Photo of the magical aurora borealis by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels
Happy New Year to us all! We are looking forward to 2022 with renewed hopes, and with some fond memories of 2021, despite it having been a very difficult year in so many respects.
After many years of starts and stops, Joseph and I arrived near the end of 2021 with a renewed determination to see our tiny Normandy village house made whole and livable.
Over the course of several weeks in November and December, we were cheered to receive regular emails and photos from our two man team of artisans that delighted us as we saw our place being transformed.
After many years of starts and stops, Joseph and I arrived near the end of 2021 with a renewed determination to see our tiny Normandy village house made whole and livable.
Over the course of several weeks in November and December, we were cheered to receive regular emails and photos from our two man team of artisans that delighted us as we saw our place being transformed.
Building on the years of solid "infrastructure" that had been laid by our main contractors, the new team tackled the last set of architectural problems that had bedeviled us - an unsafe step on the main stairs, the decrepit stairwell walls, the lack of secure handrails, the exposed electric box, the cavity inside the "door of doom" around the main water valve, the missing door to the attic, deteriorating attic steps, and the need for a door to close over the "cave" under the kitchen stairs.
Then came the painting, always a very satisfying finish for rebuilt rooms in an old house. Because the rooms are small, we opted for all white walls to start, with the exception of navy blue in the kitchen to set the space apart.
Within just a few weeks, the work was done! Our schedule did not allow us to leave Paris for long in early December, but we were very curious to see it all in person, so we gathered up Pipkin and hopped on the train for a one day round trip visit.
Then came the painting, always a very satisfying finish for rebuilt rooms in an old house. Because the rooms are small, we opted for all white walls to start, with the exception of navy blue in the kitchen to set the space apart.
Within just a few weeks, the work was done! Our schedule did not allow us to leave Paris for long in early December, but we were very curious to see it all in person, so we gathered up Pipkin and hopped on the train for a one day round trip visit.
Charming as ever, but very cold, the village was following its ancient ways, preparing for the holidays in early December.
Real pine trees were set up and decorated at frequent spots throughout the village.
The narrow river ran fast and high along its channels.
There was a fair amount of business traffic, and the Relais was busy at lunchtime, but no one stayed out on the street in the cold rain for long.
We checked out the Christmas lights set up on the green and all around the village.
Too bad we could not stay to see them lit up. Maybe next year.
Too bad we could not stay to see them lit up. Maybe next year.
The abbey was ready for Christmas.
The newest construction project inspired by Christian Derouet, the village's remarkable mayor, was underway at the corner of Place Jules Levée. Men were bravely working in the bitter cold, throwing debris out the window of an abandoned house. It is being gutted for renovation, along with several others on the edge of our square. With governmental participation and investment, these houses will be remade into six new dwellings with a green space behind. It always cheers us to see the village continuing to change and thrive, even while it retains its homey character.
Seeing that work brought to mind the early days of demolition at our house - when it had to be torn down to earthern floor and stone walls, beginning in 2016.
Somehow, having observed our house's step by step reconstruction from that point over the years made the final result all the more remarkable and magical for us. Stepping inside our place in December 2021, we were thrilled to see transformation at every turn.
Without much further comment, I hope you will all enjoy the "before" and "after" photos of each section of our house. In some cases, I have reached back - for dramatic effect - to include much earlier stages of the renovation. Wherever possible, the photos are shots taken from a similar angle over time.
Advisement: this is a loooong post with dozens of photos. You may want to get a cup of tea or glass of wine (depending on your time zone) before you dive in.
First up is the kitchen...
Seeing that work brought to mind the early days of demolition at our house - when it had to be torn down to earthern floor and stone walls, beginning in 2016.
Somehow, having observed our house's step by step reconstruction from that point over the years made the final result all the more remarkable and magical for us. Stepping inside our place in December 2021, we were thrilled to see transformation at every turn.
Without much further comment, I hope you will all enjoy the "before" and "after" photos of each section of our house. In some cases, I have reached back - for dramatic effect - to include much earlier stages of the renovation. Wherever possible, the photos are shots taken from a similar angle over time.
Advisement: this is a loooong post with dozens of photos. You may want to get a cup of tea or glass of wine (depending on your time zone) before you dive in.
First up is the kitchen...
BEFORE - 2016 - The kitchen after some early demolition - more than ready for a fresh start!
2018/19 - Kitchen appliances and cabinets being fitted
By September 2021 - Lots of work already done. Walls are up, hardwood flooring in, kitchen is installed
AFTER - December 2021 - Painted and finished!
Let's take a quick detour to the entryway, and come back to the kitchen in a minute...
Let's take a quick detour to the entryway, and come back to the kitchen in a minute...
BEFORE - September 2021 - Entryway and the sad old stairwell
AFTER - December 2021 - Entryway and stairs
(Note that we now have a door on the "cave!")
(Note that we now have a door on the "cave!")
We still need to get the "cave" cleaned out!
Back to the living room/kitchen areas now...
Back to the living room/kitchen areas now...
BEFORE - In 2015 when we first saw the house, there was a dividing wall in the living room, looking toward the kitchen
2016 - Entry, stairway and kitchen area viewed from the living room after demolition of the dividing wall and old hardboard on the kitchen walls
August 2016 - New electrical, plumbing, insulation in the walls and metal framing done
2017 - Drywall up and new flooring installed
(New step was created at the bottom of the stairs from leftover oak flooring upstairs)
(New step was created at the bottom of the stairs from leftover oak flooring upstairs)
2019 - Kitchen fully installed
AFTER - December 2021 - A livable, clean and tidy kitchen painted in one of my favorite colors
AFTER - Longer view of stairwell and kitchen from the living room/salon
New cabinet built around electric panel high on the left wall
(And we all remember the "door of doom" covering the water valve access below)
New cabinet built around electric panel high on the left wall
(And we all remember the "door of doom" covering the water valve access below)
The new cabinet and framing before painting
AFTER - The three utility cabinets near the front door
AFTER - Another view
Inside the electrical cabinets
BEFORE - Reaching inside the "door of doom" to turn the water valve was very unpleasant
AFTER - After painting, the "door of doom" looks better from the outside
And clean inside! Even Pipkin approves.
Now, back to the kitchen for more finished photos...
Now, back to the kitchen for more finished photos...
Note to kitchen planners: decide where your big appliances will be before you have the outlets installed in the walls. We'll have to put a table or rolling cabinet in front of this plug, because we need to use it for the washer/dryer, but all looks good.
Now, let's step into the living room, starting with the way it was...
BEFORE - 2015 - We knew going in that we would have to replace all the floors on the ground level
2015 - But at least the living room had good light and a nice recessed window
2015 - This wide angle shot shows part of the old fireplace that we wanted to keep, but was covered up. We may yet install a small woodstove in this corner, but will have to investigate the chimney before doing so.
2016 - Living room floor demolished. Sewer pipe on the dirt floor amidst stone debris
2016 -Significant progress toward modernizing the space
2017 - Drywall up in the living room
AFTER - December 2021 - Prepped, painted and finished!
Along the way, we also had to replace the old wooden door that opens onto rue St. Nicolas. The new one is an exact replica in aluminum, so the house retains the same look it had in the 1940s. Everything we do to the outside of the house has to be approved because it is close to the Abbey, an historic monument.
There used to be a cabinet in the alcove to the right of the side door. We have not decided yet how to use it.
An evening view of the living room. The wood flooring takes on a different hue depending on the time of day, and natural or artificial light. There is not a lot of room for furniture, but we think a convertible sofa and at least one armchair will make it comfortable.
Aside from the comprehensive wall prep and painting work in every room, our new team took on some significant building tasks as well. We were pleased to see the drywall finished in neglected spaces, and some very creative carpentry. The stairwell needed the most work...
Aside from the comprehensive wall prep and painting work in every room, our new team took on some significant building tasks as well. We were pleased to see the drywall finished in neglected spaces, and some very creative carpentry. The stairwell needed the most work...
BEFORE - Wattle and daub walls of the stairwell - still exposed in October 2021
DURING - New drywall going up
BEFORE - Stairwell wall & ceiling
BEFORE - The stairwell shelf
DURING - More drywall, cutting and shaping
The original curve of the banister at the top of the stairwell is uncovered and revealed again to provide better handhold stability and aesthetics.
Fitting handrails for the right side descent
Walls painted, new handrails waiting to be stained and reinstalled
AFTER - December 2021 - quite a difference!
An elegant stairwell with character - a work of art in our eyes, uncovering and enhancing the classic beauty of these narrow stairs, probably more than a century old.
The artisans also addressed a safety issue for us: a misstep close to the upstairs landing.
The artisans also addressed a safety issue for us: a misstep close to the upstairs landing.
BEFORE - the awkward half step that made the climb unstable
AFTER - The new solid step gives us better purchase, with handrails on both sides now.
Only Pipkin has a bit of an issue with the new step, as it seems difficult for her to get her tummy over the width of the last step without assistance!
Overhead in the stairwell there was more work to be done...
Overhead in the stairwell there was more work to be done...
BEFORE - October 2021 - Undercarriage of attic stairs over stairwell - unfinished drywall on the left, and an old slat board wall on the right.
DURING - New drywall installed and undercarriage of stairs enclosed. No more schmutz!
AFTER - Finished stairwell overhang as seen from bedroom doorway - neat and clean.
And now that we are upstairs, let's look at the transformation wrought by both teams of builders over time in 1) the bathroom, 2) the "study/library" (small room at top of the stairs outside the bathroom) and 3) the bedroom.
First, a look at the bathroom in BEFORE times...
And now that we are upstairs, let's look at the transformation wrought by both teams of builders over time in 1) the bathroom, 2) the "study/library" (small room at top of the stairs outside the bathroom) and 3) the bedroom.
First, a look at the bathroom in BEFORE times...
BEFORE - 2016 - The wall to the bathroom had been removed, but this is what it was!
2016 - Bathroom demolished. Looking down into the demolished kitchen!
2017 - New plumbing, electrical and base flooring for bathroom installed
2018 - The new bathroom installed!
December 2021 - Ellen and Pipkin in the study/library, ready for the big bathroom reveal
AFTER - The finished and painted bathroom. Tiny, but complete!
Now let's look at the study/library area...
Now let's look at the study/library area...
BEFORE - 2016 - Upstairs in our tiny village house:
Old built-in armoire on the left. Openings left to right are: stairs up to attic, stairs down to kitchen/living room, and the gutted bathroom space. Floors are open and being relaid on new beams in the study/library. Old attic door is leaning against the wall on the right.
The study/library, the small room at the top of the landing, was enlarged a bit by our first set of builders who created a new indented wall on the righthand side to give us more room for a desk or shelving...
Old built-in armoire on the left. Openings left to right are: stairs up to attic, stairs down to kitchen/living room, and the gutted bathroom space. Floors are open and being relaid on new beams in the study/library. Old attic door is leaning against the wall on the right.
The study/library, the small room at the top of the landing, was enlarged a bit by our first set of builders who created a new indented wall on the righthand side to give us more room for a desk or shelving...
AFTER: The study/library looks perfect after painting.
Door on the left is the bathroom door.
Door on the left is the bathroom door.
AFTER: Looking out of the study/library toward the old built-in armoire and window. Bathroom door on the right.
As a special request, the artisans also reconfigured the inside of the old armoire from multiple horizontal shelving to just two shelves and a hanging rod so we can store clothing there until we can create other closet space or purchase a free-standing armoire for the bedroom.
As a special request, the artisans also reconfigured the inside of the old armoire from multiple horizontal shelving to just two shelves and a hanging rod so we can store clothing there until we can create other closet space or purchase a free-standing armoire for the bedroom.
Space for clothing in the old armoire
The study/library at the top of the stairs leads into the main bedroom.
The study/library at the top of the stairs leads into the main bedroom.
Today the bedroom is beautifully painted and well-renovated (with the exception of the hanging "bulb of shame.") But not that long ago, it was a work in progress too.
BEFORE - In 2016, you could see the window in the living room through the floor beams of the bedroom (bedroom wall not yet reconstructed next to the built-in armoire).
BEFORE - Looking toward the side window of the bedroom, the floor has yet to be installed in the study/library through to the bedroom. There is no wall or door to the bedroom yet. The old fireplace opening is still visible on the side wall.
Even when the new hardwood floors were put in, the walls looked very shabby. Our first team of builders replaced all of the drywall and covered up the old fireplace vent. Our second team finished the job by prepping all the walls and applying several heavy coats of white paint.
AFTER: The back wall of the bedroom and side window.
AFTER: The main bedroom window brings in a lot of light. Looking out the bedroom door, we can see the armoire and the window in the study/library. All the painting is done, including the doors.
AFTER: Everything a very smooth white satin finish. If we decide to paint a different color later, or apply wallpaper, making changes should be very easy. For now, the white is serene and brings in a lot of winter light.
Going back to the landing at the top of the stairs in the study/library, you can see that the old attic door has been restored to its rightful place.
Going back to the landing at the top of the stairs in the study/library, you can see that the old attic door has been restored to its rightful place.
Because some overhanging drywall had been removed earlier from this doorway, the antique door was a bit too short, but our clever team fashioned some additional wooden pieces at the top of the door to fit it flush with the doorjamb.
Knowing that we wanted to keep some antique character in the house, the artisans left the rough rustic finish of the original door, just painting the outside white to blend with the walls.
The inside of the attic door retains its original reddish-brown color.
BEFORE - September 2021 - Several of the attic stairs were in need of repair and the inside wall of the attic stairwell was a decrepit set of loose boards.
AFTER: Attic steps strengthened and replaced where needed, and new painted drywall neatly closed the stairwell.
AFTER: I was especially happy to see that one of the top treads had been replaced with new wood, as that step previously felt very weak.
The attic was very cold and drafty, so we did not dally there on our one day visit. We were glad to have the electric wall heaters in the main living areas to keep us warm.
The attic was very cold and drafty, so we did not dally there on our one day visit. We were glad to have the electric wall heaters in the main living areas to keep us warm.
Many thanks to our builders and artisans who have worked so hard to restore and refresh this little stone house, bring at least some of it into the 21st century, and who have given us a gift that both we and our families will treasure for years to come.
Many, many thanks to all of you, our readers, family, friends, cyber-friends, work colleagues and renovation addicts, who have supported us to this point with your positive emails and comments as we have gone through this process.
There is more to be done, of course. New windows to be created and installed, furniture to be purchased or found, decorating decisions, art to be hung, skylights and renovation in the attic, and the whole of Normandy to explore once we finally buy a car! We hope to continue to share our love of France and this sweet village with you all in the future.
Many, many thanks to all of you, our readers, family, friends, cyber-friends, work colleagues and renovation addicts, who have supported us to this point with your positive emails and comments as we have gone through this process.
There is more to be done, of course. New windows to be created and installed, furniture to be purchased or found, decorating decisions, art to be hung, skylights and renovation in the attic, and the whole of Normandy to explore once we finally buy a car! We hope to continue to share our love of France and this sweet village with you all in the future.
Until next time, best wishes for a splendid year!
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