Ralph's Small House

Here at Ralph's House, we're working to renovate a 1928 bungalow-ish house on the outskirts of downtown to the best of our abilities. Currently we're working off a private-school elementary teacher's salary and the know-how of his wife. Lately it's been 96 degrees + outside so our efforts have been limited to peeling 70's wallpaper and cleaning up after the house-flipper's non-code job inside. Before it got hot outside, we installed a fence around our corner lot, the pre-built "french gothic" from Lowes. It's worked moderately well- it used to be whenever we worked in the yard, passers-by would stop to ask us for money. As if.

I'm a purist, which really gets in the way of making decisions. It's as bad as, "if I remove the 1/8" paint buildup on the window frame which cracks further every time I open the window, I am removing this house's history." It bothers me that contemporary ideas about restoration are always changing; I'd like to make a snapshot of the house from 1930. Somewhat not wanting to live in a museum, we need to find the line where period meets modern day function. The original interior paint colors are drab and depressing, and the color combinations, while fascinating to think about in context of their times, are jarring to live with. I guess this is something every restorer has to deal with, and really, it's the journey that's the fun. I think so, anyway.


Fence and vegetable garden.