Nearly there?

There were times when 'complete' seemed a very long way off., and even now it is only Phase 1 - the inside- that is nearly complete (with penultimate bits happening inside as we speak).
We will be up there in a week or so to check it all out!

If you have been following the progress of this renovation, you will be aware that the front verandah has old tiles, some of which are tessellated.







We always knew that there were lots of missing ones, and lots of broken ones, and that there were cracks right across the surface...

...but we hoped to be able to rescue and reuse some of them, and replace the verandah ones with something along similar lines eventually.







You may remember that we did rescue some of the tessellated tiles to be the hearth of the fireplace in the dining room...

...and we have managed to rescue enough to also make the doorstep for the backdoor.

This should also stop the sand from Newcastle beach from blowing under the door!!







The tiles still need a clean up, but they are there in place and there's an enormous number of broken ones left behind,

Removing the current verandah surface with all its cracks will be the start of Phase 2 - getting the outside looking rather better. The whole surface of the verandah needs to be completely removed and replaced with a reinforced surface, treated to ensure the cracks don't come back. Then it will be retiled. That's the research that is going on now!

We're also (at last) talking about furniture for the place - some modern but much quite old (period stuff), and all not too ornate because that's the nature of the building. Auctions here we come (soon).

One prize piece has been acquired - a magnificent Gillows sideboard which will grace the dining room. At the moment it is in the hall and shrouded in covers! All will be revealed.