Friday, February 26, 2021

Tiny Steps Forward

This is probably not just a tiny step, but quite a progress!

Now, both lamps are up and running at the gate and what is left is to fix the marks from the previous lamps.

These lamps really melt into the environment!

Now, it will be interesting to see if their IP classification will make a difference for the lightbulbs consumptions. The previous lamps, apart from the low aesthetics, had also the feature of forcing me to replace lightbulbs fairly often. I think they were simply not made for being outdoor.

Changing topic completely, there has been also a micro step forward towards making the "curtains in the living room project" complete. 

I am still waiting for some holders for the side curtains as I thought I could find something online that would fit, but it didn't really work out as I thought and realized that it'd be better to have something handmade by the blacksmith that would fit with the rest of the other details.

So, as he is a bit evanescent, I am waiting patiently that he will produce those side curtain holders, but as I had managed to get him to make at least the central, double one, I made sure we would get it mounted. Also, we have finally put back the curtains, pushed by another reportage on a newspaper, as the small cats are probably less wild (I hope for the best here) and the risk to have climbing spider-cats on them should be minor. This is also needed as spring is creeping in (or rather exploding) and soon the light and the sun will make playing the piano an extreme activity.

It is nice to see the "complete" picture getting more and more complete.


The curtains behind the piano. The central ones now are held together when needed.



Details of the holders

The holders have the same style as the curtain rod holder (as one can half see in the pictures).


A nice touch, I think



Saturday, February 6, 2021

So be light









 I believe the last "previous owner" liked to mix modern fancyness, modern cheap solutions and jugend all together. 

Our gates, which have a strong art deco feeling, have substituted the original in wood (there was just one) and they mostly dominate with the white pillars that define the entrance to the garden/our premises.

One set of pillars have been equipped with some lamps that, well, could have had a better style. 


The original lamp
Apart the form, shape, color, style (which I believe are questionable and do not fit with the rest of the house), we had a painful problem. Probably the lamp is not made for being outdoor, so I had to often switch lightbulbs, until I had enough of it.

Since I wanted to be sure that we got something that would work, I went and search for some newly produced outdoor lamp that would at least fit semi decently despite not being from 1910...!

Once the purchase was made, of course it took few months before we even opened the box with the new lamps. 
Substituting the old lamps
Without rush (we really don't have that style), one lamp got removed and switched to the new one. 
It is soon time to see also the second appearing on the second pillar.

The new lamp is shining in the dark

The new set of lamps is at least having some resemblance of old style and it matches in color with the house roof and the gates. 
It looks quite ok - and at least, definitely better than before! 
I was welcomed by the light
Naturally, as in every of our projects, a small change requires an longer chain of patches and fixing than one thinks. We need, indeed, to seal up the holes from the old lamps and paint the pillars as well...
Next century?