Watch the Renovation…………
See the results of our efforts as they unfolded in this photo diary.
You will notice that we are endeavoring to retain the original feel whilst adding a few modern conveniences!
The pictures below are thumbnails; if you click on them, they will become larger!
This cottage had been largely untouched for 60 years except for the roof and windows. The following shows how we stripped and renovated the property, curing the damp, and adding a bathroom. Our endeavor from the outset was to preserve the feel of the old welsh cottage whilst making it livable for the 21st century. The problems included some doorways with 5'8" head room and stairs that were dangerously steep, with only 4'9" head room at the top!
Perhaps the funniest problem was when we tried to light a fire in the tiled grate that is in the corner of the lounge shot below. This had been badly fitted over the old inglenook and as there was several layers of bird nests in the top it smoked. Not normal boring smoke but smoke from the window sill at the front of the house and also out from the pebble dash at the back of the house! That was when we discovered that the middle of these walls had no mortar, but like the famous field walls was built "dry"! We, in true killjoy fashion, fitted a liner in the chimney!
The Lounge
This shot shows the dilapidated 1950's
fireplace that had been added over the inglenook along with the hardboard
ceilings! The damp on the wallpaper shows how deep the back of the house is
buried into the cliff. Curing this was number one priority.
Stripping away the plaster in preparation for the tanking revealed this large inglenook and plate shelf hidden behind the "modernization". The photo is probably not clear enough to see the holes that took the pegs for the original mantle shelf. Also not Visible on the photograph is the iron fitting for the cooking pots but it is still visible even after the replastering was done.
After months of stripping away 200 years of lime wash, decayed plaster and unsound timbers, the rebuild starts to show results. In the above photo, we see the first wall replastered using a lime cement finish in the old style by local craftsman Bryn Jones of Llanberis.
The above illustration shows the cast iron stove in and working with the
over-mantle (made by Olde England
Plastering completed the huge task of painting begins, and yes it is VERY awkward around all those beams!
The new light fitting installed and ready to
go, making it easier than working with lead lamps!
We have plaster boarded the underneath of the
stairs ready for the breakfast bar to be attached, Around the other side is to
be an under stairs cupboard.
With most of the painting complete, the task of floor laying can now commence. This is complicated by the different thicknesses of the hand-split slates.
With nearly all the electrics done, the temptation to put some prints from the late Terrance Cuneo up was irresistible! This area is mainly laid and grouted but off camera is a large area of fresh laid slates.
The under stair cupboard oak door and side panels are show here cut to size and offered up into position awaiting final fit after the floor is laid.
At last every thing has fallen into place, but after 14 months hard work it feels wrong to stop!!
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The Kitchen
This view shows the kitchen wall cleared and the tanking applied to stop any rising damp. The flue visible in the centre of the photo will be used to remove cooking smells via an extractor system. The ladder seen in the lower left will be replaced by a more convenient access in the near future (promise!)
The kitchen is now ready for painting and the units!
Here as promised is the more convenient access! This shows the new oak staircase with its half spiral, designed and built by local craftsmen Arfon and Carwyn Jones of Rhostryfan, and constructed out of American white oak. In the background we have the kitchen units being installed along with the extractor fan. Also in the shot is the stylish lighting strip for the kitchen.
Arfon and
Carwyn returned to install the worktops and breakfast bar with its solid oak
edging adding simple style to the kitchen area. Also note the individual
sink and drainer, keeping up the minimalistic style.
Looking into
the other corner of the kitchen you can see the fridge freezer in place with
the microwave over the top.
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The Gallery Bedroom
This shows the stairs running from front to back of the house with the inevitable problem of limited headroom at the top. As the stairs were so wood wormed that they resembled a Crunchie bar, we removed them and are replacing them with a locally made solid Oak custom built stairs. These will turn through 180 degrees before running towards the centre of the house. This will keep the original feel but give more headroom and a angle of climb that meets the current building regulations. As some of the planks on the bedroom floor had also met the attentions of woodworm friends the bedroom will be resurfaced in beautiful new oak.
These beautiful dormer windows posed a major problem for Bryn and his team due to the compound angles. Note also the way the edge of the plaster curves into the wall in the traditional style.
This shows some more of the bedroom ceiling details, with that beautiful arching contour
This shot is taken from the window in the gallery bedroom, looking towards the staircase and the bathroom door. The new oak floor is now in place (supplied by Floors Galore of Shrewsbury) and the oak skirting and architrave.
The bedroom is now nearing completion with the reading lights in place (and working!) and the chrome plugs and switches being fitted on their oak back plates. We couldn't resist putting the iron four poster in position along with one of the oak nightstands, just to see what it would look like!
The boss is keeping his beady eyes on someone taking their lunch break outside. He is a very strict timekeeper and this window seat is a firm favourite of his!
With the electrics done, the final shape of the bedroom is now clear for all to see. There is just one final addition to make and that is…….
………adding the wardrobes and dressing table – not an easy task because they had to be fitted into the slope of the ceiling.
Here is a slightly whimsical shot of the bedroom taken through the doorway via the bathroom mirror
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The Bathroom
A very slow painting job, but the bathroom beams are now stained, the ceiling painted white and the walls picked out in cream to co-ordinate with the tiles solid limestone panels. Note the snow on the hills opposite.
Assembling the taps onto the bath in the bedroom as the walls were at least dry here!
The new bathroom light and door handles show the clean and bright style that is being adopted for the bathroom. This style will be modern whilst complimenting the beauty of the old building.
The bath is now in place and the majority of tiling done around it. We found that the main tiles were fitted very quickly, but the cut ones - well, they were another story!
The toilet is now installed bar a few details such as the seat!
The Shower is now fitted, as is the extractor fan and the last of the Bathroom lights.
The towel rail is now installed along with the heater tubes. Two of the limestone panels have now been installed which, when complete, will conceal the heaters. The bathroom carpet and blind have also been fitted.
This shows the bath panel partly constructed from oak planking.
Out in the airing cupboard, the other side of the bathroom wall, the messy but necessary business of providing hot water is well underway.
The airing cupboard door has now been made and fitted above the stairwell. Behind its (locked) door is a loft ladder that hinges down onto the spiral stairs for maintainance on the tank.
