Dordogne Retreat - a farmhouse tale

The downstairs bedroom did not have a mosquito blind fitted to the window (unlike the other bedrooms) so last year we purchased one, and like several projects it sat there waiting to be fitted. Well in the last week with the temperature soaring into the 30's and muggy nights I decided the time had come. It of course ended up being a slightly bigger job as I decided that it would be easier to paint the window before fitting it!

So the window frame is now green (which I like!) rather than off pink. The blind is very effective and I bought another for the kitchen, this is of course sitting there unfitted awaiting a suitable work slot!

With a few rainy days during our October visit we turned some of our focus onto what is currently the master bedroom (eventually to become a lounge/tv room). For some strange reason there was a small window between the bathroom and the bedroom. A couple of pieces of plasterboard and a light coating of plaster and it was gone!

 I am not a great plasterer, especially with French plaster which is almost plaster of paris and cant be 'floated', but the good news is that the rest of the plaster is not great either som my efforts fit in well.

 After completing the elimination of the window we started to paint over the lovely 'pink' on th elower part of the walls and remove the brown dado rails. Unfortunately the dado rails had been attached to the walls before the plaster had been applied! This left not only a hole to be filled but ridges of plaster that we will need to remove in places.

 We unfortunately ran out of paint (we import Dulux from the UK) but covering up/removing the brown has made a big difference.

On a brief visit last weekend Paul (thanks again for joining me!) and I replaced the last of the old windows in the house, the third that I had done. My mother kindly gave me the money for this window some time ago and it was purchased but has sat in the corner of the bedroom for many months so fitting it has also helped tidy up the room.

The old frame came out easily following the lessons of the last two window installations - take out enough plaster around the window and then saw through the middle of the bottom piece of the frame and pull each piece out in turn. So within an hour we were ready to install the new frame. Of course nothing is easy and the oak frame to the opening was not square so we had to cut and plane a couple of infill pieces first.

After this the new frame went in fairly quickly and after installing the last of the large screws holding it in we are now almost competent, which is typical as we won't have to repeat this again (assuming we don't buy another house to do up.....)! So with masking tape applied we hung the windows which fitted very well.

The next job was to use a whole can of exanding foam around the frame and then plaster the wall and seal the edge with mastic. Another hint you leave the plastic on the windows while doing this, we still haven't got the foam off all of the first frame we fitted!

The final result was very pleasing with not only more light coming in through the new window but being a north facing wall the room even started to feel warmer with the double glazed panels. So thanks Mum and thanks Paul!

While the garden was the main focus of the work activity on this visit we did manage to make progress on a few other items. The most significant was the signing of a contract to have the three windows at the back of the house changed to doors. So observe this picture, it should soon look very different!

As you look at the picture the windows on the left and right will be made into 1.4m wide double doors and the window in the centre into smaller 1m wide double doors. The wall you can see in front of the house will be built up by one more row of blocks and a large patio made between the wall and the house. The doors should be done in the next month but the wall and patio work is down to me (and a mini digger).

Work on the two bedrooms in the attic progressed and all the plasterboard is now taped and filled. In the back bedroom we have continued putting 'Crepi' on the walls and ceiling and slowly it is coming together. By the time we finish the house we will probably be able to put in on quickly but for now it takes a long time. The finish is like artex and we have been trying to get it flat rather than stippled but so far our skills haven't developed enough.

Looking at this angle it is looking good, but all you need to do is to glance up to see we are not yet finished!

The front bedroom is now taped and filled and a coat of light plaster (a key coat for the crepi) applied to most of the room (where Sue could reach!) and while not as well progressed as the back bedroom it now more homely without the gaps everywhere.

While filling the joints in the plasterboard I realised that the type of plaster being used would work well to fill the gap between the old plaster and the new windows in the kitchen. So even though it is only about 2 years since installing the windows (you cant rush these things after all) the gaps were plastered and it has made a big difference.

So thats it for this trip, roll on April when we hopefully make another visit.

Three days of the past week have been taken up with work on two of the new bedrooms. The lower walls were insulated (2 days) and the ceilings insulated and boarded (1 day). We also installed electric wall mounted radiators (impulse purchase in Brico depot) and this of course needed a new wiring circuit installing, but we enjoy a challenge!

The rooms are now ready for the plasterbard joints to be filled and then plastered (if we can find a plasterer) or painted.

It's been six days since the website was last udated, this can be divided into 2 parts - 4 days finishing off the second new bedroom ready for guests, and 2 days enjoying the company of our guests!

In fact it took 3 days to finish (well not completely eg not painted etc) the bedroom and the fourth day out shopping and completing other tasks around the house.

We now actually have a bannister rail on the steep stairs up to the attic:

Then to the left are the two new nedrooms:

Not much to show in the bedroom but we are pleased with the velux window surround (also now done on the other new bedroom):

While the room is habitable it is not decorated etc so we slept here and gave our guests the main bedroom!