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September 22, 2007
Selling brownstone detail pieces
We are renovating a brownstone and are looking to sell some very pretty pieces. Most impressive and unique is a back parlor built-in which has never been painted. We are hoping not only to sell it but find a good home for this piece specifically. We are also selling Mantles, a pier mirror, pocket doors and original heating grates. Please look at our website if you are interested:
http://brownstonedetail.blogspot.com/
Comments
While I'm glad you're not just ripping the detail out and tossing it in a dumpster, I still have to ask - why buy a house with all of that detail if you are going to get rid of it? Most of the time you are paying extra for those things, houses that have nothing left are often less money. What a shame.
I would love to have that built-in unit in my house, mine was torn out years ago. Unfortunately, I can't afford it, or I'd be over there today. I hope someone buys it and it finds a good home. Sorry you don't love it.
Posted by: guest at September 22, 2007 11:48 AM
It's your house and you [obviously] can do whatever you want to the interior, but I hope you realize that you're reducing the value by vastly more than you could possibly realize through the sale of these original details.
Just my 2¢--no accounting for taste :-)
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 22, 2007 12:25 PM
I'm so jealous. I'm trying to find a fixer-upper with those kinds of original details, within my budget.
You can still create a modern space but retain those beautiful original elements. Like Bob Marvin says, it will only increase the absolute value of your home, forever.
Posted by: guest at September 22, 2007 12:49 PM
OP here.
We are keeping most of the details, but after giving it considerable thought (since January) we realized that we would end up altering the built in to meet our needs and that would ruin it, so we are happy to find a home for it.
I think that our upgrade of electric, plumbing, AC and heating systems far out weighs the negative effect of removing a lovley built in, but thanks for the feedback.
Posted by: PHfamily at September 22, 2007 1:36 PM
OP-
Your blog doesn't work. I'd like to see images of the pieces. We may have use for some of them.
If no one else wants your things, please donate it to:
www.bignyc.com
so that nothing goes in a landfill.
Posted by: guest at September 22, 2007 3:16 PM
What's with all the PC/exaggeratedly polite and civil responses? [It's shockingly delicate compared to the rest of recent threads.]
I think most readers of this post are scared to say that the bottom line is that there is no "improvement" or "modification" to your house that could possibly justify the permanent removal of those beautiful mantles, mirrors, doors, and the built-in. This is absolutely horrifying. I'm sorry, but it just makes me so sad to see your house stripped of all that original beauty and I think it is a terrible thing.
Posted by: guest at September 23, 2007 12:30 AM
What size is the pocket doors you are selling? i.e. lenght, width, and height?
Thanks in advance.
Marauder
Posted by: Marauder at September 23, 2007 9:20 AM
oh come on- that's ridiculous, 12:30 AM... hundreds of brownstones before this one WERE stripped of their details without the opportunity for creative re-use...what's the difference if the pieces live on here or in someone else's house, so long as they don't end up in a scrap heap?? Perhaps the civil responses came from people who have a realistic perspective, and not one of the fascists on this forum who insist that the only acceptable interior design of a brownstone must conform with 19th century living standards.
Posted by: guest at September 23, 2007 9:27 AM
What you don't seem to understand is that plumbing, ac, electric and heating are not visual elements. When we were looking for a house we turned down all the houses that were stripped of their detail, knowing that we could redo plumbing etc... , but not so easily replace detail. The value in these houses IS IN THE DETAILS.
Posted by: dt at September 23, 2007 10:59 AM
Previous poster is right about the value of your home, now and in the future. My husband and I have also not even bothered to look at brownstones that lack original detail or seem to have undergone a modern gut reno (as seen through the listing pics). And I don't think we're fascists. We'd pay good money for a house with as much detail as possible. I've seen plenty of owners create a very effective modern interior design, without stripping the poor house of any details it might still have. Houses with beautiful original details are unfortunately becoming more rare and harder to find. Your house will be worth less.
Posted by: guest at September 23, 2007 11:41 AM
Op Here-
We are retaining 99% of the original detail, so it's not like we are gutting this. Beautiful mantles, moldings, shutters, mirrors and doors, etc. will all remain. These pieces for sale are simply ones that we feel we have to 'work around' and we feel that they would be better loved in someone else's house - that HAD been stripped of all detail.
We posted here not to be judged, but to find homes that need these pieces. If anyone out there truly is interested, make an offer.
Posted by: PHfamily at September 23, 2007 1:15 PM
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