And…back to the Carriage House!
Early in the year I was working steadily on the inside of the Carriage House, with the hope (fantasy?) of finishing the interior by the end of the year.
But then, in April, I decided to take a hiatus to work on some long-delayed projects causing problem on the Cross House, and the infamous cat fence. And, what I thought would be a few weeks turned into eight months. Eight months! And there went my hope.
Yesterday, I resumed work on the Carriage House. It all felt strange and unfamiliar. But the heat works!
During the summer I did manage to remove three pieces of window trim, and restore the original shellac finish.
Newly refinished trim, right. Original shellac finish, left. Only these three windows have shellacked trim from 1894. All the other trim appears to date from the conversion and was always painted. Thank goodness.
I also found more original wallpaper from the circa-1921 conversion. It’s a pale lavender with silver stripes. Cool!
I have previously posted about the mess the windows sashes are. The lower sashes are either badly done replacements, or rotted out originals. The diamond-paned upper sashes are original, but are badly made and cut down from what was larger sashes originally.
As you can see here. The “diamonds” are correct on the right, and messed up on the left. Bo noticed this way back in 2015, I think. It’s a complete mystery why this work is so fucked-up.
This is one of the conversion sashes. The diamond pattern is correct. I want to copy this for the Turret Bathroom.
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I love the huge bathroom with lots of natural light. Why are you so far away?
The two windows do not match. One cut down windows have squares on point and the conversion window has diamonds. Plus the sizes of the glass are not the same. Looks like someone was reusing windows and modifying them to fit. I find it kinda interesting and part of the history of the house. But I am also a “symmetrical” person and it might drive me nuts.
I can picture the lavender with silver stripe wallpaper and it sounds lovely.
Love the new bathtub placement. You can sit and soak and look out the window. Plus plenty of room to enter and exit either side of the tub. It’s going to make cleaning under those claw feet so much easier.
Yes, you may have lost a year but still, look at all you accomplished. You need a pedometer to record your baby steps™.
2025 may be the year of the Carriage House, with a little of your Funky Fifties house thrown in for variety.
Those windows are bizarre. Seems like more work to take them apart and cut the mullions and rails and stiles to fit, than it would have been to make new ones, but who knows? Maybe they had more time than money. Got to give them credit for at least trying, I guess…
I don’t think that’s what they did. I think they took the bottom and side off, removed glass, cut the wood and glass, put the glass back in and reattached the side and bottom. They obviously reused windows that were larger than the opening.
To me it is the conversion window that looks wonky. Like it was turned 90 degrees. Usually when there are diamonds the long axis goes up and down, not side to side. And that lock is off center.
I agree with this. I showed my other friend, and we both agree the most likely (not guaranteed) explanation is that the windows were slightly too large or not square as ordered (or were originally rectangle, etc.) and were cut down to square. It’s practically the only reason that would happen. I can’t see that being a window manufacturer error that would fly.
That being said, the lock is off-center and the diamonds are wider in the other window because it’s a slightly different model, and when muntins run through the exact middle of the window, I’ve noticed it’s fairly common for them to be put slightly off to one side.
Just my thoughts and observations. Glad you’re back on the carriage house, glad the heat works, and it’s always fun to speculate about those fantastically weird windows!
I must have missed the post about the wonky windows, because this is the first time I’ve noted it. Weird.
Is “sales” a typo in this sentence? “The lower sales are either badly done replacements, or rotted out originals.” I’m not sure that “sills” is the right word, but something seems off here.
“sales” should be “sashes”.
Thanks again, Barb!
I have the exact same problem with the diamond windows in the 50 year old Tudor dollhouse I am restoring. Those incomplete diamonds drive me crazy and I try as hard as possible to him them. The correct one is beautiful!