About to start on a major project.

[bobby spray]

When we first moved into our current property 6 years ago there were a myriad of jobs needing doing; including fixing the roof and taking several chimneys back to roof level and rebuilding them. There was however one daunting job which we had put off until now. A bit of background - Our house is an 1890’s sandstone semi over three floors. The ceiling height is about 12’ from memory. The most impressive feature of the house was a large roof light (or cupola) that sits above the entrance hall. Flooding the house with natural light. This cupola is single glazed and also as trickle ventilation. The heat loss must be massive which is presumably why a previous owner in the 1950’s (?) decided to have a large false glass ceiling installed. This looks awful we have hated it since we have moved in. It has nasty glass and is just about impossible to clean. Now we have the time and finance to do something about it. We have ordered a new cupola and in preparation, I managed to slide one of the panels over to the side to have a look above. The original cornice is still there! but will need some work. These are the before shots. I’ll update with progress as it’s made. The pictures don’t really do the scale justice. The ceiling looks massive up close and the cupola is very high. Wish me luck as this could get messy!

here is a pic of the cupola. i was replacing some broken glass at the weekend


this is the class ceiling from halfway up the stairs - feel free to laugh at the naff wall light. it's not mine!


and the view from the landing looking across the stair well


standing on top the ladders in the picture you can see up into the void and see what it could look like


the original cornice still in place although somewhat tatty

 

[malcolm]

That's going to be nice! Removing the ugly false glass ceiling should transform the stairwell. Do post some pictures as you go along - I'm planning to remove a false ceiling in many years time and your work will be good inspiration.

I wonder whether these false ceilings were removed because central heating wasn't available at the time. If you go into the modern calculations (which stand up to scrutiny - I calculated them again myself because I didn't believe them) it shouldn't make a lot of difference to bills where the ceiling is, but draughts and the localised heat sources at the time probably would have made high ceilinged rooms feel cold. My blocked off void is the hottest part of the house and I'm keen to release some of that heat into the living room.

 

[88v8]

Great!

The heat loss, in the scheme of things, will be relatively trivial. I fear that some people become obsessed with heat retention, even to the detriment of period features.
Trivial, assuming that is that you set the radiators in the hall/landing to heat it no more than 60F, which ideally is accomplished through the radiator size, but can be achieved via the lockshield valves or with some compromise to the Period look, by TRVs. And of course, keeping the doors to the warmer rooms off, closed.

That glass..... may be a pattern no longer available. Might be worth seeing if a restoration glassworker would like it. Even Small Artic, once ubiquitous, is now NLA. (or is it Large Artic that's NLA. Is it artic or arctic... errm. Anyway....)

The suspended ceiling also obviated the need to clean/decorate up there. Heat loss may have been a secondary factor. And of course it was modern, or perhaps moderne, as they said in the 50s. Like that suspended light fitting.

Anyway, it will be a super feature. A while ago I posted against rooflights, but what I really dislike is modern rooflights. Yours will look super.

And the wall light looks OK. In style at least. The diminutive size is another matter.
To look on the bright side (pun intended) you have the opportunity to prowl eBay for a more suitable fitting. I love old light fittings.

Ivor

 

[bobby spray]

Well, the glass ceiling is now gone. Took the builders the best part of yesterday and a lot of dust, broken glass and banging. The change is already noticeable. Got the conservation plasterer coming in to see the damage to the coving and the lath and plaster finish. I will update with more progress soon.

 

[Roger H]

Beautiful.

 

[malcolm]

That does look nice - what a nice feature.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Well worth waiting for! Looking forward to the next pictures!

 

[bobby spray]

Hello there. it's been a while i updated on the progress of this project. However things are now starting to move. we have gone from this:


to this


the inside is progressing too with the internal pyramid repaired and only the cornice left to be repaired before decoration. Unfortunately due to the internal scaffold, pictures are not possible at the moment from inside.
I would have liked to have kept the original roof light but it was completely shot. The replacement being the closest in terms of design we could afford.

 

[Zebra]

Just curious, what is the hatch for, just above the level of the old ceiling?

 

[bobby spray]

The hatches were there to allow cleaning of the glass ceiling from above.

 

[JanJonWestWales]

Beautiful feature, and an excdellent job...well done !!

J&J
blogspot.blaencwmbychan.co.uk

 

[Zebra]

The hatches were there to allow cleaning of the glass ceiling from above.

Urgh, what a job. Crawling through the attic space (?) to emerge in a small hatch, with a squeegee on a pole? I can't imagine that was a job anyone looked forward to much.

 

[bobby spray]

So the Scaffold is down. what seemed a simple job turned into a magnum opus as I did most of the work myself. I never knew how to repair plaster cornice before i tried it. The multi coloured LED's were my daughters idea-- they'll be going!

https://www.flickr.com/gp/94618723@N00/i1U948

 

[parkview094]

What a different - fantastic job! I actually like the LED lighting - if there's a static/warm-white colour (photo 15?) I'd be inclined to keep it

 

[JoceAndChris]

Wow what a stunning bit of renovation. Very nicely done indeed, what a crime to cover it up with that horrid arctic glass!

Well done on the repair of your lovely dentil cornice too, looks like you've done a lovely job.

 

[mims&pip]

Gosh, that looks fabulous......what an improvement

 

[Zebra]

Amazing. What a transformation.