The Craftsman On Walnut

05/31/2026

The kitchen was the longest room in the house to renovate—and for good reason.

Early in the project, we intentionally demolished the “pantry” to see what was hiding behind it. We suspected there might be an original chimney, and sure enough, there it was.

Unfortunately, years of deterioration had left the brick crumbling, so exposing it wasn’t an option. Instead, we built a decorative bump-out around it and gave it a new purpose by adding hooks for coats, bags, and other everyday items.

The floor also had to be leveled, adding another major layer to the project before the finishes could even begin.

This room became a lesson in old-house renovation: sometimes you uncover exactly what you’re hoping to find, but preserving it requires a different approach than you imagined. While the chimney couldn’t remain exposed, it’s still part of the kitchen’s story and continues to serve a purpose today.

Of every room in the house, this one took the longest—but it might be the one that best represents the balance between preserving history and making a home functional for modern living.

05/30/2026

This bathroom wasn’t just renovated—it was rebuilt.

Years of slow water damage from the toilet had rotted the floor, and the part that repaired it was less than $10. This simple neglect ended up costing us so much time and $$$. We also had to jack up and level the floor before rebuilding.

Lucas put a lot of time and effort into this part of the house. After a quote of 27k to renovate this bathroom, he went rouge. I think he did an amazing job!

05/26/2026

Our renovation budget may have nearly tripled, but I still think this old staircase deserves its moment. 😅

We refinished the main level floors, but the stairs will have to wait for phase two. For now, we’re embracing the character, worn wood, and history that come with a 100+ year old home.

Honestly… imperfect still looks pretty beautiful here.

05/26/2026

POV: you sacrifice the only closet in the house for a bathroom. 😂

In our defense… guests usually appreciate a half bath more than a coat closet.

This little space used to be nothing more than storage, and now it’s one of the most functional upgrades we’ve made in the house so far.

Old homes definitely force you to make choices, but this one was worth it.

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

I did a thing… I betrayed the house. 😅

Before anyone comes for me, let me explain. Keeping the original trim and woodwork intact has been really important to me throughout this renovation. But this door had to be painted. It was the only painted wood door in the entire house, and my original plan was to strip and sand it back to its original glory.

Then reality showed up. Between time, budget, and the amount of work still left, I had to pivot and explore other options.

So… what do we think about the color?
If you love it, that was all me. If you hate it, I’m blaming my buddy AI. 😆

05/06/2026

Another view of the same bedroom renovation — and probably the best example of what this entire house project has been about:

Keeping the original character intact while making the space actually work for real people staying here.

The goal was never to make it look brand new. I wanted it to feel warm, layered, historic, and comfortable… like the house still remembers its age, just in a better way.

This room now sleeps more guests without completely sacrificing the feel of the space, which honestly took more planning than expected.

Before → after on the second angle.

05/06/2026

Some rooms fight you every step of the way. This one definitely did.

Trying to preserve the antique character of the house while also making the space functional for modern guests turned into a much bigger puzzle than I expected. Between the layout, sleeping arrangements, and keeping the room from feeling overcrowded, this renovation took a lot of trial and error.

But seeing it finally come together makes all the second-guessing worth it.

Swipe for the before → after of one side of the room. More angles coming next.

04/26/2026

This one was a grind.

Dropped ceilings hiding everything. Layers of wallpaper and 70s paneling.

We took it all the way back and rebuilt it the right way:
• Drop ceilings removed exposing 10 feet!
• Original hardwoods refinished
• Trim cleaned up and brought back to life
• New drywall throughout

Same room — just finally doing what it was supposed to do.

Before ➡️ After

04/18/2026

Be honest… which one of these actually brings 100-year-old trim back to life fast and cheap? 👇

I already have a favorite (clearly… I’m on my second bottle 😅)

Drop your guess before I expose it.