I suppose, technically, something is not a mystery if you never suspected anything amiss. We had walked through the upstairs master bathroom a dozen times and it never dawned on us that there was something not quite right.
The first clue is that the upstairs bathroom is stacked exactly on top of the downstairs bathroom. The toilet and the baths are in the same place in both bathrooms, with the exception of the upstairs sink being located on the south wall, instead of the north wall.
Here's the second clue. This is the downstairs bathroom.
Any guesses what's missing in the upstairs bathroom?
Here's another clue...The upstairs shower stall.
And another clue...The downstairs bathtub.
Do you see it?
If not, this is what I was looking at the other morning when I noticed the upstairs window - drawn closed with one of the vinyl shades. Wait, hadn't we removed all of those?
Then I realized that it is not a shade at all, as that is where the shower surround is located.
The window had been covered up to allow for a shower surround.
I can't believe we didn't notice this earlier!
We will uncover the window in the renovation. It changes ALL of my plans for that bathroom but I'm excited to bring more light into that room.
That is hysterical. I am embarrassed to say I couldn't figure it out until the very end. :)
ReplyDeleteHow interesting, and it looks like it's been that way since at least the 70's. I can't wait to see you bring this beauty back to life! I see Boxwood, any sign of Hydrangeas? Deni
ReplyDeleteDeni, No sign of hydrangeas in the yard but they will be the first flowering bushes I plant next year. I miss them terribly! Best, Catherine
DeleteHow interesting, but wonderful that they kept the window intact!
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteWhat were they thinking....makes me laugh. Considered the conversation...I would like a shower, hey lets just put it over there cover up that window no one will notice..........
ReplyDeleteOh, what people did! There is a Victorian down the street for us that has a beautiful built in piece in the dining room -- not original but not all that much later. But if you look at the house from the outside, you see the window and the shade hanging askew. They opted to keep the built in china cabinet and tell the story. But yours is a simpler fix and I would do the same -- our bathroom has two windows and I love the light -- I think of other baths with small or even no windows and feel very lucky indeed.
ReplyDeleteIf you have to replace windows around the house, have you decided what to use as replacements? Will you use true divided lites, snap in grills, grills adhered in or out, etc? I own an old home and need to do a few replacements - now trying to balance aesthetics, budget, practicality for cleaning and maintenance, etc. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWe are keeping all of the old windows, perhaps replacing the newer older ones to match the older ones! : ) They will be true divided light, single pane. We are going to do storm windows for efficiency in cold months.
DeleteI was referring to those newer older ones :) My newer older ones were put in at about the same time as your window was covered up, from the looks of things. Thanks for the information!
DeleteI have to admit I was stumped until the end as well. It seems the light and decent renovation wern not as big a deal in years passed. There was a post similar to this on Manhattan Nest. How exciting to find another window though!
ReplyDeleteWow, that was a mystery! The things people do. BTW, I can't get enough of your blog, and I permanently keep it open!
ReplyDeletethat is so funny! i was told by our real estate agent that it takes dozens of visits to a home to be able to see "everything." small and sometimes even big things are overlooked. i know we overlooked a lot of things. uncovering that window is going to be so awesome. xo
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to see you found your next home and look forward to seeing both of you use your talents to bring her back to life. My husband and I own a 1905 Farmhouse in Oregon and have brought her back. I sell antiques at Monticello in Portland where I know you shopped. The only difference in our lives is my twins are 27 years old now. So let the crowbars fly! Mary
ReplyDeleteA hidden treasure and a mystery solved -- how funny! There is nothing nicer than a little more sunshine -- especially coming through an original eight over eight window.
ReplyDeleteI love this house!
I don't know if you've ever read The Four-Story Mistake, but there's a mystery in that, too. I won't spoilt it for anyone, but I do love an old house with mysteries. So happy for your family.
ReplyDeleteTake good care,
Em
So, funny. I would love to have been present when it all csme together for you! Actually, this is better than a rotted window from years of water. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteLol! Crazy things people do during a remodel:)
ReplyDeleteProof you are BUSY !!! Missing a window.
ReplyDeleteCannot wait for more finds.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Your reno is gonna be awesome, I cannot wait. YAY!
ReplyDeleteToo funny! Quirks of an old house and previous owners diy. Patty/NS
ReplyDeleteI totally didn't see what you were on about, but I have to admit: that's kind of hilarious, in that 'laugh until you cry' sort of way. :)
ReplyDeleteIn England we had window tax so it is common to see old houses with bricked up windows with the surrounding left as they were. Now in modern houses we sometimes have bricked up windows to give the house a old world style and to break up an ugly flat wall. Seems you have the opposite problem in the US - windows that are not.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI'm 43 years old and have never had a window in my bathroom. I live in a lovely home and am so thankful but the one little thing I dream of is a window in my bathroom. And you have extras you didn't even know about! :-)
That's too funny! The same sort of thing happened to us when we bought our 1925 brick colonial. The weeds were at least 7 feet high, and as my husband was pulling weeds in the back beds of the house, he discovered a door! "It's a secret door," we all shouted. Lo and behold, there was a tiny little bathroom put in next to the landing by the garage that used to be a hallway leading out to the backyard. The previous owners just left the door as is and put faux wood paneling over the whole thing to make a bathroom.
ReplyDeleteRaquel
We uncovered 2 windows in our inner-city 1929 home. One stained glass in the dining room, and one half window in the upstairs bath. Like buried treasure...
ReplyDeleteOur current 1929 Dutch Colonial had a walk thru master closet with window over the front door and awful wooden drawers (and no drawer slides) under the window. What I wanted instead was no window, no drawers but double hanging and shelves. My husband put a black plastic bag over the inside of the window smoothly, then put in the DIY closet system which we are still enjoying. The window looks totally legitimate from the sidewalk below!
ReplyDeleteIt would have took me a little bit to realize there was a hidden window in there too! So funny! I have to say I have really missed you and your posts!! I loved your old house and loved every post you wrote about it. Our styles of decorating are similar which makes me enjoy your posts all the more. I can't wait to see the changes you make in your new home.
ReplyDeleteit will make all the difference -the first floor bathroom is so lovely with those 2 big windows.
ReplyDeleteWe had a choice of surround or light a few years ago, but the tub was a delightful old cast-iron/enamel beauty, so we opted to hang a narrow brass rod with easy-slide big rings where the window curtain had been, hang a clear shower liner to protect the wooden window, and have plenty of light with the actual curtain-and-liner opened during the day.
ReplyDeleteAnd to open the window, we just slide aside the liner, which hangs invisible against the corner. Certainly works well for us, in a fifties ranch.
rachel
Oh my goodness a shower covering up a window??? I am sure there will be more interesting finds along the way. Happy for to see y'all have found a new place to revive. Check out the blog Victoria Elizabeth Barnes bathroom reno. Her treatment of the mirror and medicine cabinet is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI had something similar happen but in reverse. I was sure I had a window that had been covered up and started ripping things out to find it without a plan to fix it. I found where it was but then lived with an open wall for five years.
ReplyDeleteI'm dying over the original 12-over-12 windows. Dying!