Amy’s Naughty Pine Lounge — but is it Pecky Cypress? — either way, it’s fabulous!

Amy, photo courtesy Christopher Andrew of StopTime

Amy lives in a 1916 bungalow that was renovated in the 1950s, including, golly: This fantastic basement hideaway that she has christened, “The Naughty Pine Lounge.” But. Oopsy. Methinks those gashes in the wood suggest it’s pecky cypress not knotty pine. No matter which: The Naughty Pine Lounge is more than Nice!  

 

 

Amy writes: 

My house is a 1916 Chicago bungalow and I’m only the 4th owner – 3rd owner lived there for 64 years and did the cool renovations… Here are photos of the basement bar  and adjacent bathroom.

 

I think it is knotty pine, but it might be pecky cedar — you would know… 

I *might* know, Amy. I think it’s pecky cypress: 

• This photo from Cypress Cracker Sawmill seems to nail it
• See all our stories on pecky cypress — which we usually see kind of “bleached” out — here.

Amy continues:

So you walk down the basement stairs (also paneled!) to get to this fabulous retreat… 

I installed a vintage Schlitz light…

Left the original beaded curtain in the glass block window…

Readers, want New Old Stock beaded curtains made to order? See this story / source.

• It has great built-in display shelves and cabinets — with my collection of mold-a-rama wax sculptures and vintage Schlitz cans I found in the attic… 

sss

I had the cedar sign made by Coppercuts on Etsy.

 

Check out the great scalloped molding… 

… And the awesome wet bar with original Formica counter, swinging door, and sink with metal edging.  

[Reminder to self: Do story on travertine laminate and flooring (me likey), and on big thick bar tops (ditto) – Pam]

 

I love the real swinging door! 

The quality of the built-ins is amazing – check out the cabinetry with angled and straight paneling details… 

 I have a great collection of vintage glasses from thrift stores and from my grandparents… 

A friend even made “Naughty Pine” coasters and glasses.  

Original horsehead hook and old fashioned phone jack…

 

Original sconces…

 

Right next door to the bar is the paneled wood bathroom…

 

The bathroom originally had a rusted out metal shower that we had to replace – replaced with a shower tiled in slate to keep that rustic vibe – did keep as many original details as possible, though — like the metal magazine rack with ashtray (!) that was in the bathroom.

 

Fell in love with the “Hustle!” door knocker on the bathroom door… 

The door is almost 2.5″ thick!  

The bathroom has a funny little mirrored vanity area with the original counter top… 

 

I made barkcloth curtains with vintage fabric…

Oh! And forgot to mention that I got the red velvet barstools on Freecycle. When I first contacted the woman she said that a lot of other people were interested in them, and I needed to write a story about why I deserved them! I guess my story won…

This fall after lots of flooding, I finally had to have the basement floor redone – had a speckled epoxy coating installed that I love – before I moved all the furniture back in I actually roller-skated in it…

Putting this story together — slotting all the photos into the text — made me made me smile so much. In particular because Amy is, in my mind, a prototypical Retro Renovator — madly in love with pretty much every single original detail of this room and so happy to show each one off, as if it’s its own little jewel. She reminds me of me when I take people through my house. I probably go to far, gushing at this then gushing at that, not particularly careful to gauge whether they give a hoot. I’m not saying you went too far, Amy — we are kindred souls — we’re gushing too, and give a big hoot!

A pesky pecky question

Amy and I are emailing back and forth including at one point, re the pecky. She adds:

The “NPL” is the big social hangout of the neighborhood – recently had a crazy 50th birthday party… My friend Craig DJ’d – made a playlist of songs from 67, 77, 87, 97, 07, 17…

Yeah, my dad thought it was pecky cypress or cedar, but we’d have to come up with a different name for the bar!

Thank you, Amy, for sharing these wonderful photos and the tour our the NPL. Readers, stay tuned, there’s more of Amy’s house to come!

• It’s not a big, but who else on the interwebs has a whole category on Knotty Pine and other less-discussed midcentury wood products? Oh and a whole little website.

 

 

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