Thornewood Antics

[Manalto]

This weekend was spent trying to get the kitchen wall color right. This is the second color I tried; covering the first completely will take three coats for some reason.



The window to the left has been restored; the one on the right is next.

[Gothichome]

James, the colour goes well with the floor tiles.

[Manalto]

We've finally had a reprieve from the relentless Gulf Coast summer. Temperatures and humidity have come down, the sky is clear blue and there's a pleasant breeze. One nice thing about this part of the world is that when the weather turns it stays shirt-sleeve comfortable well into December.



My latest project is getting the kitchen windows restored and installed. The full-sized ones are done and there is a small one in the pantry over the sink for which I had a stained glass artist make me a few panels.



There's a window of the same size in the dining room just to the left of the fireplace that is on the same wall just a few feet from the pantry window. She used more colorful and opaque glass for this one since it doesn't need to illuminate a work area.



Here's a view of how the windows are positioned on the outside of the house:

[Gothichome]

They look great James. Nice design, although different glazing the pattern does unify the exterior elevation.
Oh, by the way, you must have the nicest yard on the block, it looks so grand and classy. The live in land scape designer did a great job.

[Manalto]

Thank you, Ron. In that bed to the left with the palm and boxwoods, I had a mass planting of zinnias most of the summer. They do well here but were starting to get raggedy (no, they were beyond raggedy) so I pulled them out. I took the photo because it looks so much tidier now. Plenty to be done out in the yard now that summer is waning. It's too hot and humid to work outside in the sun during the summer, so early morning is the only option. Landscapers (and roofers!) who do it for a living are an intrepid bunch.

[Manalto]

Years ago, someone advised me, "It's easier to work in an empty house." Boy, is that good advice hitting home! Since I brought my belongings (those that I figured may be of use) down from Connecticut, renovations here have been made awkward and, as a result, slowed way down.

I still don't have a completed kitchen because of the storage pantry, so I've chosen, once and for all, to focus on that.



Here's a view from below, looking up at the ceiling. (When I am done, I'll post a conventional view.) The walls were peeling badly, the combination of lead paint and food-related items a decidedly bad idea, so I covered the walls in standard white subway tile, which, I believe, is period-correct, albeit somewhat extravagant for a simple house such as this. (The tile looks like 4x4 in this distorted wide-angle view, but it is indeed regular 3x6 subway.) Here you can see a strip of cove molding (unpainted) where the shelves meet their supports at the wall. I thought it looked neater to cover that joint and may even strengthen the shelves a bit, since I used Liquid Nail in addition to conventional finishing nails to install it. All that's left to do is molding where the tile meets the ceiling, shoe molding on the baseboards, and paint. Stocking this pantry (labeled "Stores" on the architect's drawing) will be a big step forward in organization and reclaiming space.

I've put in a small ornamental garden at the end of the driveway, but the walkway was quite dark at night, so a lamppost was called for. I looked for a post to harmonize, but there was always something wrong: too short, flimsy, overpriced, etc. My solution was to use 2.5" PVC conduit (3" OD), wrap it in ribbed upholstery fabric, and seal it with epoxy.



With a coat of paint, it does a fair imitation of a fluted cast-iron pole, minus the rusting concerns. The fixture isn't vintage either, but I hope its styling blends with its surroundings.



With only a 25 watt equivalent LED bulb, it throws a mellow light sufficient to illuminate the walk to the driveway.

As I mentioned, I've been dragging my feet getting work done. THD has always helped to keep me motivated, so I'm hoping that my participation and seeing the good work of others will have that effect!

[Manalto]

The storage pantry is done. Tiled and painted, a long wait in this humid heat for the paint to cure so shelves can be stocked. Here it is in its pristine state:

[Gothichome]

James, sorry for the tardy reply, the pantry looks spectacular. You’ll need to find some vintage containers to complete the look.

[Gothichome]

James, sorry for the tardy reply, the pantry looks spectacular. You’ll need to find some vintage containers to complete the look.

[Manalto]

Ask, and you shall receive:



A few antique items at the rear, with canned goods and other non-refrigerated foods at the right and dishes at the left. Top shelf is for infrequently-used items,like waffle iron and fondue set. I'm slowly getting organized in a kitchen that's comprised of three distinct spaces: kitchen, storage pantry, and serving pantry. It reminds me of my first question here six years ago about the peculiar configuration of the sink, fridge, and stove. As using the space becomes habitual, its odd layout seems less so, but as I mentioned, s l o w l y.

The heat wave that hit the southern US has lingered without relief. Temperatures are at or around 100 every day, staying in the 80s most nights. My final step for the storage pantry is refinishing the door, but the hot weather has made working outdoors (I've taken it off its hinges, which Corsetiere will certainly appreciate!) an ordeal. The door was originally painted a gunmetal gray, but I've chosen to go to natural wood, despite it being a lower grade, with knots and other imperfections. Any paint remaining in nicks and knots will be blended in with stained wood filler. I'm hoping the amber shellac will mellow the whole thing out. Here it is in process: