Our little old 30's built home has had the pleasure of having a breezeway from the house to the garage. It has been my storage area for plants during the winters and just a nice airy, dry way of getting from the house to the laundry room in the garage and back again. (When we first moved in there was a clothes line running the length of the breeze way as well as one outside) Several years ago we had the breezeway made not so breezy. It was a strange experience with handymen that took longer and cost more than quoted leaving a mess. It was finally cleaned up and I loved it. It had a major problem for our area though ... water leaks. There was no way we were letting them back into our home and we weren't ready to try to find someone. It was that bad of an experience. I still stored plants in the breezeway during the winter but worried when wood rot was noticed in the ceiling. This summer we decided it HAD to be fixed. old ceiling/roof ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) Breezeway/Sunny Hallway ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) We were lucky enought to find a truly professional handyman/carpenter to come and work on the breezeway roof/ceiling. (He came highly recommended, gave an honest bid and charged less than originally quoted. He did the work on time and showed up when he said he would...exceptionally wonderful experience) He replaced the entire roof surface, checked and replaced supporting beams where needed and insulated. Checked the insulation where water had run and replaced it. We were soooo pleased when he made ship-lap boards to put up on the ceiling to mimic the old boards that were there before. I am a sucker for character, but now we have character with insulation that is structurally sound. Breezeway looking toward backyard and garage ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) Breezeway with new roof and ceiling ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) We are so pleased that a long desired french door window is going where the old small window is in the garage. The garage is finally going to be insulated and drywalled. Even having a heater installed. I can't wait for the final project even if it means I will be painting and doing the finish work. I will have so much more room for plants now with all the extra lighted space. I might have enough sunny space to try a citrus tree again. ??? little old window will be replaced with french doors ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )
congrats Jewell! Your breezeway looks charming! Very bright and sunny and I love the idea of french doors. Will make it a classy space.
Jewell, What a very special spot!!!! As I saw and read about your little breezeway journey, so many thoughts flashed through my brain. It looks like a great spot to make a special getaway from the rest of the house. I love to watch and see what others do with special spots in their home. I am sure you will enjoy it so much. Congrats on finding a good handyman guy to fix you up just the way you wanted it to be. This is a rare thing to find. Barb in Pa.
Jewell, This is a great project. so glad you found someone trustworthy to re do the project. Hope you enjoy the doors when it is finished although I am tearing mine out and replacing them with a slider when I remodel my kitchen. They take up a lot of "swing" room every time you go to open them and then you can't only open them a little bit, you have to either have it open the whole way or shut. there is no in between with them. Just a personal perspective, if it isn't something you have thought about yet. If you are putting a citrus tree there for the light, the room it takes to open the door every time you use it might have you moving the tree every time you open the door. (food for thought).
What a great area! Looks like you finally found the right person to do your work... good help is hard to find!
I could do with a place like that to store all my plants in. Mind you if I did have a breezeway like yours then I'd have to fight Ian for it as he'd want to fill it with all his junk.
Oh, such a lovely room! I want one, even though I don't quite know where it should lead too. I'm so glad your handyman did what he should and even at a lower price. That man should be gilded and put on a pedestal.
Hi Jewell, what a nice job,..and its great to read everything was a success with the builder,..i like the look of that ceiling,..i am sure you have great plans for indoor plants,..i know i would,..lol.
Jewell, what a great spot for wintering over plants this will be. Will love to see a picture with all the plants there. Glad you found a good carpenter, builder.
Thanks all for you perspective. It is exciting after all these years. I will post photos when it is completed. Droopy guilding definitely. I'm putting up for Sainthood. A carpenter that works an 8 hour plus day hadn't been our previous experience. Having the craftsmanship and honesty is a rare thing to find. Cherylad: Even in this slow economy he is always busy. Carolyn thanks for the pointers and your experience with french doors. Only one of the french doors will ever be used and then not often. We are having them placed more like a low window rather than a door. (they'll sit on a high cement sill. We have ten pane doors on the rest of the house and it was too expensive to try and match the old windows. Would have required cusom. The doors into the breezeway and closet are going to be pocket doors because of challenges you mentioned. Cuyaga,Toni and Netty there are a lot of ten light doors in our little house. Four now and with the French doors we'll be adding four more. When you live in the rain/clouds even the doors have let in light. Especially now that the days are shortening. Eileen my hubby and I have already debated how to organize the garage. Man cave to include TV, some furniture and my plants. The rest will evolve around an upright freezer and doors. Upgrading the electrical for unthought of activities. Barb old houses can have funky spaces that new can't. The low ceiling of the breezeway wouldn't pass code today, yet it is one of the things I find charming about our simple structure. It is a great place to sit and watch the birds bathe in the fish pond.
Karrma and Philip this is the first year I haven't been able to over winter some of my favorite plants in the breezeway. It is full with things from the garage that can't be held out on the tented gazebo. It should be finished by Christmas so maybe Santa will let me go shopping for new plants.
This has been taking forrrrreeeeeeeeevver but some things are coming to a close and organization is beginning to be a possibility. Furniture has been moved back to their proper or new places. Plants are back in place. Only one old rosemary bush was left outside to weather the chances of nature this winter. the breeze way is finally cluttered only with plants ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) I feel like we will be wiping drywall dust off of and from under things for a while yet, but the inch thick stuff is gone. new room coming together ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) Eventually this will be the "man cave", but I will be taking advantage of the wall space for color, photos/pictures and the light for plants. Fortunately my sweetie likes those things too. Someone already moved a TV into the space...hummm ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) new doors in new room and new a view on our small world ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) Bless anyone who takes on a remodeling project. It has been a bit frustrating, and a lot rewarding. Now any ideas for wall color???
