Truthfully, Folly has been less engaging since the wallboard has gone up. All the clever, thoughtful innovations that make the house airtight and solid are now hidden. One cannot see the old wood reused as studs, the spaces carefully filled with insulation, the sealed air ducts, the wiring in conduit, etc. Although no longer visible these elements create the calm, cool spaces which allow Folly to be so livable.
Thus far, the kitchen cabinets are either in place or awaiting the arrival of Mona Lisa. Perhaps she’ll arrive on Tuesday (shall we have a toast?)
Walls and woodwork have a first coat of paint, and the stone floor has been laid.
These items are not inconsequential. Getting them right has been very important. Folly’s painter, Billy, has been diligent in seeking low/no VOC paint that actually covers the wall with out streaks. At this point he has direct experience with the products of 3-4 paint companies. As you can imagine, all this experimentation has been labor intensive as well as costly. The paints vary widely in cost – sometimes by as much as 2-3 times - which definitely impacts our budget.
The entire first floor is covered in shellstone. That means, every room, hallway, and closet. Such a large installation requires master craftsman. The prep work itself takes some time. Cleaning and leveling the floor and putting down crack suppressant sets up the condition for the real work to begin. Establishing the pattern for each room and hallway (as well as the transitions between rooms) requires an easy familiarity with fractions as well as will a wet saw! As each small section of floor is set in place it is checked with a level to be certain that it is true - no dips or hills!
It’s accurate to say that the project is nearing completion, but there are still a number of systems to come on line. There will be more updates in these final days.
