Living Room Woodwork

After staining the skirting board and picture rails in the colour of the 1930's/40's, I've had a messy time sticking it to the walls with wood glue. All but one piece of picture rail is in place, because unfortunately as I started cutting it to the correct length (with my lovely 60p saw off the market), the wood split, so I've just stained some new pieces, but expect I'll eventually have to buy more to finish the whole house.

The 'real' fire is also wired in now, which looks amazing with a flickering bulb in! There are also two tiny holes for the candles on the mantlepiece. I've got light for the ceiling, not quite as period as I wanted, but the best I can find. Can't wait to start papering.

Latest Painting

The front gable has been painted black and white. Although the top was red when I got the house, I think it was originally black, and it certainly looks a lot better black.

Last room stripped

I've stripped off the paper in the room over the garage, again trying to conserve as much of the original 'amoeba' wallpaper as possible.

Original Flowers Uncovered!

It's taken ages, but after careful scraping with a scalpel, I've managed to uncover the original design under the downstairs windows. i'm really pleased with it, and although it's obviously more 'distressed' than the rest of the house will be, I'll keep it with carefully placed plants over the worst bits. Worth every scrape (and the cough) !

I need to make another of the black pieces on the other side of the windows, sure they have a posh name, but don't know it! I'm going to put the plastic windows in next though, with blu tak so they'll come out easily and without damage if I ever get real ones.

Front of House - Problems with Windows!

This is the front opening panel with the plastic & wood windows removed. I am looking for the originals on the internet, but have discovered that not only are ordinary originals extremely difficult to find, but that the size of the opening here is a little odd, and larger than other Triang houses. Having looked at another house with it's windows removed, there appeared to be a rounded area in the corners (diffcult to explain!) where the metal frames had been. I wonder if it's possible that during the 'makeover' and installation of the new windows, that the wood itself has been sanded/cut to a slightly larger shape? Just a theory at the moment, and as an emergency measure I have bought some replacement plastic replicas, which are slightly too short. The gap will be filled with painted bolsa wood as a sort of frame.

I have also realised that underneath the white paint on the bottom, there should be a pretty flowered design, and started carefully scraping away at it with a scalpel - going to take ages!

Bedroom - Original Paper

This area of the bedroom looks good in the picture, but sadly the rest of the room doesn't have a consistant area of wallpaper. Again I've varnished over the original to preserve it, but have had absolutely NO luck in trying to source a 1930's/40's scale wallpaper suitable for the room.



I'm not sure if the blue paint on the door is original or not (it's the same as the shelf in the porch), and hope someone may be able to advise me here!



The fireplace has gone completely and there is a missing area of parquet flooring around it too! Hope to find a replacement, maybe a daring Deco one!

Living Room - What's Left of Original Paper

After much careful scraping, I've found the original paper, but sadly it's not in a good enough condition to leave, unless I covered the whole room with furniture & pictures!

To preserve the design I've varnished over it, and am on the look out for a 1930's/40's wallpaper. I'll also put up a picture rail.

The fireplace is in excellent original condition, and I've ordered some light up candles to put on the mantle piece!

I'll have to drill some very small holes for the wires, but this hopefully won't be very noticeable when it's finished. I am having a great deal of trouble trying to find a period ceiling light though!

Survey of Job - Rest of House

The windows are probably going to be my main problem, as they have all been replaced, probably during the 1960's makeover. I have removed the frames, and the gap is 3 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches, which doesn't match anything I've seen on other websites (inlcuding ebay) for Triang houses. For now I've bought some plastic replicas, which are slightly short, but I'll fit thin bolsa wood on the edges whilst I look for orginals. There are marks on the indside where the metal tabs once were.

The garage seems very well preserved, apart from a large oily stain in the far corner. That will stay as is, and I'll look forward to one day hunting for a period car to occupy it!

The side porch has evidence of a brick flooring, but half of this has been removed, as I discovered after removing the thick paper covering the floor. The shelf/seat is still intact, although I'd love to know if it was originally blue as now. The front door looks original, but the knocker attatchment has gone.

The living room has been re papered but still retains the fireplace! The flooring in all the rooms is rather scuffed, but still the original parquet paper. (except for an the bay window area upstairs)

Survey of Job - Roof

The roof is very puzzling, as it seems to have been over painted in red emulsion which comes off easily, everywhere! There is evidence of a layer of black paint underneath, but the red seems pretty original. I foolishly tried painting it again (on the back out of view) in an identical red humbrol enamel - NOT a good result! I've now gently sanded the whole roof and am leaving it alone until I find out how to treat it properly!

Survey of Job - Upstairs Bedroom

The upstairs right hand room has been partitioned to create a bathroom. The wall paper is c.1960's, but there are tantalising hints at the original paper in the peeling corners. I've removed the wall and scraped away at the paper trying not to destroy the original underneath.