Today the skirting boards are being fitted on the first floor by Glynn so the plumber can fit the radiators next week. We haven’t seen Glynn since just before Christmas so it’s great to have him back to help us out. He spent his lunch break yesterday (after having rushed to the dentist to have a tooth out in the morning) priming the lengths of timber for our skirting boards that had been cut and shaped by Jamie in their workshop. Thank you Jamie – another star!
Colin is also back to help for the weekend, first job is to try and fit a new aerial on Zanna’s old car.
Glynn starts the skirting in Zanna’s bedroom, not a straightforward job as it all needs scribing in to fit the uneven floorboards and needs bending around the wobbly walls…
There is a little bit of water in the heating system (from when it was tested), so when we take the caps off so Glynn can get the skirting over the pipes, we put old towels down to protect the old wooden floors.
Our electrician Sam is also here today to fit the front plates on the switches and sockets in the rooms that we have finished painting. He is also going to fit some of the lights. This is super exciting!
Glynn looks delighted to be here on his weekend off. I am sure he was enjoying his 2 day weekends…
Cat and Colin are starting in the attic today, the next room that we need to clean up all the timbers etc. and prepare for painting. There are so many beams in the attic that this is a very big task.
The plaster needs the tape cut out and will need caulking and tidying up, especially around the new dormer windows.
There is no lime plaster in the attic, it is all modern gypsum, so we can use normal emulsion paint up here. We already have Farrow & Ball’s De Nimes for the one end wall, a dark blue/grey, but haven’t yet looked at a colour for the sloping ceilings.
Cat is scratching off the plaster with a knife before scrubbing with a wire brush and water.
The skirting is halfway done in Zanna’s bedroom!
You can see where Glynn has had to scribe the skirting in around the floorboards. All done using his 1980’s style school compass and pencil!
The skirting goes on over the radiator pipes, then gets glued and screwed to the wall.
One of our three Angle Poise Original 1227 Brass Wall Lights in Elephant Grey that Sam is fitting in the study.
Against the stone wall the grey looks more blue… They look fabulous. We also have two traditional Angle Poise Original 1227 Brass Desk Lamps to match that will be attached to the walls above each desk.
Fitting these directly onto the lime plaster is a very delicate operation as the plaster is so fragile that it can pop if you apply any pressure to it. Sam is being very careful.
Our first wall light in the sitting room gets fitted and looks stunning! This is the Club Wall Light in Antiqued Brass from Jim Lawrence. Attaching it to the stone wasn’t easy, it will just need the cable pointing in to the wall.
A particularly wonky wall in Zanna’s bedroom with a very straight skirting board to fit.
The length of skirting gets scored along the reverse so it will then be pliable and bend to fit the wall.
Sam fitting the sockets and switches on the landing.
Colin clearly enjoying himself.
Cat not so much, but there is definitely not as much swearing this weekend.
Fitting the skirting along the landing wall.
The radiator pipes come through the skirting, ready for the radiator to be fitted.
Glynn struggling to find any decent stone behind the plaster to screw the skirting to… Note how he is using the hoover along with his drill, so literally cleans up as he works!
Our sexy bronze switches and sockets from Corston Architectural detail are being fitted and look absolutely gorgeous.
It has been difficult getting these to fit with the lime plaster and stone walls. They required deeper back boxes as they are designed to fit flush with the walls, also none of our walls are flat…
The Jim Lawrence Single Curtis Spot Lights in Antiqued Brass have been fitted on the feature wall on the landing. The wall colour looks fabulous with the brass.
The same light fitted in the hallway behind the old front door. Super excited about these being fitted, even more excited about seeing them lit up soon…
I posted my congratulations earlier this year and find that I had the wrong address with a dash rather than a dot. It looks terrific. Let me have your address so you can join your sister and father on my Christmas Card list.
Your 2nd cousin
David