50's Eichler Style home in Texas
We purchased a home built in early 50's by architect Nash in Bryan, Texas. Texas A&M architects tell us it is similar to Eichler architecture. We purchased from estate of original owner in original condition. Needs updating...new floors, new kitchen & bath, windows, etc. We want to do what is best for this house. Our son, who has great taste and ideas, wants to sheetrock over the original redwood plywood walls which are throughout the house! He feels that it is too dark inside, and wants to keep redwood beams and trim! My husband and I think it is crazy to cover the redwood walls! We are in agreement to new floors (original parquet floors are in horrible shape!) We are thinking light bamboo floors. We must update kitchen and bath, keeping both very modern. Any thoughts from anyone on what to do about redwood walls? House also has several Mitchell Bobrick for Controlight light fixtures (sconces and hanging).
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
rhonda
Our Eichler was one of the last batches built in the early 70's, and by that time, Philippine Mohogany was too expensive & known to burn quickly, so ours had sheetrock walls instead. Owners with Mohogany walls generally like them for the warm decor, and there is extensive Q&A here on whether to refinish them (particularly difficult because the panels were thin or thin veneer) or replace them.
You have several directions here: a purist approach which is to keep the redwood walls because they are original (preservation); keep the redwood walls because you like them (it's your house not your son's); or get rid of them because you don't like them (too dark) or they are really worn.
You have to decide . . . I would keep the redwood if they are in good shape or can be refinished if worn, but I like dark woods . . . they are elegant and classic, and stand out in a world of sheetrock. But, if they are worn and refinishing is expensive or not possible, sheetrocking is fine, but I alway think tearing out the old and replacing with new is better than sheetrocking over. As a 50's house, when tearing out the redwood, you can add electrical outlets, phone outlets, cabling, etc.
