A quiet Saturday afternoon, Peroni in hand and sun streaming through the windows...the perfect time to update on our first month in residence at Terragong. Although much of each day has been spent indoors, assessing the work that needs doing, discussing and plotting the renovation schedule, meeting with tradespeople and suppliers (Telstra, Mr Antenna, locksmiths, surveyors, etc) and getting dust in every pore, we've managed a couple of late afternoon BBQs on the kitchen patio to kick-back and enjoy.
We've made a start on the purely cosmetic challenges, removing carpet and stripping wallpaper from some of the principle rooms of the house (master bedroom, library and formal dining room), revealing the very, very good bones of this 156 year old home and allowing us to assess the condition of floorboards, plaster, skirting boards, cornices, etc. (the cedar joinery continually amazes). So far, no nasty surprises (apart from a lack of power points - one per room seems to be the upper limit).
Here are some pics of the library underway...
The inherited decor, with floor to ceiling drapes and swagged pelmets, which unfortunately kept out much of the natural light and hid the magnificent cedar window architraves.
The heavily-patterned Axminster carpet had been laid in the early 1950s and was lifted in the space of an afternoon...
To our great relief, the floorboards (of Fijian Kauri) are in fantastic condition.
