, so we broke it down into phases. The plan is to tackle a few projects each year, as we save up the money, starting with the things that we can do ourselves, such as paint.

Here's the plan.

We Make an Offer on a Beach Cottage

Our only hesitation about buying Old Orchard Cottage? We weren't sure if this bay on the Northfork would have the white sand and waves as the ocean beaches of the Southfork we had grown to love. 

We shared this qualm with Diane Dunbar, the real estate agent who had shown us the cottage last weekend, and asked if we might test out the beach one weekend to see how we liked it. She and her husband George live year round in their home and are active in the home association and she thought that would be just fine. So we went to check it out.

Old Orchard Cottage (Love!)

Mary and I had been summering on Long Island for almost 20 years, first on the Southfork. We'd had a sweet deal in the Hamptons as renters: An extended season for a low, low price - plus, more importantly, zero maintenance as the owners lived in the "big house" and took care of everything. Every summer had been devoted to the three B's: books, beach, and BBQ. We'd never even touched a blade of grass, except to spread a blanket to look at the stars. 

But there'd been this opportunity we'd missed a few years back to buy a little clapboard beach cottage in a community going co-op on the Northfork, amid the vineyards and potato fields. Right outside Greenport - a sweet little collection of 1930s cottages stood that had once housed brick workers from nearby brick cove foundry during hot summer months. Mary's sister Margaret, who did buy at Breezy Shores, ended up with a sweet deal, indeed. We'd visit her to catch up - and view her and Scott's latest renovations, as crappy panels were removed to reveal gorgeous original beadboard - and gaze out at the glittering water views from Adirondack chairs set on long, low porches, and mentally kick ourselves. 

So, maybe it was in the backs of our minds all along to look for a cottage of our own, I don't remember. What I do recall is that we saw it on a Sunday - a rainy Sunday in what had been a season of rainy Sundays. We'd exhausted our supply of fun rainy day things to do and as we were checking email we came upon a link from Margaret about a nearby cottage for sale. A small 1925 fisherman's cottage, it had been owned by only two families, the first owner a Baptist minister, who had it built. We went to take a look.