Progress - Living Area

December 2013

The removal of the ceiling plaster, and the extra light from the newly-found skylights gave the Loft a totally different appearance. This room had been painted in a dark blue colour, which had always hidden its features. The openness and the extra light began to reveal its potential.

February 2014

A number of non-load-bearing beams had to be removed from the Loft area, and it was impressive to see how relatively large timber beams could be removed by one person (Nico) using an electric saw and some rope to support the beam on neighbouring structural members.

March 2014

A major change occurred in March when the old skylights in the Loft were replaced with new energy-efficient skylights. The two skylights in the old Loft area were replaced in their same positions, with insulating materials packed into the areas surrounding the skylights, as shown in the photo on the left below. The skylight that used to be above the old Storage Room was shifted slightly so that it better illuminated the new Kitchenette area. In this photo on the right, one can also see the insulating batts that were placed into the roof in March, and the battens under the insulation onto which the timber panelling ceiling would eventually be fastened.

Once the new skylights were installed, the Loft area started to look a lot brighter, even with no windows in the room and no internal lighting.

April 2014

The main change in the Loft in April has been the installation of the ceiling panelling boards. They give a much more finished look to the Loft, while simultaneously highlighting the old structural timbers. The two wooden frames on the wall underneath the panelling are for the later installation of new heaters in the Loft. The amount of insulation in the roof is clearly seen inside the skylight opening (which will be lined with the same timber panelling later).

June 2014

Plasterwork was done in the loft as shown below along the low wall on the Rue Gambetta frontage. The chimney on the right was boxed in, but the chimney at the other end of the loft will receive some special treatment later.

The plastering along the inside wall adjoining the toilet has made allowance for a flat screen TV to be attached directly to the wall, by the placement of a metal frame onto the studwork before the plasterboard was installed. This ensures a strong structural support for the TV without the need for any table underneath. This TV will also be connected to the internet and hence able to be used as a large screen for a laptop to view streamed online content, such as the AFL weekly games (-:

The structural timbers have been sanded to reveal a lighter, warmer colour. The one on the left has already been sanded, the one on the right is yet to be sanded. The two modernised skylights are shown in the middle with their CPX plywood surrounds.

Now that all the walls are in place in the Loft, the arrangement of the new Entrance, the repositioned Toilet and the Kitchenette and Mezzanine can be more easily appreciated.

July 2014

This month saw the gracefully curved chimney remodelled slightly and painted, and the new radiators installed on the Rue Gambetta wall. Unfortunately, it also revealed some problems with the flooring, with some rotting sections near the chimney (from some old water leaks) and some gaps between boards that would be difficult to fix. We therefore faced the decision as to whether to try fixing the floor in place, to lift and re-lay the boards after replacing any that are too far gone, or to remove the entire floorboards and replace with the same timber used in the Kitchenette. We are leaning towards the latter course of action, but only after the band tour has been completed.

August 2014

This month saw some finishing touches in the Loft, including some beds for visiting band members, and the installation of the flat-screen TV, in readiness for watching the AFL Finals Series in September!