Multigen Remodel Madness

The listing for our house described this unique room as the solarium, and the name has stuck!  It was a room with a lot of issues: leaking windows in both the ceiling and walls, harsh and cold '80s tile floor, built in benches taking up a lot of space along the windows, and even a water spigot in one wall.  The room was drafty with lots of gross old curtains to try to keep the heat in (or out in the summer), and felt like it was closer to an outdoor space than an indoor one.  The room is two stories tall and visible from the great room, so we needed to make the right choices to make it fit.  After a lot of thinking about the possibilities, it was demo time!  This entailed removing the roof and walls, really opening up the house in the hottest part of the summer - but it was totally worth it! Once we got the new windows in and new walls with good insulation, plus fully opening skylights with remote operation, the room really became part of our indoor usable space.  It stays cool in

    Every multigen home needs a big table to gather around for dinner, and ours is no exception.  We were so lucky to get a family heirloom around which to make more memories.  Kathryn's aunt's parents scored this amazing table from one of the original mansions in Missoula in the 1960s.  It seats 12 (it's almost 12' long and 5' wide with all 7 leaves in), or on a regular day seats the 6 of us for dinner plus a puzzle or Monopoly game going on one end.   We rented a U-Haul to bring the table and chairs home from Missoula, then sent if off to the furniture spa for refinishing.  After over 140 years of use and love, this set was ready for an update. The chairs were all taken apart and reglued, the table top refinished, and intricate details on the chairs and table repaired.  We chose a shocking green with blue accents for recovering the chairs, and love the way it all came out.  Looking forward to another 140 years of family gathering around this beautiful table.

 We all got involved in the demo of this small and strangely shaped space, ripping out all of the old brown tile, the brown tub, and mismatched vanity.  The biggest trick was getting the tub down the stairs and out to the trailer. We wanted to brighten up the space while working with its interesting footprint.     Ari chose a very cool cobalt blue floating vanity that we planned the room around.  With lots of white tile, brighter paint, and more light, this bathroom has become a beauty.