George's 1990's Renovations Overview
George worked for eight tedious years, hiring the area's best craftsmen, to restructure, restore and refinish Tiarabella to incorporate his ideas of splendor. Tiarabella shines as a testament to his efforts.
After decades of transitions, the home had leaky roofs, psychedelic paint, outdated electrical, old plumbing, rooms with no heat or windows, walls and stairways to be removed or reconstructed, walls and ceilings to be replastered, floors to be restored and in some areas rebuilt, and stairway banisters to be replaced. That was just the beginning!
When you start a restoration project, the first thing to do is to remove what has accummulated over the years. The walls throughout the house had five to seven layers of wallpaper that was painted between various layers and on the surface. The wallpaper had to be removed right down to the plaster. Then the walls and ceilings had to be replastered.
The original knob and tubing electrical wiring was removed and replaced with romex. This was done as a safety factor and took many months to complete during renovations. Throughout the house wiring for wall outlets and switches were all updated and many more installed as required for modern convenience. Push button light switches with brass plates that are replicas of the originals were installed throughout the house.
The main floor was carpeted wall-to-wall. When all of the carpeting was removed it was disheartening to discover that it required to have all the floors sanded and refinished including the stairway. In some areas flooring had to be rebuilt or installed where there wasn�t flooring originally.
At some point in time, water-circulating radiators were installed. There was an old Kalvenator oil heater (installed approx. 1931) in the basement to heat these units. George had the furnace removed and replaced it with a new gas furnace to update the system economically. With an L shaped stairway to the basement you can't imagine having to tackle that project!
George converted the fireplaces to gas logs for safety and for beauty (and also because he didn't want to chop, store and carry wood!). They are far more functional and also very romantic. Commercial gas lines were installed to provide adequate capacity for the fireplaces, gas waterheater, a gas clothes dryer in the basement and the kitchen range.
The radiators on the main level in the front entrance, parlor, living room, and dinning room are originals. George had the radiator in the kitchen moved from one side of the room to the other. George removed the radiators in the gentlemen�s smoking room and the downstairs hallway opposite the stairway. A long low radiator in the family room installed. (Visit our Family Room link to read about this!) The radiators on the second level in the bedrooms, hallway and bathrooms are the originals. When you see the radiators throughout the house you will be surprised at their beauty and how they blend into the d�cor of Tiarabella. They produce wonderful and efficient heat throughout. A hallway thermostat controls temperature settings.
George changed the stairway that was constructed for the duplex stage of Tiarabell's history. The maid's room was expanded and the doorway and stairs now lead directly down to the exterior exit. The interior stairway landing entrance for the upstairs of the duplex was removed.
What you can't imagine is living for 8 years in a status of renovations with almost 100 years of dust, dirt and demolition materials to deal with on a daily basis. In order to have some sort of life, George altered the work week from five days a week to 4 (Monday to Thursday) giving everyone (himself and his workers) three days to recoup.
You will learn more about Tiarabella's restoration as you visit each of Tiarabell's rooms. We hope this overview gives you some idea of the imagination and work involved in such an undertaking.
Come Visit The Gardens
Landscaping was limited to grass lawns, overgrown and unmanageable bushes around the house, and trees along the curb. It's much different now! Come visit and enjoy!