The BEST Discoveries We've Found in the School So Far

It's been 2.5 years since we bought this school to turn into our house, and we've found a LOT of stuff along the way. Not all discoveries in this old school have been good, but here are some of the bright spots!
The last one- just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has left advice, constructive criticism, and ideas for things we haven't thought about on here. Thankful to have so many smart folks sharing insights, and helping us adapt and evolve plans as we go!
Subscribe for more updates!
‪@Schoolhousehomestead‬
----------
Follow me on Instagram/TikTok to see updates that you won't see here on KZbin:
/ schoolhousehomestead
/ schoolhousehomestead
----------
Want to work with us?
[e-mail]

[@fletcherchambliss1590]

History major/teacher here 🙋🏼‍♀️ I LOVE how you are preserving all the things. And the research you have done.

[@patlarimore6960]

That old water fountain would be perfect outside where children would be playing...a quick drink on a hot day for the kids!

[@sandysouthward3635]

Great idea!!

[@Late_to_the_party]

I love the idea of having school photos and articles about the school on the walls. It will feel like the memories will come back and make the school/house truly alive. Great job!!!

[@phyllisanngodfrey6137]

As a master bricklayer’s daughter…….I love all the brick. My dad went to bricklaying school after seeing 4 years of front line duty in an artillery division (Paton’s 3rd Army) in France and Belgium. After years of shelling beautiful buildings into rubble piles……HE WANTED TO BUILD THEM instead 😉

[@friedasorber1653]

I own an almost 300 year old brick house in Belgium. The bricks were hand made on site with clay from what became the basement. What a special man your father must have been. Really appreciate your story.

[@attilladacook3405]

I was a museum schoolhouse docent. We had a great historian who advised on the restoration. Robins egg blue was the standard colour used in schools back in the day. Every school had a bubbler (water fountain) also.

[@kathyrichards4795]

The brick walls …so much work but sooo worth it! They are absolutely gorgeous! You are doing such an amazing and careful job in restoring this old school house and one day before you know it you will have a wonderful home for your family. 😊

[@Christine-777]

I wholeheartedly agree!! ❤

[@tracisawyer7681]

Those wood floors are to die for!! thank you for saving such a brilliant piece of craftsmanship

[@Christine-777]

They really ARE! 😲🥰

[@lisagrafton2529]

I saw someone redo a clawfoot tub. They tried many things to get it refinished. Then someone suggested they use MARINE PAINT, in thin layers, after the tub was sanded, bonded and sanded again, several times, to make sure there would be no bumps or high/low sections. She used a small roller with a short nap, and only put on very thin layers, waiting 24-48 hours between layers, sanding between layers! It turned out beautiful! She also put the MARINE paint on the top of an antique dresser she is using for a sink. The body of the dresser is painted with normal furniture paint, but the top could get water on it, so now it's protected!

[@peggynorton5145]

Yes! @elysiaenglish

[@marydumois4242]

Fantastic idea!

[@robertakers4970]

I wish every city and town would preserve the High Schools as a part of that town's history. I attended Bloomington High School which later burned down. That's been some nearly 60 years ago, and I still a part of me is gone. Once they are destroyed, there is no going back...and that's sad.

[@Missginalove]

The school was possibly build by parents who children will attend. Thats the beauty of small towns everything built with quality to last cause you or someone you knew will be spending time in that area so you did your work with passion.

[@bamalady7314]

It would be really cool if you could turn all the articles into a collage/wallpaper for a room

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

I actually bought some paper to do that, I'm trying to figure out how to collage them without making it overwhelming since the walls are 13ft high haha.

[@diamondperidot]

That will be beautiful. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

[@brackalack1]

I think there are companies that will print wall paper for you? I'm sure I've seen something like that on some of the diy tv shows.

[@Mimilikesstuff]

Maybe as an "accent wall" - one of the smaller sections of wall, even floor to ceiling, I think wouldn't be too overwhelming.

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

@@brackalack1 yeah I've used Spoonflower before! I was going to look at it when we get to start doing fun projects instead of like toilets, haha

[@elizabethlarose3632]

Loving your renovation…loving your discoveries of the photos of the students and teachers….❤

[@margaretbedwell3211]

That 3rd grade picture....notice all the girls have a Buster Brown haircut. I recall have a haircut just like that at about that age.

[@poodlegirl55]

I just live in a 1965 stone ranch but when we took paneling down to remodel the kitchen I found the original aqua color from 1965. It makes a difference when you choose original colors and I love what you are doing. The dark office will be cool.

[@georgeadams1089]

Those floors!!! Stunning and perfect for your home. The small things like the water fountain that you are saving will make all the details.

[@hadeev]

I respect your desire and intention to restore the treasures you find within your new home, to their original condition, and put them back into their original spot. In the long run, it may cost a small fortune to clean, plumb and save that water fountain. Some things may not be fully salvageable, but can be repurposed as art. Everything about that water fountain is screaming “garden feature” to me. It looks like either a birdbath, or a planter for hen and chick succulents. That’s my two cents’ worth.

[@janblack7265]

You are restoring this school to a beautiful home!! The floors and bricks are outstanding! Love it all! ❤

[@FizzyMoonBeam]

I love seeing the history of old buildings! Thanks for keeping some of the old historic stuff and not just tearing it down :)

[@karyndekeiser-moulton1213]

Love the fact that you are preserving all the history of the school! And the wood floors are to die for!

[@kathrinekerns8398]

The floors in the children's bedrooms are beautiful. Everything is turning out so nice.

[@amyspeers8012]

I live in a small village in SW France. My neighbor is also an American. Her realtor reached out to her. A house she was selling and lots of pictures of our village. The seller didn’t want anything so we were able to get pictures on our village, our street and our houses!

[@heyhope326]

This is the opposite of millennial gray and I LOVE IT!! All the life and beauty, it's just living and breathing. ❤️❤️

[@kristamorehead-mcnutt1714]

Retired teacher and historian!! ❤❤❤ Love this!! I worked at school that was once a segregated high school and had so many cool artifacts from the school. And a teacher that Retired left me her saved things for the 40+ years she was there. Newspapers, old books, library check out cards from kids that became city leaders. Such cool little histories

[@rodneywilhelm8912]

The original wood floors are awesome!

[@cherylemaybury9967]

I have always wanted to convert an old school or church into a home because it gives such an original home. I’m too old now. I am moving into a retirement village this year so it is fun for me to watch someone else do the work. I love the character in your school house. Being a retired teacher myself, I love how you are retaining so much of the school’s original features and history. I can’t wait to see the finished house.

[@shirleydelehanty3466]

Thank you for beautifullly preserving our history. And not considering it disposable.

[@leahv5892]

I love that this will be a house that will be in your family for literally generations. Your sons will tell their grandchildren about all this work you’re doing. ❤

[@tamivega6225]

When I first saw the plan to turn this big ole boxy building into a home I thought no matter what you did it would still be miserable to live in. You've changed my mind.This is the greatest WABI-SABI project. (Finding beauty in imperfection) And I thought it was Barbra Streisand!

[@Christine-777]

Breathtaken! 😲😍❤️ Your home's walls are filled with students' light finger touches, and echoes with the prayers, hopes, and dreams of teachers, children, and their parents! And, now, yours! 😲 What a magnificent find and renovation! I'm delighted to have stumbled upon this today, and am looking forward to seeing all the progress and hearing your continued stories. By the way, the brick turned out magnificently! Everyone needs a Brad is their life! 😂❤ Take care, and I am looking forward to watching your Playlist! ❤🙏🥰

[@sboltinghouse]

I keep thinking, "If those walls could talk... ?" but you guys are finding a way to listen. So cool.

[@chlexiel.1022]

LOVE the fountain and past student pics🥰🥰. I just love how you are incorporating those things, and original pops of paint colors that were in the classrooms. This was a very enjoyable video. Thank you for sharing.

[@beanie7547]

As someone who has traveled historical areas of the states and around the world I appreciate the work you’ve done to preserve your school house and reuse as much of the material in the school. Can’t wait to see the end results especially that water fountain.

[@lindarosenthal6835]

Love the water fountain! The brick and wood floors look fabulous.

[@acsberean4092]

Very eclectic building redo. Making use of the old water fountain really adds to the ambiance of the school and all the children who drank from it. Pretty cool....

[@markleingruener654]

Making a custom wallpaper out of the many newspaper clippings for the pantry or maybe inside the large walking closets would be fun.

[@julicool1852]

25 cents Basketball game..!! ..and that was less than a 100 yrs ago.. Really amazing to make a dream come true..May God always bless you and your family in your new home...

[@deannapritchard6660]

I watched my parents' high school being demolished. It was across the street from our home. I really appreciate you giving this tired lady a shot of eternal beauty❤

[@MoonlightandMagnolias]

Your cocktail room would also make a perfect storm cellar!

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

1000%- brick surrounded by brick surrounded by brick

[@nmrn672]

As someone who doesn't really like progress and feels as if we as a nation are trying to get rid of old fashioned values and morals along with anything else from the past, it warms my heart to see your family saving history.

[@lindamurns1245]

And I love that you accept the character of the floors ! I've often said if old things could talk, wow !

[@CathyMiller0711]

The beautiful floors! The old plaster walls! The beautiful brick! Those adorable class photos! Love it all! Thank you for sharing the journey.

[@heidijasper5915]

The exposed brick walls look AMAZING!!! Well done to your Mason and yourselves for all the hard work!! 😮❤😮❤

[@christineoreilly8912]

You are saving a piece of history. Someone else may have torn it down. It is very fun to see the rooms take shape.

[@shereenreynolds2629]

Those original floors are gorgeous! Reminds me of when I was a little girl in the 60s. An old school in our community was torn down and my dad removed the hardwood floors and put them into a bedroom addition of our house.

[@elizabethlarose3632]

The floors are stunning

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

ty!! So thankful we were able to save at least some!

[@tthom2459]

@@Schoolhousehomestead are you planning to find 'vintage' lumber to match the style for the rest of the flooring? ?

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

We didn’t, it was just so cost prohibitive. We looked at reclaimed tobacco barn wood but it was so so expensive. And we have about 3k square feet to do. 😅

[@evangelinekeeley3531]

I believe the symmetrical nail holes in the original floor boards are from the desks which were nailed in place.

[@robine916]

For the porcelain water fountain, I would check with a professional. I've seen people attempt to do it themselves but it didn't turn out as nice as they would like. (One woman ended up using marine paint for her bathtub instead). 💖💖💖The brick is my fav!

[@genevievemurray7743]

It’s a wonderful project. I feel the need to share a story from my adult daughter. When we moved to a bigger house where the children had their own rooms, she said that it wasn’t just being separated from sharing with her brothers but also that our parents retreat and bedroom was at the far end of the house that left her frightened every night. This sparked a memory of my fear of the dark as a child and the great distance to my parents room at night. We were only in the next room down the “enormous” corridor. On revisiting this childhood home is saw it was a tiny house with close rooms. A child’s perspective makes everything bigger and time longer. All the best for your plans as I send this message with love.

[@jenwhi7778]

I love how you’re not trying to make it perfect. I love all the imperfections. Especially in the flooring. The beautiful building has so many stories. The colours are so cool. Great choices so far and I’m so excited to see the walls painted.

[@BlackIceOldGuy]

Loving this! The awesome work, compounded by the history. One small suggestion if I may - get a metal detector and go check out the old school yard. You might be surprised at the tiny treasures you find there, each one potentially with its own story.

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

We had a friend come once, but what I really want to find is a plaque the students had on one of the trees!

[@johnmuncy4872]

It's coming along nicely. It will be nice to see the end results.

[@abigailgerlach5443]

The floors are lovely. Even the patching is marvelous. With the amount of brick wall you have, may I suggest a possible decorative item that looks really good against brick? My aunt also had numerous brick walls and she hung Native American woven rugs. It really adds lovely patterns and colors against the brick. Just a suggestion.

[@Schoolhousehomestead]

Oh that’s a great idea! The contrasting textures seem like they would work so well too

[@dennismoore8351]

I'm so glad you are saving this building. I nearly did the same thing in Wyandotte MI. It was a double four square. It was a beautiful building in com0lete original condition. The thing that stopped me was the train tracks 50 feet behind the school. The trains, for a hundred years, rumbling by caused the entire back wall of bricks to come loose. They were bowed out about two feet in the center and being held together by morter and prayers. The entire property had been blacktopped. All 2 acres of it. No grass at all. At the time, I had the funds to buy it, but not enough to restore it. I enjoy watching your journey.

[@auntie44m]

There is now beautiful light in the secret room, I can see you falling in love with your new kitchen space.

[@garyjones2582]

The place is looking amazing.. Thx for bringing us along...

[@sandysouthward3635]

I liked the faded brick. However any brick is awesome!!! It really adds so much character to your space!!

[@elrobo3568]

Two ways to refurbish the fountain, one is a light sanding with a very fine sandpaper, like a 800 grit then use a good car buffing compound to polish it to a shine and second tale it to a shop that powder coats things and have it white powder coated.

[@susannaCdonovan23]

I like brick too. I am always at a loss for words when people cover it up. This is definitely going very well and is an exciting project. Can't wait to see what you have in store and all the finishing work. 😊❤ My Mother's class pictures look very similar to the ones you found in your museum. She was born in 1923. My Dad in 1920.

[@douglasburch2320]

Continued progress!! Thanks for taking us along on your journey.

[@Ninjanimegamer]

Water fountains have filters. I can't imagine the lead in those originsl pipes to be good. Great wall color! I bet the lead in the paint created the unusual hue. There was water damage to the subflooring and hardwood floors. Mold will always be an issue. Once mold starts, its hard to get rid of. They will always have a mold problem. Old buildings are a lifetime dedication, and millions of dollars of commitment. The job is never finished. This is why nobody takes on these old building and they sit and rot. Demolition is even more expensive.

[@annetteknitter1113]

I love the idea of a water fountain in a house!

[@sheilabundren2037]

I love exposed brick and original wood floors. Can't wait to see the progress. Thanks for sharing.

[@user-yj7ex2fr4i]

It is so intriguing to watch it turn into a home …love it

[@barbaradw9969]

Thank you for Sharing your journey with us. I Love when someone does this type of work. I love the Character of Older homes much more than any thing New. Even if you build it to look like it’s old. The Quality is just not in the New Builds like it is from older homes. I also loved how you “saved” ALL the old doors that you could. I know that was a “labor of love”. I have refinished just a few pieces of wood furniture and each time I said “ who in their right mind” would ever paint such beautiful furniture ? I do understand the younger generation likes to do that. Not for me.

[@dhonlutje]

Love the red bricks, they are so beautifull now, in Belgium we like very much bricks, now you have them in all colors, but my favorite rest the red ones ❤

[@user-gz5vo4ju5e]

Beautiful wood floors I can’t believe they had animals there at one point in time . Beautiful project incredible

[@dspine6]

I lived through a serious remodeling of my 100 year old farmhouse in northern Indiana, so I definitely sympathize with the chaos. You and your husband have taken on an enormous effort to save the school building. I've really enjoyed following your journey!

[@rebeccawhite6620]

The brick is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking!!! Thank you for preserving it and thank you for sharing your journey with us!❤️

[@mc5366]

Love the old wood floors and that water fountain, what a gem to find old photos and newspaper clippings of the school!

[@lousylou]

Oh my gosh! A newspaper article wallpaper wall! Of all the clippings about the school! Just a hodgepodge of articles that tell all things that happened there!

[@lauralee2248]

I love the teal/ turquoise/green colors you have sampled..

[@patriciamcintosh8799]

I live in British Columbia Canada and I love coming along with you 💞🇨🇦💞🇨🇦

[@franswey2]

I watch another KZbin channel, Elysia English, renovating an abandoned property built in the late 1800’s., in Nova Scotia Canada. She’s almost finished refurbishing their claw foot tub, she discovered using Marine Paint the best to use on the porcelain tub. Her few videos on the tube are not very long. I hope this helps skip all the kits that don’t work and saves you money!

[@dupioni]

With regards to the newspaper images. I would suggest making a wallpaper in the 1970’s style of newspaper clippings of advertisements and headlines. It was a very popular paper during the 70’s representing the turn of the century. Just do a collage with the chosen images and have it digitally printed in a wallpaper format. Love your project!

[@mrsvickigriffin]

For the kitchen I'd get a ginormous vintage chambers stove and a big farmhouse style sink and the room behind the old engine room would be a canning cellar.

[@gdbreon8300]

Thank you, thank you for taking us on this journey.

[@CoffeeWalksandWhatever]

Isn’t it exciting making all of these discoveries! We’re working on a little house that was built in 1908 in our hometown, and we found a bunch of mail behind a cabinet…including old calendars that were never opened, and then a hidden staircase! We’re enjoying following along on your journey.

[@BIGGER_RED]

I greatly appreciate you taking us along with you on this journey

[@kindaclassykindachola]

Amazing progress. Thanks for sharing.✨

[@robinbliss6513]

Thank you for bringing us along on this amazing journey with you!

[@Whatsacody]

Really love following along!

[@shannonlohr1565]

So glad you all are saving this school!!❤❤❤

[@maddieadams75]

Love the photos of the students and teachers. ❤

[@gigih.2169]

The photos and articles are going to look so cool!

[@carolfaberpeake857]

Yay for you and your family and friends for restoring and renovating the old school house!! 🎉

[@timothyloomis9053]

Thanks so much for sharing this adventure we love it ❤

[@caroltanzi29]

WOW! You certainly have taken on a large renovation project. However, being an interior designer, I’m loving all the steps that have to be gone through to where you want to go. Most impressive! Carol from California

[@sistagalsistagal8136]

It was such a great project. The journey is amazing. It's kinda like you don't want "the school" finished, but you're so excited to see it complete. You had to preserve and restore what could be. The floors and bricks are beautiful. Thanks for sharing your wonderful journey with us. I'll personally send you an good Australian red wine to congratulate you when "the school" is complete. It's not as if we all don't know where you live 😂.

[@brendahaire8824]

It will be beautiful when finished. Glad I am on the ride.

[@carashea4207]

love following along on this journey! thx for sharing!

[@tamarackmi9195]

The brick and wood floors are gorgeous❣️Thank you for sharing your restoration🥰

[@BeckyM154]

I know you are excited for it to be done. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished house.

[@CharlenePink-Dufresne]

Looking forward to driving past your restoration when I visit Indiana again. I love that you are fixing up this gem.😊

[@frostyseconds8615]

It looks amazing, ya'll are doing an awesome job, I can't wait to see it finished.

[@debbiemccann3711]

I have so enjoyed watching you preserve this beautiful building soon to be a beautiful home.Thank you for sharing

[@pen4tenn]

I have really enjoyed this series and look forward for your next installment. Thank you for sharing.

[@Nena84734]

What an amazing job on the brick, loving your paint colors as well, too cool, especially your cocktail area!

[@rgrooms1286]

Thank you for sharing your journey. I love seeing remodeling/renovation of homes. I can't wait to see the final results of your beautiful schoolhouse home. ❤❤

[@sandydaniels2668]

I absolutely love watching you do this renovation. You have so many great ideas for this old school to bring it back to life and I can't wait to see it finished.

[@kathleenpitt1981]

The wooden floors are so beautiful! I’m glad you were able to save some of them, so much character! When the footings were going in, I thought your yard was never going to be the same, but it looked amazing when you showed your back yard. Well done!

[@paulstevens8979]

Another great video! The brick work looks AMAZING and so cool that you're restoring & re-installing the original fountain. Looking forward to your next vid :)