So as not to lose track, we keep a list of projects completed at the Elizabeth Murphy House during our term as stewards.

1. Removed faux brick from kitchen alcove and re-plastered and painted
2. Leveled concrete walk slabs and replaced front steps
3. Removed secondary walk and steps and planted grass
4. Removed and replaced wrought iron with red cedar railing
5. Removed carpet and parquet floor from sleeping porch, repaired, conducted forensics on materials and paints, and repainted in original color
6. Removed carpet from bedroom floors and refinished
7. Removed linoleum from kitchen floor, hallway floor and basement steps and refinished
8. Replaced kitchen appliances (stove, fridge, dishwasher)
9. Repainted basement room floor, doors and walls
10. Removed out-of-code wiring on walls and in closets and removed ceiling fans in bedrooms
11. Removed two window air conditioners, repaired window frames and replaced glass
12. Removed 1970s front door and screen and replaced with restored original (interior) door and new wood screen
13. Removed window air condition from entry way ceiling and converted to glass/screen window
14. Repaired Pebble-Dash damaged by air conditioner installation (1990s)
15. Removed and replaced warped kitchen and breakfast-nook cabinet shelves
16. Removed all galvanized supply plumbing in the house and re-plumbed with copper
17. Patched and repainted every interior wall
18. Repaired cracked basement floor
19. Removed over-sized radiator in kitchen
20. Gutted bathroom to the studs and joists, completed period-appropriate renovation including re-framing, plumbing, electrical, ventilation, plaster, fixtures, trim, finishes, medicine cabinet, lights, tile, and heated floor
21. Replicated interior finishing technique to refinished
22. Reversed WC door
23. Repaired, restored and replaced shoe trim as required
24. Added floor drain, shower stall, toilet and exhaust fan in basement utility room
25. Added hanging cabinets in basement utility room
26. Removed faux eyebrow roof over garage, replaced trim and parged concrete
27. Ground off ornate white stucco decoration on foundation and parged in unpainted concrete all around 
28. Removed exposed exterior electrics
29. Replaced driveway lights
30. Replaced damaged garage door
31. Added accent lighting for sleeping room ceiling
32. Replaced all ungrounded outlets with grounded devices
33. Add ground-fault protection as required by code and best practices
34. Replaced breakfast nook light fixture
35. Replaced kitchen light fixtures
36. Repaired chimney crown cap and added arrestors
37. Added drain tile, repaired foundation and improved grading around crawl-space
38. Removed overgrown vegetation and invasive weeks and trees and replanted front and back gardens
39. Repaired and replaced exterior trim in cypress
40. Added flower-box cantilevers 
41. Added light grid American System-Built ornamentation on front facade
42. Repaired glazing in all exterior windows
43. Replaced missing lead work on front windows
44. Reroofed (tore off and replaced.)
45. Built replica breakfast nook table
46. Removed aluminum soffit and fascia covers, restored, replaced and repainted 1930s wood bead-board and trim
47. Removed warped gutters and downspouts and replaced with period-appropriate, Wright-specified hanging gutters
48. Added drain tiles and grading to protect sleeping porch foundation
49. Repainted and re-stained exterior: from gray with white trim to goldenrod with brown trim
50. Removed weathered cedar shake from chimney and replaced with new and re-stained
51. Removed all foundational shrubbery and reseeded
52. Expanded gardens: removed invasive species, planted perennials, trees, hedges and accent plans, including Japanese maple in crook of the “L”
53. Added exterior lighting
54. Added accent and interior lighting to breakfast-nook cabinets
55. Returned breakfast nook light fixture to original (specified and constructed) position
56. Replaced missing lead work on breakfast nook windows
57. Designed and installed built-in for under counter refrigeration to replace the improperly placed free standing appliance, returning the kitchen to Wright-designed layout/duty
58. Replaced bathroom wash-basin with vintage model
59. Removed laminate countertops and replaced with wood, upgraded appliance and restored prairie banding and finishes in kitchen
60. Refinished icebox cabinets to match original shellac treatments
61. Added hidden exterior power and lighting
62. Professional plaster repair above the “prairie line” in the main rooms
63. In May 2025, we finished and installed the last of 25 reproduction exterior windows. Cypress frames. Double panes. Replica hardware. 5 year project.

What would you do next?