Ceiling, Walls and Windows

These photos fail to capture the excitement Jon and I felt as we made our usual Wednesday visit. We had already felt a buzz having visited Peter Silk Interiors in Helmsley on the way. We knew little about the shop except that we needed someone local to help us choose and also make curtains and that it looked intriguing (a single story cottage at the west end of the town) and a couple of people had said they were 'good, but pricey.' We decided we had nothing to lose by popping in and getting the feel for the place and whether they would approach our project with enthusiasm. They did and we staggered out an hour and half later, having realised we were yet again at the bottom of a steep learning curve. Never mind the huge range of fabrics, what about curtain poles? Width? Weight? Brackets? How many? How far from the wall. How big do you want the finials? If wrought iron, would you prefer them to look distressed? Rings, tabs or eyelets? And so on . . .

When we got to the chapel after a hasty and late lunch, we found that Robin (decorator) had just about completed painting the ceiling (Dorset Cream, a Farrow & Ball colour but a cheaper and Robin says better, brand. He has also stained the roof trusses, beams and purlins at the front of the building which he won't be able to reach once the scaffolding comes down which must before the underfloor heating and the oak floor go in. He'd also thoroughly cleaned and sealed the stone work on the top half of the inside front elevation. (Shown above with the round window with its new frame in place. Alan will fit the new stained glass next week - at last - and then the glass to cover that can be fixed in place.

The new windows have all been delivered and are stacked awaiting installation, which can't be done until all the external and internal scaffolding is down. They look and feel beautiful - real craftsmanship and attention to detail. And the sashes glide so smoothly. I can't wait to see them in place.

The plasterwork on the internal walls is almost all done now. Ian and his team expect to have finished the roof by the end of the week. Their next job is to complete the cleaning out and re-pointing of all the external stonework and fit the gutters and downpipes which arrived when we were there.

Bridie, whom we haven't seen for months, came to measure the levels which are currently all over the place. Meanwhile the ground which was until quite recently an ocean of mud is now baked hard. But at least the digger and earth shifter isn't in any danger of getting stuck. But none of that can happen until Brian returns from his three-week holiday in the sun.