[Paquadez]

Hi Basset.

Still in your lofty new position, at least you can keep 'em in check! Belated congrats, by the way.

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by Paquadez

Hi Basset.

Still in your lofty new position, at least you can keep 'em in check! Belated congrats, by the way.

Thank you my friend!

[Gibble]

Originally Posted by Paquadez

Yes, I do agree, Gib, but in this case, we are trying to restore sympathetically, rather than cover up with drywalling and stuff like that. 200 year old Elm and Oak beams deserve to be seen, for example.

Far too many people come into this part of France and ruin the style.

With the car, simply haven't had the spare time! She will be finished one day. As I said, I sold my other classics some years ago.

Paq

Nice paq, I agree, you have to keep the style of the place But, you get a little more leeway with personal touches than when you restore a car. Every house is unique, whereas cars all come off the assemply line the same way...so to truly restore it...it has to exact. A house doesn't

I presume you're modernizing plumbing and electrical and that kind of stuff throught all this? I want some pictures now...I'm interested, it soundsl ike a beatiful place.

[xico]

Originally Posted by Gabriel

All men are chest thumpers at some juncture in their life...that is one of the things that makes them men...they do need to be tempered by their tribe or herd though...head bangers, well they are harder nuts to crack (no pun, honest ).

LOL big time! honest!

[Paquadez]

Yup! Complete re-wire to the new standards. Re-Plumbing and oil fired central heating, redec throughout once the messy stuff is done. Converting the loft into bedrooms and a large open plan library type area. Pic shows some friends around the fire over New Year three years ago. Agree about individuality with houses, however there are certain traditional French farmhouse styles which we are determined to keep. Adds ambience and it is very much an agrinomic area rich in farming heritage, which we want to keep in tune with.

Paq

[iltos]

Originally Posted by Paquadez

Yup! Complete re-wire to the new standards. Re-Plumbing and oil fired central heating, redec throughout once the messy stuff is done. Converting the loft into bedrooms and a large open plan library type area. Pic shows some friends around the fire over New Year three years ago. Agree about individuality with houses, however there are certain traditional French farmhouse styles which we are determined to keep. Adds ambience and it is very much an agrinomic area rich in farming heritage, which we want to keep in tune with.

Paq

hey paq ....i was wondering where you gotten off too....

nice work there....looks really inviting

[bassetman]

Beautiful!

[Gibble]

Originally Posted by Paquadez

Yup! Complete re-wire to the new standards. Re-Plumbing and oil fired central heating, redec throughout once the messy stuff is done. Converting the loft into bedrooms and a large open plan library type area. Pic shows some friends around the fire over New Year three years ago. Agree about individuality with houses, however there are certain traditional French farmhouse styles which we are determined to keep. Adds ambience and it is very much an agrinomic area rich in farming heritage, which we want to keep in tune with.

Paq

That looks great

...except that wallpaper...totally not my style!

[Paquadez]

Thanks Guys.

Not ours either, Gib! Not nice with a hangover.

The French do seem to like gloomy, dull colours: it's all heavy vinyl stuff, too. A pig to remove. We've stripped two bedrooms and the back hallway. hard work even with a professional steamer. Good way to lose weight.

In France they have this wonderful stuff called Crepi, which is a light textured finish. Can be brushed or rolled on, covers a multitude of sins. When finished, in Rustic style, it looks like old country plaster, which is precisely the effect we want; you know, lightly undulating. It is critical to use the right stuff: the houses are built to breathe, naturally. They rarely have damp proof courses and the walls are made from a sort of honeycomb terracota block called Briques. use the wrong paint (or vinyl paper!) and the wall can't breathe: and sweats. Yuk.

This is another pic: we bought the place with all the furniture, which included many antiques, which we also collect here, too.

Paq.

[iltos]

Originally Posted by Paquadez

This is another pic: we bought the place with all the furniture, which included many antiques, which we also collect here, too.

Paq.

so....how tall is that door? looks like six feet.....

old farmhouse?

[Paquadez]

Yes iltos, very old, originally. 200 years. The elderly French guy we bought it from completely rebuilt it 38 years ago. originally built from what the French call Torshe, which is Wattle and Daub, plus cow's c***, straw and anything going, really!
There are still many old houses in use which were built this way. An English friend of mine is restoring one, about 15 miles away from us. Lots of work. The door is in fact quite low: about 5.1/2 feet. Most peeps have to duck!

This pic is of the foyer or entrance hall. That paper is a bit more easy on the eye!

Paq

[Gibble]

looks great paq...I'd almost have to crawl through that door!

Oh, and I love the antique washing machine

But seriously, that table is awesome!!!

[Paquadez]

Actually, the washing machine was almost brand new: extended warranty as well!

It was a very sad situation. The elderly Gent's wife has died (I believe cancer) and he was devastated. Literally walked out and left virtually everything. To host our cold buffet party on that New Year, we had to buy.....................nothing. We inherited crockery by the zillion; cutlery; cookware; you name it, we had it!

In fact, it took days to sort out the house and decide what to keep. It took my wife and I and our son a day to sort through the loft, which is 88 feet long!

It then took a French builder and his two guys and my son and I, 2 days to carry the stuff we didn't want at all down the stairs and onto to the builder's truck. Wife son and I then did a Brocante,, which is a Boot Sale, the next day and sold loads of stuff too good to throw away, but that we didn't want. Took me days to sort out the workshop and garage. I now have enough nails, screws, bolts, washers plumbing fixings, electrical stuff, including cable to last for ever!

You'll like this bit of furniture I think, Gib!

Paq

[Gibble]

Not a fan of the hutch on that cabinet, but I like the rest And the desk?table?thing? under the window is nice too.

That's sad, the poor guy.

ps I was being sarcastic when I called the washing machine an antique

[Paquadez]

Not at all, Gib. In a structural sense, the machine is an antique!

No microprocessors, no LCD screens, but it works really well and hey! less to go wrong.

Another bit of furniture here:

Paq