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Susanke Homestead

Our friends, Kurt and Jenna, are embarking on their own major renovation project.  They are going to be renovating Kurt's family's homestead in Woodstock, Illinois.  Last Sunday, we went out for a visit.

The house is a "built-as-needed" farmhouse with barn, corncrib, milkhouse, silo and other buildings.  I say, "built-as-needed" because that is how it evolved.  It began as one room and, as money/time/need allowed, previous members of the family added on to it over the years.  Now it is a two story, eight room house with a cellar that needs work.  While Jenna and Kurt lived in Hong Kong, it was a rental and that has taken a bit of a toll on it as well.

Here Kurt is pointing out the various things that he'd like to do to it.  This includes removing the manufactured siding that is covering up the original wood siding.  And removing the industrial light fixture that was affixed to the second floor.  And rebricking the chimney.

Here is what the original wood siding looks like, the siding that he is going to try to save.

I think that we decided the newer faux bay window replaced two double hung windows that mirrored the ones on the second floor.

The old dinner bell that called the workers in from the fields is still standing. :)

This is going to be a project that rivals the HouseInProgress!  Kurt is so artistic and detail-oriented that we're excited to see how it turns out.

Now, if we could just talk them into starting a houseblog....

Posted by jeanne on October 19, 2006 at 12:17 PM (3)

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