Now & Then

 

 

 

happy new year!

A Merry Christmas!

It is nice to blog share some Christmas decorations, as we finish work here.

A Sitting Stone Wall

 

Our sitting stone wall is finished at 21" high and 1 1/2' wide for a comfortable seat. It is dry stacked with flat sided stones all found on the property. A stone saw, some interior cement, five trips to the stream bed for big rocks and skilled workers finished this wall in two days. Thank you Manny (609 638 3773) and your men for such beautiful and amazing work! A front step and stepping stones were added after clearing piles of old wall parts and scattered stones, the following weekend.

 

A Dry Stack Stone Step

A massive, long and narrow stone was found in the rock garden and is now in front of the house entry with a flat stepping stone.

Starting A Stone Wall

We are having a dry stack stone wall built between the rock garden and the back lawn where a large table is setup for summer entertaining occasionally. The stones came from under the dining room where we excavated to create a half basement and some were left here for this purpose I believe. The wall has been started in line with the back deck steps and will be 30' long X 22" high (sitting height). Five men got this far the first day by local stone workers. In front you can see the Road Mix (crushed stone) used as a tamped down level foundation after digging. Very large stones were used next. Below is the end of the day.

More Than A Mudroom

This mudroom adjoins the dining room and outdoor pergola, while facing North toward the meadows and barns. It has a lovely old fieldstone floor which accepts a wheelbarrow of wood or company relaxing after a meal like Thanksgiving!

The exterior mudroom walls were gutted of damaged sheetrock and insulation was replaced with Roxul 15 (superior, nonflammable stone wool insulation) and exterior grade sheetrock. The entire room was electrically sanded, primed, and sanded by hand with 120 grit. Some new baseboards and recessed lights were installed.

Most of the room is exterior siding and matches that paint. The old beadboard ceiling is "Fine Paints of Europe Hollandac Brilliant" marine gloss in "White Dove". The Sycamore bench was handmade in Hopewell and the ceramic table is a beauty of Bill's. It could be heated electrically with a 7' Runtal floor radiator and the black window muntins allow a simple view of the dining room chandelier. The dutch door opens with a view of the large painting in there.

Barn Spotlights!

Christian has run recessed can spotlights above all four doorways in the old barn. They highlight the beauty in these antique barn doors, light the space so nicely and are a big help while working on cars. The new mailbox numbers and Anders also help highlight the place.

Happy Thanksgiving greeter...

A Guestroom

 

Holidays are hectic, while traveling safely and having a quiet place to visit with family, work or shop on-line seems most important this Thanksgiving. We have made Leif's room at the farm ready for Alex and Nina's visit which follows the new "Quiet Design" obsession.

 

The parts are a Pottery Barn Linen Duvet set, ROROS wool blanket from Norway, vintage Art Deco red leather chair from England, a DWR leather desk chair, and Leif's self portrait. The two original old closets are cedar lined with shelving to store clothing instead of a dresser. The windows view nearly 7 manicured acres. Peaceful; Simple. Leif's self portrait below.

Shutting Down Summer Spaces

This old farmhouse remains very affordable to live in, with so many summer spaces attached to the main structure. Soon doors to the sun room, mudroom and greenhouse will all be closed to heat the main core which is helped with a central wood stove. (The large fan vents above the second story side window, open automatically to cool the house down in summer, which aides the new central AC system.)

Old Farm will soon close off the upstairs bedrooms for winter by closing the front foyer doors. Minimal heat is kept in the downstairs 500 sq. ft. to protect plumbing and water to the outdoor shower is turned off. The North side of the house has fewer windows and large Limelight Hydrangeas buffer a bigger one. Leif has stacked a cord of oak wood here for winter.

 

We are now collecting wood for both houses in Hopewell, which is ready to burn.

Glazing Old Windows

 

We recently learned about a superior window glazing product especially made for old windows and cold weather. "Sarco Dual Glaze Putty" (bought on ebay) is much softer to form, takes a couple of weeks to firm, and does not harden so stiff to crack in cold weather over time. Bill has used it to repair the old barn garage windows here after repairing muntins and replacing panes with old wavy glass from an extra window. Professional window restorers endorse this product. 

White Paint In Charlestown

Alexander has just had their place on Bunker Hill in Charlestown painted, Benjamin Moore's "Simply White" with "Chantilly Lace" trim and a blue door with "Fine Paints of Europe Hollandac Brilliant" (marine gloss). It was a good painting day with a week of nice drying weather ahead. Still a bold move in a colorful area, to be so blue amidst crisp white - with modern polished chrome door hardware to come. This home is walking distance to the harbor. Bravo.

 

Inspiration image from "themeredithproject" instagram.