Willowisp Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 I don't want to post the pics all over again, so here's a link to some shots of the inside of my "new" home on Willowisp. These are some of the shots I'll save as "before" shots. It's all potential at this point.http://www.lottaliving.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=3215By the way, my wife and I will be docents at 10911 Willowisp tomorrow between 2:30 and 5pm. We'd love to meet all the mod enthusiasts. You are also welcome to stop by 10920 and visit if we are there. Part of the time we'll be there and part of the time we'll surely be doing the house tour ourselves. Also, the former owner is allowed to be there to clean out the rest of her stuff, and I'm not sure exactly when that will happen...I'm so looking forward to the house tour!Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Yay!! I was just wondering the other day how things were going there for you. Excellent. I wish I could make it to the open house but I'm taking my daughter up to my dads ranch for some horseback riding.... the kind of stuff you just can't even think about trying to get out of. I should be closing on my mod-style condo here in the next two weeks and plans abound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasdago Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Wish we could say hello when you're at the Willowisp house but, at that same time, we'll be working at the Caudill house on Kirwick. So... what are the big plans for the house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 The people who own the Caudill house were so nice. I was driving around one day with "The Guide" and drove by the house and they were outside and saw me looking and invited me in to get a sneak preview of the tour.As for the house, I have no idea what it's going to cost to restore, but it will be worth every penny. We all know these houses are a dying breed in Houston. The main issues are the paint which we'd like removed in favor of the original brick, the vinyl siding which we'd like removed in favor of cedar or hardy plank, the sliding glass door which was "uncustomized" and needs to be replaced in favor of the custom sized door over the old carpet, new flooring, and some places where moisture got through to the sheet rock.JasonWish we could say hello when you're at the Willowisp house but, at that same time, we'll be working at the Caudill house on Kirwick. So... what are the big plans for the house?<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 Just a little update here on Willowisp... We are closing in on choosing a contractor. Our first project will be like unwrapping a Christmas present. The house is encased in vinyl siding and we're going to take it off and see how bad the original redwood is underneath. That will help us decide between going with all new hardie planks or replacing redwood just as necessary. I know there has been lots of termite damage in the past so it may be a close call... Here are a couple more pictures since the house got cleaned out. These are a bit more flattering than the messy ones I put up before. Pretty soon it will start getting really exciting for us. The carpeted room is the more formal room and the tiled room is the gameroom. The tile stays and the carpet will be changed. We thought about going to hardwoods, but we found some carpets we really like, and we're trying to stay with the original intent of the architect to have carpet. Here you go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 That is exciting news! Now talk about before pictures... What you had to see past just to see some possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 If I ever amass this much junk, somebody come shoot me!! That is exciting news! Now talk about before pictures...What you had to see past just to see some possibility. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 I'm pretty sure (and RPS can testify to this) that without all of her possessions filling her house, that it would have sold long before we even decided to start shopping for a house, so in that regard, I am more than glad that she had all that stuff in the house. It was on the market for months before we saw it. It was even more special once it was empty, and it will serve as a reminder for us to keep it simple.Now it's empty and it's ours, with all of its pros (size, glass, architectural pedigree, close proximity to 4 more mod houses) and cons (noisy backyard that lines up to a major street, lots of restoration to be done).I'll keep you updated!Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abs1nthe Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 Congratulations and thank you for the pictures! Please keep them coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 Had the seller taken the home off the market in another month or so when the listing expired, like she planned, and kept living in it in that state then I think eventually the house would have been lost. tear downs are flooding into Meyerland now, and it won't be too long before it spills over into Willowbend. There is already one on that street. Had she continued to live there a few more years without doing anything to the house, I think it may have deteriorated to the point that no one would have saved it. Everyone that saw it packed to the gills will sure be surprised at how it looks when you get it done! Can't wait for that photo spread! ( Atomic Ranch? Dwell?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 By the way, I'm curious if anyone has seen any other houses with this post and beam style. The poles concept especially. Someone pointed me to pictures of Mar Vista Tract by Gregory Ain in CA, in which I saw pictures of a couple of poles, but not pole after pole like this. Then I've seen them in some of the case study houses, but the poles were rectangular and usually attached to steel beams instead of wood. We are probably going to paint the poles in our "accent" color to make them stand out. We are toying with the idea of painting the beams brown with the white painted ceiling. By the way, from the look of the small amount of vinyl siding we've pulled off so far, the redwood underneath seems salvagable. Thank goodness for this, because I will save a lot of money and heartache if it can be saved. More updates as I get them. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 A couple more thoughts... I felt like the house would have sold during the RDA tour since it was on the side tour and so close to the tour. I think someone on the tour would have snapped it up, but you're definitely right about it being on the verge of tear down status. A few more years of her "letting it fall down around me" (and those were her words to a neighbor) and it would have been lost for sure. From all the nice words and congratulations I've gotten from preservationists and enthusiasts I can tell that the house is a loved and respected house. I hope we will do it justice in our efforts. We welcome all input as long as too many cooks don't spoil the broth! Jason Had the seller taken the home off the market in another month or so when the listing expired, like she planned, and kept living in it in that state then I think eventually the house would have been lost. tear downs are flooding into Meyerland now, and it won't be too long before it spills over into Willowbend. There is already one on that street. Had she continued to live there a few more years without doing anything to the house, I think it may have deteriorated to the point that no one would have saved it. Everyone that saw it packed to the gills will sure be surprised at how it looks when you get it done! Can't wait for that photo spread! ( Atomic Ranch? Dwell?) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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