Our House

[Penners]

That sounds familiar...

 

[Cordwangle]

First piece of repaired frieze put up, just needs to be painted now. A couple of other rooms are in the process.
Some carpets down, curtains should arrive soon. Polished up the porch tiles and copper kick plate.

Photos on PB.

 

[Cordwangle]

Curtains up in some rooms, another frieze repaired and some shutters fitted to top floor front windows.


Photos on PB

 

[Cordwangle]

Time for a little update: the kids bedrooms have now all been decorated and they're all moved in. Having said that, my eldest daughter has just gone off to uni leaving her room empty and the youngest eyeing it enviously.
We finally started on the kitchen diner which will be the main hub of the house, it's been quite a lot of work but we seem to be getting there at last. The walls are all lined and plastered and the floor is down, now the kitchen needs to be fitted. We have a beautiful Victorian cast iron fire surround that's going in and an insert. I considered leaving the fire place that was there in but it was just too vile for my taste and the thought of looking at it every day was too much for my sensitive nature. The kitchen fitter will be in towards the end of the month and hopefully we'll be using it not too long after. The tilers have moved up to the main en-suite so I won't have to walk what seems like miles for too much longer if I need a wee in the night.
After that, there's still loads to do so I won't get too excited just yet.
2 years since that fateful walk to the shops. Do I regret it?
Not a chance.


More pics on photo-bucket. http://photobucket.com/albums/jj534/misterclark1

 

[Penners]

Do I regret it?
Not a chance.

Good for you! Onward and upward!

 

[Cordwangle]

We're in the kitchen at last and in time for Christmas. Not entirely without drama though, firstly when all the granite worktops turned up they had all been cut 30mm out and none of them fit. Several visits later after having it all cut again, as the last piece around the cooker was going in they realised it was the wrong thickness, 20mm instead of 30mm, Mrs. Wangle wasn't impressed! Despite this we're really pleased with how it's turned out.
The back and internal doors of the kitchen need to be stripped and either stained or painted because I pulled off the boards that were hiding the panelling. Large cupboards are being made for the alcoves from reclaimed pine by the same people who made the table and they'll be done after Christmas.
The whole front of the house and some of the back now have shutters fitted, we're still thinking about what to do with the remaining windows. Our en-suite is now tiled and just waiting for the suite to be fitted. Next job to be completed though will probably be the downstairs cloakroom for which all the prep work is done. Then the kids lounge will have the skirting fitted, electrics sorted and be decorated ready for use. Then it'll be upstairs to the first floor for the main bathroom. That's going to be a big job ( I think we've done the ceiling already) before coming back downstairs to do the entrance hall and then we can finish with the landings and stairs.
It's been a long journey and there's still a way to go but finishing the kitchen seems to be a milestone. I can hardly believe that a trip to the shops has led me here.......

http://photobucket.com/albums/jj534/misterclark1

 

[kreyszig]

that is one beautiful house you've got there Cordwangle.

 

[Cordwangle]

The furniture is in the downstairs cloakroom now and is now usable, there are still a few finishing touches need to be done but it's more-or-less finished. The main en-suite is also nearly complete but the holidays and an imminent knee op will hold things back a bit.
There are pics on photobucket.

 

[Cordwangle]

Update time: We've had some reclaimed pine cupboards fitted in the kitchen, they're actually over 9 ft. tall so are considerable pieces of furniture. The office furniture has been made by the same guys but waxed in a dark shade and that's all in place now. The main en-suite is now finished and in use and the ground floor cloakroom is all done apart from the window dressing which is being made at the moment. The cistern and wash stand are polished nickel and the toilet seat is heavy oak, the most comfortable I've ever sat on I must add. I'm fed up with toilet seats slipping to one side or the other every time I sit down. The front lounge is being decorated at the moment and that will be for the children and enable us to clear some of their clutter from the other rooms. Not quite sure what to tackle next, there's a big bathroom on the middle floor to do or the landing on the top floor to decorate and carpet. The external window frames need attention but that'll have to wait until the weather improves and will require scaffolding as the house is really tall.
So much to do, so little money!

Pics on photobucket if anyone's interested.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

My goodness me that is some project! I like the bathroom and the office furniture is excelletn, thank you for sharing them.

 

[Cordwangle]

The stained glass fanlight has been made and fitted and actually matches the original side panels very well, although it's a little hard to tell from the pictures. It's certainly better than the clear glass with peeling sticky numbers that was there previously. The kids lounge has been decorated and we're just waiting for curtains and carpet to finish that room off.

Pictures in usual place.

 

[Cordwangle]

This is our entrance hall and I'm not happy with the glass panels in the inner door. Above the door the glass is clear but the door and side panel glass is obscure glass and I don't like it. The problem is the front of the house faces north and the hall downstairs is quite dim in the afternoon because of the solid storm doors. I'd really like to change something but I'm not sure what.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Penners]

Cordwangle - were you lying down when you took those photos, or has your house fallen over?

To be honest, I don't really know how to answer your question. I can't see anything to dislike in that arrangement, so I don't feel qualified to suggest any alternatives.

Why do you dislike it?

 

[Cordwangle]

Sorry about the pics, my photography prowess goes no further than pointing my phone in the general direction, pressing the button and hoping for the best. Those photos were amongst my better efforts.
As to what I don't like about it, I can't quite put my finger on it, I just don't get a "satisfied " feeling when I look at it. Perhaps it's perfectly adequate and I'm just after reassurance or perhaps someone could suggest something that I'm missing.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Your house is quite grand, and I'd have thought the hall window treatment would have reflected this. Maybe something like this that I found on rightmove in a house in a posh area near me. I bet there were Victorian pattern books for this kind of thing, or glazing suppliers books showing which panel could be bought off the shelf.

 

[Penners]

You already have stained glass in the top light and side lights to your front door, so I'm not sure that more stained glass on the inner screen would be a good plan. I think it could just give you a mish-mash of confused colours, when viewed from inside.

Maybe you could consider replacing the obscured glass on the inner screen with clear glass. This would give you an unobstructed view straight through to the stained glass around the front door. At the moment, that view is considerably dulled and blurred by the obscured glass.

Just a thought...

 

[plasticpigeon]

I hate to disagree, but I think that obscure glass of some sort is almost essential in and around the inner door of this style of house. The hallways are a little dark, and I believe it was usual to leave the solid front doors of the house open during the day to let more light in. This is something that the Cordwangles may want to do in their house. To avoid people peering straight into the hall, obscure glass is needed. I hate to be a pain, but I wonder whether the top light/fan light/transom light, above the front solid doors may have been clear glass to let as much light in as possible. I say this only through observation of Victorian houses near me.

 

[Penners]

PP, you shouldn't hate to disagree with me. I'm married - I'm quite used to it! :wink:

I'm not sure that I understand your objection to "peering straight into the hall". Given the handsome door and attractive stained glass that surrounds it, don't you think it would be a better view than the obscured glass provides?

 

[plasticpigeon]

PP, you shouldn't hate to disagree with me. I'm married - I'm quite used to it! :wink:

I'm not sure that I understand your objection to "peering straight into the hall". Given the handsome door and attractive stained glass that surrounds it, don't you think it would be a better view than the obscured glass provides?

I really meant from the outside in. Do Lord and Lady Cordwangle really want the proles to be able to see straight into their hall?

 

[Cordwangle]

I was actually in favour of the outer doors being left open, we have a massive laurel bush along the front of our house obstructing the view of any oiks who might want to peer in and case any swag. However, Mrs Wangle has vetoed this idea ( unfairly I think). The fan light was previously clear and had tatty sticker numbers on it, we replaced it with the stained glass we had made to match the side panels and, to be fair, it hasn't made the hall any duller.
I like that arrangement further up the page but feel that it may be a little ostentatious for Wangle Towers. I'll see what her Ladyship thinks.......