My current project is a fish-out-water story, my favorite type to write. I do so love putting my characters in uncomfortable situations. I realized this with my first book Big City Cowboy when I forced my hero Rory to model in NYC. In the book I’m currently writing, my heroine, Jade works as a Senior Account Manager for a NYC designer. When her aunt leaves her a house in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, she travels there to supervising renovations for its sale. Of course, my hero is a cowboy. Dalton’s forced to take contractor jobs to earn money to keep his ranch afloat.
Another reason I’m enjoying this project is get to show off my DIY/renovation skills. (Yup, I love power tools and own tile, miter, and table saws, a cool nail gun, and various sanders.) I’ve retiled floors, removed wallpaper and popcorn ceilings, then retextured them, and retiled a shower. (FYI, renovating your house is a better workout than you get at any gym!)
After I hammered 🙂 out my characters and their backstory, I thought about the house’s floor plan to determine what renovations Jade would do. Despite knowing all we can discover on the internet, silly me, I tried to sketch a floor plan of my grandparents’ farmhouse. I almost drove myself crazy before turning to the internet where I discovered floor plans from houses built in the early 1900s from Sears and Roebuck.
Starting in 1910 homes were built wired for electricity, except for ones in poor rural areas. They didn’t get electricity until the 1920s. They also had indoor plumbing. This meant houses had one bathroom with a toilet, sink, bathtub (or shower), and a kitchen sink. Because of the growing popularity of automobiles, home also started having a detached garage built. The last new feature of the era were built-in closets to replace wardrobes.
I choose this floor plan.
I’ve selected option #2 or Jade’s house. It’s still hard to believe this house could be built for less than $3,000. I chose it for a couple reasons. One, the square style reminded me of my grandparents’ house and the happy times I spent there. Secondly, this design had a bathroom upstairs. Because this novel is shorter than ones I’ve written recently, I wanted to keep the renovations simple and didn’t want to add a plumber character. Because of this, I’m also saying the aunt already added a downstairs half-bath.
Before you think I’m writing a DIY renovation book and calling it a novel, my plan is to use the renovation to create trouble for Jade and Dalton. As anyone who’s renovated a house knows, it’s stressful and messy. Ordering supplies online, supply chain issues, and weather problems can create havoc with a timeline. And with Jade wanting to get in, get the job done, and get out of Oklahoma ASAP, this will drive her crazy. Further, there’s opportunities for Dalton to tell Jade about the perils of ordering online and the value of using local suppliers, only to be told Jade’s the boss and she’s made her decision. But of course, he’ll show this city girl a thing or two and she’ll give him a run or his money. Oh, how I love putting two strong-willed, intelligent, stubborn characters together!
So, now you’ve got the inside scoop on my latest project. More to come later on Jade and Dalton…
Giveaway—To be entered in today’s giveaway for the Thanksgiving dish towel and signed copy of Colorado Rescue, leave a comment on what renovations you would do to the house in my story if you wanted to sell it.
Julie Benson has written five novels for Harlequin American, and her Wishing, Texas series is available from Tule Publishing. Now that her three sons have left the nest in Dallas, when she isn't writing, Julie spends her time working on home improvement projects, rescuing dogs, and visiting Texas wineries with her husband. Visit her at www.juliebenson.net.
He probably needs to replace the front porch and paint it.
You are a woman of many talents.
denise
Denise, thanks for being here. Sometimes I feel like I’m the jack of all traits but the master of none. Lol! I hadn’t thought about the porch. Thanks for mentioning it. I could have it need boards replaced to. I’m always looking for a chance for my heroes to show off their muscles! Ooh, and the heroine’s office could be where she could see him. Take care and have a super rest of the week
BTW, your suggestion made me realize I need to start a story renovation list immediately.
open floor living room / kitchen
I hadn’t thought of that, but it’s a great idea. That would make it a more family friendly living space. I could put a door on the root cellar or not have it where it is to simplify opening those spaces. Thanks for being here and for your suggestion. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.
I would renovate and modernize the kitchen first..
Janice, idea! I could have the appliances working, but old enough a buyer would want new ones. The tile floor backsplash, and even the counter could need updating. Then if the kitchen cupboards are a golden oak they could need work since everyone wants dark nowadays. Thanks for stopping by and giving me a super suggestion. Take care and have a great rest of the week.
I would modernize the kitchen and the bathroom.
That’s definitely where my heroine will insist on starting. She’ll know these renovations bring the greatest return. She’ll also know that great kitchens and master baths sell a house.
Thanks for stopping by today and giving me a super suggestion. Take care, stay safe, and have a great week.
Ilike decks.
Debbie, I hadn’t thought about adding a deck for the backyard. What a great idea. Every farmhouse should have a great front porch and a deck! Thanks for being here today. Stay safe and have a wonderful week.
paint the exterior and refresh any paint on interior as needed – I do not like real wood cabinets or woodwork painted though!
Teresa, I’m a wood person, too, and that could make for an interesting discussion as part of a scene. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought about something as simple (and a must do) as painting inside and out. Thanks for mentioning that today. Have a terrific rest of the week and take care.
I would definitely renovate the kitchen and the bathroom first.
Minna, so great to hear from you today! You’re right, I definitely should have her tackle the kitchen and bathroom first because if she gets behind on her timeline or thinks it’s getting too expensive she could cut other things. I hadn’t thought about that to add conflict. Thanks for being here and triggering that thought for me! Take care, stay safe and have a great week.
Julie, how fun! I’m a hugely visual person, and having an image of a house I’m writing about would be just what I needed!
I, too, am amazed at how cheap houses were back then. But of course, the value of the dollar was different, too. Even more amazing, though, is that one could buy a house from Sears like that. Ha!
So excited for your book to come out!
Pam, I couldn’t believe Sears and Roebuck sold the plans and the materials to build a house. It’s amazing how crucial the company was to past generations. It’s also sad to see that they and Montgomery Ward another staple company for our ancestors are both gone.
I’m pretty excited about this book, too! 🙂
welcome today. congratulations on this story. oh what a wonderful house. I would work on the porch and make it wrap around, at least the front and two sides. I would work on the kitchen and make it homey and a place where everyone wants to sit and chat as well as eat with a big table for eating or fixing meals on. with a pantry.
Lori, I love your suggestions. I hadn’t thought about making the porch a wrap around. I’m surprised this design didn’t already have it that way since houses of the day usually did so folks to sit outside in the breeze no matter what direction it came from. I could combine the wrap around with Debby’s idea of a deck. Thanks for the great idea and for being here today. Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week.
I would do the kitchen first. It was about 1960 when my grandparents had warm running water in the house (before only had a hand pump in the kitchen). It was 1969 when the bathroom was put in. They lived in rural southern Michigan.
I can’t believe you’re someone else whose grandparents didn’t have running water and an indoor bathroom until then! I remember seeing pictures of me in grade school, taking a bath in a galvanized wash tub, filled with water heated on the wood burning stove, in the middle of my grandparents’ kitchen! I was surprised I didn’t come across them when I went through my parents’ belongings. I also remember holding my nose and being scared of going to the bathroom in the outhouse. We’re kindred-no-running-water-bathroom spirits! Thanks for being here today. Have a terrific week.
I’d want the porch to be a wraparound, and I’d want a covered walkway to my car. I’d also want plenty of kitchen cabinets!!
Trudy, those are all good points. Someone else suggested a wrap around porch, and I’ll probably work that in. (As of yet, I don’t know how much of the work on the house will come into play, but I want to be prepared to have ideas of what could be going on in scenes.) I hadn’t thought about a covered walkway. I’m thinking the house has a detached garage. My heroine might not have thought about the walkway either until one day when she gets rained on.
Thanks for stopping by today and giving me super suggestions. Take care and have a terrific rest of the week.
An older house would probably need new flooring especially in the kitchen. Could lead to conflict over tile, wood, vinyl, color and all of those other choices available. I, too, lived in a house without running water until I was a teenager and remember taking baths in a “wash tub”. We lived with remodeling projects for years it seemed like as my dad fit carpentry projects in between farm work. He was a good carpenter and he sometimes used his skills to earn off farm income. My mom did a lot of the finish work.
Alice, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your comments, and not only to know there’s another washtub bath in the kitchen survivor out there! 🙂 I’ve wondered if readers will believe a farmer or ranch like my hero would have carpentry skills. The story about your dad tells me my hero having those skills won’t be that unheard of. Whew! That’s been worrying me.
Thank you for being here today. I appreciate your suggestion about the choices conflict, but I really appreciate your reassurance that yes, farmers and ranchers do have carpentry skills. Have a terrific week.
My husband did much of the carpentry in our house. He built all of the built in drawers , cupboards, and closets. He also built a number of built ins in his parents’ house. Again he had to fit the carpentry in between farm &ranch work. We know a number of young farmers/ranchers who have worked as carpenters and mechanics to earn extra money. They use those skills to maintain their farms and ranches, too.
Make the parlor an office as most adults have an office in their homes and some have businesses there as well and the parlor is right inside the front door. Somehow implement the kitchen with the dining room. Too complicated the way it is. This sounds like a delightful tale of two strong willed persons working together. Sounds like my husband and I as we both want to be the doer.
Judy, what wonderful suggestions. You’re so right about making the parlor an office. Who doesn’t need one in today’s world? I’ve thought the kitchen and dining room are too complicated/convoluted too. You also hit it right that these two characters are doers who get the job done. They just have different views on how to do that. Thanks for being here today. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.
redo the kitchen and paint
Colleen, thank you for stopping by today to chat. Those two items are definitely on the to do list. Take care and have a great rest of the week.
Hi, your book sounds like such a great read. I would renovate the living room , I would start with the fireplace, fix it nice so that it is nice and cozy and have a book shelves in it .I would also do the kitchen and put a pantry in it and lots of cabinets.
Alicia, I love the suggestion about revamping the fireplace and who ever has enough book shelves? I’ve been thinking about the pantry too. The floorplan looks like there might be two which seems odd to me, so I need to do some thinking on that.
Thank you for being here today and for helping me out with the renovation ideas. Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week.
Your book sounds amazing I would do the kitchen and make it bigger Thanks for the giveaway!
Sarah, thanks for the suggestion. I’d thought about rearranging the kitchen but hadn’t thought about making it bigger. that’s a super idea. So far the book’s being a lot of fun to write. (I hope I haven’t jinxed it saying that 🙂 )
Thank you for stopping by today. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.
Julie, this sounds really good. Hubby and I “used” to do some projects together (painting rooms, and easy stuff like that) but we decided if we were going to stay married we had best hire someone to do it and just go on about our own business…LOL I KNOW your characters will have plenty of fireworks going on if there is a renovation happening! I can’t even believe a person could get a complete house for $3000!!!! but…different times! Hugs, girl!
Cheryl, I laughed when I read your comment. Hubby and I can’t really do projects together either. We each do certain parts. For example, we’re working on our master bath. (I won’t say how long, though. Ugh!) I do demo, retexturing walls, and tiling. Anything related to water or electric, he comes in and does. There’s a funny story about me removing a shower door and the handle fixture in the shower during my first remodel project. I nearly flooded the bathroom so there’s good reason I’m not allowed to deal with water and electricity. As to why we don’t hire someone…I learned to do all these things because I wanted to update the house and my husband’s response was we couldn’t afford to hire anyone. Eventually I said heck. I watch tons of DIY remodeling shows. I can learn to do this!
I was also thinking of a wraparound porch. In the kitchen remodeling include an island if there is room for that.
Diana, ooh, adding an island to the kitchen would be so cool! Mine doesn’t have one and I wish it did. Thanks for stopping by today. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week!
As the saying goes “Been there, done that.” We gutted an 1898 victorian farmhouse while living in it and added an addition. Our son was 10 when we started and now is a contractor and can do just about anything. We learned a lot and our marriage survived. Not bad. Now it is time to redo many things, like painting.
If the bathrooms are up to date, the next most important part to me would be the kitchen. Make sure the cabinets are good and not too dated, refinish or replace the floors, go with updated counter material, and have matching appliances. I wouldn’t want to go too modern if doing a farm house keeping the style warm and inviting.
Patricia, I’m so impressed your marriage survived such a huge undertaking. It says a lot about you two and how much you love each other. I’d love for you to be my go to gal for questions about remodeling an old house! For example, what things will be difficult/drive my heroine crazy while living in the house during the renovations? BTW, she is working remotely while all this is going on. What were the toughest/worst/biggest pain during the process? .
I’m so glad you stopped by today. Thanks for the great suggestions. Let me know if I can contact you with questions or to pick your brain.
Neat ideas. I recommend putting in triple the amount of electrical outlets as you think you will need. I know when they redid our 1910 house they needed to put in more outlets; however, they used the standard ideas of the time.
You can always stop by even if you don’t have a response for the question. Just say hello. 🙂 I hadn’t even considered adding more outlets! With all our electronic stuff today, no way would there be enough outlets or ones in the right places for our needs.
Thanks for being here and for mentioning the outlets. Enjoy the rest of your week and stay safe.