Let there be light

Working out the order of things for the 3rd floor, and it came together. I cut the beams and figured out their placement. One in the center of the room so I would need to have my chandelier hang from that beam. Oh yeah, gotta be centered.

So I glued on the beam and drilled away, and wired the chandelier. Got it all working, and moved on to the right wing room - and got that hanging light working too. I also added tapewire around the baseboard for all 3 rooms - presuming I want to add lamps and outlets. I think I'll need to, these lights just don't produce enough light.

Doors stained and installed

Finally finished the door staining and have installed most of them. I ended up going over them with the stain pen, to get that same darker cherry as the windows.

 MBR - looks very rich with the wall color.

Bath - got to finish the chair rail now in same stain.

 Gentlemen's study

Conservatory off MBR

I also stained and put together the ceiling for the 3rd floor sitting area. The ceiling piece has now been installed, and will need to cut and attach the beams, as well as hang the light fixture.  Beams on each end and then a few across.

I antiqued this fixture - was black.

Current work

Still working on staining interior doors and the beadboard I'm using for the 3rd floor center room. I pulled out my square wood stock, and have enough for 6 - 2 at ends and the rest in between. Or I could do less. I need to start staining them as well. Switched from Minwax gel cherry to General Finish Warm Cherry, after 2 coats of the other. I wasn't getting enough of the cherry color that the stain pen I'm using on the windows was providing. I think maybe one more coat of it and that will do it. Here's the color.

Since no wallpaper is tall enough, I will most likely "plaster" the walls and then paint them with a wash. Something plain like the living room - a slight yellow/dirty wash should work fine. So I should run some tapewire just above the baseboard in the 3rd floor first, then apply drywall mud.

I purchased Bespaq furniture for the center 3rd floor room - a pool table, a small bar counter, and some pub chairs.

And the Italian tile artisan didn't have enough of my 'stars' with her at the Bishop show so I'm waiting on her to mail them. Hope it doesn't take too long - I want to finish the floor and grout.

Staining

I spent time today staining the interior doors cherry, the first coat. I'm pleased with the results, and know that staining takes time. I did the pre-conditioning and then the first coat of cherry stain. So far so good.

I also fiddled with the chandelier for the 3rd floor - its black. I experimented with a gold rub-n-buff and love the finished effect. Its kinda bronze antique. I think it is just the thing for this room. I've been obsessing (yep...obsessing) about the lighting for this room. I would like to put a billiard light in but the angled ceiling  prevents that...all the light fixtures along that line have solid poles, not accommodating for an angled installation.

Here's the chandelier's finish now. It was black before.

3rd floor

I'm contemplating the attic, the middle room. I think I'll do the bead board on the angled ceiling, much like I did with the kitchen ceiling, and adding vertical beams.

Here's the beadboard in the kitchen:

Here's the 3rd floor room..

Here's Whitledge Burgess and how they did it....what I'm modelling after.

Third Floor Ideas

I've been contemplating what each of the 3 rooms will be. One of the sides will be an art/craft studio. My drafting table and a table with modeling in the works will go here.

The center main area will be an entertainment room of some sort - probably a pool table, maybe a bar.

The other side - maybe a bedroom.

I like what Lynlott did with this Thornhill. The ceiling is wood and beams.

Or....do the wood horizontally and then beams vertically.

Remaining things to finish for Thornhill

I need to keep a list of what is remaining to be done - for my own reference.

First Floor

• Finish Dining room floor (waiting on star tiles)
• install DR baseboards, door to hallway 
• Finish installing kitchen cabinets, 
• Add  kitchen counters, faux window
• Kitchen baseboards, doorway to dining room

Second Floor

• All baseboards and doors - stained cherry. Crown molding - if any - paint or stain:
• 4 single doors, 1 double door, 1 french door Done 4/28/14
• Will gentlemen's room need bookcases attached to wall?
• Will I do square beams as crown in MBR?
• Attach chair rail in bath
• 3 Master bedroom windows - stain interior, paint exterior
• 1 Master bath window -  stain interior, paint exterior

Third Floor

• Install lights first so shingling can continue
• Add beadboard ceiling in center room Done 4/28/14
• Decide on ceiling fixture for center room  Done and antiqued 4/28/14
• Add beams to beadboard ceiling 
• Add tapewire to wall near floor? For outlets? How about a sconce?
• Paint and/or paper walls
• Floors
• 2 single stained doors Stained 4/28/14
• Install 2 doors
• Finish painting inside roof of peak/gable

Exterior

• Shingles
• Quoins
• Dormer dentil 
• Possibly dentil crown just under roof?
• Install chimney

Dining Room Floor Redo

I haven't been happy with the old dining room floor - an attempt at a paperclay floor. A few years ago I redid the kitchen floor with real adobe tiles. It was quite a job - hacking away. Such an unpleasant job that I've put off doing it to the dining room. Until now.

I had planned on doing the same floor and had purchased enough tiles from the Italian tile artist. I pulled all that back out and decided that not only would I do this, but I'd add a 'star' of 4 tiles near each of the corners - jazz it up a little. I only have one of those stars, but as it just so happens, the Chicago Miniatures show is this weekend and she will be there. I'll grab the remaining 3 sets this weekend.

Here's my planning of the stars:

And tonight I attached the template and began gluing the tiles. 

Finished, and placed the star temporarily to get a sense. I have a few half tiles to place at the very back. Will get to those when I affix the stars this weekend. I'm very happy with it!