Making Mr. Squires Happy
A few days ago.
The newly painted column capitals have been bothering me. While I like them better in color #5, the light color does not offer enough shadow, so the wonderful details are lost. Also, and quite unnervingly, the capitals now appear to made of plastic. Oh, the horror.
The column capitals are one of my favorite details about the Cross House, created expressly for the house by architect Charles Squires. When I first saw the house in 1999, many of the columns and many more of the capitals were missing. With each passing year I feared that more would be lost. Would I pass by one day to find them all gone? The thought was too terrible to even think about.
So, when I purchase the house in early 2014, a priority was to restore/recreate all twelve west-facing columns. Finishing this task filled me with joy.
But…the new color slightly diminished my beloved capitals. And this could not be countenanced.
Yesterday though I had an idea…
See the pair to the left? I “antiqued” them. I painted over them in green, then immediately rubbed off most of the green. I am amazed by the improvement.
It’s not obvious in the image, but in person one can now see the beautiful hand-carved details on the capitals.
The camera picked up more green than is visible in actually, but you get the idea.
The change is subtle yet makes a big difference.
I am thrilled.
And so, I suspect, is Mr. Squires.
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Could that also be a solution for your quandary over the color of the “eye”?
Clever solution. Can’t wait to see it in person the next time I’m in Emporia.
Can’t wait to show you!
I’ll be back in the next week. Will send you an email when I’m in town!
I like it! It gives the woodwork depth, yet looks softer, more subtle.
PS I like the pinstripe (aka garden hose) too.
Ross, I am just a pup in the architectural detail world could you post a link or sketch the parts of a column?
Or anyone????
Try this link.
Thank you, Celeste!
I agree with Celeste. Softer, more subtle. And I agree with Ross’ title: Making Mr. Squires happy. It made me smile, even before I saw the post!
Excellent! And the garden hose “pin stripe” is pure genius!
The capitals now have an old world elegance. You have brought them to life with that distressed patina!
Brilliant! The capitals remind me of Weller pots now – well done!
You always amaze me with your ability to take what already looks great and make it even more beautiful. It’s also amazing how subtle changes can make such a huge difference.
Me too!
The subtleties are sublime regarding the porch column capitals!!!!!
On September first of this year, I said “You might do something like a sponged wash on those gables to accent the details without actually making them solid green”. This new detail is exactly the type of thing that I was referring to and I love it. You have done it better than I imagined.
Distressed patina & antiquing seem to have achieved the method you described. Brilliant Stewart! Good eye!
Whow, didn’t know and recognize before that the column capitals have so many details!
The column details & all wonderful details are amazing!
PS: I did wonder about the slanted front steps? Settling & tree roots’ combo? How is that remedied? Does that mean that side of the house is sagging? Is that the same side that has the huge steel beam? Just wondered. While looking at the full front admiring the columns the stone steps caught my eye—or are the steps granite?
Probably just settling. Those babies probably a couple of tons 🙂 Making them level again would likely be super expensive; I’m guessing that they would have to excavate under them, use hydraulics to slowly raise them, then pour new footings beneath them. I think a cheaper way of fooling the eye would be to install a new box end (the horizontal board between the top step and the wood porch floor) and cut the board so that the bottom edge drops as it moves to the north, eliminating the gap. It might not fool folks with OCD, but I’d be happy with it…
Mike that sounds like an ingenious idea! I like the fooling the eye idea! But you are probably right— just settling.
Can you take some close up shots?
Just click on the picture once for a close up. Click again for an even closer close up.
So much prettier!
You are inching closer and closer to the antiqued gold I want. Now if you’ll just add shimmer… Must keep reading…