Last time our duplex renovation was on the blog, the house still looked like the skeleton of its former self. The stench of potential was thick in the air, and nearly a month later we’re excited to share significant progress.
The new floor plan is starting to take shape. The second-story additions at the back — which add two ensuite bathrooms — are nearly complete, and the front windows finally went in last week, including Sherry’s beloved diamond-grille window in the top middle. If you follow us on Instagram, you know she’s more obsessed with them than most people would consider normal.
It’s starting to look like a habitable structure again. Sherry made a video walk-through that shows the progress and what’s next, and there’s also a dramatic tweak in the back bedroom that’s easier to appreciate on video. Watch the tour for the full context.
The biggest interior change since our last tour has been completing structural repairs and new framing. During demolition we discovered some areas were worse than expected, especially the back corners where an old porch had been enclosed. Our contractor Sean demonstrated just how flimsy that old framing was, and once replaced the house feels solid again.
Those back corners are where the new second-floor bathrooms are being built. Each will create an ensuite for the back bedrooms, bringing each side of the duplex from one full bath to two, plus a powder room downstairs. The photo below shows the addition after it had been fully framed a couple weekends ago.
For reference, this is what the back of the duplex looked like when we bought it. A small first-floor bump-out had already been added at some point, so we were able to get approval from the Historic Review Board to extend that bump-out up to the second level. They’re generally less strict about changes at the rear of a property where they aren’t visible from the street.
Here’s a similar angle photographed last weekend while the crew worked between rainstorms. Progress slowed momentarily because of heavy rains along the East Coast, but as you read this most of the windows and nearly all of the plywood sheathing were expected to be in place, and the right-side bathroom is very close to being under roof.
Each new bathroom will get a window where an original window used to be covered by the addition, and we also asked the Historic Review Board to approve an additional window in the back bedroom to increase natural light. Without it, that bedroom would have had only one window while the front bedroom has three. The extra window was approved and once the opening was cut we immediately noticed how much light it adds — it’s visible not only from the upstairs hallway but even from the bottom of the stairs.
The before photo below illustrates how claustrophobic the original staircase felt. When you reached the top you essentially walked into a wall. By pushing that wall back several feet we made the upstairs landing much larger — in fact, we essentially doubled its size — and what used to be a wall is now the doorway into the back bedroom, drawing your eye through to the new window.
There’s a lot of framing upstairs — a forest of 2x4s — so photos can be hard to decipher. Sherry’s video walk-through explains the new floor plan and what’s going where. What used to look closed off now feels open and purposeful.
Downstairs is easier to read because the plan is more open. The opening between the main living/dining area and the kitchen is now much wider; the old passage was less than half this size.
The opening at the base of the stairs is wider and taller now, so you’ll be able to see a transom window from the living room once it’s installed. It’s a small change that will have a big impact on how inviting the entry feels.
The opening between the kitchen and the laundry/mudroom was widened during framing to accommodate pocket doors. It looks extra-wide now because the pocket door cavities need room, but after installation the visible opening will be about six feet — still generous and functional. Sherry has plans for frosted glass pocket doors so the room can retain light even when closed.
Assuming drier weather, roofing and siding should start going up in the next couple weeks. We’re also rebuilding the porch with a tin roof, thicker columns, and a wood railing that looks as original as possible. Inside, mechanicals — plumbing, electrical, and HVAC — will keep us busy, but getting the exterior airtight and waterproof is a huge relief.
And yes, Sean’s company sign is delightfully oversized. Here’s Sherry for scale:
To close, a final shot of Sherry’s beloved diamond windows. The originals were too brittle to reuse, so Sean helped find a company to replicate them exactly — window size, diamond scale, and proportions matched to the originals. We couldn’t be happier with how they look.
Cross your fingers for dry weather — we hope to share even more progress soon. Sherry keeps Instagram and Facebook updated with near-real-time duplex news, including the inevitable squeals about these diamond windows.