The Ups of Down...stairs

As I write, the stairs and the downstairs floors are being transformed. Last week they were being sanded and the polishing began. Next week the final coats of polish will be applied, a few days of hardening, and it's 'shoes off as you enter' territory (except of course when safety regulations say otherwise, in which case protective covers required!!

The carpenters will be able to get back in to put the beading round the edge of the floors, they have a couple of door to put on and then we really are down to fine tuning.

So here's a few pics of the changes downstairs over the last little while...




The lounge/sitting room/drawing room with (current) views of the clocktower, and french doors out onto the verandah (that's another phase, yet to be commenced!) and a connecting door through to the dining room...




...with another light fitting from Early Settler Recollections, and the faceted glass throws interesting patterns onto the painted walls...














...and with our reclaimed mantlepiece and a (gas) coal fire in homage to the Coal River and a major Newcastle industry!

The study still has to have the skirting boards 'tacked on' rather than being permanently fixed in place because one day there will be a floor to ceiling book case, as there should be in all good study/libraries!!














There's a powder room downstairs (all mod cons)...

...and a large kitchen with island bench, and a breakfast bar that divides it from part of the family room.

The splashback makes use of the floor tiles that we didn't use on the floor as they perfectly match the marble benchtops!






This picture is taken from the family room, to the left in this picture is the meals area which will have a large marble top table, also to match!

The cooktop (induction) is covered to protect it as the rangehood was installed.




So it really is starting to feel habitable....at last!

We'll be back up there in a couple of weeks ready to put on the main door furniture, including the old brass handles that we picked up in UK (currently on the mantlepiece in the dining room in case you spotted them in that picture), organise for the two back rooms to be carpeted, and make plans for the next phase...kitting out, and the support and retiling of the front 'patio'

...and the Ups

Fortunately there are many ups to report, and we are at the so called pointy end!

We have even been inspected and passed the test for an interim certificate of occupancy! I stress the word interim. It doesn't mean the work is finished (by a long stretch) but it does mean it is safe and sufficient for people to stay there, which will be incredibly useful as we enter the final stages in the next few weeks.

The horrendous Newcastle storms (cyclonic and resulting in devastation across the city) certainly tested out the fabric of the building, and I'm pleased to report that it came through unscathed.

We lost the eastern side fence, with the posts being ripped out of the brickwork that was holding them in place. Fortunately one of the carpenters saw it and with blocks of wood and lots of rope (and the base of a Moreton Bay fig) managed to secure it so that it could do no damage to our building or the car park (or cars) on the other side of the fence!



Inside was making good progress though, despite almost two weeks of inactivity because of the fallen trees, lack of power and the floods!


I just checked where we were up to when I last posted a blog and it's good to look back and realise that we have indeed made progress.There's still lots of fine tuning bits to do (and a few major jobs), but it really feels like a house now. As soon as we get real access, we will be in there with the oil to treat all the cedar - architraves, window sills, skirtings etc.

The floorboards of the upstairs corridor and rooms have been polished and wow!  The photos don't really do them justice but here are a few photos from upstairs to show the rooms, the finish, the floorboards, lights...and even functioning bathrooms (almost)....

The rescued floorboards in our master suite have come up really well and we are so pleased we saved them - if only we had been able to save more!! 
The painting is finished, the lights work, the wardrobes are in (though not finished), almost ready to move in!!! 












..and our glorious travertine ensuite with massive shower.

















The arch bedroom has an arched fireplace to match , and also its washbasin - now with taps!

...and new but fantastic polished flooring..wide boards as it would have been back when...












The rear verandah has coach lamps and the floors are sanded ready for polishing...

...and the stairs to the  verandah have their original conformation, and repaired and sanded boards.

We actually managed to rescue all of the steps and risers, though there are new manufactured noses (Barker Stairs craftsmanship)



While at this stage the balustrades and banister were still in the workshop, once everyone had recovered from the Newcastle cyclone and the power was back in, the staircase made another big leap forward.....







...ready for the french polisher who will shellac the balustrading and banisters to protect all that beautiful cedar. The balustrades are copies of the originals that were in the house, based on the one fuzzy photo from a newspaper clipping! More Barker stairs craftsmanship on display!

ok, so that has got us to downstairs...next post for a few pics of that!! Maybe tomorrow.

The Downs...

Ok one of the downs is that I am down on my bended knees in apology for the long gap between posts. I've been back in Australia for a few weeks now after 9 weeks in Namibia and then 10 days in Botswana  - but my feet have only just started to touch the ground.

Another of the downs is the news that Newcastle City Council have approved the DA for the house next door at number 18 Bond Street! While there have been minor modifications to the original plans, there are none that in the slightest way improve the bulk, scale or setbacks of the building, so we lose just about all our natural light, our views and our privacy. Not to mention the fact that after all our hard work, and our diligence in recreating as close to original as possible, Coutts Sailors Home  will become the jam in the sandwich and mostly lost from view. If you walk round and stand in front of the building, then you can see the front facade, no more Grand Vistas!

(Perhaps the fact that we will no longer have views of the iconic Customs House clocktower from 14 different windows gives Alastair an excuse to invest in more long case clocks??)

It's not all over, after following up using GIPA (Freedom of Information) we have discovered some interesting things relating to the process at both the Heritage Council and the Newcastle City Council, so we have taken legal advice and are challenging now!

There's been a lot of downs in the bank balance (we always knew it would cost lots), and been a few downs with regard to what's been done  (and what's been not done) at the house while I have been away and not able to monitor so closely, but there has been some great progress and that leads us on to the next post ..The ups...