Oh, Annette!!! But it sounds like you're almost there. Just a few more things and you'll be all done.
Well, I certainly understand what you've been going through. Our first house was about the same thing. We gutted virtually every room down to studs and rebuilt each one, adding electrical, insulation, replacing windows, adding storage. We learned that there is no such thing as a small project in an old house. Since we do it all ourselves, I learned to double the estimated cost and triple the estimated time that DH would tell me. So if he said it would take a month and about $1000 to do a room over, I knew it would end up being three months and $2000!
After ten years, we finally moved out of that old house into a 5 year old colonial - and spent the next six years renovating that. The truth is, if you are a house lover, then you do projects - whether you need to or not. We sold the new house and moved into this old Victorian last summer. As I mentioned, it was built in 1854, but in the late 1800's they renovated it into a Queen Anne style victorian. Then they split the first floor so that the owner, a doctor, could have his office on one side of the house. Well that is where my DH has his business now so it works well for us. (DH, by the way, designs houses - you'd think we'd build our own house, but no - we like the old places).
The previous owners did a great job of keepong this place in good shape - all updated electrical, plumbing, newer windows (but they kept the old storms so you can't tell from the outside that we have new, insulated, tilt out windows). Almost every room was picture perfect Victorian, right down to the wallpaper.
The only rooms where serious work needs to be done are the kitchen and bathrooms. While the rest of the house is gorgeous, it's like walking into a time warp when you go into those three rooms. Pink formica in the bathroom with 1970's white cabinets - yuck. The other bathroom had metalic green paisley wallpaper. That was the first room we tackled.
I just stripped the navy blue with white polka dot wallpaper from the hall off the kitchen Once the hall is done, I'm moving onto the kitchen (which still has lots of the same navy blue with white polka dots wallpaper). We discovered a 2x2 nitch near the kitchen door where we can put in a pantry. I don't have nearly as many cabinets as I'd like, so I'm currently storing all our pantry goods in a plastic Rubbermaid cabinet in the dining room. DH says the pantry is this fall's project. I'm also going to turn the old ironing board cupboard into a spice rack. I can't wait.
But, I digress - thanks for sharing and if you ever get the chance, post pictures - I want to see this great house!
