[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by hooligan_COLD

If anyone is really bored, you can see all the reno pictures you want on our IG - @trentandtracie Plus a few records, the occasional cocktail and a few pics or our cat Conan O'Brien.

What kind of record gear is your choosing? I’ve got a pretty decent collection, but I’m really not happy with the player nor speakers. Hoping for something compact. One that can go direct from player to speaker would be ideal - albeit not realistic as I’m finding. In all honesty, our tunes are sent via Bluetooth from the phone. The records are more art, but the occasional play is fine with a glass in hand.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

What kind of record gear is your choosing? I’ve got a pretty decent collection, but I’m really not happy with the player nor speakers. Hoping for something compact. One that can go direct from player to speaker would be ideal - albeit not realistic as I’m finding. In all honesty, our tunes are sent via Bluetooth from the phone. The records are more art, but the occasional play is fine with a glass in hand.

We've got a U-Turn turntable, nothing fancy, but sounds nice to our ears, I would say just a step above an entry level table.

We went with KEF Q500 floor speakers, but they make some good shelf speakers with the same technology now.

Our amp is the Heaven11 Billie amp, which is a quality piece of gear that we admittedly bought for the aesthetic more than any other reason.

Our very first setup was an Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB. It consistently ranks as the best "starter" turntable and down the road you can upgrade the cartridge if you want to bump the performance up a little. We used the same KEF speakers from day #1, but these Edifier S1000DBs are highly rated shelf speakers that look good and won't break the bank (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDIS6M0...ogi&th=1&psc=1). We used a Marantz PM5005 amplifier ($499 with free Prime delivery on Amazon right now) and it was great - not the cheapest, but lots of bang for your buck and with that lovely "warm" Marantz sound.

[hooligan_G01]

Wallpaper install happened last week, too. Forgive the hand-prints all over the fridge, they guys had just moved it back after re-attaching the water line.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by hooligan_COLD

Wallpaper install happened last week, too. Forgive the hand-prints all over the fridge, they guys had just moved it back after re-attaching the water line.

Love the wallpaper in the bedroom, very cool. I didn't realize digital picture frames were considered mid century decor though.

Also, nice whiskey selection, some good ones in there. What pact number is your blood oath?

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Love the wallpaper in the bedroom, very cool. I didn't realize digital picture frames were considered mid century decor though.

Also, nice whiskey selection, some good ones in there. What pact number is your blood oath?

Digital picture frames?

That's a Pact #5. Most of the unopened stuff is in the closet in my office. Certainly nothing compared to your collection, my friend.

[P1]

hooligan_COLD nice work! Are the furnishings all legit, or reproduction? If the former, respect!

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by P1et

hooligan_COLD nice work! Are the furnishings all legit, or reproduction? If the former, respect!

Thanks! Furniture is a mix. Nightstands are vintage, bed is current from West Elm. Coffee table is vintage, chair is a legit Eames, but new production, not vintage. Bar cart is current also from West Elm. Etc, etc.

[P1]

Originally Posted by hooligan_COLD

Thanks! Furniture is a mix. Nightstands are vintage, bed is current from West Elm. Coffee table is vintage, chair is a legit Eames, but new production, not vintage. Bar cart is current also from West Elm. Etc, etc.

I specifically noticed the Nelson clock. Always liked those.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by P1et

I specifically noticed the Nelson clock. Always liked those.

Legit, but again, new production not vintage. Same goes for the bubble lamp over the dining table and the one by the couch.

[MPOWER5266]

Thought I posted this earlier but I did some unscheduled landscaping last Tuesday.

Untitled by Nick Wood, on Flickr

And Sunday I put a few cheapo cameras up around the house. I had a spare so I put it in the washbay. Haha.

Untitled by Nick Wood, on Flickr

I have 3 others set up for now.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by MPOWER5266

Thought I posted this earlier but I did some unscheduled landscaping last Tuesday.


And Sunday I put a few cheapo cameras up around the house. I had a spare so I put it in the washbay. Haha.


I have 3 others set up for now.

Oh, man! Too bad about the tree.

What cameras did you use? We got my folks' a set from Arlo and they have been really good thus far.

[MPOWER5266]

Originally Posted by hooligan_COLD

Oh, man! Too bad about the tree.

What cameras did you use? We got my folks' a set from Arlo and they have been really good thus far.

They are Hiemvision, they were about about $75 each. I am happy with them so far. Also that Eames chair in your earlier post... Drooool.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by hooligan_COLD

Digital picture frames?

That's a Pact #5. Most of the unopened stuff is in the closet in my office. Certainly nothing compared to your collection, my friend.

Pact 5 was delicious. It looked like the right nightstand has a digital picture frame I guess not based on your reaction.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Pact 5 was delicious. It looked like the right nightstand has a digital picture frame I guess not based on your reaction.

Oh, gotcha. For some reason I thought you were referencing the pictures on the wall.

The thing on the nightstand is a Google Home speaker/smart screen. Modern, but definitely not mid century.

[awilki0101]

Not for me, but built a table for some friends. One more coat of white and will be wrapped up

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Love the wallpaper in the bedroom, very cool. I didn't realize digital picture frames were considered mid century decor though.

Also, nice whiskey selection, some good ones in there. What pact number is your blood oath?

The rest of the small collection:

[Alfisti]

Bear with me here, will be a few longish posts but it has been a lot of stress so you’re gonna sit and listen!

Bought the house 10 years ago and since then the neighbourhood exploded to be the number 1 appreciating neighbourhood within the GTA, which in itself had exploded.

Long story short I wanted to move, wanted more space and a double garage, I also had doubts about the house’ fundamentals. Wife wanted to reno and I still think it was not a wise call but moving would have a) cost a solid $100K and b) see a massive increase in property taxes that would have seen us spend $200K more over the next 10 years. So 300K in the hole, there goes my sports car.

So we started a reno, it was horrible, the contractor a right nightmare. Every cliché you can imagine, poor work, exploding costs, bad decisions he refuses to take responsibility for, just a litany of shit from this clown.

Anyways, we had to spend money on fundamentals like water proofing some of the foundation, adding insulation, a lot of non sexy stuff. Before we started I said to the wife would she give up changing out a perfectly functional, if old school, kitchen and get a pool instead. She agreed, then we did the kitchen anyways just to shit me.

So here are the before pictures inside the house, as you can see, tearing out that kitchen …. I mean…. I never liked it but I know people would buy the house with it … older folk. I did manage to sell it for several grand though!!







This was the basement, well part of it anyways.

[Alfisti]

So we wanted to freshen up the look but it is tricky as the house has heavy trim and a certain level or ornateness to it so going hard modern won’t fit. To make things REALLY difficult, the ground floor was white oak and upstairs and stairs themselves red oak. NIGHTMARE situation, really was.

Compromise sees a bit too much red/pink in the floors on second level and had to go with the contrasting steps to break up the transition. We love the ground floor white oak and how that turned out but the second floor was just miserable to deal with as we did not want to go dark with flooring.

Obviously we are missing décor items, art work etc but this gives you an idea of the changes.

Formal dining, you can see the flooring we like here. Have since moved the mirror and added art work from croatian/australian Billich.


Contrasting stairs to try and ease the transition from white to red oak.


Upstairs


Changed flooring in the basement, added couch and 65 inch TV. It’s much bigger than it looks here as it is a horseshoe but I won’t bore you with too many pictures.





Now the kitchen, I would have went with SS fridge and dishwasher to break it up but wife wanted panels. Really happy with how it turned out, missing drinking faucet here and a few other finish items but you get the drift. Mix of shaker and slab to transition from old school to modern.

I will say the flooring in these images is far redder than they really are, the dining room photo above gives a better idea of the colour.





Went with induction but I wanted knobs, loathe touch panels.


Bar turned out superb, really happy with it. The drawer between the bar ad the fridge pulls out for wine storage and a prep shelf. I’ll post a picture if anyone asks!

[Alfisti]

Now to the yard, this is what we bought but had put down new sod and a shed and really neatened it up so it wasn’t anywhere near this bad but one pic will suffice.

Yard is large for Toronto, we are 10 miles from downtown so this would be regarded as a large to very large yard in a city the size of Chicago. I grew up on acres and want more space but such is life. The cedars offering privacy is a HUGE bonus.



The patio fell to bits over the years so we had to gut the entire yard other than leave the shed in place that we installed when we moved in. Pool was a “now or never” situation as kids are 8 and 4, so far it has been a blast., I would not have done our floors or kitchen but the pool I don’t regret, they basically live in it, especially in lock down.

Need to make some final touch ups, add a few more cedars, some pots and flowers, centre the pool skim properly and obviously pull our outdoor furniture out! But you get the drift re. the changes made.

I am Australian so no pool without a fence, this was non-negotiable to me though not a city requirement. Glass fence was $17k so settled for this one at $3k ….. just too big a delta. Too many kids drown, too often and it allows us to let the kids run around the yard without us having to be right near them all the time.

[rebekahb]

@Alfisti y'all did a great job! It takes a lot of work and patience. The new kitchen really brightens that area and it seems more spacious.

We bought a home a few years back and basically gutted the whole thing. Never will I ever do this again.

[TheWatchGuy]

Got bored so added on to our patio in the backyard. Original patio is ~10ft x 10ft, addition is ~11ft x 10ft.

Was planning on concrete but wasnt sure how big we wanted so went with pavers 1st and then in a couple years ill pour concrete.

Still have to fab up a metal cover for the window well by the smoker and ill place the gas grill on that.

All in, the paver patio cost me ~$600 and about 20hrs of my time vs concrete was going to be about $1500.

threw in a pic of my truck when i didnt think about how heavy a pallet of concrete pavers was and didnt bring my trailer....

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

So we wanted to freshen up the look but it is tricky as the house has heavy trim and a certain level or ornateness to it so going hard modern won’t fit. To make things REALLY difficult, the ground floor was white oak and upstairs and stairs themselves red oak. NIGHTMARE situation, really was.

Compromise sees a bit too much red/pink in the floors on second level and had to go with the contrasting steps to break up the transition. We love the ground floor white oak and how that turned out but the second floor was just miserable to deal with as we did not want to go dark with flooring.

Obviously we are missing décor items, art work etc but this gives you an idea of the changes.

Formal dining, you can see the flooring we like here. Have since moved the mirror and added art work from croatian/australian Billich.


Contrasting stairs to try and ease the transition from white to red oak.


Upstairs


Changed flooring in the basement, added couch and 65 inch TV. It’s much bigger than it looks here as it is a horseshoe but I won’t bore you with too many pictures.





Now the kitchen, I would have went with SS fridge and dishwasher to break it up but wife wanted panels. Really happy with how it turned out, missing drinking faucet here and a few other finish items but you get the drift. Mix of shaker and slab to transition from old school to modern.

I will say the flooring in these images is far redder than they really are, the dining room photo above gives a better idea of the colour.





Went with induction but I wanted knobs, loathe touch panels.


Bar turned out superb, really happy with it. The drawer between the bar ad the fridge pulls out for wine storage and a prep shelf. I’ll post a picture if anyone asks!

Nicely done!! That being said, a bunch of images didn't come through and says they are being protected by owner. Just fyi.

Still, that reno must have cost over $100K with everything you did. And that backyard is amazing for Toronto - I used to work there so I have a general idea. We have a little over 2 acres where we live now, so bit different but we left most of it treed. Which is causing me no shortage of grief now, because the arborists want $5K just to take down the 10 or so ash/pine trees that are dead and need to come down as they are close enough to hit the house.