Remodeling Project, "Lulabel's Cottage" 
Click to see New Floor Plan 

before BEFORE—photos taken before the demolition began. The house was already in pretty rough shape.   In 2004, Reenie & Travis Rousseau began a remodeling project in Oak Cliff (Dallas), Texas. This website contains a photo diary of the progress. The house is a traditional, "four-square" style home that we believe was constructed near the turn of the century.

The property was the home of Travis' mother, Louise, until her death in 2003. Her family often referred to her as Lulabel, a nickname given to her by her little sisters, so we dedicate this project as "Lulabel's Cottage".

The home was moved to its current location in the early 1940s. William M. Rousseau, Travis' father, bought the home in 1948, for the sum of $2500. The home has seen many trials and tribulations, including a tornado in 1957 which blew off the entire roof. The home had a utility room addition in the 1980s, but other than that, it has remained unchanged since the 1950s.

We updated the house, moved a couple of walls, completely gutting the kitchen and bathroom, and added some decorative features that we believe enhanced its "Arts & Crafts" roots. Check back periodically for more updates and information about the project.

idx_demo.jpg (3211 bytes) DEMOLITION—photos taken during the tear-down phase of remodeling.
idx_updates.jpg (2577 bytes) Updates from January 2005—photos taken during the beginning of the rebuild/remodel.
idx_updates2.jpg (2577 bytes) Updates from 20 May 2005—photos taken during the rebuild/remodel. It's taking longer than we thought, but we hope to finish the entire remodel this summer. More photos coming soon!
idx_updates3.jpg (2577 bytes) Updates from 5 July 2005—photos taken from July through August. The custom cabinets are ready, but slowed progress on the rest of the house. It's looking great, and we have already furnished one of the bedrooms so that we can begin using the house.
idx_updates3-06.jpg (2577 bytes) Updates from 3 March 2006—photos taken from January through March 2006. These photos show the work completed in the kitchen and the beginning of the updates to the exterior of the house. Soon I will also have photos of the newly refinished floors in the main living area and front bedroom. Hopefully, we'll finish the renovations this Spring!
2010 Remodel Finale 2010— and now the final version. Really, I'm sure it will always be a work-in-progress. I'll be adding more pictures here to show the ongoing improvements to the home, including interior design and exterior landscaping.
idx_neighborhood.jpg (3933 bytes) Homes in the Neighborhood—photos of different period homes within one mile of our property. Some homes are considerably larger, but we think that they illustrate the general feel, time period, and style that we hope to achieve by updating this little cottage.



Links to Interesting Home Improvement/Design Sites





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