Skip to main content

The first semblance of walls

You know how when you get so used to something that has always been one way and then when it changes, even if you've wanted it to change more than anything in the world, you worry you've done the wrong thing.  Well, that's how progress feels.   Since we first pulled down the old fireplace to investigate the wall behind, the living room wall has had exposed mud and straw wall covering on show.  This historic wall covering has been visible for two years and we always knew it would have to be covered up.  All of a sudden, now the plasterers have been there the mud and straw is gone...I miss it but I love the new walls.  

The living room has been plastered
The plasterers have rough coat plastered the library, the living room and sheet rock walls are slowly filling the house.

The passage to the library and powder room
The sense of the physical space of the house is really coming together and this week we have the insulation guys in and finally all the walls can be closed up.  It will begin to feel like a house again.  

Living room walls
Library with walls
We've finally approved the expenditure on the new geothermal units and the generator.  We have sourced the new floor boards and although they are turning out to be much more expensive than anticipated, we will hopefully have the floor boards next week.  We will be putting in the new electrical service next week and the water pump and other plumbing will be completed this week too, hopefully.  I can only hope that in a week or two we will have the heating going and some running water.  

Kitchen wall behind the cabinets
At the moment the house is so cold that the ice forms on the inside.   The contractors have a huge space heater that pumps our masses of heat and keeps the place warm.  It runs on diesel and makes the house smell of fuel but it is at least warm.  

Ice inside the window
Upstairs remains unfinished because we are waiting for the insulation.  Here's the 'before' picture.  This weekend we will post the 'after' pictures of the insulation.

Master Bedroom before the foam arrives

Comments

  1. These renovations should last a hundred years? Well bits of them. It seems worth it to have done it well, as in the long term the costs fade and the results last. S

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Paradox farm

If you wander along Springtown Road, past DeJoux House, you will see our mailbox opposite the front door.  It's not especially distinguishable except it is rather large and sits on an old tree stump.  It's a rusty old thing but it seems to have survived the snow plows and drunk drivers of Springtown Road. It has always bothered me that on the side of the mail box you can see the vague outline of the words "Paradox Farm" which was clearly a name that DeJoux House was more recently referred to.  Occasionally when wondering the fields I would stumble across some incongruity and wonder if that was indeed the "paradox" that the farm was named after. Yesterday morning, for some unknown reason, I decided it was time to resolve the paradox.  I sent a quick email to the previous owner June Finer to see if she knew anything of the Paradox Farm ghost on the side of the mailbox. This was her reply: once upon a time we, (myself and russell gilmore---my ex), met a

Inspiration for the future look

Daniel has found some wonderful reference materials for keeping the history and character yet not making it a museum. I love the big kitchen table plan for the kitchen inspired by Lutyens and some "behind the scenes" pictures of victorian kitchens. He also showed me some country houses from Axel Vervoordt that I really love. http://bit.ly/uX1eW Simple, authentic yet modern. We discussed putting a full length plate glass window in the old hay loft window on the end of the house. Wow. I can't wait.

A long silence broken

It has been over 18 months since I posted an entry on the DeJoux House blog.  Why? I'm not sure. The renovations were held up for a while as we enjoyed a working, if unfinished house. Looking back there was frankly very little news of note. Lots of socializing. Lots of enjoying the bounty of the land. Lots of swimming in the pond and Ice Skating...but you'd seen all of that in the old posts. Today, I am inspired to write a post because I have uncovered some news about the history of the house.  Since we bought the house we have always been told that the house was built in 1740.  That's what the town of New Paltz have in their records. That's what the previous owners told us and well, we had little reason to disbelieve it. However, we have very little proof of when the building of DeJoux House started. This puzzle was further heightened when a gentleman from North Carolina contacted us with the following request. Mr. Flebut - I am a professor at the University of N