There Is No Such Thing As a Simple Window

Thank goodness that those Tuscan farmhouses had very few windows - and small ones at that. When this farmhouse was being renovated and was metamorphosing into a small villa, the new owners realized that it would be inordinately expensive to enlarge or change the windows in any way because of the necessity of cutting through the thick stone walls. Nevertheless, it did seem as though the main living space of the villa should have slightly more stately windows than the ones original to the farmhouse. So it was decided to change just the tops of the two windows by cutting into the stone and adding a small arch.

That's my background story, and I'm sticking to it!

My first step was to decide what style of window to use. I had a variety of windows on hand from which to choose. I decided to use the simplest style, since this is a simple villa.

    

I cut down the ready-made window frames to fit the windows. I had to cut apart a double-paneled window to make each single panel, which seemed wasteful but necessary.  

Next came the hard part of cutting through the stone-like drywall compound to make the arches. How much easier it would have been if I'd made this decision before the wall was stuccoed! I had to do some patching with bits of styrofoam to get a better fit.

The arched windows have been re-stuccoed with the drywall compound.

I finished a light sanding on the windows. I didn't spend much time on the sanding, because it would surely have to be repeated time and again before these windows were a good fit. 

I was right - additional patching with styrofoam strips was necessary. That 1 1/2 inch thickness can sometimes be difficult to work with.

A little more stucco has to be applied to the patched areas.

While the stucco dries, I have time to cut window panes to fit in the frames. The last time that I made windows, I used plexiglass for the panes but was not happy with the results. This time, I purchased some lighter-weight material, although I wasn't sure that it would be heavy enough. Then one of those serendipitous moments happened: I was opening up a plastic-encased item when I suddenly realized that the plastic was perfect for the window panes! So I used that instead of the purchased plastic.

I'd better not get ahead of myself; the window frames should be painted before I install the panes. But I haven't quite decided yet what color I want the frames! Maybe this color?

Now that the window openings are almost the right size, I can admit that the arched top of the window is not wide enough to fit the span of the panels. The panels must be sanded down to fit the bottom width of the arch. And sanded and sanded and sanded. It might have been easier to cut off a portion of the edge, but my saws aren't very sharp. I was doubtful that I could cut off such a thin strip.

I seem to always use makeshift tools. I could get new ones, except that I never know the sort of tool that I'll need until the time is at hand. So I make do with makeshift.

Now the arches are in alignment with the window panels. This is a photo of the exterior side of the windows. I have installed some of the plastic window panes to see how they fit.

 I changed my mind about the color of the interior windows. This peach-apricot color will be the base coat for the interior walls of the villa. The window frames had to be painted before I permanently installed the panes. I also needed to make and install the pulls for the four window panels after painting but before installing the frames in the window openings. 

I got out my box of assorted tiny bits and pieces to see if I had the makings of window pulls.

I found four hooks and four brass beads and four flower things with long stems that I thought should all work together to make the pulls.

I glued the beads inside the top of the flowers.

Then I snipped most of the long stem off the flowers, leaving just enough to push into the wood of the window frame. The short-stemmed flowers were inserted and glued into the top loops of the hooks.

I painted the pulls with a black/brown paint color combination.

I pushed the glue-covered short stems of the flowers into the wood frame, installed the plastic window panes, and was ready to put the window frames into the window openings. 

And I was not a bit surprised to find that the windows were still not a good fit. So I added another bit of styrofoam to the interior sides of the windows.

And more styrofoam strips to the exterior sides.

Another stucco repair job to both interior and exterior windows.

Followed by more sanding on the interior...

...and on the exterior. That was followed by a much-needed window washing.

I painted the interior arched window openings with the peach-apricot base coat.

And the villa living room has its slightly stately new windows!

And so this blogpost comes to an end, as does January. The end of January is always a big thrill for me! So tonight I celebrate its close. I would say that means that the worst of winter is over; but although our last snow is almost entirely gone, in a day or two, we've been warned, a blizzard will blow in another foot of the stuff. The arrival of February in no way means the arrival of spring, but it does bring us one step closer. Thank you for stopping by. Have a Happy February!

Goodbye, January! Goodbye Snow! (For a short time.)

Tuscan Villa-Fattoria: Keeping the Home Fires Burning

It could be that I've put the cart before the horse. I spent many hours in December building a fireplace for the living room of my villa-fattoria.The fireplace is all finished now, and I could build a roaring fire for warmth or a low, slow fire for ambiance. But there's a problem with that plan. There is no living room! There's only an unattached, unfinished wall where the fireplace will eventually stand between two currently unfinished windows. So the cart is way ahead of the horse, but it's time to tell the story of the fireplace anyway.

This is the living room wall where the fireplace will be installed. 

Cutting the styrofoam pieces for the fireplace.

The fireplace components are loosely held together with toothpicks so that I can see how (whether) they all fit together.

I experimented with various types of "embellishments" for the ornamentation on the fireplace.

The styrofoam pieces are glued together using toothpicks and Elmer's glue. This photo shows the back of the fireplace. That little snipper tool is perfect for cutting off the excess bits of the toothpicks.

I have applied the first layer of joint compound to the main fireplace pieces. The pilasters will be attached separately.

I attached the pilasters by pressing them into the joint compound rather than using glue.

Another view of the fireplace.

And yet another view; I've put on a really thick first layer of joint compound!

I cut the back part of the firebox into the styrofoam wall of the living room.

I lightly sanded

 the first layer of joint compound on the fireplace...

...and applied a second layer.

I wanted a grape motif as ornamentation on the fireplace, but after searching in vain for clusters of grapes that would work, I made my own from Sculpey.

Some experimentation was necessary to find the best placement of the decorative pieces. The  black scrolled shapes are from an "embellishment" package that I bought at Hobby Lobby. Should I place the side grape clusters here?

Or are they better here?

The final sanding is finished.

The embellishment pieces have been glued onto the front of the fireplace.

I painted over the ornamentation with a primer coat. I also applied paint to the cotton cording that I wanted to use for simulated carved stone, to make sure that the paint wouldn't obscure the twist pattern of the cording.

An upright view of the fireplace with the primed ornamentation pieces.

I have drawn the fire bricks on the firebox, using the tip of a small tool to make grooves in slightly set joint compound. The bricks don't show well in this photograph.

I glued a line of cording across the top of the mantel and applied a coat of paint to the firebox.

Cutting the styrofoam piece for the overmantel.

I've applied joint compound to the overmantel.

Sanding the overmantel. That's a lot of joint compound dust for such a small piece!

I attached the overmantel to the fireplace mantel with toothpicks and glue.

I glued a line of the cotton cording around the top and the base of the overmantel.

Another view of the fireplace with all the components in place.

I painted  a second, lighter shade of gray onto the entire fireplace. You may think that I'm being very thorough, but I'm actually being very indecisive! I don't know how dark or light I want the fireplace "stone" to be.

 Another shade of gray; just a little lighter.

I applied another experimental color. This is an antique white that I "pounced" on with a stiff brush.

After making my final decision, I pounced on a palest gray finish, then I brushed on a slightly darker wash, keeping the brush bristles as dry as I could. 

 I painted the firebox with various colors: a medium gray, followed by a brick-colored wash, then a gray wash. Finally, to achieve the look of an aged, fire-darkened brick, I added soot and ashes that I rubbed on with my fingertips.

This will be the final resting place for the completed stone fireplace. It's all ready now for that comforting fire of hearth and home. If it only had a home!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back to see whatever progress I make in January. I'm not sure what comes next on the construction agenda, but those potential windows need a lot of attention!

And speaking of January, this wintry view from the window of my basement workroom reminds me that January will soon be upon us, bringing another New Year. I wish you much Joy and Contentment and many Blessings, both large and small, for the whole of the year of 2016. HAPPY NEW YEAR!