Hi - my first period house

[oscrivello]

Hi, just bought my first house that wasn't brand new, so please excuse me asking lots of daft questions! Don't know any history about it, other than that part of it had been a shop for around 160 years until I bought it. Not done anything to the house yet, except getting the heating working and beginning the battle with the wallchip that's covering every wall and ceiling upstairs.

The house is on the left, the part on the right is the shop:

(Not sure if posting photos is the done thing here?)

 

[plasticpigeon]

yes we love photos here!!!

 

[88v8]

Welcome.
Looks good - all chimneys present and correct, it even has proper wooden windows?
Yes, photos, absolutely. Bucket or the like works best to avoid Attachment size limits.

If you edit your profile to show your location, it may help with any local recommendations you need.

Ivor

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Yes, we love photos.
Can I hazard a guess you're in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire or East Yorkshire?

 

[oscrivello]

Thanks for the welcome. Any yes, I'm in Lincolnshire, near Louth. The windows are mainly uPVC unfortunately - it's on the list to replace them,it just depends on how much the shop conversion ends up costing. Might have to save up and do them in a couple of years. Currently the shop looks like this:

Made some progress in removing the woodchip and several associated layers of paint - it may be my imagination but the rooms that have been done feel more comfortable somehow? Not looking forward to attempting the hall ceiling though:

The one fireplace that's currently operational has a mantelpiece made of the same wood as the fake beams - can anyone please tell me what mantelpiece would have been there originally? (The patterned wallpaper will be removed along with the beams and the laminate flooring. Woodchip on every other wall and the ceiling in this room too. :roll: )

 

[Flyfisher]

Welcome to the forum. Don't worry about asking 'daft questions' - there are no such things really if you don't know the answers and we all have to start somewhere. I've certainly asked plenty of 'daft' questions and I'm still not entirely immune. :lol:

 

[JoceAndChris]

Welcome! That's a handsome looking house on a good plot. Lincolnshire really rewards in terms of space, privacy, rural charm and quiet beauty. I love living here ( I'm much more south though, outside of Grantham)

Well done on the hard work with the wood chip, it's horrible and I think painting over it would never completely satisfy. We've all been there, get it off! And the shop!! My goodness you have your work cut out for you, but it should be a very rewarding project and you'll end up with a beautiful in which all the fittings have been lovingly chosen by yourself - very exciting.

As for your fireplace, I suspect it was a little cooking device, a range, in there? Would that make sense? In which case a very simple painted pine surround and lime plaster around it.

 

[philpjuk100]

UPVC windows! you live near Biff the wooden window man! looks a great house! welcome.

 

[oscrivello]

Thanks. I'm not sure if the fireplace would have been used for cooking, as there's another one in the kitchen (now housing the boiler)? Or maybe there there would have been two ranges?

And thanks for the tip about Biff.

 

[JoceAndChris]

When was the house built and what was the room where the fireplace in your photo is, used for?

Very likely multiple ranges, we have one opening where the old copper was, one where the cooking range was, and another for a bread oven or smoking oven.

 

[oscrivello]

All I know is the house was built before 1860. The room is a sitting room - it's the nicest room in the house with large bay windows on two sides.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Hmm. Are there any other clues in the house, any plaster detailing, like cornice, or roses, or brick floors?

We could do with a lot more pics in order to date your house. If it's the nicest room in the house, then possibly a smaller opening than there is currently and a simple marble surround with either a basket grate or hob grate. Have a look at britainsheritage.co.uk and the Georgian fireplaces there.

 

[oscrivello]

Thanks for the link.

A few more pics: the room above is on the right:

Where the house meets the shop:

End wall - don't know why the bricks are black:

Not many period features left - the only cornice:

A fireflace halfway up a wall on the first floor:

 

[agbagb]

It looks like a fascinating puzzle you have there. The staircase looks possibly arts and crafts the fireplace may have been in the same wave. A bricked up door. Extensions at some point. Various window openings. Changes in floor heights. Oh what fun!

 

[worms]

Yes, it looks like there will be a lot of detective work to do!

It may just be the pic, but that bit of cornice looks too perfect to be old. I would have expected more accumulated paint, the odd chip and a slightly mis-fitting light.